Awards
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When the Country Music Association presents the 58th annual CMA Awards on Nov. 20, it will mark the latest date on the calendar that the organization’s trophy event has ever been convened.
The late date set up a precedent when the Recording Academy unveiled the nominees for the 67thannual Grammy Awards on Nov. 8, the earliest announcement date in the history of that show’s cycle. It marks the first time that both the Grammy and CMA contests have simultaneously aligned: Each has announced its final ballot, but neither has revealed any of its winners.
As a result, the differences in the two institutions’ approaches to country are even more glaring than in previous years. Houston native Beyoncè is the clearest example of the dichotomy. Her country-hybrid album, Cowboy Carter, and seven of its tracks amassed 11 Grammy nominations, making her the leading finalist in the entire contest. Her portfolio includes entries in each of the four country-specific categories: best country song (“Texas Hold ’Em”), best country album (Cowboy Carter), best country solo performance (“16 Carriages”) and best country duo/group performance (“II Most Wanted,” featuring Miley Cyrus).
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But Beyoncè’s crossover material was entirely absent from the CMA ballot.
Cody Johnson I Credit: Chris Douglas
Conversely, fellow Texan Cody Johnson tied for second in the CMA hardware royale with five nominations, including slots among the finalists for male vocalist and album of the year (Leather). But his big-voiced traditionalism was left off the Grammy list.
The disparities between the two awards shows were built into their missions. The CMA is a Nashville-based trade organization devoted to promoting the country format, and it counts plenty of marketers, media and executives among its membership. Its origins date back to the late 1950s when Music City’s leaders united out of fear that the emergence of youthful rock’n’roll could destroy country’s very existence.
The Recording Academy is a multigenre institution centered in Santa Monica, Calif., that is primarily focused on the creatives in the business.
The academy and the CMA hold many common values and purposes, which means that they share plenty of nominees. This year, 10 artists appear on the CMA list and in the Grammy country field, including Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Shaboozey, Jelly Roll and Chris Stapleton.
But the organizations’ history and structures create some specific differences, too, and the ways in which they diverge have the greatest influence on the contrasts in their ballots. CMA voters, who represent a single format with a large bloc of members in the genre’s home city, operate with an air of protectionism.They tend to reward artists and projects that maintain country’s identity, even as they help the genre progress. They’re also prone to honor people they see on a regular basis, meaning the nominees mostly live in Music City or visit and mingle often. As a result, Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Lady A, Maddie & Tae, Brooks & Dunn and Old Dominion are all CMA contenders, though they didn’t quite make the Grammy ballot.
Grammy voters, following the dictates of creativity, are more likely to celebrate songs and artists that color outside the lines. The academy tends to champion specific artists for long periods of time, but even those Grammy favorites who have strong traditional roots — such as Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves, both of whom appear on the current ballot — arrived as rebel spirits. Likewise, the CMA has often celebrated country acts whose style straddles mainstream commercialism and left-of-center sounds, such as eclectic red-dirt artist Lyle Lovett, folky Mary Chapin Carpenter and honky-tonk firebrand Dwight Yoakam.
Traditional country icons George Strait and Alan Jackson further underscore the differences between the Grammys and the CMAs. They rank third and fourth on the all-time list of CMA winners, with 17 and 16 victories, respectively. But they have won only three Grammys between them.
Much was made about Beyoncè’s absence from this year’s CMAs, with a number of critics implying the snub was cold-stone racism in action. No doubt that played a role in some votes, but if that was the sole factor, it’s likely that neither Shaboozey -— who’s up for new artist and single of the year, with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — nor vocal duo nominees The War and Treaty would be on the ballot in the Nov. 20 ceremony.
To be certain, country has made a greater effort to support Black artists and executives in recent years. And many in the space were excited about the prospects of Beyoncè entering the country realm and perhaps expanding the genre’s audience.
But she announced quite pointedly that Cowboy Carter was a “Beyoncè album,” not solely a country release, and to many insiders, it sounds more like an artist playing with the sound than immersing herself in it. Given the choice, CMA voters — with their interest in maintaining country’s identity — were always likely to choose talents who seem like they’re committed to country over an artist dipping their toe in the water for one album. And in the fields where she seemed most likely to have a shot — album, single, song, musical event or female vocalist — it’s not like there’s a dud who doesn’t belong on the ballot.
By contrast, Post Malone spent plenty of face time with country creatives while making F-1 Trillion, investing himself in the culture and snagging four CMA nods in the process.
Ultimately, with CMA and Grammy nominees both waiting for the final results, the awards events’ differing views seem to embody the tug between tradition and progressiveness. The desire to protect the sound of the format is valid, as is the artful interest in pushing its limits and mixing it with other sounds and traditions.
The two awards shows, taken in combination, validate both viewpoints on the genre. Both shows, and both approaches to the music, are necessary. And welcome.
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Four of the five nominees for entertainer of the year – Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson – are set to perform on the 2024 CMA Awards, which will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday (Nov. 20). Of the nominees for entertainer of the year, only Morgan Wallen has not been announced as a performer on the broadcast.
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The show will be hosted by Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning and Wilson.
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Combs will perform “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” the opening track on Twisters: The Album. The song topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for two weeks in September and October. Jelly Roll will join Brooks & Dunn on a performance of their 2006 classic, “Believe.” The hit won both single and song of the year at the 2006 CMAs.
Stapleton will perform twice on the show. He will sing “What Am I Gonna Do,” the opening track from his album Higher. He will also team with Post Malone to perform their “California Sober” collaboration from Posty’s album F-1 Trillion LP. (For his part, Post will also perform “Yours,” the closing track from F-1 Trillion.)
Wilson will perform her single “4x4xU,” which is currently up to No. 21 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Her co-host, Bryan, will take the stage for “Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” which reached No. 2 on Country Airplay last month, becoming his 36th top 10 hit on that chart.
Shaboozey, a first-time nominee this year with two nods, will perform a medley of his breakthrough smash “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — which has logged 17 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — and his new single, “Highway.”
Performing together for the first time, Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims will offer a mash-up of Rhett’s “Somethin’ ’Bout a Woman,” from his new album About a Woman, and Swims’ “Lose Control,” a recent No. 1 hit on the Hot 100.
Dierks Bentley will be joined by Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes for a performance of Tom Petty’s 1976 classic, “American Girl.” Bentley performed the rock classic on this year’s Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration ofTom Petty.
There will also be a star-studded tribute in honor of George Strait, this year’s recipient of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
This year’s CMAs will include performances of two of this year’s nominees for musical event of the year. Langley and Green will perform “you look like you love me,” which is currently No. 7 on the Country Airplay chart. Ballerini and Kahan will perform “Cowboys Cry Too,” which reached No. 27 on that chart in July.
Other performances set for the show include Moroney’s “Am I Okay?” Musgraves’ “The Architect” and Zimmerman’s “New to Country.”
Presenters on the show include a wide range of artists, actors and athletes. The Oak Ridge Boys will appear, just four months after the death of longtime member Joe Bonsall at age 76. Two nominees for new artist of the year, Nate Smith and Mitchell Tenpenny, are also set to present. Other country artists lined up to present include Clint Black, Jordan Davis, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch and Carly Pearce. Pop singer and entertainer Katharine McPhee will also be on hand to present during the show.
Actors set to take the stage include Jeff Bridges, Mark Collie, Don Johnson, Taylor Frankie Paul, Daniel Sunjata and Billy Bob Thornton. Olympic Gymnast Simone Biles and first baseman for the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers Freddie Freeman will also present.
Country Music’s Biggest Night is set to air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday from 8:00-11:00 p.m./ET. It will air on ABC be available for streaming the next day on Hulu.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer. Alan Carter is the director and Jon Macks is the head writer.
Check out a complete list of performers and presenters below. If any additional names are announced, they will be added to this report.
Performers
Kelsea Ballerini
Dierks Bentley
Brooks & Dunn
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Sierra Hull
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Noah Kahan
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Ella Langley
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Post Malone
Thomas Rhett
Shaboozey
Chris Stapleton
Teddy Swims
Molly Tuttle
Lainey Wilson
Bailey Zimmerman
Presenters
Simone Biles
Clint Black
Jeff Bridges
Mark Collie
Jordan Davis
Freddie Freeman
Don Johnson
Jackson Laux
Little Big Town
Dustin Lynch
Katharine McPhee
The Oak Ridge Boys
Taylor Frankie Paul
Carly Pearce
Caleb Pressley
Nate Smith
Daniel Sunjata
Mitchell Tenpenny
Billy Bob Thornton
The annual Governor’s Awards, where honorary awards are presented by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, are usually a celebration. This year’s 15th edition was a happy occasion too, but it was muted by the fact that one of the honorees, Quincy Jones, died on Nov. 3, just two weeks before the awards […]
11/15/2024
All 16 performances shined, but there were standouts. Here, we rank them from 16 to 1.
11/15/2024
Each year, the Recording Academy tweaks its Grammy nominations list with changes and corrections. That’s to be expected in a list of 94 categories, which contains hundreds of entries and thousands of names. When the nominations for best compilation soundtrack for visual media were announced a week ago, the information provided was incomplete; the Academy has now filled in those credits.
Film stars Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper are among the nominees that category. (Cooper was listed as a nominee last week, but more information has been provided.) This is Reynolds’ second Grammy nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Deadpool 2 six years ago. This is Cooper’s fourth nod. He is a two-time Grammy winner. He won in this category five years ago for A Star Is Born and also won for best pop duo/group performance for “Shallow,” his Hot 100-topping collab with Lady Gaga.
Interesting note: The directors of four of the films that are represented in this category received Grammy nods as soundtrack compilation producers. They are Blitz Bazawule (The Color Purple), Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine), Cooper (Maestro) and Emerald Fennell (Saltburn). (Lee Isaac Chung, the director of Twisters, which spawned the fifth nominee in the category, is not nominated for the soundtrack.)
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Stephen Bray is among the nominated compilation producers of The Color Purple. This is his seventh Grammy nomination; his third for this lucrative property. He was nominated for best musical theater album for the Broadway show in 2007 and won for best musical show album for a revival of the show in 2017. Fun Fact: Bray received his first Grammy nod in 1988 as a member of The Breakfast Club, nominees for best new artist.
Per long-established academy practice, names listed in parentheses are not nominees. They are shown just for identification purposes.
Here are the nominees for best compilation soundtrack for visual media.
The Color Purple
(Various Artists)
Nick Baxter, Blitz Bazawule, and Stephen Bray, compilation producers
Jordan Carroll and Morgan Rhodes, music supervisors
Deadpool & Wolverine
(Various Artists)
Dave Jordan, Shawn Levy & Ryan Reynolds, compilation producers
Dave Jordan, music supervisor
Maestro: Music By Leonard Bernstein
Bradley Cooper, Yannick Nezet-Seguin (London Symphony Orchestra), artists
Bradley Cooper, Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Jason Ruder, compilation producers
Steven Gizicki, music supervisor
Saltburn
(Various Artists)
Emerald Fennell, compilation producer
Kirsten Lane, music supervisor
Twisters: The Album
(Various Artists)
Ian Cripps, Brandon Davis, Joe Khoury & Kevin Weaver, compilation producers
Mike Knobloch & Rachel Levy, music supervisors
Luke Bryan, a co-host of this year’s CMA Awards and a two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner, is set to guide viewers through country music’s current moment, offering fans a journey into the artists, songs and stories that have led the genre over the past year, when he hosts the ABC News special Vegas Lights & Country Nights: Countdown to the CMA Awards — A Special Edition of 20/20.
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The one-hour special will air Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 10:01 p.m. ET on ABC, and will stream the following day on Hulu and Disney+.
Filmed in Las Vegas, the special will take fans behind-the-scenes as country music gears up for the 58th Annual CMA Awards. The awards ceremony is hosted by Bryan, Peyton Manning and Lainey Wilson, and will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 20, on ABC, and the following day on Hulu.
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Vegas Lights & Country Nights will feature Jason Aldean, who will sit down for a candid discussion of his career history in Vegas, at his new Jason Aldean Kitchen+Bar Vegas location; he will also surprise first responders from 2017’s Route 91 Harvest Festival with an intimate musical performance. Bryan’s fellow American Idol judge and eight-time Grammy winner Carrie Underwood will take fans behind the curtains of her Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency, while Blake Shelton will show fans around his Ole Red Las Vegas bar while talking about his life and upcoming residency.
From there, Keith Urban will also reflect on his new album, High, and his Las Vegas residency, while Shaboozey will discuss his breakthrough year and his 17-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Shaboozey has two nominations leading into this year’s CMA Awards, including new artist of the year and single of the year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
The special will also feature conversations with Thomas Rhett, who will launch a limited Las Vegas residency in December, as well as Carly Pearce, who offers an all-access pass to her “Hummingbird” tour stop in Las Vegas. Dustin Lynch, Brandi Cyrus and the YEEDM DJ duo VAVO will also provide an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at their performances at the Professional Bull Riders after-party.
Vegas Lights & Country Nights: Countdown to the CMA Awards – A Special Edition of 20/20 is produced by ABC News Studios and 20/20. Emily Whipp serves as executive producer, and Janice Johnston is senior executive producer. Monica Escobedo serves as senior entertainment producer.
Get an early look at the ABC News special below:
When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences releases its Academy Award shortlists in 10 categories on Dec. 17, the most immediately obvious change from past years will be that the number of shortlisted scores will jump from 15 to 20. The best song shortlist will remain at 15.
Nominations-round voting runs Jan. 8-12, and nominations will be announced Jan. 17. Final-round voting runs Feb. 11-18, and the 2025 Oscars will be held March 2. Billboard highlights some of the potential nominees in the best original song and best original score categories below.
“Forbidden Road”Sacha Skarbek, Freddy Wexler, Robbie WilliamsBetter Man, Paramount
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Better Man is a biographical film about British pop star Williams, who is portrayed as a chimpanzee through use of motion capture. All three co-writers are past Grammy Award nominees. Skarbek was nominated for song of the year for co-writing James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”; Wexler for album of the year for his songwriting contributions to the deluxe edition of Justin Bieber’s Justice; and Williams for a pair of music videos.
“Winter Coat”Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, Taura StinsonBlitz, Apple Original Films
Stinson was previously nominated in this category for co-writing “Mighty River” from Mudbound. If she’s nominated again, she’ll tie Siedah Garrett as the Black woman with the most nods in this category. Britell is a three-time nominee for best original score. Blitz director McQueen won a best picture Oscar as a producer on his film 12 Years a Slave in 2013.
“Never Too Late”Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, Bernie TaupinElton John: Never Too Late, Walt Disney Pictures
John is a two-time winner of best original song for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman. Taupin was a co-winner on the latter. Carlile has received four Grammy nods for song of the year, John has received two and Watt one. John’s victory lap also includes an EGOT-clinching Emmy win for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.
“El Mal”Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais, Jacques AudiardEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Ducol and his personal and professional partner, Dalmais, composed the score and collaborated on the songs for this film. Audiard, the film’s writer, director and co-producer, joined them in writing this song. The film premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where the couple won the soundtrack award. In addition to her film work, Dalmais has recorded five albums in her native France.
“Mi Camino”Clément Ducol, Camille DalmaisEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Emilia Pérez is one of three films with a reasonably good chance of placing two songs on the best original song shortlist. Piece by Piece and Twisters could also do it. Last year, three films had multiple songs on the shortlist: Barbie led with three (two of which went on to be nominated), and The Color Purple and Flora and Son each had two.
“Beautiful That Way”Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, Andrew WyattThe Last Showgirl, Roadside Attractions
Wyatt won in this category in 2019 for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born. He was nominated at this year’s Oscars for co-writing “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Wyatt has received three Grammy nods for song of the year for co-writing “Shallow,” Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night.” Cyrus was nominated in that category at the 2024 ceremony for “Flowers.” This would be her first Oscar nod.
“Beyond”Abigail Barlow, Emily BearMoana 2, Walt Disney Pictures
Songwriter-composer duo Barlow & Bear won a Grammy in 2021 for best musical theater album for The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. This would be the first song by an all-woman team to be nominated in this category since the Diane Warren-Laura Pausini collaboration “Io sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead four years ago. Lin-Manuel Miranda was nominated in this category for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from the first Moana, released in 2016.
“I Always Wanted a Brother”Lin-Manuel MirandaMufasa: The Lion King, Walt Disney Pictures
Miranda has been just an Oscar away from an EGOT since 2014, when he won his first Primetime Emmy. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. None of the songs from the 2019 reboot of The Lion King were nominated, but three were from the 1994 original, all written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
“For Real”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Piece by Piece is an animated film co-produced and directed by Morgan Neville, who won an Oscar for best documentary (feature) in 2014 for directing 20 Feet From Stardom. It follows the life and career of Williams, who stars in the film, through the lens of Lego animation. The movie also features the voices of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg.
“Piece by Piece”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Williams was nominated for best original song for “Happy” from 2013’s Despicable Me 2. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks after he performed it at the 2014 Oscars. He received a second Oscar nod three years later as a producer of best picture nominee Hidden Figures. Williams has amassed 39 Grammy nods, including one for song of the year for co-writing Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.”
“The Journey”Diane WarrenThe Six Triple Eight, Netflix
If Warren is nominated, she’ll tie midcentury lyricist Sammy Cahn for the longest streak of consecutive nominations (eight) in the history of the category. (Cahn was a contender every year from 1954 to 1961.) This would be Warren’s 16th overall nod in this category, more than any other woman. Among women, she’s currently tied with the late Marilyn Bergman.
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs, Jonathan SingletonTwisters, Universal
All three co-writers have received Grammy nods for best country song — Alexander for co-writing Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You” and Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck,” Combs for co-writing his own hit “Doin’ This” and Singleton for co-writing Tim McGraw’s “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.” Twisters: The Album reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
“Out of Oklahoma”Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnallyTwisters, Universal
McAnally is a two-time Grammy winner for best country song for co-writing the Kacey Musgraves hits “Merry Go ’Round” and “Space Cowboy.” Last year, he received a Grammy nod for songwriter of the year, non-classical. Dick was nominated for best country song for co-writing Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird.” Wilson’s Bell Bottom Country won a Grammy for best country album in February.
“Kiss the Sky”Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali TamposiThe Wild Robot, DreamWorks Animation
Pollack received a Grammy nod for song of the year for co-writing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” The Johnson brothers were nominated in that category for co-writing the Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey smash “The Middle”; Tamposi for co-writing Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Morris has received five Grammy nods for best country song. Singer-songwriter Delacey has written such hits as Halsey’s “Without Me,” which topped the Hot 100 in 2019.
“Harper and Will Go West”Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Josh GreenbaumWill & Harper, Netflix
Wiig was an Oscar nominee for best original screenplay for co-writing the 2011 smash Bridesmaids. She co-wrote four songs for the 2021 film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Douglas received a Grammy nod for best country song for co-writing the Thomas Rhett hit “Die a Happy Man.” Greenbaum directed and co-produced this film, which stars Will Ferrell and Harper Steele.
Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios)Benjamin Wallfisch
This would be Wallfisch’s first Oscar nod. He received Grammy and Golden Globe nods for Hidden Figures and BAFTA and Grammy nods for Blade Runner 2049. Alien: Romulus is part of the Alien franchise, set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). Fun fact: Wallfisch was born less than three months after the release of the first Alien.
Blitz (Apple Original Films)Hans Zimmer
Zimmer has received 12 nominations in this category across five decades. He won for The Lion King (1994) and Dune (2021). Steve McQueen wrote, produced and directed Blitz, a historical war drama. The film stars four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson and Elliot Heffernan in his film debut. Following a theatrical run, Blitz is set for a streaming release on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22.
The Brutalist (A24)Daniel Blumberg
This would be the first nomination for Blumberg, an English artist, musician, songwriter and composer. The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody as Hungarian Jewish architect László Tóth, who survives the Holocaust and constructs a new life in America. The film, which also stars Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, is scheduled to be released in the United States on Dec. 20.
Challengers (Amazon MGM)Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Reznor and Ross have received three nominations in this category, winning for The Social Network (2010) and Soul (2020), the latter a collaboration with Jon Batiste. In addition, they have jointly won an Emmy, two Grammys and two Golden Globes for their scoring work. Luca Guadagnino directed Challengers, about the love triangle between a tennis coach (Zendaya), her tennis player ex-boyfriend (Josh O’Connor) and her tennis champion husband (Mike Faist).
Conclave (Focus Features)Volker Bertelmann
Bertelmann won in this category for 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front. He was previously nominated for Lion, on which he collaborated with Dustin O’Halloran. Conclave is a mystery-thriller directed by Edward Berger, who also directed All Quiet on the Western Front. In this film, a cardinal played by Ralph Fiennes organizes a papal conclave to elect the next pope. The film also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais
Emilia Pérez premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and its stars (Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Zoe Saldaña) jointly won the best actress award. Pathé released the film theatrically in August. It was selected as the French entry for best international feature film at the upcoming Oscars.
The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM)Tamar-kali
This would be the first nod for Tamar-kali, whose previous scores include Mudbound and the documentaries John Lewis: Good Trouble and Little Richard: I Am Everything. The Fire Inside, which tells the story of professional boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (played by Ryan Destiny) as she trains for the 2012 Summer Olympics, is set for release on Christmas Day. The film marks Rachel Morrison’s feature directorial debut.
Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)Harry Gregson-Williams
This would be Gregson-Williams’ first nod. Hans Zimmer was nominated for scoring the original 2000 film, which won five Oscars including best picture. Ridley Scott directed both the original movie and this long-awaited sequel, which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington — but not Russell Crowe, who won the best actor Oscar for the first film. Gladiator II is scheduled to be released in the United States on Nov. 22.
The Goat Life (Netflix)A.R. Rahman
Rahman won for scoring Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and was nominated again two years later for 127 Hours. The Goat Life was written, directed and co-produced by Blessy. The film is an international co-production involving companies in India and the United States. It’s an adaptation of the 2008 Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham, which is based on the real-life story of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant laborer in the Gulf.
Here (Sony Pictures)Alan Silvestri
Silvestri was nominated for scoring 1994’s Forrest Gump, that year’s best picture winner. This film reunites the director (Robert Zemeckis), screenwriter (Eric Roth) and stars (Tom Hanks and Robin Wright) of that film. Silvestri was also nominated for best original song for co-writing “Believe” from yet another Hanks film, The Polar Express. Here depicts a single home and its inhabitants over time.
From left: Ryan Reynolds in IF, Inside Out 2, Zendaya in Challengers, Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux and The Wild Robot.
illustrations by Klawe Rzeczy
IF (Paramount Pictures)Michael Giacchino
Giacchino was nominated for scoring Ratatouille (2007) and won two years later for Up. John Krasinski wrote, directed, co-produced and co-starred in IF, which combines live-action and animation. The cast also features Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds and Fiona Shaw. The film’s soundtrack includes a pair of pop classics, Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” and Nat “King” Cole’s “L-O-V-E.”
Inside Out 2 (Pixar)Andrea Datzman
With this release, Datzman became the first woman to score a Pixar feature film. This would be her first Oscar nomination. Datzman previously composed the music for the Pixar short Carl’s Date (2023) and co-scored the studio’s animated-shorts series Dug Days (2021) with Curtis Green. The first Inside Out (scored by Michael Giacchino) received two Oscar nods but was passed over in this category.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.)Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur won for scoring the first Joker. This sequel bombed at the box office and critics generally panned it, but the film’s music earned praise. If Hildur’s score is nominated, she would become the third woman to receive two or more nods in scoring categories, following Rachel Portman (who leads with three) and Angela Morley (who had two nods in the defunct original song score or adaptation score category).
Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM/Orion)Alex Somers, Scott Alario
This would be the first nomination for Somers and Alario, who were members of the Icelandic experimental duo Parachutes that recorded two albums and an EP in the 2000s. Nickel Boys is based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. RaMell Ross directed and co-wrote the film, which follows two African American boys, Elwood and Turner, who are sent to an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida.
Nosferatu (Focus Features)Robin Carolan
This would be Carolan’s first nod. Nosferatu is a gothic horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers. It’s a remake of a 1922 German film, which was in turn based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. Nosferatu is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on Christmas Day.
The Piano Lesson (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
Desplat has amassed 11 nominations in this category, winning for The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Shape of Water (2017). The Piano Lesson is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1987 play by August Wilson. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Erykah Badu. Washington is the brother of the film’s director, Malcolm Washington (who is making his feature directorial debut). Their father is two-time Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Queer A24Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
If Reznor and Ross are nominated for both Challengers and Queer, it would be the second time they were double-nominated in this category. They were in contention for both Soul and Mank four years ago. Luca Guadagnino directed Queer, which is based on a 1985 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs. Set in 1950s Mexico City, the film stars Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.
The Room Next Door (Sony Pictures Classics)Alberto Iglesias
Iglesias has garnered four nominations in this category for The Constant Gardener (2005), The Kite Runner (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Parallel Mothers (2021). The Room Next Door marks his 14th collaboration with director Pedro Almodóvar. This film is Almodóvar’s first full-length feature in the English language and scheduled for a limited release in the United States on Dec. 20.
Saturday Night (Sony Pictures)Jon Batiste
Batiste won in this category for 2020’s Soul, a collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He was nominated for best original song last year for co-writing “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony. Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, recounts the night of the 1975 premiere of NBC’s Saturday Night (as Saturday Night Live was originally called). In addition to scoring the film, Batiste plays Billy Preston, who performed on that first episode.
The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation)Kris Bowers
Bowers has received two Oscar nominations but not in music categories. He was nominated for best documentary short film for A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020) and won in that category for The Last Repair Shop (2023). Chris Sanders, a three-time Oscar nominee for best animated feature film, wrote and directed The Wild Robot, which features the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story appears in the Nov. 16, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Fifteen years after being unceremoniously replaced as host of The Tonight Show after a brief, seven-month run, Conan O’Brien has been selected to host the 2025 Oscars. It will be O’Brien’s first time hosting the broadcast. He’ll become the second host of The Tonight Show to do the honors on the Oscars, following Johnny Carson, who hosted the Oscars five times between 1979-84.
The Academy Awards will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on March 2 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
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“America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting the Oscars,” said a wisecracking O’Brien in a statement.
“Conan has all the qualities of a great Oscars host — he is incredibly witty, charismatic and funny and has proven himself to be a master of live event television,” said Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan. “We are so looking forward to working with him to deliver a fresh, exciting and celebratory show for Hollywood’s biggest night.”
“We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “He is the perfect person to help lead our global celebration of film with his brilliant humor, his love of movies, and his live TV expertise. His remarkable ability to connect with audiences will bring viewers together to do what the Oscars do best — honor the spectacular films and filmmakers of this year.”
O’Brien, 61, follows Jimmy Kimmel, host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, who hosted the Oscars the last two years (and also in 2017-18).
O’Brien is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows Late Night with Conan O’Brien and TBS’ Conan. Before his more than two-decade hosting career, he served as a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. O’Brien currently hosts the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” and recently starred in the 2024 travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go. He has won five Primetime Emmys and received 31 nominations for his work.
The 97th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. The official live red-carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
The 2024 Latin Grammys returned to Miami, Fla. for its 25th anniversary, airing live on Thursday (Nov. 14) via Univision, Galavisión, and ViX.
The evening gathered a wave of star-studded guests including Mexican hitmaker Edgar Barrera, who for a second consecutive year topped the list of nominees with nine mentions and won songwriter of the year and producer of the year.
Following Barrera are superstars Karol G and Bad Bunny with eight nominations each. The former was up for album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), the follow-up to her Latin Grammy-winning set of 2023’s Mañana Será Bonito. The latter had a nomination for record of the year with “Monaco.”
This year, artists like Alejandro Fernández, Ángela Aguilar, Becky G, Carín León, Eladio Carrión, Grupo Niche, Joe Jonas, Juan Luis Guerra, Kali Uchis, Marc Anthony, Pitbull, and Residente took center stage at the awards show.
For its 25th anniversary, the awards also incorporated a new field of electronic music, and two new categories: best Latin electronic music performance, and best contemporary Mexican music album.
“The Latin Grammys have grown in an amazing way to become a fundamental platform for music and culture,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of The Latin Recording Academy, in a press release. “We are proud to share this year’s nominees, an international and diverse group of creators representing the richness and vastness of today’s Latin music.”
As memorable speeches, eclectic performances, and coveted awards took place during the live telecast, Billboard was behind the scenes gathering all the action that happened on the red carpet, inside the venue, and in the media center.
Below, check out things you didn’t see on TV at the 2024 Latin Grammys:
Trueno’s Latin Grammy Win from the Sidelines
Image Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Salsa, the unmistakable rhythm that has thrilled generations, was celebrated in grand style at the 2024 Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday (Nov. 14).
The genre’s most iconic figures, along with new talents, joined forces in a tribute that resonated as a powerful reminder of the genre’s influence on Latin music. Legendary names such as Gilberto Santa Rosa, Grupo Niche, Oscar D’León, Marc Anthony, and La India shared the stage with exponents of the new wave, represented by Christian Alicea and Luis Figueroa, in an epic tribute.
The tribute began with the charismatic “Caballero de la Salsa”, Gilberto Santa Rosa, who sang a duet with Christian Alicea “De mí enamórate”, symbolizing the link between the golden age of salsa and the freshness of the new generation.
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From Colombia, Grupo Niche made their appearance with their immortal hit “Una aventura,” wrapped in elegant red suits and representing the vibrant world capital of salsa, Cali. Then, Luis Figueroa performed the Frankie Ruiz classic “Tú me volvíes loco”. Immediately afterwards, Oscar D’León, the Venezuelan “Pharaoh of Salsa”, captivated the public with his eternal “Llorarás”, an anthem that has not lost its power since its release in 1986.
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To close with a flourish, Marc Anthony—who executive produced the performance—and La India reunited on state to perform their legendary duet “Vivir lo nuestro” for the first time in 29 years.
With this masterful tribute and display of musicality, the artists reaffirmed that salsa is not only more alive than ever, but that it is an unquestionable pillar of Latin music that will live on forever. Long live salsa!
The 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammy Awards can be seen on Univision, Galavisión and ViX. The ceremony is set to feature performances from Alejandro Fernández, Becky G, Carín León, Eladio Carrión, Jon Bon Jovi, Kali Uchis and Residente, among others. For a second year in a row, songwriter and producer Edgar Barrera leads the list of nominees with nine nods. He is followed by superstars Karol G and Bad Bunny, who got eight mentions each. To see the updating list of winners, click here.
For more updates on performances, special awards and behind-the-scenes action from the night, check out Billboard.com.