Awards
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Aloe Blacc and Walker Hayes will perform at the 2024 Family Film and TV Awards, CBS has announced.
R&B and soul singer-songwriter Blacc and country singer-songwriter Hayes, both Grammy-nominated artists, will take the stage for the Nov. 9 show airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Entertainment Tonight‘s Kevin Frazier and The Talk‘s Amanda Kloots were previously named as hosts.
The Family Film and TV Awards celebrate excellence in family-oriented film and television. This year’s show features award categories including outstanding actor in a feature film, outstanding actor in a TV series, best iconic film, best iconic television series, best competition television series, best game show, outstanding reality show, best ensemble television series and best feature film.
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Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two), Zendaya (Dune: Part Two), Ryan Reynolds (IF), Mark Wahlberg (Arthur the King) and Zachary Levi (Harold and the Purple Crayon) are up for outstanding actor in a feature film, while nominees for outstanding actor in a TV series are Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon), Gordon Cormier (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Louisa Harland (Renegade Nell), Amandla Stenberg (The Acolyte).
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Blacc — who had a top 10 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs with “The Man” in 2014, and hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with his album Lift Your Spirit the same year — celebrated the 10th anniversary of Lift Your Spirit with a special deluxe release this year. He also released the two-EP set Rock My Soul, which saw him covering a number of classic alt-rock hits. February 2025 will bring more new music from the R&B and soul vocalist, who has a philanthropic project in mind: an album of songs inspired by different non-profit organizations.
Hayes — whose 2021 hit “Fancy Like” topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at No. 1 and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and whose 2022 Country Stuff: The Album hit No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and charted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 — released an EP titled Sober Thoughts earlier this year. Up next for Hayes is Christmas Vacation, a collection of classic holiday cover songs plus originals from the singer, which will be available for the Christmas holiday this year.
Complete details about the 2024 Family Film and TV Awards can be found on the award show’s official website.
Many in Nashville’s elite country music songwriting community were honored at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Thursday evening (Oct. 24), as the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) held its 2024 Gold and Platinum Gala, honoring many of the songwriters behind several RIAA-certified singles within the 2023-2024 eligibility period.
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Prior to the beginning of the ceremony, guests and honorees mingled during a reception, noshing on hors d’oeuvres. NMPA president/CEO David Israelite ushered in the evening in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s sixth-floor reception space overlooking downtown Nashville, calling the certifications the “most definite measurement of songwriters’ success.”
The evening feted nearly 120 multi-platinum honoree songwriters from Nashville’s songwriting community, with over 150 gold, platinum and multi-platinum-certified writers in attendance. Ninety-one songs were honored that have earned double-platinum or higher certification for the eligibility period.
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Uniquely, the evening’s honored songs spanned decades, feting new certifications for Toby Keith’s 1990s signature hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” while other honored songs, such as Shaboozey’s “A Bar song (Tipsy),” were released only months ago.
Israelite also recognized the essential advocacy work and support of the RIAA’s chair/CEO Mitch Glazier and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) executive director Bart Herbison in making the evening honoring songwriters possible.
Bailey Zimmerman brought his joyous energy to the stage, recalling a bit of his songwriting process, and how he merged the chorus from one song idea with the verse of another idea to form one of his breakthrough hits, his 4x platinum “Fall in Love.” “Show up every day and keep writing songs because you never know which will be the one,” Zimmerman said, before also performing “Rock and A Hard Place.”
“My first-ever platinum record, y’all!” singer-songwriter Hailey Whitters said earlier in the evening, before performing her RIAA platinum-certified song “Everything She Ain’t.”
Ashley Gorley
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Breland performed his Gold-certified “For What It’s Worth,” turning in one of the best vocals of the night. He followed with his new song “Same Work,” from his new album 2024 Project.
Throughout the evening, NMPA Exec. VP and general counsel Danielle Aguirre recognized those writers celebrating 2x platinum-certified songs, while NMPA senior vp, external affairs Charlotte Sellmyer revealed more multi-platinum songs.
Later in the evening, the late Country Music Hall of Famer Toby Keith’s longtime manager TK Kimbrell accepted on behalf of the late Keith, for Keith’s 3x platinum-honored “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and the 2x platinum “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” while Keith’s longtime song collaborator Scotty Emerick accepted for songs including the 3x platinum “As Good As I Once Was,” and the 2x platinum “Beer For My Horses,” and “I Love This Bar.”
Also celebrated was late songwriter Kyle Jacobs, for his work in crafting the 5x multi-platinum song “Rumor.” Jacobs’s parents Reed and Sheri Jacobs accepted the honor on his behalf, and drew a standing ovation from the crowd of Nashville music publishers and songwriters, many of whom have collaborated with Jacobs over the years.
The male songwriter of the year accolade went to Ashley Gorley. Notably, the prolific Gorley beat singer-songwriter Zach Bryan to win the NMPA honor by a single song certification this year.
Israelite called Gorley a “primary crafter of today’s country sound and why it’s reached unprecedented crossover appeal.” Gorley briefly thanked his co-writers, as well as publishers at Sony Music Publishing, and his Tape Room Music colleagues, saying simply and earnestly, “Thank you for this.”
The female songwriter of the year honor was awarded to Jessi Alexander, for her work on songs including Luke Combs’s “5 Leaf Clover,” Little Big Town’s “You, Me and Whiskey” and Morgan Wallen’s “The Way I Talk.”
“I thought I’d work at Subway forever, but thank you for giving me my dream job, which is writing songs,” Alexander said, before thanking her husband, songwriter Jon Randall, as well as her publishers, including Warner Chappell Music Nashville’s president/CEO Ben Vaughn and vice president, A&R and digital Jessi Vaughn Stevenson.
The evening closed with Israelite introducing Jordan Davis, who performed his double platinum-certified “Next Thing You Know” and the 4x platinum-certified “Buy Dirt.” “I always say this song was written about the three most important things in my life: my faith in Jesus, my wife, my kids-my family-and my friends,” Davis said of “Buy Dirt.”
Addressing the songwriters, publishers and other industry members in the room, Davis added, “Thank you for what you do day in and day out. I’m grateful to be in Nashville, Tennessee and get to be a songwriter alongside all of y’all.”
See the full list of the honored songwriters and songs below:
Double-platinum songs:Chase McGill and Jaren Johnston for “5 Foot 9”Blake Pendergrass for “865”Danny Orton for “19 You + Me”Jerrell Jones and Mark Williams for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”Brandon Kinney and Josh Thompson for “Ain’t Always the Cowboy”Carson Chamberlain and Wade Kirby for “All Over The Road”Hillary Lindsey and Jordan Davis for “Almost Maybes”Chris DeStefano for “Aw Naw”Chris Lane and Jacob Durrett for “Big, Big Plans”Drew Parker for “Doin’ This”Luke Laird for “Down To The Honkytonk”Ben Burgess and Mark Holman for “Flower Shops”Ben Johnson for “Give Heaven Some Hell”Barry Dean for “Heartache Medication”Jonathan Singleton for “Houston, We Got A Problem”Brett Jones and Rob Hatch for If “Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away”Chris DeStefano and Josh Hoge for “Losing Sleep”Billy Montana and Brian Davis for “Memory I Don’t Mess With”Daniel Breland, Devon Barton, Edrick Miles, Kalvin Austin, Tatiana Zeigler and Troy Taylor for “My Truck”Chase McGill, Greylan James and Jordan Davis for “Next Thing You Know”Chris DeStefano for “Nothin’ Like You”Brett James and Tony Lane for “On My Way to You”Jared Keim and Ryan Beaver for “Pretty Little Poison”Alexander Palmer, Austin Shawn, Bailey Zimmerman, Frank Romano and Marty James for “Religiously”Josh Kerr for “She Likes It”Sergio Sanchez for “Spin You Around”Ben Williams, David Fanning and Paul Jenkins for “Tennessee Orange”Gary Hannan for “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off”Andy Albert, Dustin Lynch and Will Weatherly for “Thinking ‘Bout You”Jordan Schmidt and Renee Blair for “wait in the truck”Jordan Davis and Ryan Hurd for “What My World Spins Around”Lindsay Rimes for “Whiskey on You”Paul Jenkins for “Who I Am With You”Tofer Brown for “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
3x platinum songs:Johnny Bulford, Jon Stone and Phil Barton for ‘A Woman Like You”Jordan Reynolds and Nicolle Galyon for “All To Myself”Wayne Kirkpatrick for “Boondocks”Dave Barnes and Julian Bunetta for “Craving You”Eric Paslay for “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”Chris DeStefano for “From the Ground Up”Brock Berryhill, Shy Carter, Taylor Phillips and Will Weatherly for “Good As You”Brock Berryhill, Matt McGinn and Taylor Phillips for “Homesick”Chase McGill and Will Weatherly for “Lose It”Billy Montana and Tofer Brown for “Night Shift”Hillary Lindsey and Jake Mitchell for “One Beer”Brad Warren, Brett Warren and Jim Beavers for “Red Solo Cup”Mark Sanders and Tim Nichols for “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”Jacob Durrett for “Somebody’s Problem”Christian Stalnecker and Josh Hoge for “Thank God”Dan Isbell, Reid Isbell and Jamie Davis for “The Kind of Love We Make”Ben Hayslip, Chase McGill and Jessi Alexander for “The Way I Talk”Charlie Handsome and Taylor Phillips for “Thinkin’ Bout Me”Anthony Smith for “Tomorrow”Brian White, Rodney Atkins and Steve Dean for “Watching You”
4x platinum songs:Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis and Joshua Jenkins for “Buy Dirt”Austin Shawn, Bailey Zimmerman and Gavin Lucas for “Fall In Love”Rachel Thibodeau for “Good Directions”Bart Butler for “Heartache On The Dancefloor”Ben Hayslip and Rhett Akins for “Huntin’, Fishin’, and Lovin’ Every Day”Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge for “I’m Comin’ Over”Jason Matthews and Marty Dodson and for “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right”Ben Johnson for “One Of Them Girls”Nicolle Galyon for “Thought You Should Know”Charlie Handsome for “You Proof”
5x platinum songs:Ben Glover, Billy Montana and John Ozier for “Hard to Love”Sammy Mitchell and Steven Battey for “One Number Away”Heath Warren and Jet Harvey for “Rock and a Hard Place”Kyle Jacobs for “Rumor”Brad Clawson for “Up Down”
6x platinum songs:Jonathan Singleton for “Beer Never Broke My Heart”Jamie Moore for “Chasin’ You”Joshua Jenkins and Shane Stevens for “Fancy Like”Charlie Handsome for “More Than My Hometown”
7x platinum songs:Charlie Handsome and Ryan Hurd for “Heartless”Charlie Handsome for “Last Night”Channing Wilson and Rob Snyder for “She Got The Best of Me”Jordan Reynolds and Laura Veltz for “Speechless”
8x platinum song:Charlie Handsome and Josh Thompson for “Wasted On You”
9x platinum songs:Taylor Phillips and Thomas Archer for “Hurricane”Jordan Schmidt and Matthew McGinn for “What Ifs”Ben Burgess and Kevin Kadish for “Whiskey Glasses”
10x platinum songs:Lindsay Rimes, Matthew McGinn and Shy Carter for “Platinum Heaven”Trent Tomlinson and Tyler Reeve for “In Case You Didn’t Know”
12x platinum Song:Charles Kelley for “Need You Now”
Dolly Parton is the 2024 recipient of the PEACE Through Music Award, which honors an American music industry professional, artist or group who has played an invaluable role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose music works to advance peace and mutual understanding globally. The award is presented jointly by the Recording Academy and the U.S. State Department.
Parton, a 10-time Grammy winner who also received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2011, will be celebrated on Friday (Oct. 25) at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. She will not be in attendance, but sent a video acceptance.
“To say that I was honored to accept the PEACE Through Music Award from the Recording Academy and the U.S. State Department would be putting it mildly,” Parton said. “I was very touched and moved by that. If I have been an inspiration in any way through some act of kindness or through some music that I have written, well, that makes me feel like I have done my job properly. Thanks again for such a great honor.”
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Parton’s commitment to serving others is well-known. Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides underserved children the opportunity to learn through reading, stretches from the hills of Appalachia to the outback of Australia. In addition, she has been a champion of public health, most recently around the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Over the course of her career, Dolly Parton has been committed to enriching communities across the globe, and it’s a privilege to celebrate her dedication to service with the PEACE Through Music Award today,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “We are grateful to partner with the Department of State on the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, which represents an important part of the Academy’s work to support music people across the globe.”
“Dolly Parton represents the best of America – her excellence in music, her servant’s heart in giving back to those in need, and her unique ability to always bring people together,” said Lee Satterfield, Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. “On behalf of the American people and Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken, we are honored to celebrate all of her contributions to people around the world with the PEACE Through Music Award in partnership with the Recording Academy.”
The PEACE Through Music Award is determined through a nomination process, with U.S. embassies around the globe submitting nominations to be considered by a selection committee created jointly by the State Department and Recording Academy. The committee includes Recording Academy members, U.S. Department of State leadership, music industry professionals, and academia. The recommended honorees are approved by the CEO of the Recording Academy, then presented to the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, who makes the final selection.
The award is part of the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, which was announced by the Recording Academy and the State Department in 2023. The initiative is designed to elevate music as a global diplomatic platform that promotes peace, expands economic equity, elevates creative economies, ensures societal opportunity, and increases access to education worldwide. The initiative was developed pursuant to the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which was championed by the Recording Academy and its members in 2022 at its annual Grammys on the Hill and Music Advocacy Day events, resulting in the legislation being passed into law in December 2022.
Tonight’s Grammy Museum event also recognizes the first-ever cohort of the American Music Mentorship Program, which took place in Los Angeles from Oct. 15-25.
There are five categories devoted to R&B nestled in the R&B, rap and spoken poetry field at the 67th annual Grammy Awards. Yesterday, we previewed three of them — best R&B performance, best R&B song and best traditional R&B performance. Today, we preview the other two — best R&B album and best progressive R&B album.
Best R&B Album
The upcoming Grammy cycle marks the 30-year anniversary of the best R&B album category, and this year’s contenders range from seasoned veterans to new-gen stars.
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Two previous winners — Chris Brown (2012) and Lalah Hathaway (2017) — are in contention this year. Brown is seeking his third nomination in this category with 11:11 (Deluxe), which reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and spawned hits such as “Residuals,” “Sensational” (with Lojay and Davido) and “Summer Too Hot,” which earned a best R&B performance nod at the 2024 Grammys. Hathaway is also looking for her third nod in this category with Vantablack, her first solo studio album in seven years.
Between the Super Bowl and his blockbuster tour, Usher has had a very successful year, so a nod for Coming Home could be in play. Although he’s never competed in this category, he has won best contemporary R&B album (before it was discontinued in 2012) twice (2005 and 2011). Muni Long, who collaborated with Usher on the remix for her Grammy-winning “Hrs & Hrs,” is also a leading contender with her Revenge LP.
Though he won best progressive R&B album for Table for Two in 2022, Lucky Daye lost his previous bids in this category in 2020 (Painted) and 2023 (Candydrip). With Algorithm, his third studio album, the NOLA crooner could earn his third nod for best R&B album. Andra Day (Cassandra), Eric Benét (Duets), BJ The Chicago Kid (Gravy), Ledisi (Good Life) and Tyrese (Beautiful Pain) are all previous nominees in this category who are in contention this year — and all have yet to win. With four nominations to her name, Ledisi is tied with PJ Morton as the artist with the most nominations in this category without a win.
Eric Bellinger (The Rebirth 3: The Party & The Bedroom) and Kehlani (While We Wait 2) have both been previously nominated for best progressive R&B album. A nod in best R&B album for either star would be their first in this category. Kenyon Dixon earned his first solo Grammy nod at the 2024 ceremony, and he could earn a bid here for The R&B You Love.
Two more entries to keep an eye on: Dopamine, Normani‘s long-awaited debut LP, and The Color Purple (Music From And Inspired By), which features contributions from Grammy winners such as Alicia Keys, Fantasia, Tamela Mann, Usher, H.E.R., Coco Jones, Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliott, Mary Mary, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Mary J. Blige and Black Thought.
Our Fearless Forecast
We’re betting on: Coming Home (Usher), Revenge (Muni Long), 11:11 – Deluxe (Chris Brown), Good Life (Ledisi) and Vantablack (Lalah Hathaway).
Best Progressive R&B Album
Since this category was first established in 2013 (originally as best urban contemporary album), four artists have emerged as its most-nominated acts. Beyoncé, Steve Lacy, Terrace Martin and Miguel have each earned three nods. Queen Bey and The Weeknd are tied as the all-time winners in this category, with two wins each.
If Martin can pull off a nomination for his Alex Isley joint album, I Left My Heart In Ladera, he would become the sole most-nominated artist in the category’s history (four). Given his track record here, Martin is a surefire contender, as is NxWorries, the duo comprised of Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge; .Paak is an eight-time Grammy winner, including a win for best R&B album (2019, Ventura) and a nomination for best progressive R&B album (2017, Malibu). Hiatus Kaiyote (Love Heart Cheat Code), Childish Gambino (Bando Stone and The New World) and Kehlani (Crash) are all previous nominees in this category who could each earn their second bids. Chlöe has been nominated here twice as a part of Chloe x Halle, and though her debut LP, In Pieces, was passed over for a nod, she could earn her first solo nomination here for Trouble In Paradise.
Partynextdoor is one of the few artists to send an R&B album to the Billboard 200’s top 10 this year; a nod for Partynextdoor 4 would be his first Grammy nomination since 2017. Bryson Tiller (Bryson Tiller) and Tinashe (Quantum Baby) both had big hits this year with “Whatever She Wants” and “Nasty,” respectively; both are looking for their first nomination in this category. Also keep an eye on Rae Khalil, a .Paak protégé who’s vying for a nod with her debut LP Crybaby, and Ravyn Lenae, a critical darling who’s in contention with Bird’s Eye. And never count out Black Pumas, a band that has reaped seven Grammy nominations — though none have been in the R&B field.
Other artists to look out for: Durand Bernarr (En Route); Lizzen (On the Bus); Louis York (Songs with Friends) and Sampha (Lahai)
Our Fearless Forecast
We’re going with: Terrace Martin & Alex Isley (I Left My Heart In Ladera), Tinashe (Quantum Baby), NxWorries (Why Lawd?), Hiatus Kaiyote (Love Heart Cheat Code), Childish Gambino (Bando Stone and The New World)
Procrastinators, take note — the deadline for all submissions for best original song and best original score for the 2025 Oscars is Nov. 1. This year, there will be some changes in the best original score category. The shortlist of best original score contenders will increase from 15 to 20 scores. The shortlist for best […]
There are five categories devoted to R&B nestled in the R&B, rap and spoken poetry field at the 67th annual Grammy Awards. Here, we preview three of them — best R&B performance, best R&B song and best traditional R&B performance. We’ll preview the other two — best R&B album and best progressive R&B album — later this week.
Best R&B Performance
Though a version of the category has existed since the very first Grammy ceremony in 1959, best R&B performance boasts a particularly tumultuous history. The awarded was given out annually until 1968, when additional categories divided by gender were introduced. Women and men would compete in separate R&B performance categories until a major overhaul ahead of the 2012 ceremony that combined the existing categories of best female R&B vocal performance, best male R&B vocal performance, best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal and best urban/alternative performance.
Since the best R&B performance was streamlined and reintroduced in 2012, just three artists have won twice: Beyoncé (2015 and 2021), Bruno Mars (2018 and 2022) and Anderson .Paak (2020 and 2022). This year six artists have a chance to join that club, including defending champ Coco Jones, Muni Long, Usher, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lalah Hathway and H.E.R.
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Earlier this year, Jones triumphed with her Billboard chart-topping “ICU,” which spent four weeks atop Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (chart dated May 27, 2023). For the current Grammy cycle, she’s in contention with a pair of tracks: her featured turn on BJ the Chicago Kid‘s “Spend the Night” and her own “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” According to the 2025 Grammys rulebook, an artist can only receive one nomination in best R&B performance, so Jones won’t be able to pull double duty here. Either way, her chances are strong; BJ is a seven-time nominee, while “Here We Go” became her second song to reach the top 10 on Adult R&B Airplay (No. 8).
Usher is another artist who will suffer from the “one nomination per artist” rule. A previous winner for “Climax” back in 2013, he’s back in contention with three songs: his guest appearance on Victoria Monét‘s “SOS (Sex On Sight),” his Color Purple H.E.R. duet “Risk It All,” and his own Pheelz-assisted “Ruin.” Given Monét’s three-Grammy haul at the 2023 ceremony and the chart-topping airplay run of “Risk It All,” either of those two tracks are the A-Town icon’s strongest shots. Similarly, H.E.R. could pull off a nod with either “Risk It All” or Lila Iké’s “He Loves Us Both,” but the former is her best bet.
Corinne Bailey Rae (2012) and Lalah Hathaway (2014) were the first two women to win this category since the 2012 restructuring. Bailey Rae could reap a bid for “Fly Away” (with Eric Benét), while Hathaway could earn a nod for “So in Love.” And then there was Muni Long. The 2023 winner of this category — for her breakout hit “Hrs & Hrs” — is in contention with a live version of one of the year’s biggest R&B crossover hits, “Made for Me,” which reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Several artists could earn their first nods in this category this year, including Tems (“Burning”), Leon Thomas (“Mutt”), Tinashe (“Nasty”), Ravyn Lenae (“One Wish”), Blxst (“Dancing With the Devil”), October London (“She Keeps Calling”), Partynextdoor (“No Chill”) and Normani (“All Yours”).
Some previous Grammy winners and nominees to keep an eye on: SZA (“Saturn”), NxWorries and Thundercat (“Keep Her”), Mary J. Blige and Fabolous (“Breathing”), Childish Gambino (“In the Night”), Chris Brown (“Residuals”), Chlöe and Halle (“Want Me”), Ledisi (“Good Life”), Lucky Daye (“HERicane”), PJ Morton (“Please Be Good”), Terrace Martin, Alex Isley and Robert Glasper (“I Left My Heart In Ladera”), Bryson Tiller (“Persuasion”), Marsha Ambrosius (“One Night Stand”) and Jeymes Samuel, D’Angelo and Jay-Z (“I Want You Forever”).
Our Fearless Forecast
There’s a chance the entire 2024 lineup could repeat, but we’re predicting: “Residuals” (Chris Brown), “SOS (Sex On Sight)” (Victoria Monét & Usher), “Saturn” (SZA), “Made for Me — Live on BET” (Muni Long) and “Keep Her” (NxWorries & Thundercat).
Best R&B Song
For the last five Grammy ceremonies, the nominees for best R&B song and best R&B performance haven’t overlapped much. In fact, the 2022 ceremony is the only instance this decade where three or more songs earned nods in both categories. As a reminder, best R&B song is awarded to the songwriter, while best R&B performance goes to the recording artist.
In addition to the aforementioned tracks, here are a few more songs to look out for. Halle pulled off a surprise nod with “Angel” last year and she could do it again with “Because I Love You,” which was co-written by RAYE. SZA triumphed here with “Snooze” last year, and both she (“Saturn”) and co-writer Leon Thomas (“Mutt”) are in contention this year. Beyoncé is the most-awarded songwriter (five) in this category, and she could earn her 10th nod here with her Dolly Parton-assisted “Tyrant.” Notably, as Parton is not a credited songwriter on “Tyrant,” she would not receive a nomination should the song make the final five. Bruno Mars has won here twice before (2018 and 2022), and he could earn a third nomination in this category thanks to Lucky Daye’s chart-topping “That’s You,” which he co-wrote with Daye and six-time Grammy winner D’Mile.
Since live versions are only eligible in performance categories, Muni Long is contention here with “Ruined Me,” the latest single from her Revenge album. That song has already become her fifth consecutive top 10 hit on Adult R&B Airplay and is gaining traction across social media. Like Long, Tinashe had a crossover R&B hit this year with “Nasty,” which could earn her the first Grammy nod of her career.
Some other names to look out for: Mavis Staples (“Worthy”), Brittany Howard (“I Don’t), Meshell Ndegeocello (“Love”), Sampha (“Only”) and Gary Clark Jr. & Stevie Wonder (“What About The Children”).
Our Fearless Forecast
We’re predicting: “Saturn” (SZA), “Because I Love You” (Halle), “That’s You” (Lucky Daye), “Nasty” (Tinashe) and “Tyrant” (Beyoncé & Dolly Parton).
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Since best traditional R&B performance — a category honoring recordings that adhere to classic R&B/soul sonic signifiers as opposed to more contemporary approaches to the genre — was first awarded in 1999, two artists have emerged as the all-time winners.
Beyoncé and Lalah Hathaway each have three wins to their name in this category. While Queen Bey does not have a song contending here this year, Hathaway could snag her fourth win if her Michael McDonald-assisted “No Lie” scores a nod. There are a number of high-profile duets to keep an eye on here, including Eric Benét and Tamar Braxton (“Something We Can Make Love To”), Chlöe and Ty Dolla $ign (“Might As Well”), Clark Jr. & Wonder (“What About the Children”), Keyon Harrold and PJ Morton (“Beautiful Day”), Kamasi Washington and BJ The Chicago Kid (“Together”) and Louis York and Tamia (“Three Little Words”). The Benét-Braxton team-up received a lot of love in R&B circles, and the Chlöe-Ty link-up highlights the perseverance of traditional R&B amongst the newest generation of crooners.
Muni Long’s name is sure to pop up across the R&B field this cycle, and “Make Me Forget,” which became her first Adult R&B Airplay chart-topper in August, is her entry in this category. Last year’s winners — PJ Morton and Susan Carol (“Good Morning”) — could return with solo songs of their own. Morton is contending with “I Found You,” while Carol entered “Karma.”
Some other names to look out for: Brittany Howard (“I Don’t”), Marsha Ambrosius (“Wet”), Jacob Collier, John Legend and Tori Kelly (“Bridge Over Troubled Water”), Kenyon Dixon (“Can I Have This Groove”), Meshell Ndegeocello (“Love”), Lucky Daye (“That’s You”), NxWorries, Snoop Dogg & October London (“FromHere”) and Usher (“Please U”).
Our Fearless Forecast
Here goes nothing: “That’s You” (Lucky Daye), “FromHere” (NxWorries, Snoop Dogg & October London), “Make Me Forget” (Muni Long), “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (Jacob Collier, John Legend & Tori Kelly) and “No Lie” (Lalah Hathaway & Michael McDonald)
What a long strange trip it’s been, indeed.
Grateful Dead, a band that was never even nominated for a Grammy, and which became one of the most legendary live acts in history despite having a grand total of one top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, will honored as the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year. The 34th annual Persons of the Year benefit gala will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, two nights before the 67th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena.
Grateful Dead is the third band to receive the honor, following Fleetwood Mac in 2018 and Aerosmith in 2020. Marking the band’s 60th anniversary in 2025, original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir will be recognized for their contributions to music, their philanthropic efforts and their pioneering role in fostering communities through their concerts and activism. The event will also include posthumous tributes to Jerry Garcia, one of the band’s founders, who died in 1995 at age 53.
Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir released an extended joint statement about the honor. Here it is, in full:
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“It’s simple: we all need music. It speaks to each of us, offering what we need to face what life presents—enhancing our joys, helping us spread them, and making our sorrows easier to bear. We can’t imagine a world without it. As our ol’ pal, Jerry, used to say, ‘You get some, you give some back,’ a tremendously effective way to share those benefits.
“While we can’t prove that the Muse—the force behind what we do—is working to build a support system for the show, over sixty years in music has taught us that it takes a lot of dedicated people to bring everything to life. Each person behind the scenes has honed their skills to meet the many needs of the show. Without them, it wouldn’t be what the Muse intends, and each of them is essential, pouring their hearts and spirits into it.
“We also want to recognize the community of Dead Heads for their unwavering support over the years—we wouldn’t be here without you.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us—it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”
Formed in 1965, Grateful Dead is one of the most influential bands in American history, renowned for their distinctive blend of rock, folk, jazz and avant-garde music. In December, the month before the MusiCares honor, Grateful Dead will be included in the 47th class of the Kennedy Center Honorees, alongside Bonnie Raitt, Arturo Sandoval, Francis Ford Coppola and the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
The Dead’s final tally of 2,318 concerts remains a world record. An album recorded at their Barton Hall Concert at Cornell University in 1977 was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2011.
As noted, the band never received a Grammy nomination, but it has two recordings in the Grammy Hall of Fame: their back-to-back 1970 studio albums Workingman’s Dead (1970) and American Beauty. The band also received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
The Dead was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the year before Garcia died.
The band has made the Billboard 200 with a staggering 124 titles. The highest-charting was its 1987 Arista album In the Dark, which reached No. 6. That album also spawned the band’s only top 10 hit on the Hot 100, “Touch of Grey.” (The band’s signature song, “Truckin’,” was its second-highest single, reaching No. 64 in 1971.)
In February, the band broke the record for most top 40-charting albums on the Billboard 200 since the chart began publishing on a regular weekly basis in March 1956. It has since added two more top 40 albums, for a record-extending total of 61.
The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute ceremony is one of the most prestigious events held during Grammy Week. It includes a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner and tribute concert.
Since its inception in 1991, the Person of the Year gala has raised funds to support MusiCares’ health and human services programs, which offer physical and mental health care, addiction recovery, preventive clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies, and disaster relief to music professionals.
Five-time Grammy winner Don Was will serve as musical director for the event. The gala will again be produced by live event broadcast outfit Lewis & Clark, comprised of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark. They also oversaw last year’s gala honoring Jon Bon Jovi. AEG is the event’s principal sponsor.
“MusiCares is proud to honor the Grateful Dead at the 2025 Persons of the Year Gala,” Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, said in a statement. “Their legacy transcends music, having built a community of fans and collaborators that embody the spirit of connection and support, something that is deeply aligned with MusiCares’ mission. The band’s passion for the arts and philanthropy, along with their enduring commitment to social causes, has made a lasting impact that goes beyond the stage. It is a privilege to celebrate their contributions to both music and humanity.”
Beyond their musical achievements, Grateful Dead members have made significant contributions to philanthropic causes. Garcia, Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh, and Weir have all supported efforts ranging from environmental conservation and mental health to music education and social justice. Initiatives like Garcia’s involvement with the Rex Foundation, Hart’s work in music therapy and brain health, Weir’s advocacy for addressing climate change and combating poverty, Kreutzmann’s ocean conservation efforts, and Lesh’s Unbroken Chain Foundation underscore the band’s commitment to making a difference beyond the stage.
Tables and tickets are available for purchase at http://personoftheyear.musicares.org/. For more information about the event or sponsorship opportunities, visit MusiCares.org or email personoftheyear@musicares.org.
When the nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Awards are announced on Friday Nov. 8, we’re likely to see considerable overlap in the nods for record of the year (which honors a specific recording of a song) and song of the year (which honors the song itself). Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” and Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” among others, are likely to wind up with nominations in both categories.
There is usually a fairly high degree of overlap in the nominations for these two high-profile awards. Last year, for example, five of the eight nominees for record of the year were also nominated for song of the year.
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But that wasn’t the case when the nominations for the 47th annual Grammy Awards were announced on Dec. 7, 2004. For the first and still the only time in Grammy history, there was no overlap in the nominations in these two marquee categories.
One of the record of the year nominees, Ray Charles’ “Here We Go Again” (with Norah Jones), wasn’t eligible for song of the year. It was a remake of a Charles hit from 1967, which had reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Grammy rules, which have fluctuated on this point over the years, don’t allow songs that were already prominent to be considered for song of the year.
The other four record of the year nominees competed for song of the year nominations and simply didn’t receive enough votes. They were The Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get It Started,” Green Day’s “American Idiot,” Los Lonely Boys’ “Heaven” and Usher’s “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris).
Three of these songs were nominated for songwriting awards in genre categories. “American Idiot” was nominated for best rock song; “Yeah!” for best R&B song; and “Let’s Get It Started” for best rap song. “Heaven” was classified as pop in the Grammy process; there was no (and still is no) best pop song category.
The song of the year nominees, all of which also vied for record of the year nods (and likewise simply didn’t receive enough votes to wind up with nominations in that category) were John Mayer’s “Daughters,” Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks,” Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” and Hoobastank’s “The Reason.”
When the Grammy Awards were presented on Feb. 13, 2005, the Charles/Jones collab won record of the year. Mayer’s ballad won song of the year.
Bernie Taupin is slated to receive the Outstanding Career Achievement Award during the Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) to be held on Nov. 20 at The Avalon in Hollywood, Calif. The show, now in its 15th year, honors composers, songwriters and music supervisors for their contributions in music for film, TV, video games and more.
Submissions for all HMMA categories are open through Oct. 31. The complete list of final nominations will be announced on Nov. 4.
Taupin, of course, is best-known for his long, hit-studded and award-winning collaboration with Elton John. The pair were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and received that organization’s top honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 2013. In 2020, they received both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best original song for co-writing “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the hit biopic Rocketman. Earlier this year, they received the Library of Congress’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, as well as an Ivor Novello for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Most recently, Taupin cowrote (with John, Brandi Carlile, and Andrew Watt) the original song “Never Too Late” for the Disney+ documentary Elton John: Never Too Late. The song is performed by John and Carlile.
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Remarkably, their only songwriting collaboration to receive a Grammy nomination was the soundtrack to the 1971 teen romance film Friends (no relation to the later TV megahit), which won best original score written for a motion picture or a television special. Go figure.
Taupin has also had some notable successes independent of John. He co-wrote Heart’s “These Dreams” and Starship’s “We Built This City,” both of which topped the Billboard Hot 100. He received a Grammy nod for best country song for cowriting “Mendocino County Line,” which was recorded by Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack. His song “A Love That Will Never Grow Old,” sung by Emmylou Harris for the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, won a Golden Globe for best original song. Taupin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the musical excellence award category in 2023. Fittingly, John did the honors in inducing him.
Past HMMA Career Achievement Award recipients include Marc Shaiman, Kenny Loggins, Smokey Robinson, Diane Warren, Earth Wind & Fire, Glen Campbell, Dave Mason, John Debney, and Christopher Young.
Tickets are available now at: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/2024hmmawards/1419072. For more information, visit hmmawards.com.
Nicki Minaj‘s Pink Friday 2 topped the Billboard 200 and launched the highest-grossing female rap tour of all time — could it land the rap queen her first Grammy too?
Minaj has been nominated for best rap album twice in the past — in 2012 for Pink Friday and in 2016 for The Pinkprint — making her second-most nominated female rapper in this category behind Missy Elliott, who earned four nods between 1998 and 2006. Since the Recording Academy established best rap album in 1996, only two female rappers have won the honor; as a part of the Fugees, Lauryn Hill won in 1997 for The Score, and Cardi B triumphed with Invasion of Privacy in 2018.
A nod for Pink Friday 2 would mark Minaj’s first non-soundtrack nomination in nearly 10 years. Last year, she earned a pair of nods alongside Ice Spice and AQUA for their “Barbie World” collaboration from the Barbie soundtrack, but she hasn’t been recognized for her own work since The Pinkprint and its tracks earned three nominations at the 2016 ceremony. Notably, Minaj has yet to win a Grammy, but if Pink Friday 2 can repeat its victory at last week’s BET Hip-Hop Awards (Oct. 15), she may finally take home her very first gilded gramophone.
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In addition to Minaj, Elliott, Hill and Cardi, just two other female rappers have earned nominations for best rap album: Iggy Azalea (2015, The New Classic) and Rapsody (2018, Laila’s Wisdom).
This year, a number of female rappers could earn a nomination for best rap album. In fact, the 2025 ceremony could be the first time in Grammy history that multiple female rappers are simultaneously nominated for best rap album. Most of this year’s contending projects by female rappers also made inroads on the Billboard 200, including Doechii‘s Alligator Bites Never Heal (No. 117), Doja Cat‘s Scarlet 2 Claude (No. 4), Flo Milli‘s Fine Ho, Stay (No. 54), GloRilla‘s Ehhtang Ehhthang (No. 18), Ice Spice‘s Y2K! (No. 18), JT‘s City Cinderella (No. 27), Latto‘s Sugar Honey Iced Tea (No. 15), Megan Thee Stallion‘s Megan (No. 3) and Sexyy Red‘s In Sexyy We Trust (No. 17).
Out of those projects, Scarlet, Ehhthang Ehhtang, Megan and Sugar Honey Iced Tea have the strongest shot at a nod since Doja, GloRilla, Megan and Latto are all previous Grammy nominees. GloRilla, in particular, could pull off a nomination here thanks to her dominant year and the well-timed release of her debut studio LP, Glorious, which snagged the largest opening week total for a female rap album in 2024 during the last few days of first-round voting. Keep an eye on Doechii, as well; she has one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop projects of the year and has been running a steady campaign, which included a recent co-sign from Grammy darling Kendrick Lamar. Of course, voters could opt for a project that didn’t hit the Billboard charts, but still stands on its own merit — Rapsody’s Please Don’t Cry. Already a three-time Grammy nominee, the North Carolina MC could pull off her second nod for best rap album, which would tie her with Minaj as the second-most nominated female rapper in the category.
Outside of the ladies, it was still a characteristically busy year for rap. With six wins to his name in this category, Eminem is the all-time winner here, and he could very well earn his eighth best rap album bid — and first in 10 years! — for his Billboard 200-topping The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) could extend his record as the second-most nominated (eight) and second-most awarded (four) artist in this category if Vultures 1, his joint album with Ty Dolla $ign, earns a nod. This would be Ty’s first nod in this category. Both Em and Ye are vets, and it’s possible some of their peers join them as nominees this year. Common & Pete Rock are strong contenders with The Auditorium Vol. 1, and Killer Mike could bookend last year’s victory with a nod (and possible win) for Songs for Sinners and Saints. Also look out for Juicy J‘s Ravenite Social Club and Erick the Architect‘s I’ve Never Been Here Before.
Obviously, this year in rap was defined by Lamar — but he doesn’t have an album in contention this cycle. Nonetheless, We Don’t Trust You, the Billboard 200-topping Future–Metro Boomin joint album that served as Trojan horse for Lamar’s blistering “Like That” verse, is the clear frontrunner for a nomination here. This would mark the second nomination for both Future and Metro. Both artists have yet to win this category.
Both J. Cole, a recurring star in the Lamar-Drake showdown, and ScHoolboy Q, Lamar’s former TDE labelmate, could earn their third bids in this category with Might Delete Later and Blue Lips, respectively. Like Future and Metro, both Cole and Q are looking for their first victory here. Big Sean, another blog era big dog, could also earn his very first nod in the category with Better Me Than You. 21 Savage, who was nominated here last year alongside Drake for their Her Loss joint album, could earn his third nomination in this category with American Dream.
Also in contention: Don Toliver‘s Hardstone Psycho and Danny Brown‘s Quaranta.
Our Fearless Forecast
Which hip-hop albums will make the final five? Our predictions are: We Don’t Trust You (Future & Metro Boomin), Vultures 1 (Ye & Ty Dolla $ign), The Auditorium Vol. 1 (Common & Pete Rock), Blue Lips (ScHoolboy Q) and The Death of Slim Shady (Eminem).
If these predictions prove to be correct, this would be the sixth consecutive year that men have locked up all the nominations in this category.