With award season upon us, the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, set to be hosted by Trevor Noah, is sure to not only bring the excitement of who the winners will be, but also entertain audiences with grand performances of today’s most popular artists.
While there are hundreds of Grammy Awards given out each year to artists of all genres, the major categories are mostly occupied by pop. Categories such as Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and more are all won by the most popular music released in the past year. Tracks such as “As It Was” by Harry Styles, “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacey, and “About Damn Time” by Lizzo all topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts this year by making it to the number one spot. These songs, along with many more, are nominated for Song of the Year due to their immense popularity.
“I’m not surprised by the nominations, as these were all songs that were trending on TikTok this year. There seems to be a trend that the most popular songs have gotten their popularity through TikTok. Out of all of them, I probably like “Bad Habit” the most, but I think all were deserving of the nomination. I’m worried that in the future TikTok will reduce the quality of music,” said sophomore Sarah Germana.
On the other hand, the Best New Artist award may be one of the NARAS’ (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) most influential prizes. According to their official website, this category recognizes an artist who had a breakthrough release into the public consciousness and made an impact on this year’s music landscape.
This award has kick-started the career of some of the most famous singers in pop culture, including Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Nicki Minaj, and John Legend. The title of Best New Artist is currently held by Olivia Rodrigo after her breakthrough debut album Sour. This year’s nominees include Molly Tuttle, Måneskin, Wet Leg, and more.
Another important award given out that night will be the covetedinfamous Album of the Year. Similar to the Song of the Year category, the nominees consist of the most popular albums released in the past year. This includes albums such as Voyage by ABBA, 30 by Adele, Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny, RENAISSANCE by Beyoncé, Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) by Mary J. Blige, In These Silent Days by Brandi Carlisle, Music of the Spheres by Coldplay, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar, Special by Lizzo, and Harry’s House by Harry Styles.
“I’m pretty familiar with most of the albums, and I’m happy that they’re being nominated for Album of the Year. I know that all the artists worked really hard to get where they are and no matter who wins, the nominations were definitely deserved. Personally, I really want Adele to win the award. I think that 30 was such a beautiful album full of emotion and feeling. We really received the message she was trying to convey,” said sophomore Zoe Lucas.
Although most of these nominees have a similar number of nominations, one definitely has taken this award show by storm. Beyoncé has the opportunity to walk away with nine Grammys after this year’s event, to add on to her already 28-piece collection. Additionally, she and Jay-Z are tied for the most nominations of all time, with 88 each. This year, three of Beyonce’s nominations are for her hit song “BREAK MY SOUL,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Out of her nine nominations, four of them fall into the pop categories, two into the electronics, and three in the R&B ones.
In addition to all these awards, one of the most exciting parts of the Grammys is the performances by nominated artists. For the past few years, artists have been outdoing themselves with extravagant sets and costumes. In 2021, Taylor Swift enchanted the audience with a medley of her most popular songs in an overgrown cabin set. Dua Lipa and her dancers bedazzled the stage in sparkly pink two-pieces along with DaBaby, to which they sang their hit song “Levitating” together. In 2022, Billie Eilish performed her song “Happier Than Ever” along with her brother FINNEAS on the roof of a house in a thunderstorm. That same night, Olivia Rodrigo sang her massive hit “drivers license” in her car and on a city street. This year’s performances are yet to be announced, but fans are excited to see what the academy has in store for us this year.
“I’d love to see Beyoncé perform, but I don’t know what I’d do if Taylor Swift surprised us with a few songs from Midnights,” said sophomore Charlotte Packer.
Every year, the Grammy Awards are an unmissable event for the music industry, filled with music and emotion. They will be streamed on CBS on Feb. 5 at 7:00 p.m.