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The first week of last November was bittersweet for funk instrumentalist and producer Alissia. On Sunday, Nov. 3, Quincy Jones passed away at age 91, and his life’s work of producing ingenious and timeless music made him one of Alissia’s biggest musical inspirations. But on Friday, Nov. 8, the Recording Academy announced the 2025 Grammy nominations, and Alissia became the ninth woman in the show’s 67-year history to be up for producer of the year, non-classical.  
She’s in great company: Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Sheryl Crow and Lauryn Hill are a handful of the other women who’ve been up for the honor, which has never been won by a woman before. And her competition this year includes fellow first-time nominees Mustard and Ian Fitchuk, while D’Mile is nominated for a third consecutive year and Daniel Nigro for a second. Alissia’s credits during this eligibility period include tracks by Rae Khalil, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jamila Woods and Lion Babe. She also worked on the Anderson .Paak and SiR-assisted “Do 2 Me” from Kaytranada’s Timeless album, which is nominated for best dance/electronic album, as well as “MoreOfIt” from NxWorries’ Why Lawd?, which is up for best progressive R&B album.

Trending on Billboard

“This nomination is so inspiring,” she tells Billboard. “I’ve been dedicating my whole life to music for 14 years. I’ve been working behind the scenes. Sometimes, it can be hard to keep going because this industry is not the easiest. You face a lot of challenges [like] stepping into rooms where I’m the only woman in that room. It took a long time for me to gain that respect.”

The Swiss-born, Italian-raised musician (real name Alissia Benveniste) has remained dedicated to reviving ‘70s funk for over a decade. She moved to the United States when she was 18 to study at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and HuffPost touted the budding bassist as “the future face of funk music.” She fronted her own band, Alissia and the Funkateers, and dropped her 2016 EP Back to the Funkture, which she’s since removed from the internet to make way for her proper debut project. Over the years, Alissia has worked with Bootsy Collins – co-writing a third of his 2017 album World Wide Funk album – Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson, Nile Rodgers and many more. She earned her first Grammy nomination – for album of the year, no less – with the deluxe edition of Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous after earning writing and production credits on the track “Love Without the Heartbreak.” Now with her own major Grammy nod, Alissia will continue to make a name for herself by releasing her first full-length album later this year.

“People like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX – they’ve worked for years and years and years, and now they’re having their moment. I’m loving that for these boss ladies,” she says. “I see a lot of DMs from young girls or women who are like, ‘I’m giving up. This industry is so hard to navigate.’ We really have to empower each other.” 

Billboard chatted with Alissia about her historic Grammy nomination, upcoming debut album, Prince’s Twitter DM about her cover of The Times and Bootsy Collins’ advice from their “life-changing” sessions.

What kind of music did you grow up listening to, and how does that inform the music you currently make?

My mom always had music playing around the house – lots of Motown stuff, Stevie [Wonder,] Earth, Wind & Fire. The moment I really, really clicked with music and was like “OK, that’s what I wanna do” is [when] I was in high school and I was heavily listening to Prince, Michael [Jackson]. Then when I moved to Boston, that’s when I really dove into all the ‘70s stuff, like funk soul, James Brown, P-Funk, The Brothers Johnson and Stevie again, but hearing it from a musician’s perspective. I feel like the love kept growing and growing, and it’s really what made me want to pick up the bass. I was like, “Oh, I want to play these basslines I’m hearing on all this Bootsy stuff and funk records.”

What was the first song you learned to play on bass?

“Good Times” by CHIC, but at the same time, it was also “The Payback” by James Brown. Those were the first two basslines, I kept going back and forth. It’s crazy because a year later, I’m in front of Bootsy Collins and Nile Rodgers, and they’re breaking down how they came up with it. 

What instruments do you play?

I can get around on pretty much everything. Bass was my main instrument for a long time. People don’t even know I started on piano ‘cause I’m not prolific now, but keys is a safe space for me. I know how to edit myself on drums and guitar, I can get around synths. Around that same time I was digging into all those records, I was really inspired by what I was hearing and learning all the parts.

How did you become so fascinated by the ‘70s era of music, considering you’re not a ‘70s baby?

The richness of the music. A lot of times, I would go into sessions and people would be referencing songs from that era, [so] it made me dig deeper and deeper. The musicianship of it and the production is so outstanding.

And it’s timeless. One of my favorite albums from Michael, Thriller, came out 40-plus years ago, and we still listen to that album nowadays to reference or take inspiration from. And that’s something I always try to aim for – making timeless music that 40 years from now, people would still listen to it. One thing Bootsy told me, and I really, really keep it close to my heart now, is: Don’t follow the trend, set the trend.

Prince reached out to you after he saw your YouTube cover of one of The Time’s songs. Which song did you perform, and what did he have to say? 

It was one video of me shredding bass on one of The Time’s songs, “777-93-11.” It was just for fun. [Prince] saw [the video]. He DMed me on Twitter and was like, “Hey, confidentially speaking, I see everything you’re doing. You’re amazing.” At first, I was like, “Is this really Prince?” I knew some of his band members, and John Blackwell, who I was already in touch with, was like, “Yeah, that’s him. He does all his Twitter.” 

Another video that really went viral was this original song of mine, “Let It Out.” I randomly last minute put together a band because, at the time, I was already [musical directing] shows. I did this video and that’s what also opened a lot of doors. A lot of credible people reached out, artists and labels.

You’ve also interacted with another musical icon, Quincy Jones. You posted a sweet black-and-white photo of you two after he passed away in November. How has he impacted the way you approach music?

When I started producing, I would listen to so many records, and I kept going back to Michael’s stuff and Brothers Johnson. Quincy’s arrangements, production is so rich. The way he arranges strings and everything, I want to be able to do that, so I studied how to arrange for big bands and started getting into it so deeply. He surrounded himself with incredible musicians, like Greg Phillinganes and all those guys, [and] I was studying all of that.

When he passed, it was such a sad moment for the whole world. The whole music industry was really mourning because he contributed so much to music. I feel like he reinvented the term ‘pop music’ and what that looks like, especially with Thriller and everything he did with Michael. He made the biggest records in the world, but so rich musically. Aiming for really high-quality musicianship, yet making it digestible for everyone to enjoy, that is really rare.

I’ve watched [the 2018 Netflix documentary Quincy] three times. The third time I watched it was the day he passed. Every time I don’t really have inspiration, I will watch that and be like “Woah, there’s so much to learn!” I got to meet him, and it was just so incredible to sit down with someone you look up to so much. When we got to sit down in New York [in 2018], it was so special and so random because the first thing he asked me was “What’s your sign?” And I was like Oh Lord, is there a good or bad answer to this? What if I say the sign he hates? I was like “Leo?” And then he was like “Oh yeah, OK.” I was like “What does that mean?” He was like “No, I see it. You’re a go-getter.” He’s just the coolest, he’s so humble. And you can tell he’s a true music lover. I’ll cherish that forever.

What’s the sickest studio memory you have? 

There have been so many special moments, but if I had to pick one that was really life-changing, I would say when I was working on the Bootsy album. I’m so grateful for that time because he really challenged me in different ways. I wasn’t really putting guitars in my production, and he was like “Try to put some guitars.” I was like, “OK.”

And then he would leave and come back and be like “Lemme hear what you got.” Or I wouldn’t really write at all or put melodies on tracks I was working on. And he was like “Alright, now try to put melody, try to write some stuff.” I was like “I can’t do it!” He was like “Even if it’s not it, just let me hear what you got. I’ll come back in a couple hours.” We were working at his studio in Cincinnati, which is so legendary. It’s all leopard and zebra patterns, Bootsy signs all over, his Space Bass, keys everywhere. It feels like you’re entering the P-Funk Mothership.

He really taught me so many things about more than music but also life and mindset. Just don’t overthink it, try to get out of your comfort zone. Try different approaches. Don’t take yourself too seriously, let the music come out the way it comes out.

What are your in-studio essentials? Set the scene for me if I were to walk into a session with you.

First and foremost, a positive mindset. [Laughs] If I’m going to a studio, or even at my studio, I’m listening to music. I’m burning some Palo [Santo]. I’m setting the vibes mentally and doing something that puts me in the right headspace. That’s usually if I have a session with someone. If I’m cooking by myself, a go-to, if we’re being a bit more materialistic, is obviously my computer, but a good synth, like a JUNO-106 or -160 or a Prophet. And then probably a bass and a guitar if possible. I always have my little portable MIDI controller, that’s also a must especially if I’m studio hopping. I love gear. I’m an analog type of person. I love experimenting with sounds, and I feel like the best sounds are always achieved through analog gear.

Outside of the gear, which production software do you use?

I’m a Logic user. I’ve been using Logic for years, and I’m really quick and comfortable at it as far as [digital audio workstations]. As far as plugins, I honestly love UAD stuff. They’re one of the few plugin companies that really replicate that analog sound well. I love Waves, I use Waves a ton.

You’re the ninth woman ever to receive a Grammy nomination for producer of the year, non-classical. What does it mean to you to be a part of this tradition?

It’s really humbling. Especially when I saw the Billboard article, I was like, “Oh my God.” It makes me want to go even harder. It’s really powerful to see women before me continue to move the needle. I’m going to do my best to push boundaries however I can to see a change. This nomination is so inspiring. I really feel like it’s bigger than me, for a producer that is a woman and also that’s a musician.

There are so many producers who are not using instruments. Prince would say, “We’ll end up sampling the sample of the sample of the sample.” When I talk with my friends who are producers and musicians, it’s really our job to keep musicianship alive. I look up to so many producers who are prolific musicians. They really spend time and dedication to shred their instruments. There’s so much to learn, and that’s the beauty of music.

Take me back through Nov. 8, 2024, when the 2025 Grammy nominations were announced. How did you react when you saw the news? 

It’s crazy because I never watch the virtual [nominations announcement]. I’ve always looked [at the nominations] afterward. I worked on a lot of projects this year, so I was like “Let me tune in and let’s see. Maybe I’ll see one of the names.” I was just being hopeful. The second category that came on was producer of the year. My name came up first, and I was just so in shock. I was sitting in my chair and I just jumped, like, “Oh my God!” My phone started blowing up, my team FaceTimed me and I was like “Are we sure it’s me?” I had to triple check that it was really my name. I’m not gonna lie, I became emotional. I never really cry, but my eyes started getting wet.

If you were to become the first-ever woman to win the producer of the year, non-classical Grammy next year, what would that mean to you? 

Oh my God, Heran, let’s speak that into reality! [Laughs.] I would be winning on behalf of the badass ladies. I’ll dedicate that to all of these badass women who’ve been going hard at it. The biggest thing I hope for if I do win [is] to inspire women and young girls and give them a sense of confidence and hope to keep going and living their dreams. When I started producing, I was always looking for a woman figure [to] look up to. There are some incredible women producers out there, but I would love to see more.

That’s why I say it’s way bigger than me. It’s always been about my love for music. I never really cared about being in the spotlight. For 14 years, I’ve been behind the scenes. I had a little bit of a moment where I had a project when I first started off and after that video. Labels were trying to put me in a certain box, like, “OK, well, you have to try and maybe sing a bit more and dress this way and now we’re going to put you in with these producers.” And I was like “No, that’s what I do. I produce.”

You’re putting out your debut solo album this year. Tell me more about it.

All I want to say is be on the lookout because I’m really proud of it. It’s really time to put it out in the world and for people to hear it. It’s been years of experimenting with stuff like “OK, what do I want my album to sound like? Musically, what do I want to say?” It’s coming out really soon. There are amazing, crazy features on it. I feel like people expect some of the features even if I can’t announce it.

Billboard actually premiered your single “On the Go” in 2015.

That’s funny because that was taken down a long time ago. [Laughs.] It was just me experimenting and putting random stuff out. [This album] is really my debut. Anything else before then… it was what it was. [Laughs] It’s been so many years that I’ve been making music. This project is just amazing music. There’s one thing that people might not expect that is on this project. There’s a new era of something that I’m going to present.

After being delayed twice by the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles, the 2025 Oscar nominations in all 23 categories will be announced bright and early on Thursday, Jan. 23. How early is early? The announcement is set for 5:30 a.m. PT / 8:30 a.m. ET.
The nominations will be livestreamed from the Motion Picture Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Academy’s website digital platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook). You can also catch the nominations on national broadcast news programs, including ABC’s Good Morning America, and streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

Music is expected to play a big role in this year’s nominations. Two musicals (Wicked and Emilia Pérez) and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown are top contenders for best picture nominations.

Trending on Billboard

Three actors from A Complete Unknown – Timothée Chalamet (who plays Dylan), Edward Norton (Pete Seeger) and Monica Barbaro (Joan Baez) – have a good shot at acting nods.

Six actors are strong contenders for Oscar nominations for performances in musicals – Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez for Emilia Pérez; and Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey for Wicked. In addition, four actors could be nominated for their performances in music biopics – the three aforementioned actors from A Complete Unknown and Angelina Jolie for Maria, a biopic about Maria Callas.

The 97th Oscars, with first-time host Conan O’Brien, will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. In addition, the show will stream live on Hulu for the first time. The official live red carpet show airs at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

The show will be held at its usual home, Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The show’s executive producers are Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan.

Here’s what to expect on Thursday. The Academy cautions that these categories are not listed in order of presentation and are subject to change.

5:30 a.m. PT

Actor in a Supporting Role

Actress in a Supporting Role

Animated Short Film

Costume Design

Live Action Short Film

Makeup and Hairstyling

Music (Original Score)

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Writing (Original Screenplay)

5:41 a.m. PT

Actor in a Leading Role

Actress in a Leading Role

Animated Feature Film

Cinematography

Directing

Documentary Feature Film

Documentary Short Film

Film Editing

International Feature Film

Music (Original Song)

Best Picture

Production Design

Sound

Visual Effects

Twisters and The Idea of You lead this year’s contenders for the 15th Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS) Awards, earning two nominations each recognizing both music supervision and songwriting.
Rachel Levy, the music supervisor of Twisters, is nominated for best music supervision in major budget films. She has a second nomination for best song written and/or recorded for a film for “Out of Oklahoma,” which was written by Luke Dick, Shane McAnally and Lainey Wilson and performed by Wilson. (At the GMS Awards, music supervisors are nominated for songs from films they supervised.)

Frankie Pine, the music supervisor of The Idea of You, is nominated for best music supervision in mid-level budget films. He has a second nod for best song written and/or recorded for a film for the title song, which was written by Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha and Albin Nedler and performed by Anne-Marie and Nicholas Galitzine.

Trending on Billboard

Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” which was first recorded in 1967, is nominated for best song written and/or recorded for television, thanks to it being featured in The Brothers Sun. Bo Wang performed the song in the since-canceled Netflix series. Angela Asistio was music supervisor.

The GMS Awards honors outstanding achievement in the craft of music supervision in film, television, documentaries, advertising, trailers, and video games.  Winners will be announced at their awards gala at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 23.

Netflix garnered the most nominations for a studio – 13 nods.  Additional film contenders include Wicked, Deadpool & Wolverine, Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist. Top TV contenders include Baby Reindeer, Fallout, Palm Royale and English Teacher.

As previously announced, songwriter Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) will accept the Icon Award and music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg (My Best Friend’s Wedding) will accept the Legacy Award.

Tickets are available only to members of GMS and their Friends of the Guild patrons.

For more information on the ceremony, visit GMSAwards.com. For more information on the organization, visit www.GuildofMusicSupervisors.com

Here’s a complete list of nominations for the 2025 Guild of Music Supervisor Awards.

FILM

Best Music Supervision in Major Budget Films

Jordan Carroll – Better Man

Dave Jordan – Deadpool & Wolverine

Julianne Jordan – The Instigators

Rachel Levy – Twisters

Tom MacDougall, Matt Walker – Moana 2

Maggie Rodford – Wicked

Best Music Supervision in Mid-Level Budget Films

Deva Anderson, Rachel Lautzenheiser – The Piano Lesson

Iain Cooke – Back to Black

Pierre-Marie Dru – Emilia Pérez

Steven Gizicki – A Complete Unknown

Frankie Pine – The Idea of You

Mary Ramos – The Greatest Hits

Best Music Supervision in Low Budget Films

Jessica Berndt, Chris Swanson – I Saw the TV Glow

James Cartwright – Dandelion

Csaba Faltay, Milena Fessmann – Maria

Kier Lehman – Los Frikis

James A. Taylor – The Brutalist

Scotty Taylor – My Old Ass

Best Music Supervision in a Non-Theatrically Released Film

Joel C. High, Sami Posner – Meet Me Next Christmas

Susan Jacobs, Jackie Mulhearn – Out of My Mind

Rob Lowry – Sweethearts

Aminé Ramer – Lonely Planet

Morgan Rhodes – Thelma the Unicorn

Robin Urdang – The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat

Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film

“The Idea of You” – The Idea of You; Songwriters: Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha, Albin Nedler; Performers: Anne-Marie, Nicholas Galitzine; Music Supervisor: Frankie Pine

“The Journey” – The Six Triple Eight; Songwriter: Diane Warren; Performer: H.E.R.; Music Supervisor: Joel C. High

“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot; Songwriters: Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi; Performer: Maren Morris; Music Supervisor: Natalie Hayden

“Like a Bird” – Sing Sing; Songwriters: Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, Adrian Quesada; Performers: Abraham Alexander, Adrian Quesada; Music Supervisor: Dan Wilcox

“Out of Oklahoma” – Twisters; Songwriters: Luke Dick, Shane McAnally, Lainey Wilson; Performer: Lainey Wilson; Music Supervisor: Rachel Levy

“Why I’m Here” – Shirley; Songwriters: Samara Joy, Paul Sylvester Morton Jr.; Performer: Samara Joy; Music Supervisor: Madonna Wade-Reed

TELEVISION

Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama

Deva Anderson, Rachel Lautzenheiser – Masters of the Air Season 1

Matt Biffa – One Day Season 1

Linda Cohen – The Sympathizer Season 1

Stephanie Diaz-Matos – Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist Season 1

Catherine Grieves – Baby Reindeer Season 1

Trygge Toven – Fallout Season 1

Best Music Supervision in a Television Comedy

George Drakoulias, Ian Herbert – Palm Royale Season 1

Kerri Drootin, Charlie Haggard – Loot Season 2

Christa Miller, Tony Von Pervieux – Bad Monkey Season 1

Javier Nuño, Joe Rodríguez – Acapulco Season 3

Jen Ross – English Teacher Season 1

Best Music Supervision in Reality Television

Brandon Boucher, Peter Davis – The Challenge: All Stars Season 4

Jon Ernst – Love Is Blind Season 6

Meryl Ginsberg, Sara Torres, Jordan Young – Love Island USA Season 6

Carrie Hughes – Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Season 11

Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” which was first recorded in 1967, is nominated for best song written and/or recorded for television, thanks to it being featured in The Brothers Sun. Bo Wang performed the song in the since-canceled Netflix series. Angela Asistio was music supervisor.

DOCUMENTARIES

Best Music Supervision in a Documentary Film

Maureen Crowe, Lisa Moberly, Janet Billig Rich – Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple

Justin Feldman – Music by John Williams

Jonathan Finegold – Gaucho Gaucho

Dawn Sutter Madell – Eno

Aminé Ramer – Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary

Best Music Supervision in a Docuseries

Sam Carlin, Drew Kramer – Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza Season 1

Alexandra Eckhardt – Kings from Queens: The Run DMC Story Season 1

Ed Gerrard – Gospel Season 1

Gary Welch – Camden Season 1

Allison Wood – Breath of Fire Season 1

ADVERTISING

Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Synch)

Abbey Hendrix, Jonathan Wellbelove – iPhone 15 Storage – “Don’t Let Me Go”

Andrew Kahn, Morgan Thoryk – “Two-Step”

Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “Breaking Moves the World”

Peymon Maskan, Gemma Schladow, Alec Stern, Jenna Wilson – “Power of She”

Nicole Palko, Jonathan Wellbelove – “iPhone 15 Plus Battery – One More”

Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music)

Danielle Beauvoir, Nick Maker – “Out of This World: The Official Anthem of the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup”

Abbey Hendrix, Jonathan Wellbelove – “iPhone 16 – Imagine It. Genmoji It.”

Scott McDaniel – “1 Performance, 30 Years in the Making”

Patrick Lawrence Zappia – “Give Your Gift.”

Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Long-Form)

Codie Childs – “PS5 | Play Has No Limits”

Connie Edwards, Sunny Kapoor – “Spot it Early”

Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “A Mountain of Entertainment – Hail Patrick”

Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “H.O.R.S.E. on a Horse”

Nellie Rajabi, Jonathan Wellbelove – “The Relay”

Al Risi – “An American Love Story”

TRAILERS

Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Film)

Megan Barbour, Greg Smith, Tyler Torrison – 28 Years Later – Official Trailer

Maggie Baron – Anora – Official Redband Trailer

Deric Berberabe, Jordan Silverberg  – Thunderbolts* – Trailer 2

Anny Colvin – We Live in Time – Official Trailer

Will Quiney – Cuckoo – Official Trailer

Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Series)

Deric Berberabe, Hudson Saxe, Jordan Silverberg – Severance: Season 2 – Official Trailer

Bobby Gumm – 3 Body Problem – Final Trailer

Vanessa Jorge Perry – Skeleton Crew – Official Trailer

Scenery Samundra, Gregory Sweeney – DISCLAIMER* – Official Trailer

Naaman Snell – The Last of Us: Season 2 – Official Teaser

Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Video Game & Interactive)

Jonny Altepeter, Jackie Palazzolo, Vitaly Shenderovsky – “VALORANT” – Clove Agent Trailer – 2 WORLDS

Alex Hackford, Lindsey Kohon, Naaman Snell – “Destiny 2: The Final Shape” – Launch Trailer

Lindsey Kohon – “Black Ops 6” – Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Raphaella Lima, Steve Schnur – “College Football 25” – Official Reveal Trailer

Raphaella Lima, Michael Sherwood – “Apex Legends: Upheaval” – Gameplay Trailer

VIDEO GAMES

Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Synch)

Benjamin Beladi – The Sandbox – Alpha Season 4

Maya Halfon Cordova, Kyle Hopkins – Forza Horizon 5 – Retrowave

Nora Felder – Stranger Things VR

Alex Hackford – MLB The Show 24

Raphaella Lima, Cybele Pettus, Steve Schnur – EA SPORTS FC 25

Ryan Tomlin, Brandon Young – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Original Music)

Manu Bachet, Raphaël Joffres – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown; Composers: Gareth Coker, Mentrix

Codie Childs, James Marshall – LEGO Horizon Adventures; Composer: Homay Schmitz

Codie Childs, James Marshall – Until Dawn; Composer: Mark Korven

Glenn Herweijer, Ben Sumner – Life is Strange: Double Exposure; Composers: Glenn Herweijer, Nick Hill, Tessa Rose Jackson, Luciano Rossi

Steve Schnur – Dragon Age: The Veilguard; Composers: Lorne Balfe, Hans Zimmer

Sam Yang – Delta Force; Composers: Edwin, Jason H, LUMi, Johan Söderqvist, Zio

01/17/2025

Some artists amass a lot of nods in just a few years and are rarely nominated again. They aren’t on this list. These are the people who were in the game year after year.

01/17/2025

Two musicals (Wicked and Emilia Pérez) and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown are among the 10 films nominated for best theatrical motion picture by the Producers Guild of America.

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Since its inception in 1990, the PGA Award for best theatrical motion picture has gone to the subsequent Oscar winner for best picture on all but 10 occasions. The last time the two award bodies diverged was in 2020, when the PGA award went to 1917, but the Oscars favored Parasite.

The PGA expanded the number of nominees for its top award from five to 10 in 2010, the same year the Oscars made a similar expansion.

Trending on Billboard

The Greatest Night in Pop, a Netflix film about the 1985 “We Are the World” recording session, is nominated for outstanding producer of televised or streamed motion pictures. The film was nominated for three Primetime Emmys last year, including outstanding documentary or nonfiction special, and is currently nominated for a Grammy for best music film.

The Voice is among the nominees for outstanding producer of game & competition television. It is competing with The Amazing Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Top Chef and The Traitors.

Final ballots for TV and film categories will close on Thursday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m. PT. Winners in these categories will be announced at the 36th annual Producers Guild Awards, which will be held on Feb. 8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Final ballots for children’s, short form, and sports programs will close on Monday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. PT. Winners in these categories will be announced at the guild’s nominee events in New York and Los Angeles the week of Feb. 3.

At the Producers Guild Awards ceremony in February, the guild will also present special honors to Chris Meledandri (David O. Selznick Achievement Award), Dana Walden (Milestone Award), Taika Waititi (Norman Lear Achievement Award) and Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein (Trailblazer Award).

The 2025 Producers Guild Awards event chairs are Mike Farah and Joe Farrell. The 2025 Producers Guild Awards are produced by Anchor Street Collective and written by Lauren Cortizo, Jody Lambert and Matt Oberg for the guild. Branden Chapman is executive producer, and Carleen Cappelletti is co-executive producer.

Here’s the complete list of 2025 nominees by the Producers Guild of America.

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Anora

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Pérez

A Real Pain

September 5

The Substance

Wicked

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

Flow

Inside Out 2

Moana 2

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot

Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama

Bad Sisters

The Diplomat

Fallout

Shōgun

Slow Horses

Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Hacks

Only Murders in the Building

David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series Television

Baby Reindeer

FEUD: Capote Vs. The Swans

The Penguin

Ripley

True Detective: Night Country

Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures

Carry On

The Greatest Night in Pop

The Killer

Rebel Ridge

Unfrosted

Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television

30 for 30

Conan O’Brien Must Go

The Jinx – Part Two

STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces

Welcome to Wrexham

Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television

Ali Wong: Single Lady

The Daily Show

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television

The Amazing Race

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Top Chef

The Traitors

The Voice

The following nominees were previously announced.

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture

Gaucho Gaucho

Mediha

Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa

Porcelain War

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

We Will Dance Again

Outstanding Children’s Program

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Sesame Street

SpongeBob SquarePants

Outstanding Short-Form Program

The Crown: Farewell To a Royal Epic

Hacks: Bit By Bit

The Penguin: Inside Gotham

Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime

Shōgun – The Making of Shōgun

Outstanding Sports Program

Formula 1: Drive to Survive

Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants

Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend

Simone Biles Rising

Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics

PGA Innovation Award

Critterz

Emperor

Impulse: Playing with Reality

Orbital

The Pirate Queen with Lucy Liu

What If…? – An Immersive Story

The Brit Awards has announced its host for the upcoming 2025 ceremony. Comedian Jack Whitehall will return to the role, having hosted the awards four times previously. The Brits will be held on March 1 at London’s O2 arena. Nominations are due to be announced in the coming weeks, alongside performers at the event. The […]

Score one for Team Coco. Conan O’Brien has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He’ll receive the award on March 23, less than three weeks after he hosts the Oscars for the first time. The Oscars are set for March 3.
O’Brien, 61, will be the second former host of The Tonight Show to receive the Twain Prize. Jay Leno, who was both O’Brien’s predecessor and successor as host of that legendary late-night comedy franchise, received the honor in 2014. David Letterman, who was passed over for the job in favor of Leno when Johnny Carson retired in 1993, received the honor in 2017. Jon Stewart, whose The Daily Show in its heyday was often buzzier than The Tonight Show, received the honor in 2022. (Carson, who hosted The Tonight Show for 30 years and is widely regarded as the GOAT of late-night talk-show hosts, never received the honor. He died in 2005, seven years after the award originated.)

“For four decades, Conan O’Brien has brought his unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious into our homes,” Deborah F. Rutter, president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, said in a statement. “From Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons —including the unbelievably funny monorail episode — to late night, podcasts, and all things Team Coco, Conan is a master of invention and reinvention, consistently pushing the envelope in search of new comedic heights.”

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“I am honored to be the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize recognized not for humor, but for my work as a riverboat pilot,” wisecracked O’Brien.

The presentation will take place in Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The program will stream on Netflix, date to be announced. Last year’s presentation to Kevin Hart marked the beginning of a long-term relationship with the streamer.

The 26th Mark Twain Prize will be produced by David Jammy and the creative team at Done+Dusted, the Kennedy Center’s producing partner for the Mark Twain Prize since 2018.

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, colloquially known as Mark Twain. “As a social commentator, satirist, and creator of characters, Clemens was a fearless observer of society who delighted and informed onlookers with his uncompromising perspective on social injustice and personal folly,” the statement said.

Previous recipients are Richard Pryor (1998), Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001), Bob Newhart (2002), Lily Tomlin (2003), Lorne Michaels (2004), Steve Martin (2005), Neil Simon (2006), Billy Crystal (2007), George Carlin (2008), Bill Cosby (2009; rescinded in 2018), Tina Fey (2010), Will Ferrell (2011), Ellen DeGeneres (2012), Carol Burnett (2013), Jay Leno (2014), Eddie Murphy (2015), Bill Murray (2016), David Letterman (2017), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2018), Dave Chappelle (2019), Jon Stewart (2022), Adam Sandler (2023), and Kevin Hart (2024).

The event was created by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Bob Kaminsky, Peter Kaminsky, Mark Krantz, and John Schreiber.

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame has announced its full crop of 2025 inductees.
Songwriter Dan Hill, “grande dame of Québec song” Ginette Reno, rock superstars Glass Tiger and singer/songwriter/composer Loreena McKennitt will all join the previously announced Sum 41. That legendary punk and rock band, who are currently on their farewell tour after returning to the top of the Alternative Airplay chart after more than two decades, will celebrate the induction with their final televised performance at the 2025 Juno Awards on March 30 in Vancouver.

The other four recipients will be joined by 2024 Hall of Fame inductee and Canadian hip-hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes at a special ceremony on May 15 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre (NMC), in Calgary. Maestro Fresh Wes was inducted into the Hall of Fame during The 2024 Junos broadcast in Halifax, and will again be honoured at the Studio Bell event this year.

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame was established by CARAS, the organization behind the Junos, in 1978 to acknowledge artists who have made a remarkable impact on Canadian music both nationally and internationally.

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Hill, Reno, Glass Tiger, McKennitt, Sum 41 and Maestro Fresh Wes will join the ranks of esteemed stars including Alanis Morissette, Barenaked Ladies, Deborah Cox, Jann Arden, Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Nickelback, Oscar Peterson, Rush, The Guess Who, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan and Shania Twain.

This is the third time CARAS has held a multiple induction ceremony outside of the Junos.

“As the physical home of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, we’re proud to be a place that honours the individuals that have contributed so much to Canadian music,” says Andrew Mosker, president & CEO of the National Music Centre. “It’s always a privilege to host this special event and welcome the latest inductees to Calgary, where we can celebrate their significant influence and share their inspiring stories.”

The National Music Centre will unveil a new exhibition at Studio Bell on May 7, spotlighting the achievements of the four inductees.

Hill has achieved major international success, both for his own music and in collaboration with other musical legends. His “Sometimes When We Touch,” a tune Dolly Parton called her “favourite song of all time”’ and one she wishes she had written, has notched 63 million YouTube views and over 100 million downloads. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.

Hill has recorded and released multiple Gold and Platinum albums, won a Grammy Award and five Junos, and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021. He’s also worked with many of the pop’s top-selling artists, including Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Britney Spears and Céline Dion.

Ginette Reno is a legend of Quebec music. In a 65-year career, she’s recorded over 2000 songs, 42 albums, all gold or platinum, and various notable roles on the silver screen and on television.

Since their first three albums starting in the mid-1980s, Ontario rock band Glass Tiger spawned 14 Top 40 Hits in Canada in five years. The 1986 hit “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” (which hit No. 2) and following hit “Someday,” which both reached Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the band’s debut album, The Thin Red Line, went quadruple platinum in Canada and gold in the U.S.

McKennitt has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide while remaining self-managed and self-produced. Her music, combining elements of pop, folk and worldbeat styles, has been dubbed “eclectic Celtic.”

Tickets will soon go on sale at the National Music Centre. More info at the Canadian Music Hall of Fame website.

Day 2 of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, the largest international music awards in the country set for May 21 and 22 at Rohm Theater Kyoto, will be broadcast live on NHK, and both days will be streamed worldwide on YouTube (excluding some regions), it was announced Thursday (Jan. 16) Japan time.
In addition to the previously announced awards recognizing a wide variety of works in eight categories and 50 divisions, prizes have been added in new categories including the “Co-creation categories” linked to companies involved in music.

Toyota Group has been confirmed as a top partner, Kinoshita Group and NTT DOCOMO, Inc. as gold partners, and Kyoto University of the Arts (Uryuzan Gakuen) as a silver partner. Prize partners set to establish their own divisions in the co-creation categories include XING Inc., DAIICHIKOSHO Co., Ltd., JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers), Spotify Japan, and USEN Corporation. In addition, TimeTree, Inc., IRIS Inc. (TOKYO PRIME), LIVE BOARD, Inc., and LY Corporation will be media partners, JTB Corp., Space Shower Networks, Inc., and RecoChoku, Co., Ltd. will be project partners, and companies related to the music industry will support the awards as music industry partners.

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In the newly established co-creation categories awarded in collaboration with prize partner companies involved in the music industry, the best song will be chosen from among those enjoyed by general listeners on karaoke and cable broadcasting. Furthermore, the award for “Best Viral Song” celebrating songs that became popular after going viral on TikTok, and the “Radio Special Award” chosen by radio directors and radio DJs in collaboration with radio stations nationwide, have also been announced.

Details of the general voting (Listeners’ Choice) categories, where general listeners can participate in the selection process through Spotify’s voting function, have been revealed as well. Along with the two previously announced awards decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan — Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic Song powered by Spotify and Best of Listeners’ Choice: Global Song powered by Spotify — the nominees for the Top Global Hit From Japan category, one of the six main categories that celebrates domestic songs that have become hits around the world, will be selected through votes from Spotify users outside of Japan.

Co-creation categories

Karaoke Special Award: Karaoke of the Year powered by DAM & JOYSOUND: An award honoring songs sung the most at karaoke. The top 30 songs sung the most on DAM and JOYSOUND during the target period will be eligible, and the song sung the most on DAM and JOYSOUND during the Karaoke Special Award tallying period after the nominees have been announced will be chosen as the best work. (Two divisions, J-Pop and Enka / Kayōkyoku, are planned.)

Request Special Award: Oshikatsu Request of the Year powered by USEN: An award honoring the song that received the most requests on the USEN Oshikatsu Request Ranking. The song that received the most requests on the year-end USEN Oshikatsu Request Ranking will be awarded as best work.

Creators Special Award: Song of the Year for Creators presented by JASRAC: An award honoring the creator of the song that received the largest distribution of royalties from JASRAC. This award will be given to the creator of the song from among those entrusted to JASRAC for copyright management which received the largest distribution of royalties for 2024.

Song category

Best Viral Song: This award celebrates songs that went on to attract general attention after having gone viral through their use in videos and posts on TikTok. The best song will be selected from the top 50 songs chosen based on an original chart that combines the number of times they were used on TikTok and the total number of views on videos using the songs.

Alliance category

Radio Special Award: An award honoring songs that radio directors and radio DJs think are musically creative and artistic. The directors and DJs of music programs on 53 FM radio stations will each recommend up to three songs, and the top ten with the most nominations will be eligible. All the directors and DJs of the radio stations that recommended the songs will vote to decide the best work.

General voting categories

Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic Song powered by Spotify: An award given to the best song decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan.

Best of Listeners’ Choice: Global Song powered by Spotify: An award given to the best global song decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan. 

MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 KYOTO 

Date of Ceremony: Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22, 2025

MAJ Week: From Saturday, May 17 to Friday, May 23, 2025

Venue: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan

The event on May 22 will be broadcast live on NHK.

Events on both days will be streamed globally on YouTube (some regions excluded).

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO, Recording Academy and MusiCares and Tammy Hurt, chair of the academy’s board of trustees, held a webinar on Wednesday (Jan. 15) to tell Academy members of their plans for the Feb. 2 show and other Grammy Week events.
Mason also released a press statement in which he explained the rationale for going forward. “We understand how devastating this past week has been on this city and its people,” Mason said. “This is our home, it’s home to thousands of music professionals, and many of us have been negatively impacted. So, after thoughtful consideration and multiple assurances from state and local elected leaders, public safety agencies and with support from our incredible artist community, we have decided to go ahead with the Grammy telecast and some select events. Grammy Week 2025 will not just be about honoring music, it will be about using the power of music to help rebuild, uplift and support those in need.”

The academy also released a revised (they used the term “condensed”) 2025 Grammy Week event schedule. As previously announced, the 67th Annual Grammy Awards telecast on CBS will continue to be held on Feb. 2, “but with a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”

The academy’s decision to go forward with the 67th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, despite the wildfires that have devastated parts of the city, has been controversial.

Even before the Grammys announced plans to go on with the show, Lucas Keller, president and founder of Milk & Honey Management, announced that he was cancelling Milk & Honey’s popular Grammy party. “It would be tone deaf to celebrate and I hope all other companies will follow suit,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.

Many followed Keller’s lead. Just hours after the Recording Academy announced that it planned to go ahead with the telecast, Universal Music Group (UMG) announced it was canceling all of the company’s Grammy-related events, including its artist showcase and after-Grammy party, and will instead “redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires.” Within 24 hours, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment had also canceled plans. BMG and Billboard also canceled party plans.

Many executives not based in Los Angeles expressed concern about taking up hotel rooms that may be needed by evacuees and planned not to attend.

In their messaging, the Academy is stressing the philanthropic angle. They note that each event on the schedule “will have a fundraising element.” Clive Davis’ & the Recording Academy’s legendary pre-Grammy gala – which most simply refer to as “Clive’s party” – has been rebranded for this year as Clive Davis’ & the Recording Academy’s Pre-Grammy Fundraising Event. The academy also made sure to include the word “charity” in the name of another of its most exclusive events — the MusiCares Persons of the Year Charity Gala.

The revised schedule for Grammy Week events is as follows:

Since launching the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to Support Music Professionals last week, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have raised and pledged more than $2 million in emergency aid to music people affected by the wildfires.

This is the third time in the last five years that the Grammy telecast has been impacted by outside events. The 2021 and 2022 shows were both postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 show was bumped from Jan. 31 to March 14. The 2022 ceremony was pushed all the way from Jan. 31 to April 3, and its location was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas due to scheduling conflicts with the Crypto.com Arena.

The Recording Academy has yet to announce the host of this year’s Grammys. The announcement was expected last week, but has been delayed to avoid stepping on the news about whether the show was going to proceed or not. The announcement is expected soon.

The Recording Academy had first announced Feb. 2 as the date for this year’s telecast last May. Dates are not easy to move. For one thing, the Oscars, the oldest and most heavily covered awards show, are set for March 2.

The Grammy telecast will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy for the fifth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers.

Beyoncé is the top nominee for the 67th annual Grammy Awards with 11 nods, followed by Charli XCX and Post Malone with eight nods each, and Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar with seven nods each. Final-round voting closed on Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. PT, so the outcomes will have been sealed for weeks before they are finally announced.