Awards
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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
Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” is spending its eighth week on top of Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart, but at the Grammys, the song will compete in the pop category.
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Minaj originally submitted the track — which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August — to the rap categories at the Grammys, but the decision was overturned by the Recording Academy’s rap committee, according to a source. That group determined that Minaj’s playful and pop-sounding song sampling Rick James’ 1981 classic “Super Freak” should compete for best pop solo performance instead of rap awards.
Representatives for Minaj and The Recording Academy did not immediately reply to The Hollywood Reporter‘s emails seeking comment. Nominees for the 2023 Grammys will be announced on Nov. 15, and the live telecast will air on Feb. 5, 2023, on CBS. Voting for the first round of nominees begins Thursday and ends on Oct. 23.
Minaj has released a number of pop and hip-hop hits throughout the years that feature her rapping or singing — sometimes both on the same track. Her debut solo single, 2010’s “Your Love,” was pop-adjacent with its sample of Annie Lennox’s 1995 cover version of “No More I Love You’s,” and Minaj has released other pop-heavy songs like “Super Bass” and “Starships,” which Hot 97 radio host Peter Rosenberg famously dubbed “not real hip-hop” and caused Minaj to pull out of the station’s annual Summer Jam concert.
But of Minaj’s 10 Grammy nominations, she’s only competed in pop once — for best pop duo/group performance with “Bang Bang” alongside Ariana Grande and Jessie J. The majority of her Grammy nominations have been in rap, including best rap album for Pink Friday and The Pinkprint, best rap song for “Anaconda,” and best rap performance for “Moment 4 Life” and “Truffle Butter.”
“Super Freaky Girl” is in similar company to Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts”: The singer-rapper’s breakthrough track topped Hot Rap Songs for 13 weeks and eventually led the all-genre Hot 100 chart for seven weeks but it didn’t compete in the rap categories at the Grammys. Instead, it was nominated — and won — best pop solo performance at the 2020 show.
Other songs that feature rap elements that have competed for best pop solo performance include Doja Cat’s “Say So,” which includes her singing and rapping, and Post Malone’s “Better Now,” which meshes hip-hop, alternative and pop sounds.
Collaborative songs that topped Billboard’s rap chart but competed for best pop duo/group performance at the Grammys include Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX’s “Fancy,” Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s “See You Again,” and Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road,” which won the honor in 2020.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were originally kicked out of the rap Grammys when the duo had a breakthrough with the hits “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us” at the 2014 show. But that decision was later overturned — and heavily criticized — when the group swept the rap Grammys, besting Kendrick Lamar and others — a decision even Macklemore denounced. As a result, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis didn’t submit their sophomore album for Grammy contention at the 2017 show.
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
Anitta, Zach Bryan, Dove Cameron, Becky G, Gayle, Latto, Måneskin, Muni Long, Lauren Spencer Smith and Lainey Wilson are among 368 artists who are vying for best new artist nominations at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. While the aforementioned artists appear to be front-runners to fill the 10 available slots, Grammy voters have a way of surprising us. And there are 358 other artists, some highly credible, who are also hoping to make the final list.
As expected, several newish artists who had previously received Grammy nominations were ruled ineligible, including Steve Lacy, Jack Harlow, Tems, Walker Hayes, Brent Faiyaz and Fivio Foreign. A previous nomination is an automatic disqualifier in this category (assuming the artist had released enough tracks to be eligible in a previous year).
But for the most part, the Academy tries to err on the side of inclusiveness in this category. In the past, Whitney Houston, Richard Marx, Lady Gaga and many more potential best new artist nominees and even winners were ruled ineligible based on what were sometimes nitpicky technicalities. The Academy now looks for ways to include artists, not rule them out. Indeed, several of the artists who were ruled eligible this year have been around awhile. Becky G won best new artist at the Latin Grammys four years ago. Other best new artist contenders who aren’t exactly new include Conan Gray, Joji, Moneybagg Yo, Orville Peck and Yungblud.
Here are more noteworthy artists, not already named, who are fighting for one of the 10 nomination slots: Amyl and the Sniffers, Omar Apollo, Tenille Arts, Beabadoobee, Em Beihold, Blxst, BRELAND, EST Gee, Fireboy DML, FLETCHER, Ali Gatie, GloRilla, Cody Johnson, Hayley Kiyoko, Coi Leray, Lil Tjay, The Linda Lindas, Parker McCollum, Tate McRae, Mitski, Flo Milli, PinkPantheress, Rex Orange County, Rina Sawayama, SEVENTEEN, Soccer Mommy, Stray Kids, Don Toliver, Tomorrow X Together, Twice, Tai Verdes, Wet Leg, Yahritza Y Su Esencia, Yeat, and Bailey Zimmerman.
Several of these artists have already won new artist prizes at other award shows. Lainey Wilson and Parker McCollum won new female and male artist of the year, respectively, at the ACM Awards in March. Latto won best new artist at the BET Awards in June. Cameron won best new artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in August. GloRilla won best breakthrough hip-hop artist at the BET Hip Hop Awards in October.
Wilson is the leading nominee for the Country Music Awards, which will be presented on Nov. 9. She is nominated for new artist of the year at that show, along with Cody Johnson and Parker McCollum, who are also on the Grammy entry list, and HARDY and Walker Hayes, who are not.
The number of best new artist nominees at the Grammys jumped from five to eight four years ago, and from eight to 10 last year. The winners in the past four years, since the number of number of nominees expanded, were Dua Lipa (2018), Billie Eilish (2019), Megan Thee Stallion (2020) and Olivia Rodrigo (2021). As you can see, Grammy voters tend to favor female artists in this category. The 2017 winner (the last year there were just five nominees), was also a woman (Alessia Cara).
Last year’s nine other nominees — besides Rodrigo — were Arroj Aftab, Jimmie Allen, Baby Keem, FINNEAS, Glass Animals, Japanese Breakfast, The Kid LAROI, Arlo Parks and Saweetie.
The number of artists vying for nominations in this category (368) is down from last year, when there were 463. But it’s up from the three years before that. The number of contenders in this category peaked in 2013 at 670.
First-round voting for the 65th annual Grammy Awards opened on Thursday (Oct. 13) and closes Oct. 23. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 15. The final-round voting window extends from Dec. 14 through Jan. 4, 2023. Winners will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, at Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as Staples Center) in Los Angeles.
Bad Bunny‘s unstoppable success and impact — in the Billboard charts and otherwise — can be felt across the world. As such, the Puerto Rican superstar has earned the most nominations at the 2022 American Music Awards, eight, in categories that include artist of the year.
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Benito also competes in the general categories favorite touring artist, favorite music video, favorite male pop artist and favorite pop album — for his ubiquitous Un Verano Sin Ti — in addition to his nods in the Latin music categories.
But he’s not the only Latin artist that received multiple nominations to the AMAs on Thursday (Oct. 13) — Rauw Alejandro and Karol G each got three: him for favorite Latin male artist, favorite Latin album (Vise Versa), and favorite Latin song (“Todo de Ti”); her for favorite female Latin artist and twice for favorite Latin song (for “Provenza”, and for “MAMIII” with Becky G).
The two “Gs” will go toe-to-toe for the favorite Latin female artist award, which Becky has won the past two years. Also competing in this category is Brazilian singer Anitta, who received her first nomination, in addition to Rosalía and Kali Uchis.
In addition to Becky G and Rosalía (the only woman competing for favorite Latin album with Motomami), J Balvin and Farruko are also up for two nomination, both in Favorite Male Latin Artist and Favorite Latin Album.
Like last year, the favorite Latin duo or group category is dominated by purveyors of regional Mexican music, with Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga, Calibre 50, Eslabón Armad, Grupo Firme, and Yahritza y Su Esencia nominated. It is a remarkable fact considering that it is a category for all genres (pop, rock, tropical, urbano, etc).
Beyond the Latin music sections, other nods worth mentioning are those received by the Encanto soundtrack and its mega-hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (collaboration of the year and favorite pop song), which topped the charts for weeks after its release in 2021. “Dos Oruguitas,” the Oscar-nominated song performed by Sebastián Yatra, was nominated to favorite Latin song.
The American Music Awards are set to air live from Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. ET, and via tape delay at 8 p.m. PT, on ABC.
Here are the nominees for the 2022 American Music Awards in the Latin music categories. Click here to learn how to vote for your favorite.
Favorite male Latin artistBad BunnyFarrukoJ BalvinJhaycoRauw Alejandro
Favorite female Latin artistAnittaBecky GKali UchisKarol GRosalía
Favorite Latin duo or groupBanda MS de Sergio LizárragaCalibre 50Eslabon ArmadoGrupo FirmeYahritza Y Su Esencia
Favorite Latin albumBad Bunny, Un Verano Sin TiFarruko, La 167J Balvin, JoseRauw Alejandro, Vice VersaRosalía, Motomami
Favorite Latin songBad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone, “Me Porto Bonito”Becky G x Karol G, “MAMIII”Karol G, “Provenza”Rauw Alejandro, “Todo de Ti”Sebastián Yatra, “Dos Oruguitas”
You’ve probably heard that the American Music Awards are voted on entirely by fans, unlike the Grammy Awards, which are voted on strictly by members of the Recording Academy.
But how exactly do you vote in the AMAs, if you are so inclined?
Nominations for the 2022 AMAs were announced on Thursday (Oct. 13). Fan voting is now open in all but one of this year’s 37 categories. Voting in that category, favorite K-pop artist, will open on Nov. 1.
Let’s answer some questions you may have about voting and, while we’re at it, a few general questions about the AMAs.
How can you vote?
There are two methods for AMAs fan voting – web voting and Twitter voting. To vote via the web, head to VoteAMAs.com.
To vote via Twitter, you must include the following in a tweet from a public Twitter account:
Artist Categories: Artist name, award category name and #AMAs
Song Categories: Song title, award category name and #AMAs
Album Categories: Album title, award category name and #AMAs
An example of a valid Twitter vote would be: I’m voting for Toni Braxton for artist of the year at the #AMAs!
Toni Braxton is nominated for artist of the year?!
No. I just didn’t think it would be right to use a current nominee as an example. Gotta keep this scrupulously fair.
Okay, now I’m curious. Who is nominated for artist of the year?
Adele, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Drake, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd.
That sounds about right.
Agreed, though Kendrick Lamar, Future, Lizzo, BTS and Ed Sheeran might think differently. There are always people who just miss the cut, even with an expanded seven slots. There were only five nominees in each of the last five years.
Any other rules I should know about?
Retweets of valid votes also count as a vote. You may only cast a vote for one category and one nominee per tweet.
How many times may you vote per day?
Up to 22 times per day, per category, per voting method.
So, this show really measures fan enthusiasm. The artist with the most hard-core fans is probably going to win.
That’s pretty much it.
When does voting close for award categories other than favorite K-pop artist?
Monday, Nov. 14, at 11:59:59 p.m. PT.
Since voting is just now opening up, how were the nominations determined?
Nominees are based on key fan interactions – as reflected on the Billboard charts – including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partner Luminate, and cover the eligibility period of Sept. 24, 2021, through Sept. 22, 2022 (representing Billboard chart dates of Oct. 9, 2021, through Oct. 1, 2022).
I’m sorry, I missed your story about the nominations (but I promise to read it later). Who are this year’s top nominees?
Bad Bunny is the top nominee, with eight nods, including his first nod for artist of the year. Beyoncé, Drake and Taylor Swift are close behind with six nods each. Adele, Harry Styles, The Weeknd and Future each received five nods.
Are there any new categories this year?
The AMAs added or revived six categories this year – favorite K-pop artist, favorite Afrobeats artist, favorite rock song, favorite rock album, favorite touring artist and favorite soundtrack. This is a breakthrough for K-pop and Afrobeats, which have not previously had AMAs categories dedicated to them.
Did any categories bite the dust?
The AMAs dropped one category this year – favorite trending song, won last year by Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body.”
Is it true that Dick Clark created the show?
It is. The legendary TV producer created the AMAs as a popular alternative to the Grammys. In the first five years of the show, it focused on just three broad genres – pop/rock, soul/R&B and country. The show has expanded its focus as music has become more diverse. But there are still no categories for some more specialized genres that the Grammys include, such as classical and jazz. This is the 50th edition of the AMAs, by the way. The show has aired on ABC continuously since 1974, marking one of the longest continuous network relationships for any awards show.
When will this year’s show air?
The American Music Awards are set to air live from Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. ET and on tape delay at 8 p.m. PT on ABC. A host has not yet been announced. Cardi B hosted last year’s show.
Is there any way I can go to see the show in person?
Tickets are now on sale now at AXS.com.
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