Record of the Year and Song of the Year are not the only categories the 2025 Grammy's have a wonderful array of options for. In this article, I'll look at Best New Artist and Album of the Year, giving my thoughts on who should win and who will win.
Best New Artist
- Benson Boone
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Doechii
- Khruangbin
- Raye
- Chappell Roan
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
Who should win
Though the competition is strong, Raye is overdue for Grammy recognition. Despite the massive success of her breakout hit “Escapism,” her 2023 album “My 21st Century Blues” was noticeably overlooked in last year's Grammy nominations. Now in 2024, her recent multi-part release “Genesis” exemplifies Raye's unique artistry, and her talents deserve this award.
Who will win
I predict either Sabrina Carpenter or Chappell Roan will take home this award.
Carpenter, who has been in the industry for a few years, had a huge breakout year spanning from the rise of “Feather” to her massive 2024 hits like “Espresso,” “Please Please Please” and “Taste.” This success was only boosted by her 2024 pop album “Short n' Sweet” and the titular world tour, which has done exceptionally well financially and critically. Her album has already received an incredible 4.2 billion Spotify streams, and the momentum hasn't stopped. Given Carpenter's dominance in music this year, I could see the Grammy committee voting for her in this category.
Chappell Roan, like Carpenter, is not a new artist in the music industry. But she has taken the music scene by storm since her Tiny Desk Concert on Mar. 21. Roan's distinctive vocal inflections and eccentric personality, on and off the stage, contributed significantly to her success. Hits like “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Hot to Go!!” and “Pink Pony Club” were also unstoppable. Her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” has received over 2.2 billion Spotify streams and has been praised for its eclectic mix of sounds and genres. I could see the Grammy committee favoring Roan based solely on her uniqueness in the music industry.
Album of the Year
- New Blue Sun, André 3000
- Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé
- Short n’ Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter
- Brat, Charli xcx
- Djesse Vol. 4, Jacob Collier
- Hit Me Hard and Soft, Billie Eilish
- The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan
- The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift
What should win
I believe Billie Eilish should win this award. “Hit Me Hard and Soft” is her most refined and polished work. The tracks flow into one another, and the story she tells through the lyrics is powerful and elicits emotions. The album is a success, receiving widespread critical acclaim and over 4.4 billion Spotify streams. While it is not as genre-bending as her debut, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go,” the album does an excellent job of taking simple topics like loss and love and creating music unlike anything currently available. Standout tracks such as “Chihiro” and “Wildflower” explain these complex relationships and demonstrate the combination of excellent production, lyricism and vocal performance.
What will win
I think either Eilish or Beyoncé will win this award.
I feel the above reasons will allow Billie Eilish to be a strong contender to win this award. She previously won this award in 2020 at the 62nd Grammy Awards ceremony and the current momentum behind “Hit Me Hard and Soft” can be strong enough to clinch the award.
Beyoncé is overdue for the coveted Album of the Year award. Although “CowboyCarter” was not the most flashy or popular album of the year, it is a well-crafted and powerful collection of songs. The project has received over 1.5 billion Spotify streams and is ranked as Metacritic's fifth most acclaimed album of the year. The most important aspect of this album is the conversation that surrounds it. By departing so much from her usual Pop/RnB/Hip-Hop sounds, Beyoncé forced her listeners and critics to view her work differently.
Despite its clear country influence and sounds, the album was notoriously overlooked for the Country Music Award nominations. In an Instagram post, she explained that “[Cowboy Carter] was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn't. But, as a result of that experience, I delved deeper into the history of country music and researched our extensive musical archive.” “Cowboy Carter” is a statement, and I believe that this message, combined with the obvious expertise within the music itself, could win Beyoncé Album of the Year.
Of course, the Grammy nominations also excluded many artists. Notably, Nicki Minaj was excluded from all nominations, creating a lot of controversy. Nicki Minaj's late 2023 album, Pink Friday 2, accumulated over 1.6 billion Spotify streams and produced the #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Super Freaky Girl,” but drew little recognition from the recording academy. Megan Thee Stallion, a three-time Grammy winner, was also not included on the 2025 nominations list, despite her successful album “Megan” and the acclaimed #1 Billboard Hot 100 diss track “Hiss”. Pop singer Dua Lipa also joined the list of no nominations this year following the release of her album “Radical Optimism.”
Grammy night is an event I never miss. Fans worldwide are eager to see if their favorite artists will take home new trophies. Every year brings new surprises, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next show continues this tradition.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.