Awards
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The Soul Train Awards are taking over Las Vegas on November 13, and BET announced its list of nominees for the star-studded ceremony. Actor and comedian Deon Cole will host the night dedicated to celebrating the best in soul, R&B and hip-hop music.
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“Hosting the Soul Train Awards is a dream come true. I grew up watching Soul Train and ‘til this day, I’ve never met a Soul Train Line I didn’t bless with my skilled two step,” said Cole in a press statement. “It is truly a privilege to be given this opportunity to celebrate Don Cornelius’ legacy, all of the amazing Black talent that illuminated our screens on the iconic TV show, and my favorite genres of music: Soul, R&B and Hip Hop.”
Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige lead this year’s list of nominees, with an impressive seven nods each. Ari Lennox follows with six, and Lizzo and Chris Brown each have five nominations. Burna Boy, Muni Long and Steve Lacy all have four nods.
The 2022 Soul Train Awards premiere on Sunday (Nov. 13) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her. See the full list of nominations below.
Best New ArtistCKayCoco JonesDixsonDoechiiFireboy DMLMuni LongSteve LacyTems
Certified Soul AwardChaka KhanCharlie WilsonDiana RossMary J. BligeMaxwellPJ MortonRonald Isley & The Isley BrothersT-Pain
Best Gospel/Inspirational AwardCeCe WinansErica CampbellFred HammondMajor.Marvin SappMaverick City Music X Kirk FranklinTamela MannTasha Cobbs Leonard
Best R&B/Soul Female ArtistAri LennoxBeyoncéH.E.R.Jazmine SullivanLizzoMary J. BligeSZATems
Best R&B/Soul Male ArtistBabyfaceBrent FaiyazBurna BoyCharlie WilsonChris BrownGiveonLucky DayePJ Morton
Album of the YearAn Evening With Silk Sonic, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)Away Message (EP), Ari LennoxBreezy, Chris BrownGood Morning Gorgeous, Mary J. BligeHeaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe, Jazmine SullivanR&B Money, TankRenaissance, BeyoncéSpecial, Lizzo
Song of the Year“About Damn Time,” Lizzo“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long“Last Last,” Burna Boy“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
The Ashford And Simpson Songwriter’s Award“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé“Church Girl,” Beyoncé“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long“I Hate U,” SZA“Last, Last,” Burna Boy“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
Best Dance Performance“About Damn Time,” Lizzo“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid“Have Mercy,” Chlöe“Persuasive,” Doechii“Pressure,” Ari Lennox“Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)“We (Warm Embrace),” Chris Brown“Woman,” Doja Cat
Video of the Year“About Damn Time,” Lizzo“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige“Have Mercy,” Chlöe“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long“Last Last,” Burna Boy“Pressure,” Ari Lennox“Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
Best Collaboration“Amazing,” Mary J. Blige feat. DJ Khaled“Be Like Water,” PJ Morton feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid“Gotta Move On,” Diddy feat. Bryson Tiller“Hate Our Love,” Queen Naija & Big Sean“Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers feat. Beyoncé“Move,” Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones & Tems“Slow,” Tank feat. J. Valentine
RIO DE JANEIRO — Sertanejo act Maiara & Maraisa won the award for duo of the year on the 29th edition of Brazil’s Multishow Music Awards, held on Tuesday (Oct. 18) and aired by Multishow TV Channel.
“It’s an honor to win this prize. We hope to be there next year to win this prize again,” the duo teased, while remotely accepting the prize via a live transmission.
The win was welcome news for the sertanejo community, after a wave of online criticism about too little representation at the awards show for the genre — considered to be the most popular in Brazil, and the country’s equivalent to American country music. In September, days after Multishow officially released the nominees, fans and acts complained that sertanejo was absent from most of the categories. (Of the ten popular categories, determined by audience vote, established sertanejo artists have only been nominated in two categories, duo of the year and artist of the year.)
During a show in early September, Zé Neto (from the duo Zé Neto & Cristiano) said that “many [award shows] out there” haven’t included sertanejo names, including for best song and best singer.
“But you know what’s the biggest award for us? It’s coming here and seeing the house crowded. The rest is marketing,” said Zé Neto, who, in May this year, criticized the megastar Anitta and a Brazilian tax incentive law aimed at propping up the country’s culture scene.
“We always try to be as diverse as possible,” Helena Daibert, head of marketing at Multishow who’s worked with the channel’s awards for 15 years, tells Billboard. She says that, since 2019, a board of over 600 music specialists from all over Brazil — called “the academy” — has been responsible for the nominations.
Until 2019, the audience chose the awards’ nominees, but tended to drift towards their own fan favorites. “We created the academy as an effort to make the diversity of Brazil’s music scenery better represented in the awards,” she says.
While Daibert highlights the importance of the longstanding relationship between the sertanejo scene and Multishow, she also recognizes the challenge inherent to every music awards show: “It is impossible to please everyone.”
Still, in addition to the winners Maiara & Maraisa, there were other sertanejo acts nominated for duo of the year at this year’s awards: Diego & Victor Hugo (who performed in the awards show), Henrique & Juliano, Jorge & Mateus, and Matheus & Kauan. The latter three duos didn’t attend the ceremony.
Non-sertanejo acts in the running for duo of the Year included Tasha & Tracie (hip-hip), YOÙN (pop/hip-hop) and ANAVITÓRIA (pop/MPB).
“When we think of musical duos, we used to think of a sertanejo duo,” said R&B singer Majur, who announced the category’s winner. “Beyond sertanejo duos, there are pop, funk, reggae, samba… duos of many genres we like to listen to,” said rap singer Vitão, who also presented the nominees.
Sertanejo singer Ana Castela, who participated in the event, won revelation of the year. Born in Central-Western Brazil, Castela has been a prominent name in “agronejo,” a sertanejo subgenre that blends Brazilian funk and electronic beats while extolling the lifestyle of the agro-livestock universe.
Nominated for artist of the year, sertanejo star Gusttavo Lima was booed by part of the audience when his name was announced. Lima, however, didn’t attend the ceremony. The artist, considered to be the most popular sertanejo act right now, has been embroiled in a controversy over publicly funded shows across Brazil which prosecutors are probing for possible improprieties.
Megastar Anitta wasn’t present either, but stood out with wins in three categories: artist of the year; song of the year (for the hit “Envolver”); and clip of the year (for the music video of “Boys Don’t Cry”).
Samba act Seu Jorge, who suffered through an episode of racism during his show in Southern Brazil last Friday(Oct. 14), was cheered by the audience when, along with pagode singer Alexandre Pires, he won show of the year.
This year’s edition also paid tribute to late singer Elza Soares with a live performance of Black female artists Linn da Quebrada and Larissa Luz. Soares, who died at 91 in January, was considered “the singer of the millennium” by the BBC in 1999.
Check out the full winners list below:
Revelation of the year
Ana Castela
Bala Desejo
Jovem Dionísio
Mari Fernandez
Nattanzinho
Rachel Reis
Tasha & Tracie
Urias
Duo of the year
ANAVITÓRIA
Diego e Victor Hugo
Henrique e Juliano
Jorge e Mateus
Maiara e Maraisa
Matheus & Kauan
Tasha & Tracie
YOÙN
Group of the year
Jovem Dionisio
Afrocidade
Bala Desejo
Black Pantera
Gilsons
Grupo Menos é Mais
Lagum
Raça Negra
Album of the year
Lady Leste by Gloria Groove
LUME by Felipe Ret
Numanice #2 by Ludmilla
Pirata, y Jão
Pra Gente Acordar, by Gilsons
QVVJFA?, by Baco Exu do Blues
Sobre Viver, by Criolo
Versions of Me, by Anitta
Voice of the year
Anitta
Gloria Groove
Iza
Jão
Liniker
Ludmilla
Luísa Sonza
Marisa Monte
Show of the year
Alexandre Pires e Seu Jorge
Caetano Veloso
Djonga
Emicida
Jão
Ludmilla
Marisa Monte
Thiaguinho
Song of the year
“Acorda Pedrinho,” do Jovem Dionísio
“Desenrola Bate Joga de Ladin” (feat. DJ Biel do Furduncinho), by L7nnon, Os Hawaianos e DJ Bel da CDD
“Envolver,” da Anitta
“Fé,” by Iza
“Maldivas,” by Ludmilla
“Malvadão 3,” by Xamã, Gustah and Neo Beats
“VAMPiro,” by Matuê, WIU and Teto
“Vermelho,” da Gloria Groove
Hit of the year
“Acorda Pedrinho,” by Jovem Dionísio
“Dançarina,” by Pedro Sampaio
“Desenrola Bate Joga de Ladin,” by L7nnon, Os Hawaianos, and DJ Bel da CDD
“Envolver,” by Anitta
“Idiota,” by Jão
“Maldivas,” by Ludmilla
“Malvadão 3,” by Xamã
“Vermelho,” by Gloria Groove
Artist of the year
Anitta
Gloria Groove
Gusttavo Lima
Jão
João Gomes
L7nnon
Ludmilla
Luisa Sonza
Clip of the year
“A Queda,” by Gloria Groove
“Vermelho,” by Gloria Groove
“Acorda Pedrinho,” by Jovem Dionísio
“Boys Don’t Cry,” by Anitta
“Envolver,” by Anitta
“Cachorrinhas,” by Luisa Sonza
“Fé,” by Iza
“Idiota,” by Jão
Instrumentalist of the year
Amaro Freitas
Castilhol
Hamilton de Holanda
Jonathan Ferr
Kiko Dinucci
Mateus Asato
Pretinho da Serrinha (winner)
Silvanny Sivuca
Music producer of the year
Eduardo Pepato
Pablo Bispo
Papatinho (winner)
Prateado
Pupilo
Rafinha RSQ
Ruxell no Beat
VHOOR
Album cover of the year
IZA, Fé (winner)
Urias, Fúria
Gloria Groove, Lady Leste
Filipe Ret, LUME
Marisa Monte, Portas
Baco Exu do Blues, QVVJFA?
Karol Conká, Urucum
Anitta, Version Of Me
Little Simz’s fourth studio album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is the winner of Britain’s Mercury Prize, beating out a shortlist that included chart-topping LPs from Harry Styles, Wet Leg and Sam Fender.
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With her victory, Simz scoops a cash prize of £25,000 ($28,000), a special trophy, and the sort of exposure that typically launches the winning record back into the U.K. chart.
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert dropped in 2021 via Age 101, and peaked at No. 4 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, easily eclipsing her previous career best, No. 87 for her 2019 release Grey Area.
Born and raised in London, Little Simz (real name Simbiatu “Simbi” Abisola Abiola Ajikawo) enjoyed a breakthrough with her 2010 debut mixtape, Stratosphere. The Mercury Prize could launch her own career into the stratosphere.
She’s no stranger to awards nights. Earlier this year, the rapper won the Brit Award for best new act, she’s won Ivor Novellos, MOBO Awards, and now, bragging rights for having produced the album of the year.
Speaking from the stage at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo on Tuesday (Oct. 18), Simz admitted she was “very very overwhelmed” with her win.
Paying tribute to all the other nominated records, she added, “We all made incredible albums, we all change people’s lives with our music and that’s the most important thing. So this is for us really.”
Little Simz and other shortlisted artists performed during the 2022 final, which was initially postponed when Queen Elizabeth II died.
The Mercury Prize was launched in 1992 to celebrate the best of British and Irish music across a range of contemporary music genres. Today, it’s considered the music equivalent to the Booker Prize for literature and the Turner Prize for art, its music industry panel judging the entries and ultimate winner on artistic achievement.
Previous winners have included Pulp, Portishead, Arctic Monkeys, James Blake and Arlo Parks, who took the prize last year for her album Collapsed in Sunbeams.
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson presented fellow Canadian musician Tom Cochrane with the SOCAN Cultural Impact Award on Monday night (Oct. 17) for his 1991 enduring hit “Life Is A Highway,” which rose to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1992 and was No. 1 in Canada, winning Juno Awards for single of the year and songwriter.
The anthem, found on Cochrane’s second solo album, Mad Mad World, sold a rare million copies in Canada (a diamond certification), and has, in recent years, racked up more than 1 billion streams, according to SOCAN, the performing rights organization.
Lifeson and Cochrane have been friends for over four decades. “I played with him on occasion and performed ‘Life Is a Highway,’ as well,” Lifeson told some 500 members of the music industry at the private event at Sheridan Centre Toronto Hotel.
“I am a friend, a collaborator, and like many, many others of his millions of fans around the world, I am a huge admirer of his work. Neruda is one of my all-time favorite records,” Lifeson threw in of the 1983 album by Cochrane’s original band Red Rider. “Tom is an amazing artist and songwriter, and with ‘Life Is a Highway,’ he created the perfect analogy of what we all go through. It is a magical blend of music and lyrics with an infectious chorus that sticks with you, and a theme that is inspiring and uplifting. It truly captures our journeys down the highway of life, the high roads, the detours, the dead ends, the U-turns, and especially the fear of running outta gas, the challenges that we all face in order to reach our destinations.”
Lifeson said the song’s “joyous melody” is a hopeful reminder that no matter how many roadblocks life presents, “we will always find a way around them,” adding, “It is the perfect message, especially over the past few years and what we’ve all experienced.”
Among the many covers and adaptations, the song was covered by Rascal Flatts for the 2006 animated movie Cars and by Chris LeDoux for his 1998 album, One Road Man, was used in a now-classic segment of the animated TV series Family Guy, placed in Hollywood films like There Goes The Neighborhood and Cheaper by the Dozen, and more recently in the video game Lego Rock Band (Rascal Flatts’ version).
In 2016, a stretch of highway in Manitoba starting in his hometown of Lynn Lake to the city of Thompson was renamed Tom Cochrane’s Life Is a Highway.
Despite its buoyant, positive vibe, the song was born out of a life-altering humanitarian trip Cochrane took to southeastern Africa with World Vision Canada. Hence the lyric: “From Mozambique to those Memphis nights / The Khyber Pass to Vancouver’s lights / Knock me down and back up again / You’re in my blood, I’m not a lonely man.”
After a video tribute, which touched quite heavily on the inspiration for the song, Cochrane took the stage to accept the award from Lifeson, and dug out his speech, written “old school” on a piece a paper. “Talk about cultural achievement,” he said of Lifeson, calling Rush “one of the top five bands of all time.”
After thanking friends and associates, he said of Rascal Flatts, “What could I say about those guys? Everybody says, ‘That’s horrible, they stole that song from you.’ I said, ‘I wish they’d steal some more songs from me,” he laughs. “And I told [singer] Gary [LeVox] that and they flew us a bunch of writers down to Nashville. I mean such generous guys.”
He then thanked Red Rider and Mad Mad World musician John Webster, who insisted he take “the stupid little poppy demo” called “Love Is a Highway” and develop it into the anthem it is now.
“Indeed, the lyrics in the top line were written in the wee hours of the morning in my little home studio, the shed in Oakville…The lyrics were written in response to a trip to that I had taken to Africa with the humanitarian relief organization, World Vision. They do incredible work and I encourage everybody to support them. In 1989, after witnessing terrible suffering, in particular in war-torn Mozambique, it put deep scars on my psyche and I needed something ‘up’ and positive to pull me out of this funk and this soul searching,” Cochrane explains.
“And so that was what I was going through after that trip. Webby, John Webster, and I had recorded a bed track for ‘Love Is a Highway’ in that shed a few weeks earlier and I couldn’t find the proper words…I woke up that night out of a bit of a dream state and an epiphany occurred to me that we can’t control what happens to us here and there. All we can do is control what’s ahead of us and the people we come in contact with every day… And so, by five in the morning, the song was written, it was done and I felt better for it.
Since Canada removed all COVID-19 restrictions, Cochrane has been back out on the road — 38 shows to date, with more scheduled in November.
“When we play ‘Life Is a Highway,’ the energy that we get back from the crowd, from the audience, is intense. It’s powerful,” he reflects. “And the joy, the positive electricity, is cathartic and it’s immense. We feel elevated. But more than that, we feel privileged to be up there and very lucky to be the vehicle, excuse the pun, to deliver that energy.”
To cap off the three-hour awards, Lifeson jumped onstage to join musicians Bill Bell, Dala, Davide Direnzo, Molly Johnson, Jeff Jones, Sam Roberts and Julian Taylor on a version of the song.
With three wins, including the coveted songwriter of the year prize, songwriters Neave Applebaum and Lewis Thompson were the standouts Monday night (Oct. 18) at the 2022 ASCAP London Music Awards.
Applebaum and Thompson were recognized for their co-writes on a slew of DJ and producer Joel Corry’s hits, including 2020’s “Head And Heart” (via Asylum/Perfect Havoc) featuring MNEK, which ruled the Official U.K. Singles Chart for six week; and 2021’s “Bed,” with Raye and David Guetta, which peaked at No. 3.
The pair also scooped winning hot dance/electronic song awards for “Head And Heart,” alongside co-writers MNEK, Robert Harvey, Leo Kalyan and Lewis Thompson; and for “Bed.”
Also on the night, Indian film composer Mithoon bagged a brace of awards, taking home song of the year and top streaming song for “Whoopty,” a No. 3 U.K. hit for drill rapper CJ (“Whoopty” prominently sampled Mithoon’s “Sanam Re”).
Joby Talbot’s Sing 2 score was named top box office film of the year, one of 11 categories honoring ASCAP’s leading composers in the worlds of film and TV.
Other film awards went to the likes of Radiohead founding member and composer Jonny Greenwood for his work on Spencer, and Christopher Benstead for Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man.
Scottish artist Lewis Capaldi kept his hot streak going, earning a winning hot dance/electronic award with Corey Sanders for their work on “Lasting Lover,” recorded by Sigala and James Arthur.
Other winning hot dance/electronic song awards went to Teemu Brunila for “Don’t Be Shy,” recorded by Tiësto and Karol G; David Morales and Handel Tucker for “In Da Getto,” by J Balvin and Skrillex; Dan Caplen and Gez O’Connell for “Paradise,” by Medusa featuring Dermot Kennedy; Ross Campbell for “Friday,” by Riton and Nightcrawlers featuring Mufasa and Hypeman; and Frederik “SIBA” Castenschiold Eichen and Sakima for “You,” by Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae.
Meanwhile, James “Yami” Bell took out a top hot dance/electronic song award for “The Business,” recorded by Tiësto.
The ASCAP gala dinner and awards presentation honored British writer and publisher members from Performing Right Society whose repertoire is licensed by ASCAP and is among its most performed works in the United States during 2021.
A full list of 2022 ASCAP London Music Awards winners can be found here.
The country music industry may be centered in Nashville, but much of the talent and sound behind Music City’s best-known export originates elsewhere.
The Country Music Hall of Fame medallion ceremony on Oct. 16 provided a strong reminder that the genre synthesizes people, style and abilities from across America. Late honoree Keith Whitley found his way to Nashville from eastern Kentucky through a bluegrass portal. Record executive Joe Galante brought marketing savvy to town from New York after working rock records by David Bowie and Lou Reed.
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And Jerry Lee Lewis — forced by an illness to stay home — developed his flashy piano playing and performance skills after hanging out at R&B/blues club Haney’s Big House in Ferriday, La., before launching his recording career in Memphis ahead of his shift to country in 1968.
The first performance during the induction — Alabama’s “My Home’s in Alabama,” a song that was key in the band signing with Galante at RCA in 1980 — clung to that concept, celebrating the group’s hometown roots despite exploring a range of American cities.
The rest of the guest list similarly represented multiple facets of popular music and geographical backgrounds. Oklahoman Garth Brooks found all the dramatic high points of Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” in a guitar/vocal format, ironically closing his own eyes during the chorus while seemingly channeling the song’s lead character. Texan Lee Ann Womack created spine-tingling sensitivity in her version of Lewis’ “Middle Age Crazy,” infusing the late-’70s ballad with fierce sympathy and just a touch of scorn. East Tennessee-born Kenny Chesney fought through the emotionally challenging country love song “The Good Stuff,” a title that found favor in part because Galante pushed for its release to radio. And former San Francisco resident Chris Isaak delivered a faithful rendition of the Killer’s “Great Balls of Fire,” replete with heavily reverbed vocals and Jen Gunderman’s interpretation of Lewis’ piano-banging and shiny glissandos.
Galante recalled in his acceptance speech that late BMI executive Frances Preston, a 1992 Hall inductee, had told him that country music revolves around the song and the artist. That combination of impactful songs and distinct artists describes the works that defined the medallion ceremony’s honorees.
Lewis rode his “pumping piano” — as it was listed on the label of his early Sun recordings — to a singular place in rock and country history, with “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” succeeding in both genres in the late 1950s. He refocused on country in 1968, leading to a 13-year run of hits that included a remake of “Chantilly Lace,” honky-tonk hit “What’s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me)” and an improbable take on “Over the Rainbow,” bolstered with a self-reference to “ol’ Jerry Lee.”
“Jerry Lee doesn’t walk onstage and politely thank an audience for being there,” Hank Williams Jr. said while inducting the Killer. “Jerry Lee doesn’t ask for your attention. He demands it. He doesn’t take the stage. He commands it … Jerry Lee doesn’t play songs. He owns songs.”
Whitley applied a rich vocal tone to tunes he inhabited emotionally. “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” and “When You Say Nothing at All” — performed by Mickey Guyton during the ceremony while Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz, who co-wrote it, watched from the audience — provided his first three No. 1 hits in just a few months in the late 1980s, earning significant airplay at the time he died from alcohol poisoning in 1989. Where Lewis is famously confident, Whitley hid lingering self-doubts, a trait that was perhaps key to his ability to embody sadness and vulnerability in his recordings.
“Keith was three weeks away from being made a member of the Grand Ole Opry when he passed away,” recalled Lorrie Morgan, who was his wife at the time. “He didn’t know it. And he would have never suspected this [induction] in his life.”
Whitley’s breakthrough made him an addition to the new traditionalist movement of that era, and he became a significant influence on many acts who followed him, including Tim McGraw, Chris Young and Brooks, who officially inducted him into the Hall.
“This night,” Brooks announced, “is long overdue.”
Galante, meanwhile, was hailed as an executive who, by asking the right questions, helped the country industry better understand its product, its audience and the connection between them. He developed data, as Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young noted, that informed difficult decisions and inspired marketing plans for a product that had frequently been worked on gut instinct. Not that Galante operated strictly from a mathematical playbook.
“Joe also looked beyond the numbers, to the things you can’t quantify, like originality and heart,” said Young. “He overruled the data when it felt right.”
Galante’s successes were numerous. He directed key campaigns for Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Ronnie Milsap, Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride and Miranda Lambert, who performed a guitar/vocal version of “White Liar” in his honor. Kix Brooks, while inducting Galante, noted that Brooks & Dunn was contemplating a split when a merger put the executive in charge of their label. The chance to work with “Joe frickin’ Galante” was enough incentive for the duo to give it one more try, which turned into a second 10-year run.
Galante’s own sensitivities were on display during his acceptance speech, where he told how his father, a 30-year postal service employee, had never understood the job that consumed his son. He discovered only after his dad’s death that the elder Galante had routinely purchased Billboard off newsstands in New York and saved photos and stories about his boy.
“You get the point,” Galante said, just before the emotion took over the story.
Ultimately, it’s those human tales — the ones delivered by singular artists — that built both Music City and the Rotunda that houses the bronze plaques of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Johnny Cash, Jimmie Rodgers and Willie Nelson will have to make room for three more occupants who made their entrance somewhere else but left their mark in Nashville.
The walls that separate genres are coming down, which is a good thing in many ways. But it complicates things for the screening committees that decide where records should compete in the annual Grammy Awards process.
Here are some albums that probably gave the screening committee pause – and where they are competing in the 65th annual Grammy Awards process.
Demi Lovato’s Holy F*ck, Avril Lavigne’s Love Sux and Tears for Fears’ The Tipping Point were all on the line between pop and rock; all are competing for best rock album. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres and 5 Seconds of Summer’s 5SOS5 are also somewhere on that line; they are competing for best pop vocal album.
Florence + the Machine’s Dance Fever is vying for best alternative music album. Two previous albums by the English indie rock band – Ceremonials and How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – were nominated for best pop vocal album.
Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak topped Billboard’s folk, country and rock album charts — and reached No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200. At the Grammys, it’s competing for best country album.
Lizzo’s Special and Beyoncé’s Renaissance danced on the line between pop, dance and R&B. Special is competing for best pop vocal album. Renaissance is vying for best dance/electronic music album. (Bey won best contemporary R&B album three times (for Dangerously in Love, B’Day and I Am…Sasha Fierce) and best urban contemporary album twice (for Lemonade and Everything Is Love, a collab with her husband Jay-Z as The Carters).
The line between R&B and progressive R&B is often blurry. The Grammys have classified Summer Walker’s Still Over It and Chris Brown’s Breezy as R&B, but have slotted Steve Lacy’s Gemini Rights and Brent Faiyaz’s Wasteland as progressive R&B.
Taylor Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) is vying for a nod as best country album. The original Red album was nominated in that category nine years ago but lost to Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer, Different Park. In terms of genre album awards, Swift has won best country album once (for Fearless) and best pop vocal album once (for 1989).
Jason Aldean is competing for best country album with Macon, Georgia, a combination of his two single-disc albums Macon (released on Nov. 12, 2021) and Georgia (released on April 22).
The Encanto soundtrack is competing for best compilation soundtrack for visual media, not best pop vocal album, even though it topped the Billboard 200 for nine weeks.
The four Latin albums that made the top 10 on the Billboard 200 in the Grammy eligibility year (Oct. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30) are competing in three different categories. Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti and Daddy Yankee’s Legendaddy are vying for best música urbana album. Romeo Santos’ Formula Volume 3 is competing for best tropical Latin album. Eslabon Armando’s Nostalgia is vying for best regional Mexican music album (including Tejano).
Several stars didn’t submit their albums for Grammy consideration, for a broad range of reasons. Silk Sonic didn’t submit An Evening With Silk Sonic. They probably figured (correctly) that they were amply rewarded last year when they won four Grammys for “Leave the Door Open” and they would be better off letting some other artists have some Grammy shine. No artist wants to run the risk of having fans say, “Haven’t they won enough?”
Drake and The Weeknd didn’t submit Honestly, Nevermind and Dawn FM, respectively. They are probably still nursing past disappointments. Drake, one of the most successful musicians of the past 15 years (and, really, in recording history) has won just four Grammys. The Weeknd was inexplicably snubbed in the year that he released “Blinding Lights,” one of the biggest and most universally admired hits of recent years, but has also collected four Grammys over the years.
Other albums that aren’t to be found on the entry list include Meek Mill’s Expensive Pain, Roddy Ricch’s Live Life Fast, Lil Durk’s 7220, Rod Wave’s Beautiful Mind and Tory Lanez’s Sorry 4 What.
All Grammys count the same toward someone’s career Grammy total, but we all know they’re not really on an equal footing. Every media outlet on Earth will report the winners of album of the year and record of the year next Feb. 5, but good luck trying to find out who won best regional roots music album (we’ll have it, of course).
Some categories are far more competitive than others. There are more than 20 times as many entries in this year’s most populated category, song of the year (686), as in this year’s least populated category, best opera recording (30). (More than 22 times, actually, but I didn’t want to sound too nerdy.)
Since final-round voting for the 65th Grammy Awards opened Thursday, Grammy voters have been conscientiously wading through the entry lists for 85 of the 91 Grammy categories. (Or so Academy leaders fervently hope.) The nominees in the other six categories are determined by committees.
Voters may find some surprises as they study the entry lists. The number of entries in each of the Big Four categories dropped significantly compared to last year, perhaps due to the Academy’s new policy of charging a fee for entries beyond five “courtesy entries.”
There are 619 entries for record of the year, down from 1,172 last year; 518 entries for album of the year, down from 837; 686 entries for song of the year, down from 1,163; and 368 entries for best new artist, down from 463.
This is actually a positive trend. The entry lists were far too long. It’s asking too much of busy people to expect them to diligently wade through a list of 1,172 entries – and that was just for one category!
Here’s the new rule, and the rationale behind it, taken from the 65th Grammy Awards rules and guidelines booklet: “The per-entry fee structure encourages entrants to consider the value of each entry and make mindful decisions to put forward work that they truly believe is Grammy-worthy. All professional and voting members of the Recording Academy will receive five courtesy entries every year. Any member who would feel burdened by the entry fees can request the fees be waived by reaching out to the awards department.”
In other surprises, best music video has more entries (661) than all but one category (song of the year). Given how competitive it is, this should really regarded as one of the top awards, but it’s tucked away in the music/video film field, not in the general field (usually called the Big Four).
There are nearly five times as many entries for best score soundtrack for visual media (including film and television) (250) as there are for best compilation soundtrack for visual media (51).
The most populated songwriting category (outside of song of the year) is best American roots song (333). Country, though generally thought of as a songwriter-driven genre, lags behind all other genres with 128 entries.
Here are all songwriting categories, ranked from most to least number of entries this year: song of the year (686), best American roots song (333), best rock song (300), best rap song (219), best R&B song (218), best contemporary Christian music performance/song (172), best song written for visual media (154), best gospel performance/song (134) and best country song (128).
All five of the categories that were added this year had a healthy number of entries. There are 270 entries for best alternative music performance, 226 for best Americana performance, 84 for best spoken word poetry album, 71 for best score soundtrack for video games and other interactive media and 62 for songwriter of the year, non-classical.
The number of entries for songwriter of the year, non-classical is only about one-quarter of the number of entries for producer of the year, non-classical (214), probably because of the new category’s restrictive rules, which were intended to put the focus on songwriters who are not also artists or producers.
The Recording Academy keeps track of the number of entries in each category. Here’s the relevant rule from the rules and guidelines booklet: “Each category shall have at least 40 distinct artist entries. If a category receives between 25 and 39 entries, only three recordings will receive nominations in that year.” That’s the case for both best opera recording, which as noted above, had 30 entries this year, and best choral performance, which had 35.
The rules further state: “Should there be fewer than 25 entries in a category, that category will immediately go on hiatus for the current year – no award given – and entries will be screened into the next most logical category. If a category received fewer than 25 entries for three consecutive years, the category will be discontinued, and submissions will be entered in the next most appropriate category.” (That doesn’t apply to any categories this year.)
If you’re curious, the six categories where the nominations are determined by committees, rather than by voters at large, are all four categories in the package, notes and historical field (best recording package, best boxed/special/limited edition, best album notes, best historical album) and two categories in the production field (best remixed recording, best immersive audio album).
First-round voting continues through Oct. 23. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 15. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 14 to Jan. 4, 2023. The winners will be revealed at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.
Here are the categories with most and least entries.
Categories with the most entries
(in descending order)
Song of the year, 686
Best music video, 661
Record of the year, 619
Album of the year, 518
Best new artist, 368
Best rock performance, 350
Best American roots song, 333
Best instrumental composition, 321
Best arrangement, instruments and vocals, 318
Best pop solo performance, 309
Best rock song, 300
Best improvised jazz solo, 284
Best American roots performance, 283
Best engineered album, non-classical, 282
Best global music performance, 280
Categories with the fewest entries
(in ascending order)
Best opera recording, 30
Best choral performance, 35
Best regional roots music album, 40
Best música urbana album, 41
Best large jazz ensemble album, 41
Best musical theater album, 42
Best country duo/group performance, 44
Best roots gospel album, 47
Best bluegrass album, 48
Best compilation soundtrack for visual media, 51
Best gospel album, 54
Best Latin rock or alternative album, 56
Best Latin jazz album, 56
Best tropical Latin album, 58
Best classical solo vocal album, 60
Nicki Minaj has called out The Recording Academy for switching her hit “Super Freaky Girl” out of the Grammy Awards’ rap category, and into pop, a decision she reckons is a contradiction, and part of a broader agenda to celebrate rising rap artists over veterans.
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Earlier this week, Billboard’s sister title The Hollywood Reporter disclosed the Grammys change-up, despite “Super Freaky Girl” logging its eighth week on top of Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.
Minaj’s team submitted the track to the rap categories at the Grammys, but the decision was overturned by the Recording Academy’s rap committee, a source told THR.
The Trinidadian star addressed the situation in a series of tweets, and went deeper still in a 17-minute rant posted on social media.
“’Super Freaky Girl’ was removed from the rap category, we found out today in the Grammy submission. ‘Super Freaky Girl,’ where I only rapped on the song, was removed out of the rap categories at the Grammys, right. And put it in pop,” she explains.
It should be noted that MC Hammer also sampled Rick James’ “Super Freak” for “U Can’t Touch This,” which won the best rap solo performance Grammy back in 1991.
Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” however, in 2017, took out best rap song and best rap/sung collaboration, she points out, though even Drake himself admitted it was a pop number.
On the flip side, Minaj wants the same rules applied to Latto’s pop leaning “Big Energy”.
“Now, let’s say that ‘Super Freaky Girl’ is a pop song. Let’s just say that, right. What is ‘Big Energy?’ If ‘Super Freaky Girl’ is a pop song, what song is ‘Big Energy.’ What genre is ‘Big Energy?’
Suggesting she’s been hard done by, Minaj continued, “If you know something is unfair as an artist, speak on that shit. Drake could’ve just let that shit slide and added it to his collection, but he spoke up.”
If you move “Super Freaky Girl” out of rap and “put it in pop,” she adds, “do the same for ‘Big Energy’. Same producers on both songs, by the way. So let’s keep shit fair.”
Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” was a mainstream hit, blasting to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August. Its shift into the pop frame, or “moving the goal post,” she says, is part of a process to “uplift the people who they want to shine, the people who these corporate giants can make the money off of the people, control things behind the scenes, they have to elevate someone that they profit off.”
Minaj also issued a warning, claiming unnamed power players had an agenda that would eventually upend diversity in hip-hop.
“If you can’t tell by now that there is a concerted effort to give newer artists things that they really don’t deserve, over people who have been deserving for many years, then you’re not paying attention. And soon female rap will really not have any black women. If you pay attention, you’ll see, you’ll understand.”
The Recording Academy doesn’t reveal reasons when its screening committees relocate tracks into categories other than those that eligible recordings were submitted in, THR notes. The general ballot, which can include thousands of submissions in a single category, isn’t released to the public.
Despite it all, Minaj insists she’s still the queen of rap.
“I know one thing,” she says, “even when I’m rapping on a pop track, I still out-rap.”
The list of 62 songwriters or songwriting teams that are vying for the newly created Grammy Award for songwriter of the year, non-classical includes such major names as Desmond Child, James Fauntleroy, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter.
It also includes some surprises. The-Dream, who had a pair of top five albums on the Billboard 200 in 2009-10, and Michael Wilson Hardy, who records as HARDY, are both eligible. This award was specifically designed to celebrate songwriters who primarily write for other artists, rather than songwriters who are also artists or producers.
So how did they make the list? The-Dream’s entered work this year focused on his work as a songwriter for Beyoncé, Brent Fayiaz and Pusha T. Hardy’s entries include songs for such artists as Blake Shelton and Brantley Gilbert featuring Jason Aldean. HARDY is featured as an artist on only one of his entries (Cole Swindell’s “Down to the Bar”).
One songwriting team is entered – Denisia “Blue June” Andrews and Brittany “Chi” Coney, who comprise the record production and songwriting duo Nova Wav. They submitted songs that they wrote for Mary J. Blige and Beyoncé.
The eligibility list includes nine Grammy winners – The-Dream (five awards), Fauntleroy (four), Jason Ingram (three), Lindsey (three), McAnally (three), Hemby (two), David Leonard (two), Jonathan Smith (two), and Edgar Barrera (one).
Most of the eligible songwriters submitted credits reflecting work with multiple artists, to show their range. But three of the writers show credits with just one artist — Steve Cooper (The Group Fire), Ed Miranti (Vischious Fishious), and Adam Garzilli (Adam King).
Four of Ryan Hurd’s submitted credits are for songs he wrote for his wife, Maren Morris, but he also has a credit for Jordan Davis. Most of Jozzy’s credits are for work with Latto, though the writer also has a credit for Beyoncé.
Lauren Christy is entered with songs she wrote for such artists as Korn and Jenn Bostic. Christy was nominated for producer of the year (non-classical) in 2003 as part of The Matrix (along with Graham Edwards and Scott Spock).
This new category is analogous to producer of the year, non-classical, which was introduced in 1974. Thom Bell, one of the architects of the Philadelphia soul sound, was the first winner in that category. The Recording Academy should be so lucky to have as esteemed a first winner in this category.
First-round voting in this and all Grammy categories began on Thursday (Oct. 13) and continues through Oct. 23. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 15. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 14 to Jan. 4, 2023. The winners will be revealed at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.
Here are the 62 songwriters who are in the running for songwriter of the year. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Sarah Aarons
Andy Albert
Amy Allen
Denisia “Blu June” Andrews and Brittany “Chi” Coney (of Nova Wav)
Edgar Barrera
Evan Kidd Bogart
Nija Charles
Desmond Child
Lauren Christy
Steve Cooper
Kat Dahlia
Sean Douglas
Tom Douglas
Ed Miranti
James Fauntleroy
Omer Fedi
Douglas Ford
James Aaron Foster
Edgar Galeano
Adam Garzilli
Natalie Nicole Gilbert
Andrew Goldstein
Ashley Gorley
Michael Wilson Hardy
Joyce V Harrison
Scott Harris
Natalie Hemby
Cory Henry
Jacob “Jkash” Hindlin
Sarah Hudson
Ethan Hulse
Ryan Hurd
Jason Ingram
Ink
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Steph Jones
Jozzy
David Leonard
Hillary Lindsey
Natalie Litza
Marcus Lomax
Madison Love
Shane McAnally
Chase McGill
Julia Michaels
Kayla Morrison
Michael Pollack
Elena Rose
Tia Scola
Shekinah Grace Moyes
Jonathan Smith
Skyler Stonestreet
Ali Tamposi
The-Dream
Theron Thomas
Jake Torrey
Justin Tranter
Laura Veltz
Billy Walsh
Besy Walter
Emily Warren
Victoria “Ryann” Zaro