Last month, the 2025 Grammy nominations were released, serving as a testament to how diverse and good this year’s music was. Beyonce leads the pack in total nominations, with 11 overall. This includes her first-ever nomination in the Country category for her 2024 album, “Cowboy Carter.” Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, Post Malone and Kendrick Lamar are tied for second with seven nominations each.
The main category nominations also reflect the continued rise of female artists. Collectively, women artists have six nominations in three major categories — album of the year, record of the year and song of the year — and rightfully so. Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Charli XCX were among the artists who most shaped the sounds, trends and culture of 2024.
These female breakout artists were not alone in topping the charts as 2024 was also the year of male breakout artist Shaboozey. His song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is now the decade's longest-running #1, having spent 17 weeks at the top. The song has over 900 million Spotify streams and has received four Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year.
The main category nominations are definite toss-ups but in my opinion, some options stand out more than others. In this article, I look at Record of the Year and Song of the Year, giving my thoughts on who should win and who will win.
Record of the Year Nominees
- “Now and Then,” The Beatles
- “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé
- “Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter
- “360,” Charli xcx
- “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish
- “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
- “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan
- “Fortnight,” Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
What should win
My favorite from this batch is “Birds of a Feather.” Simply put, the emotion evoked by this song is intense, which, combined with Eilish's vocal performance and the song's production, makes this better than every other song on the list. The music evokes the sensation of running through an empty field, providing an ephemeral and comforting quality. Eilish's performance on this song is great, but other undeniably strong contenders may overshadow it.
What will win
I predict either “Not Like Us” or “Espresso” will take home the award. Both songs had huge cultural impacts and remain stable on the charts throughout the year.
The first half of 2024 saw Drake feud with many rappers, but Kendrick’s feud with him may be the most notable. The feud peaked on the night Lamar released “Not Like Us.” The song received immediate acclaim and garnered a record-setting 12.8 million single-day streams and a record-setting 81.2 million streams in a week. It’s pulsating strings and booming 808s were soon heard around the world. The music video for “Not Like Us” further cemented the song’s influence on 2024 pop culture, with Lamar paying tribute to his hometown of Compton and making hidden and clever digs at Drake. The only question is, will the Grammys award a diss track one of their most publicized awards? We will have to wait and see.
“Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter was undoubtedly 2024’s most popular pop song, having been inescapable since its Coachella stage debut. The song has already been streamed on Spotify over 1.5 billion times, the fastest song to do so. The song is also 2024’s longest-running Billboard Hot 100 female solo Top 10 song on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's catchy lyrics and light and carefree production pave the way for a potential Carpenter win at the 67th annual Grammy Awards.
Song of the Year
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey
- “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish
- “Die With a Smile,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
- “Fortnight,“ Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone
- “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan
- “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
- “Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter
- “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé
What should win
“Not Like Us” should win this category. The lyrical composition of this song is truly its highlight, with flow and lyrics that blew away people worldwide. There are numerous videos on the internet of fans (and haters) reacting to and deconstructing the song verses, some receiving millions. From wordplay to cultural references, the song is unparalleled in pure songwriting. But it all comes down to the voting committee, and I believe a diss track (whose lyrics are not the cleanest lyrics) is less likely to win this award.
What will win
I predict that “Die With a Smile” will win song of the year. Despite being released late in the year, the song was met with immediate success. The song marks Bruno Mars' return to music after his successful 2021 album, “An Evening with Silk Sonic,” and Gaga's first song in two years, since her 2022 contribution to “Top Gun: Maverick” soundtrack. Lyrically, the song is about committing to and loving your significant other until the end of time, and the listening experience is best described as charming. Its lyrics are simple to understand, and the music is almost anthemic in Gaga and Mars' expression of their unwavering love for their partners. I can see Grammy reviewers connecting with its message and voting for its win. It is also worth noting that Bruno Mars has won every Grammy nomination since 2014.
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