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Awards

Page: 99

Hear the victory? Skrillex, Fred again.. and Flowdan‘s 2023-defining “Rumble” won the 2024 Grammy for best/dance electronic record at Sunday’s (Feb. 4) Premiere Ceremony in Los Angeles. Taking the stage alone to accept the award, a sharp-dressed Skrillex noted that “for anyone out there that wants to make music, the best advice I’ve ever gotten […]

Going into Sunday’s (Feb. 4) Grammy Awards, SZA leads the pack with nine nominations, followed by Phoebe Bridgers, Victoria Monét and engineer/mixer Serban Ghenea all with seven apiece.
Close behind are six-time nominees, including Bridgers’ group boygenius; Taylor Swift and her longtime producing partner Jack Antonoff; plus Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Jon Batiste and Brandy Clark.

But who will emerge the night’s biggest winner? That remains to be seen. Follow along with Billboard all night during the Grammy Premiere Ceremony (starting at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT) and the prime-time Grammy broadcast (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) to see who wins in our updating list below:

Record of the Year

Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist.

“Worship,” Jon BatisteJon Batiste, Jon Bellion, Pete Nappi & Tenroc, producers; John Arbuckle, Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea & Pete Nappi, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

“Not Strong Enough,” boygeniusboygenius & Catherine Marks, producers; Owen Lantz, Catherine Marks, Mike Mogis, Bobby Mota, Kaushlesh “Garry” Purohit & Sarah Tudzin, engineers/mixers; Pat Sullivan, mastering engineer

“Flowers,” Miley CyrusKid Harpoon & Tyler Johnson, producers; Michael Pollack, Brian Rajaratnam & Mark “Spike” Stent, engineers/mixers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer

“What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture Barbie],” Billie EilishBillie Eilish & FINNEAS, producers; Billie Eilish, Rob Kinelski & FINNEAS, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

“On My Mama,” Victoria MonétDeputy, Dernst Emile II, Jeff Gitelman & Victoria Monét, producers; Victoria Monét, Patrizio Pigliapoco & Todd Robinson, engineers/mixers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

“Vampire,” Olivia RodrigoDan Nigro, producer; Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea, Michael Harris, Chris Kasych, Daniel Nigro & Dan Viafore, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

“Anti-Hero,” Taylor SwiftJack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea, Laura Sisk & Lorenzo Wolff, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

“Kill Bill,” SZARob Bisel & Carter Lang, producers; Rob Bisel, engineer/mixer; Dale Becker, mastering engineer

Album of the Year

Award to Artist(s) and to Featured Artist(s), Songwriter(s) of new material, Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s), Mixer(s) and Mastering Engineer(s) credited with 20% or more playing time of the album.

World Music Radio, Jon BatisteJon Batiste, Jon Bellion, Nick Cooper, Pete Nappi & Tenroc, producers; Jon Batiste, Pete Nappi, Kaleb Rollins, Laura Sisk & Marc Whitmore, engineers/mixers; Jon Batiste, Jon Bellion, Jason Cornet & Pete Nappi, songwriters; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

the record, boygeniusboygenius & Catherine Marks, producers; Owen Lantz, Will Maclellan, Catherine Marks, Mike Mogis, Bobby Mota, Kaushlesh “Garry” Purohit & Sarah Tudzin, engineers/mixers; Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus, songwriters; Pat Sullivan, mastering engineer

Endless Summer Vacation, Miley CyrusKid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson & Mike Will Made-It, producers; Pièce Eatah, Craig Frank, Paul David Hager, Stacy Jones, Brian Rajaratnam & Mark “Spike” Stent, engineers/mixers; Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein, Thomas Hull, Tyler Johnson, Michael Len Williams II & Michael Pollack, songwriters; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer

Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del ReyJack Antonoff, Zach Dawes, Lana Del Rey & Drew Erickson, producers; Jack Antonoff, Michael Harris, Dean Reid & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Mike Hermosa, songwriters; Ruairi O’Flaherty, mastering engineer

The Age of Pleasure, Janelle MonáeSensei Bueno, Nate “Rocket” Wonder & Nana Kwabena, producers; Mick Guzauski, Nate “Rocket” Wonder, Jayda Love, Janelle Monáe & Yáng Tan, engineers/mixers; Jarrett Goodly, Nathaniel Irvin III, Janelle Monáe Robinson & Nana Kwabena Tuffuor, songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer

GUTS, Olivia RodrigoDaniel Nigro, producer; Bryce Bordone, Serban Ghenea, Chris Kasych, Sterling Laws, Ryan Linvill, Mitch McCarthy, Daniel Nigro, Dave Schiffman, Mark “Spike” Stent, Sam Stewart & Dan Viafore, engineers/mixers; Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

Midnights, Taylor SwiftJack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Bryce Bordone, Zem Audu, Serban Ghenea, David Hart, Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Ken Lewis, Michael Riddleberger, Laura Sisk & Evan Smith, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

SOS, SZARob Bisel, ThankGod4Cody & Carter Lang, producers; Rob Bisel, engineer/mixer; Rob Bisel, Cody Fayne, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe, songwriters; Dale Becker, mastering engineer

Song of the Year

A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“A&W,” Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Sam Dew, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)

“Anti-Hero,” Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)

“Dance the Night (From Barbie The Album),” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)

“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Miley Cyrus)

“Kill Bill,” Rob Bisel, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe, songwriters (SZA)

“Vampire,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)

“What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture Barbie],” Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best New Artist

This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.

Gracie Abrams

Fred again..

Ice Spice

Jelly Roll

Coco Jones

Noah Kahan

Victoria Monét

The War and Treaty

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

Jack Antonoff• Being Funny in a Foreign Language (The 1975)• Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (Lana Del Rey)• Midnights (Taylor Swift)

Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II• JAGUAR II (Victoria Monét)

Hit-Boy• “Bus Stop” (Don Toliver featuring Brent Faiyaz)• “Just Face It” (Dreamville with Blxst)• King’s Disease III (Nas)• Magic 3 (Nas)• Magic 2 (Nas)• “Slipping Into Darkness” (Hit-Boy & The Alchemist)• Surf or Drown Vol. 1 (Hit-Boy)• Surf or Drown Vol. 2 (Hit-Boy)• Victims & Villains (Musiq Soulchild & Hit-Boy)

Metro Boomin• “Am I Dreaming” (Metro Boomin featuring Roisee & A$AP Rocky)• “Calling” (Metro Boomin featuring NAV, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie & Swae Lee)• “Creepin’” (Metro Boomin featuring 21 Savage & The Weeknd)• “More M’s” (Drake & 21 Savage)• “Oh U Went” (Young Thug featuring Drake)• “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” (Metro Boomin, Future & Chris Brown)• “Til Further Notice” (Travis Scott featuring James Blake & 21 Savage)• “Trance” (Metro Boomin featuring Travis Scott & Young Thug)• “War Bout It” (Lil Durk featuring 21 Savage)

Daniel Nigro• “Casual” (Chappell Roan)• “Divide” (Dermot Kennedy)• GUTS (Olivia Rodrigo)• “Hot to Go!” (Chappell Roan)• “Kaleidoscope” (Chappell Roan)• “Red Wine Supernova” (Chappell Roan)• “Welcome to My Island” (Caroline Polachek)

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

A Songwriter’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

Edgar Barrera• “Cuestion De Tiempo” (Don Omar)• “Falsa Alarma (En Vivo)” (Grupo Firme)• “Gucci Los Paños” (Karol G)• “La Despedida” (Christian Nodal)• “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” (Karol G)• “Que Vuelvas” (Various Artists)• “Un Cumbión Dolido” (Christian Nodal)• “un x100to” (Grupo Frontera & Bad Bunny)• “Yo Pr1mero” (Rels B)

Jessie Jo Dillon• “Buried” (Brandy Clark)• “Girl in the Mirror” (Megan Moroney)• “Halfway to Hell” (Jelly Roll)• “I Just Killed a Man” (Catie Offerman)• “Memory Lane” (Old Dominion)• “Neon Cowgirl” (Dan + Shay)• “screen” (HARDY)• “The Town in Your Heart” (Lori McKenna)• “Up Above the Clouds (Cecilia’s Song)” (Brandy Clark)

Shane McAnally• “Come Back to Me” (Brandy Clark)• “Good With Me” (Walker Hayes)• “He’s Never Gunna Change” (Lauren Daigle)• “I Should Have Married You” (Old Dominion)• “Independently Owned” (Alex Newell & Original Broadway Cast of Shucked)• “Never Grow Up” (Niall Horan)• “Start Nowhere” (Sam Hunt)• “Walmart” (Sam Hunt)• “We Don’t Fight Anymore” (Carly Pearce & Chris Stapleton)

Theron Thomas• “All My Life” (Lil Durk featuring J. Cole)• “Been Thinking” (Tyla)• “Cheatback” (Chlöe & Future)• “How We Roll” (Ciara & Chris Brown)• “Make Up Your Mind” (Cordae)• “Pretty Girls Walk” (Big Boss Vette)• “Seven” (Jung Kook & Latto)• “Told Ya” (Chlöe & Missy Elliot)• “You and I” (Sekou)

Justin Tranter• “Gemini Moon” (Reneé Rapp)• “Honey! (Are U Coming?)” (Måneskin)• “I Want More” (Marisa Davila & Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies)• “Jersey” (Baby Tate)• “A Little Bit Happy” (TALK)• “Pretty Girls” (Reneé Rapp)• “River” (Miley Cyrus)

Best Pop Solo Performance

For new vocal or instrumental pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.

“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus

“Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat

“What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture Barbie],” Billie Eilish

“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo

“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.

“Thousand Miles,” Miley Cyrus featuring Brandi Carlile

“Candy Necklace,” Lana Del Rey featuring Jon Batiste

“Never Felt So Alone,” Labrinth featuring Billie Eilish

“Karma,” Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice

WINNER: “Ghost in the Machine,” SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers

Best Pop Vocal Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new pop vocal recordings.

Chemistry, Kelly Clarkson

Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus

GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo

– (Subtract), Ed Sheeran

Midnights, Taylor Swift

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.

“Blackbox Life Recorder 21F,” Aphex TwinRichard D James, producer; Richard D James, mixer

“Loading,” James BlakeJames Blake & Dom Maker, producers; James Blake, mixer

“Higher Than Ever Before,” DisclosureCirkut, Guy Lawrence & Howard Lawrence, producers; Guy Lawrence, mixer

“Strong,” Romy & Fred again..Fred again.., Stuart Price & Romy, producers; Fred again.. & Stuart Price, mixers

WINNER: “Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. & FlowdanElley Duhe, BEAM, Fred again.. & Skrillex, producers; Skrillex, mixer

Best Pop Dance Recording

For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.

“Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi LerayJohnny Goldstein, Toby Green, David Guetta & Mike Hawkins, producers; Serban Ghenea, mixer

“Miracle,” Calvin Harris, Ellie GouldingBurns & Calvin Harris, producers; Calvin Harris, mixer

WINNER: “Padam Padam,” Kylie MinogueLostboy, producer; Guy Massey, mixer

“One in a Million,” Bebe Rexha & David GuettaBurns & David Guetta, producers; Serban Ghenea, mixer

“Rush,” Troye SivanStyalz Fuego, Novodor & Zhone, producers; Alex Ghenea, mixer

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album

For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.

Playing Robots Into Heaven, James Blake

For That Beautiful Feeling, The Chemical Brothers

WINNER: Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), Fred again..

Kx5, Kx5

Quest for Fire, Skrillex

Best Rock Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative rock recordings.

“Sculptures of Anything Goes,” Arctic Monkeys

“More Than a Love Song,” Black Pumas

“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius

“Rescued,” Foo Fighters

“Lux,” Æterna Metallica

Best Metal Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative metal recordings.

“Bad Man,” Disturbed

“Phantom of the Opera,” Ghost

“72 Seasons,” Metallica

“Hive Mind,” Slipknot

“Jaded,” Spiritbox

Best Rock Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Rock, Hard Rock and Metal songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Angry,” Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Andrew Watt, songwriters (The Rolling Stones)

“Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)

“Emotion Sickness,” Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore & Troy Van Leeuwen, songwriters (Queens of the Stone Age)

“Not Strong Enough,” Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)

“Rescued,” Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new rock, hard rock or metal recordings.

But Here We Are, Foo Fighters

Starcatcher, Greta Van Fleet

72 Seasons, Metallica

This Is Why, Paramore

In Times New Roman…, Queens of the Stone Age

Best Alternative Music Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative Alternative music recordings.

“Belinda Says,” Alvvays

“Body Paint,” Arctic Monkeys

“Cool About It,” boygenius

“A&W,” Lana Del Rey

“This Is Why,” Paramore

Best Alternative Music Album

Vocal or Instrumental.

The Car, Arctic Monkeys

the record, boygenius

Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey

Cracker Island, Gorillaz

I Inside the Old Year Dying, PJ Harvey

Best R&B Performance

For new vocal or instrumental R&B recordings.

“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown

“Back to Love,” Robert Glasper featuring SiR & Alex Isley

“ICU,” Coco Jones

“How Does It Make You Feel,” Victoria Monét

“Kill Bill,” SZA

Best Traditional R&B Performance

For new vocal or instrumental traditional R&B recordings.

“Simple,” Babyface featuring Coco Jones

“Lucky,” Kenyon Dixon

“Hollywood,” Victoria Monét featuring Earth, Wind & Fire & Hazel Monét

“Good Morning,” PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol

“Love Language,” SZA

Best R&B Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Angel,” Halle Bailey, Theron Feemster & Coleridge Tillman, songwriters (Halle)

“Back to Love,” Darryl Andrew Farris, Robert Glasper, Riley Glasper & Alexandra Isley, songwriters (Robert Glasper featuring SiR & Alex Isley)

“ICU,” Darhyl Camper Jr., Courtney Jones, Raymond Komba & Roy Keisha Rockette, songwriters (Coco Jones)

“On My Mama,” Dernst Emile II, Jeff Gitelman, Victoria Monét, Kyla Moscovich, Jamil Pierre & Charles Williams, songwriters (Victoria Monét)

“Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)

Best Progressive R&B Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded progressive vocal tracks derivative of R&B.

Since I Have a Lover, 6LACK

The Love Album: Off the Grid, Diddy

Nova, Terrace Martin and James Fauntleroy

The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe

SOS, SZA

Best R&B Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new R&B recordings.

Girls Night Out, Babyface

What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones

Special Occasion, Emily King

JAGUAR II, Victoria Monét

CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, Summer Walker

Best Rap Performance

For a Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only.

“The Hillbillies,” Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar

“Love Letter,” Black Thought

“Rich Flex,” Drake & 21 Savage

“SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane

“Players,” Coi Leray

Best Melodic Rap Performance

For a solo or collaborative performance containing both elements of R&B melodies and Rap.

“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy featuring 21 Savage

“Attention,” Doja Cat

“Spin Bout U,” Drake & 21 Savage

“All My Life,” Lil Durk featuring J. Cole

“Low,” SZA

Best Rap Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Attention,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini & Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)

“Barbie World [From Barbie The Album],” Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice featuring Aqua)

“Just Wanna Rock,” Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods & Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)

“Rich Flex,” Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule & Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage)

“SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane)

Best Rap Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new rap recordings.

Her Loss, Drake & 21 Savage

MICHAEL, Killer Mike

HEROES & VILLIANS, Metro Boomin

King’s Disease III, Nas

UTOPIA, Travis Scott

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

For albums containing greater than 50% playing time of new spoken word poetry recordings.

A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either: The Fukc-It Pill Revisited, Queen Sheba

For Your Consideration’24 -The Album, Prentice Powell and Shawn William

Grocery Shopping With My Mother, Kevin Powell

The Light Inside, J. Ivy

When the Poems Do What They Do, Aja Monet

Best Jazz Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo, duo/group or collaborative jazz recordings.

“Movement 18′ (Heroes),” Jon Batiste

“Basquiat,” Lakecia Benjamin

“Vulnerable (Live),” Adam Blackstone featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté

“But Not for Me,” Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding

“Tight,” Samara Joy

Best Jazz Vocal Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal jazz recordings.

For Ella 2, Patti Austin featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band

Alive at the Village Vanguard, Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding

Lean In, Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke

Mélusine, Cécile McLorin Salvant

How Love Begins, Nicole Zuraitis

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new instrumental jazz recordings.

The Source, Kenny Barron

Phoenix, Lakecia Benjamin

Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn, Adam Blackstone

The Winds of Change, Billy Childs

Dream Box, Pat Metheny

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new ensemble jazz recordings.

The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo, ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla

Dynamic Maximum Tension, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society

Basie Swings The Blues, The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart

Olympians, Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest

The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, Mingus Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album

For vocal or instrumental albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian, and Argentinian tango music.

Quietude, Eliane Elias

My Heart Speaks, Ivan Lins with the Tblisi Symphony Orchestra

Vox Humana, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band

Cometa, Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente

El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo

Best Alternative Jazz Album

For vocal or instrumental albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Alternative jazz recordings.

Love in Exile, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily

Quality Over Opinion, Louis Cole

SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue

Live at the Piano, Cory Henry

The Omnichord Real Book, Meshell Ndegeocello

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new traditional pop recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim, Liz Callaway

Pieces of Treasure, Rickie Lee Jones

Bewitched, Laufey

Holidays Around the World, Pentatonix

Only the Strong Survive, Bruce Springsteen

Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3, Various Artists

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new contemporary instrumental recordings.

As We Speak, Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia

On Becoming, House of Waters

Jazz Hands, Bob James

The Layers, Julian Lage

All One, Ben Wendel

Best Musical Theater Album

For albums containing greater than 51% playing time of new recordings. Award to the principal vocalist(s), and the album producer(s) of 50% or more playing time of the album. The lyricist(s) and composer(s) of 50 % or more of a score of a new recording are eligible for an Award if any previous recording of said score has not been nominated in this category.

Kimberly AkimboVictoria Clark, principal vocalist; John Clancy, David Stone & Jeanine Tesori, producers; Jeanine Tesori, composer; David Lindsay-Abaire, lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

ParadeMicaela Diamond, Alex Joseph Grayson, Jake Pedersen & Ben Platt, principal vocalists; Jason Robert Brown & Jeffrey Lesser, producers; Jason Robert Brown, composer & lyricist (2023 Broadway Cast)

ShuckedJohn Behlmann, Andrew Durand, Caroline Innerbichler & Alex Newell, principal vocalists; Brandy Clark, Jason Howland, Shane McAnally & Billy Jay Stein, producers; Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)

Some Like It HotChristian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks & NaTasha Yvette Williams, principal vocalists; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bryan Carter, Scott M. Riesett, Charlie Rosen & Marc Shaiman, producers; Scott Wittman, lyricist; Marc Shaiman, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetAnnaleigh Ashford & Josh Groban, principal vocalists; Thomas Kail & Alex Lacamoire, producers (Stephen Sondheim, composer & lyricist) (2023 Broadway Cast)

Best Country Solo Performance

For new vocal or instrumental solo country recordings.

“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers

“Buried,” Brandy Clark

“Fast Car,” Luke Combs

“The Last Thing on My Mind,” Dolly Parton

“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative country recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

“High Note,” Dierks Bentley featuring Billy Strings

“Nobody’s Nobody,” Brothers Osborne

“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves

“Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold),” Vince Gill & Paul Franklin

“Save Me,” Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson

“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Carly Pearce featuring Chris Stapleton

Best Country Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Buried,” Brandy Clark & Jessie Jo Dillon, songwriters (Brandy Clark)

“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves)

“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers & Geno Seale, songwriters (Tyler Childers)

“Last Night,” John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin & Ryan Vojtesak, songwriters (Morgan Wallen)

“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new country recordings.

Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, Kelsea Ballerini

Brothers Osborne, Brothers Osborne

Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan

Rustin’ in the Rain, Tyler Childers

Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson

Best American Roots Performance

For new vocal or instrumental American Roots recordings. This is for performances in the style of any of the subgenres encompassed in the American Roots Music field including bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots. Award to the artist(s).

“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste

“Heaven Help Us All,” Blind Boys of Alabama

“Inventing the Wheel,” Madison Cunningham

“You Louisiana Man,” Rhiannon Giddens

“Eve Was Black,” Allison Russell

Best Americana Performance

For new vocal or instrumental Americana performance. Award to the artist(s).

“Friendship,” Blind Boys of Alabama

“Help Me Make It Through the Night,” Tyler Childers

“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile

“King of Oklahoma,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

“The Returner,” Allison Russell

Best American Roots Song

A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, traditional blues, contemporary blues, folk or regional roots songs. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Blank Page,” Michael Trotter Jr. & Tanya Trotter, songwriters (The War and Treaty)

“California Sober,” Aaron Allen, William Apostol & Jon Weisberger, songwriters (Billy Strings featuring Willie Nelson)

“Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)

“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile)

“The Returner,” Drew Lindsay, JT Nero & Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best Americana Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Americana recordings.

Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark

The Chicago Sessions, Rodney Crowell

You’re the One, Rhiannon Giddens

Weathervanes, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

The Returner, Allison Russell

Best Bluegrass Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

Radio John: Songs of John Hartford, Sam Bush

Lovin’ of the Game, Michael Cleveland

Mighty Poplar, Mighty Poplar

Bluegrass, Willie Nelson

Me/And/Dad, Billy Strings

City of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Best Traditional Blues Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental traditional blues recordings.

Ridin’, Eric Bibb

The Soul Side of Sipp, Mr. Sipp

Life Don’t Miss Nobody, Tracy Nelson

Teardrops for Magic Slim Live at Rosa’s Lounge, John Primer

All My Love for You, Bobby Rush

Best Contemporary Blues Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental contemporary blues recordings.

Death Wish Blues, Samantha Fish And Jesse Dayton

Healing Time, Ruthie Foster

Live in London, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Blood Harmony, Larkin Poe

LaVette!, Bettye LaVette

Best Folk Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental folk recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

Traveling Wildfire, Dom Flemons

I Only See the Moon, The Milk Carton Kids

Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live], Joni Mitchell

Celebrants, Nickel Creek

Jubilee, Old Crow Medicine Show

Seven Psalms, Paul Simon

Folkocracy, Rufus Wainwright

Best Regional Roots Music Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental regional roots music recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

New Beginnings, Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band

Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers

Live: Orpheum Theater Nola, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

Made in New Orleans, New Breed Brass Band

Too Much to Hold, New Orleans Nightcrawlers

Live at the Maple Leaf, The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

Best Gospel Performance/Song

This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best traditional Christian, roots gospel or contemporary gospel single or track.

“God Is Good,” Stanley Brown featuring Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard & Karen Clark Sheard; Stanley Brown, Karen V Clark Sheard, Kaylah Jiavanni Harvey, Rodney Jerkins, Elyse Victoria Johnson, J Drew Sheard II, Kierra Valencia Sheard & Hezekiah Walker, songwriters

“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell, Juan Winans & Marvin L. Winans, songwriters

“Lord Do It for Me (Live),” Zacardi Cortez; Marcus Calyen, Zacardi Cortez & Kerry Douglas, songwriters

“God Is,” Melvin Crispell III

“All Things,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best contemporary Christian music single or track, (including pop, rap/hip-hop, Latin, or rock.) (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

“Believe,” Blessing Offor; Hank Bentley & Blessing Offor, songwriters

“Firm Foundation (He Won’t) [Live],” Cody Carnes

“Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle & Jason Ingram, songwriters

“Love Me Like I Am,” for KING & COUNTRY featuring Jordin Sparks

“Your Power,” Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Alexandria Dollar, Jordan Dollar, Antonio Gardener, Micheal Girgenti, Lasanna “Ace” Harris, David Hein, Deandre Hunter, Dylan Hyde, Christian Louisana, Patrick Darius Mix Jr., Lecrae Moore, Justin Pelham, Jeffrey Lawrence Shannon, Allen Swoope, songwriters

“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine; Daniel Bashta, Chris Davenport, Ryan Ellis & Naomi Raine, songwriters

Best Gospel Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional or contemporary/R&B gospel music recordings.

I Love You, Erica Campbell

Hymns (Live), Tasha Cobbs Leonard

The Maverick Way, Maverick City Music

My Truth, Jonathan McReynolds

All Things New: Live In Orlando, Tye Tribbett

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, contemporary Christian music, including pop, rap/hip hop, Latin, or rock recordings.

My Tribe, Blessing Offor

Emanuel, Da’ T.R.U.T.H.

Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle

Church Clothes 4, Lecrae

I Believe, Phil Wickham

Best Roots Gospel Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional/roots gospel music, including country, Southern gospel, bluegrass, and Americana recordings.

Tribute to the King, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet

Echoes of the South, Blind Boys of Alabama

Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times, Becky Isaacs Bowman

Meet Me at the Cross, Brian Free & Assurance

Shine: The Darker The Night, The Brighter The Light, Gaither Vocal Band

Best Latin Pop Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Latin pop recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

La Cuarta Hoja, Pablo Alborán

Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1, AleMor

A Ciegas, Paula Arenas

La Neta, Pedro Capó

Don Juan, Maluma

X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno

Best Música Urbana Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Música Urbana recordings. (Category received fewer than 40 entries, only three nominations are presented.)

SATURNO, Rauw Alejandro

MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, Karol G

DATA, Tainy

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new Latin rock or alternative recordings.

MARTÍNEZ, Cabra

Leche De Tigre, Diamante Eléctrico

Vida Cotidiana, Juanes

De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade

EADDA9223, Fito Paez

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new regional Mexican (banda, norteño, corridos, gruperos, mariachi, ranchera and Tejano) recordings.

Bordado A Mano, Ana Bárbara

La Sánchez, Lila Downs

Motherflower, Flor De Toloache

Amor Como En Las Películas De Antes, Lupita Infante

WINNER: GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma

Best Tropical Latin Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new tropical Latin recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

WINNER: Siembra: 45o Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022), Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Voy A Ti, Luis Figueroa

Niche Sinfónico, Grupo Niche y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia

VIDA, Omara Portuondo

MIMY & TONY, Tony Succar, Mimy Succar

Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, Carlos Vives

Best Global Music Performance

For new vocal or instrumental Global music recordings. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

“Shadow Forces,” Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily

“Alone,” Burna Boy

“FEEL,” Davido

“Milagro y Desastre,” Silvana Estrada

“Abundance in Millets,” Falu & Gaurav Shah (featuring PM Narendra Modi)

“Pashto,” Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia

“Todo Colores,” Ibrahim Maalouf featuring Cimafunk & Tank and the Bangas

Best African Music Performance

“Amapiano,” ASAKE & Olamide

“City Boys,” Burna Boy

“UNAVAILABLE,” Davido featuring Musa Keys

“Rush,” Ayra Starr

“Water,” Tyla

Best Global Music Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental Global Music recordings.

Epifanías, Susana Baca

History, Bokanté

I Told Them…, Burna Boy

Timeless, Davido

This Moment, Shakti

Best Reggae Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new reggae recordings.

Born for Greatness, Buju Banton

Simma, Beenie Man

Cali Roots Riddim 2023, Collie Buddz

No Destroyer, Burning Spear

Colors of Royal, Julian Marley & Antaeus

Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new vocal or instrumental new age recordings.

Aquamarine, Kirsten Agresta-Copely

Moments of Beauty, Omar Akram

Some Kind of Peace (Piano Reworks), Ólafur Arnalds

Ocean Dreaming Ocean, David Darling & Hans Christian

So She Howls, Carla Patullo featuring Tonality and the Scorchio Quartet

Best Children’s Music Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new musical or spoken word recordings that are created and intended specifically for children.

Ahhhhh!, Andrew & Polly

Ancestars, Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon

Hip Hope For Kids!, DJ Willy Wow!

Taste the Sky, Uncle Jumbo

We Grow Together Preschool Songs, 123 Andrés

Best Comedy Album

For albums containing greater than 75% playing time of new recordings.

I Wish You Would, Trevor Noah

I’m an Entertainer, Wanda Sykes

Selective Outrage, Chris Rock

Someone You Love, Sarah Silverman

What’s in a Name?, Dave Chappelle

Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording

Big Tree, Meryl Streep

Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder, William Shatner

The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin

It’s Ok to Be Angry About Capitalism, Senator Bernie Sanders

The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times, Michelle Obama

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

Award to the principal artist(s) and/or ‘in studio’ producer(s) of a majority of the tracks on the album. In the absence of both, award to the one or two individuals proactively responsible for the concept and musical direction of the album and for the selection of artists, songs and producers, as applicable. Award also goes to appropriately credited music supervisor(s).

AURORA (Daisy Jones & The Six); Brandon Davis, Pete Ganbarg, Joseph Khoury & Blake Mills, compilation producers; Frankie Pine, music supervisor

WINNER: Barbie The Album (Various Artists); Brandon Davis, Mark Ronson & Kevin Weaver, compilation producers; George Drakoulias, music supervisor

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By (Various Artists); Ryan Coogler, Archie Davis & Ludwig Göransson, compilation producers; Dave Jordan, music supervisor

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3 (Various Artists); Kevin Feige, James Gunn & Dave Jordan, compilation producers; Dave Jordan, music supervisor

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Weird, Al Yankovic; Leo Birenberg, Zach Robinson & Al Yankovic, compilation producers; Suzanne Coffman, music supervisor

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)

Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, a current legitimate motion picture, television show or series, or other visual media.

Barbie, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, composers

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ludwig Göransson, composer

The Fabelmans, John Williams, composer

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Williams, composer

WINNER: Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson, composer

Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media

Award to Composer(s) for an original score created specifically for, or as a companion to, video games and other interactive media.

Call Of Duty®: Modern Warfare II, Sarah Schachner, composer

God of War Ragnarök, Bear McCreary, composer

Hogwarts Legacy, Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy & Chuck E. Myers “Sea”, composers

WINNER: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab, composers

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, Montaigne, Tripod & Austin Wintory, composers

Best Song Written for Visual Media

A Songwriter(s) award. For a song (melody & lyrics) written specifically for a motion picture, television, video games or other visual media, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Barbie World [From Barbie The Album],” Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice featuring Aqua)

“Dance the Night [From Barbie The Album],” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)

“I’m Just Ken [From Barbie The Album],” Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Ryan Gosling)

“Lift Me Up [From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By],” Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Rihanna)

WINNER: “What Was I Made For? [From Barbie The Album],” Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best Music Video

Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.

WINNER: “I’m Only Sleeping” (The Beatles)Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin & Laura Thomas, video producers

“In Your Love,” Tyler ChildersBryan Schlam, video director; Kacie Barton, Silas House, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thornton & Whitney Wolanin, video producers

“What Was I Made For?,” Billie EilishBillie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson & David Moore, video producers

“Count Me Out,” Kendrick LamarDave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jason Baum & Jamie Rabineau, video producers

“Rush,” Troye SivanGordon Von Steiner, video director; Kelly McGee, video producer

Best Music Film

For concert/performance films or music documentaries. Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.

Moonage Daydream (David Bowie)Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer

How I’m Feeling Now, Lewis CapaldiJoe Pearlman, video director; Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis & Alice Rhodes, video producers

Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour, Kendrick LamarMike Carson, Dave Free & Mark Ritchie, video directors; Cornell Brown, Debra Davis, Jared Heinke, Hank Neuberger & Jamie Rabineau, video producers

I Am Everything (Little Richard)Lisa Cortés, video director; Caryn Capotosto, Lisa Cortés, Robert Friedman & Liz Yale Marsh, video producers

Dear Mama (Tupac Shakur)Allen Hughes, video director; Steve Berman, Jody Gerson, Allen Hughes, John Janick, Lasse Jarvi & Charles King, video producers

Best Recording Package

(Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

The Art of Forgetting, Caroline Rose, art director (Caroline Rose)

Cadenza 21’, Hsing-Hui Cheng, art director (Ensemble Cadenza 21’)

Electrophonic Chronic, Perry Shall, art director (The Arcs)

Gravity Falls, Iam8bit, art director (Brad Breeck)

Migration, Chang Yu Chung, Li Jheng Han, Yu Wei, art director (Leaf Yeh)

Stumpwork, Rottingdean Bazaar & Annie Collinge, art directors (Dry Cleaning)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum, Daniel Murphy & Mark Ohe, art directors (Neutral Milk Hotel)

For the Birds: The Birdsong Project, Jeri Heiden & John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)

Gieo, Duy Dao, art director (Ngot)

Inside: Deluxe Box Set, Bo Burnham & Daniel Calderwood, art directors (Bo Burnham)

Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition, Masaki Koike, art director (Lou Reed)

Best Album Notes

Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live), Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (John Coltrane & Eric Dolphy)

I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn, Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Howdy Glenn)

Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions, Vik Sohonie, album notes writer (Iftin Band)

Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings From the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971, Jeff Place & John Troutman, album notes writers (Various Artists)

Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos, Robert Gordon & Deanie Parker, album notes writers (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album

Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17Steve Berkowitz & Jeff Rosen, compilation producers; Steve Addabbo, Greg Calbi, Steve Fallone, Chris Shaw & Mark Wilder, mastering engineers; Michael H. Brauer, resotration engineer (Bob Dylan)

The Moaninest Moan of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922Colin Hancock, Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer; Richard Martin, restoration engineer (Various Artists)

Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings From the Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971Jeff Place & John Troutman, compilation producers; Randy LeRoy & Charlie Pilzer, mastering engineers; Mike Petillo & Charlie Pilzer, restoration engineers (Various Artists)

Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe EditionLaurie Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Matt Sulllivan & Hal Willner, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer; John Baldwin, Steve Rosenthal restoration engineer (Lou Reed)

Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter DemosRobert Gordon, Deanie Parker, Cheryl Pawelski, Michele Smith & Mason Williams, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves, restoration engineer (Various Artists)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

An Engineer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)

Desire, I Want to Turn Into YouDaniel Harle, Caroline Polachek & Geoff Swan, engineers; Mike Bozzi & Chris Gehringer, mastering engineers (Caroline Polachek)

HistoryNic Hard, engineer; Dave McNair, mastering engineer (Bokanté)

JAGUAR IIJohn Kercy, Kyle Mann, Victoria Monét, Patrizio “Teezio” Pigliapoco, Neal H Pogue & Todd Robinson, engineers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer (Victoria Monét)

MultitudesMichael Harris, Robbie Lackritz, Joseph Lorge & Blake Mills, engineers; Patricia Sullivan, mastering engineer (Feist)

the recordOwen Lantz, Will Maclellan, Catherine Marks, Mike Mogis, Bobby Mota, Kaushlesh “Garry” Purohit & Sarah Tudzin, engineers; Pat Sullivan, mastering engineer (boygenius)

Best Engineered Album, Classical

An Engineer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

The Blue HourPatrick Dillett, Mitchell Graham, Jesse Lewis, Kyle Pyke, Andrew Scheps & John Weston, engineers; Helge Sten, mastering engineer (Shara Nova & A Far Cry)

Contemporary American ComposersDavid Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

FandangoAlexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo & Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Sanlikol: A Gentleman of Istanbul – Symphony for Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & TenorChristopher Moretti & John Weston, engineers; Shauna Barravecchio & Jesse Lewis, mastering engineers (Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry)

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five PiecesMark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical

A Producer’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

David Frost• The American Project (Yuja Wang, Teddy Abrams, Louisville Orchestra)• Arc II – Ravel, Brahms, Shostakovich (Orion Weiss)• Blanchard: Champion (Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Latonia Moore, Ryan Speedo Green, Eric Owens, Stephanie Blythe, Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orchestra)• Contemporary American Composers (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)• The Guitar Player (Mattias Schulstad)• Mysterium (Anne Akiko Meyers, Grant Gershon & Los Angeles Master Chorale)• Verdi: Rigoletto (Daniele Rustioni, Piotr Beczala, Quinn Kelsey, Rosa Feola, Varduhi Abrahamyan, Andrea Mastroni, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orchestra)

Morten Lindberg• An Old Hall Ladymass (Catalina Vicens & Trio Mediæval)• Thoresen: Lyden Av Arktis – La Terra Meravigliosa (Christian Kluxen & Arktisk Filharmoni)• The Trondheim Concertos (Sigurd Imsen & Baroque Ensemble of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra)• Yggdrasil (Tove Ramlo-Ystad & Cantus)

Dmitriy Lipay• Adès: Dante (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)• Fandango (Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers & Los Angeles Philharmonic)• Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony (Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Philadelphia Orchestra)• Rachmaninoff: The Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody (Yuja Wang, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)• Walker: Lyric for Strings; Folksongs for Orchestra; Lilacs for Voice & Orchestra; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony (Asher Fisch & Seattle Symphony)

Elaine Martone• Ascenso (Santiago Cañón-Valencia)• Berg: Three Pieces From Lyric Suite; Strauss: Suite From Der Rosenkavalier (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)• Between Breaths (Third Coast Percussion)• Difficult Grace (Seth Parker Woods)• Man Up / Man Down (Constellation Men’s Ensemble)• Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)• Rachmaninoff & Gershwin: Transcriptions By Earl Wild (John Wilson)• Sirventés – Music From The Iranian Female Composers Association (Brian Thornton, Katherine Bormann, Alicia Koelz, Eleisha Nelson, Amahl Arulanadam & Nathan Petipas)• Walker: Antifonys; Lilacs; Sinfonias Nos. 4 & 5 (Franz Welser-Möst & The Cleveland Orchestra)

Brian Pidgeon• Fuchs: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1 (John Wilson & Sinfonia Of London)• Music for Strings (John Wilson & Sinfonia Of London)• Nielsen: Violin Concerto; Symphony No. 4 (James Ehnes, Edward Gardner & Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra)• Pierre Sancan – A Musical Tribute (Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yan Pascal Tortelier & BBC Philharmonic)• Poulenc: Orchestral Works (Bramwell Tovey & BBC Concert Orchestra)• Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 3; Voclaise; The Isle of the Dead (John Wilson & Sinfonia of London)• Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 3 (Edward Gardner & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra)• Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 12 & 15 (John Storgårds & BBC Philharmonic)• Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Works (Alpesh Chauhan & BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra)

Best Remixed Recording

A Remixer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses for identification.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Alien Love Call,” BADBADNOTGOOD, remixers (Turnstile & BADBADNOTGOOD featuring Blood Orange)

“New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix),” Dom Dolla, remixer (Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown)

“Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix),” Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, remixer (Lane 8)

“Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix),” Wet Leg, remixers (Depeche Mode)

“Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix),” Terry Hunter, remixer (Mariah Carey)

Best Immersive Audio Album

For vocal or instrumental albums in any genre. Must be commercially released for physical sale or on an eligible streaming or download service and must provide a new immersive mix of four or more channels. Award to the immersive mix engineer, immersive producer (if any) and immersive mastering engineer (if any).

Act 3 (Immersive Edition), Ryan Ulyate, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Ryan Ulyate, immersive producer (Ryan Ulyate)

Blue Clear Sky, Chuck Ainlay, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Chuck Ainlay, immersive producer (George Strait)

The Diary of Alicia Keys, George Massenburg & Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Alicia Keys & Ann Mincieli, immersive producers (Alicia Keys)

God of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack), Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Anthony Caruso, Kellogg Boynton, Peter Scaturro & Herbert Waltl, immersive producers (Bear McCreary)

Silence Between Songs, Madison Beer & Leroy Clampitt, immersive audio producers; Mike Piacentini & Sean Brennan, immersive audio engineers; Aaron Short, immersive mastering engineer; Aaron Short, immersive mix engineer (Madison Beer)

Best Instrumental Composition

A Composer’s Award for an original composition (not an adaptation) first released during the Eligibility Year. Singles or Tracks only.

“Amerikkan Skin,” Lakecia Benjamin, composer (Lakecia Benjamin featuring Angela Davis)

“Can You Hear the Music,” Ludwig Göransson, composer (Ludwig Göransson)

“Cutey and the Dragon,” Gordon Goodwin & Raymond Scott, composers (Quartet San Francisco featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)

“Helena’s Theme,” John Williams, composer (John Williams)

“Motion,” Edgar Meyer, composer (Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Angels We Have Heard on High,” Nkosilathi Emmanuel Sibanda, arranger (Just 6)

“Can You Hear the Music,” Ludwig Göransson, arranger (Ludwig Göransson)

“Folsom Prison Blues,” John Carter Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Markus Illko, Janet Robin & Roberto Luis Rodriguez, arrangers (The String Revolution featuring Tommy Emmanuel)

“I Remember Mingus,” Hilario Duran, arranger (Hilario Duran And His Latin Jazz Big Band featuring Paquito D’Rivera)

“Paint It Black,” Esin Aydingoz, Chris Bacon, Alana Da Fonseca, Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, arrangers (Wednesday Addams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

An Arranger’s Award. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“April in Paris,” Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Patti Austin featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)

“Com Que Voz (Live),” John Beasley & Maria Mendes, arrangers (Maria Mendes featuring John Beasley & Metropole Orkest)

“Fenestra,” Godwin Louis, arranger (Cécile McLorin Salvant)

“In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” Erin Bentlage, Jacob Collier, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje featuring Jacob Collier)

“Lush Life,” Kendric McCallister, arranger (Samara Joy)

Best Orchestral Performance

Award to the Conductor and to the Orchestra.

“Adès: Dante,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

“Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Four Pieces,” Karina Canellakis, conductor (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)

“Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)

“Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy,” JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)

“Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring,” Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)

Best Opera Recording

Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) of a world premiere Opera recording only. (Category received fewer than 40 entries, only three nominations are presented.)

“Blanchard: Champion,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore & Eric Owens; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

“Corigliano: The Lord of Cries,” Gil Rose, conductor; Anthony Roth Costanzo, Kathryn Henry, Jarrett Ott & David Portillo; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus)

“Little: Black Lodge,” Timur; Andrew McKenna Lee & David T. Little, producers (The Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet)

Best Choral Performance

Award to the Conductor, and to the Choral Director and/or Chorus Master where applicable and to the Choral Organization/Ensemble.

“Carols After a Plague,” Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)

“The House of Belonging,” Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Miró Quartet; Conspirare)

“Ligeti: Lux Aeterna,” Ragnar Bohlin, conductor (San Francisco Symphony Chorus)

“Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil,” Steven Fox, conductor (The Clarion Choir)

“Saariaho: Reconnaissance,” Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

For new recordings of works with chamber or small ensemble (twenty-four or fewer members, not including the conductor). One Award to the ensemble and one Award to the conductor, if applicable.

“American Stories,” Anthony McGill & Pacifica Quartet

“Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ And Op. 1, No. 3,” Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos

“Between Breaths,” Third Coast Percussion

“Rough Magic,” Roomful of Teeth

“Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker,” Catalyst Quartet

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

Award to the Instrumental Soloist(s) and to the Conductor when applicable.

“Adams, John Luther: Darkness and Scattered Light,” Robert Black

“Akiho: Cylinders,” Andy Akiho

“The American Project,” Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)

“Difficult Grace,” Seth Parker Woods

“Of Love,” Curtis Stewart

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

Award to: Vocalist(s), Collaborative Artist(s) (Ex: pianists, conductors, chamber groups) Producer(s), Recording Engineers/Mixers with greater than 50% playing time of new material.

Because, Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist

Broken Branches, Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist

40@40, Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist

Rising, Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist

Walking in the Dark, Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)

Best Classical Compendium

Award to the Artist(s) and to the Album Producer(s) and Engineer(s) of over 50% playing time of the album, and to the Composer and Librettist (if applicable) with over 50% playing time of a world premiere recording only. (Note: More or less than 5 nominations in a category is the result of ties.)

Fandango, Anne Akiko Meyers; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer

Julius Eastman, Vol. 3: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?, Christopher Rountree, conductor; Lewis Pesacov, producer

Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright, Peter Herresthal; Tim Weiss, conductor; Hans Kipfer, producer

Passion for Bach and Coltrane, Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith & A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown & Mark Dover, producers

Sardinia, Chick Corea; Chick Corea & Bernie Kirsh, producers

Sculptures, Andy Akiho; Andy Akiho & Sean Dixon, producers

Zodiac Suite, Aaron Diehl Trio & The Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor; Aaron Diehl & Eric Jacobsen, producers

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

A Composer’s Award. (For a contemporary classical composition composed within the last 25 years, and released for the first time during the Eligibility Year.) Award to the librettist, if applicable.

“Adès: Dante,” Thomas Adès, composer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)

“Akiho: In That Space, at That Time,” Andy Akiho, composer (Andy Akiho, Ankush Kumar Bahl & Omaha Symphony)

“Brittelle: Psychedelics,” William Brittelle, composer (Roomful of Teeth)

“Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright,” Missy Mazzoli, composer (Peter Herresthal, James Gaffigan & Bergen Philharmonic)

“Montgomery: Rounds,” Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry & Roomful of Teeth)

In celebration of Grammy Week and the kickoff of Black History Month, BMAC presented a trio of events in the name of service and fun. Capping the organization’s week of events in Los Angeles were the BMAC x Billboard Action Awards in conjunction with an Economic Justice Summit (Feb. 2) held at United Talent Agency […]

At Clive Davis’ and the Recording Academy’s annual pre-Grammy gala on Saturday night (Feb. 3), two-time Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks proved to be an incredibly effective hype man. The actor delivered a six-minute intro for the legendary record executive, listing more than 50 artists that Davis discovered or worked with, concluding with only slight irony that “the only reason the names Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky haven’t been mentioned is because they all died before Clive Davis graduated from Harvard [and] before he got a desk and a phone at Columbia Records.” 

Davis arrived on stage at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., to thunderous applause as he pledged once again to deliver an unforgettable evening, as he has since the party started 48 years ago. 

“So, this night is really so special for me and I hope for all of you,” Davis said. “I look out among you, and I see so many familiar faces. You know, the whole thing began long ago in 1976 and I really have to pinch myself that it’s going still so strong. I mean, the demand this year has just been incredible. I’m happy to say that music is alive and well and that you all see the best of the new tonight, as well as the best of those artists who inspire all of us with the truly electrifying length of their careers.”

As usual, the room included some of the biggest stars in the world, including Cher, Mariah Carey and Meryl Streep (sitting with her daughter Grace Gummer and Gummer’s husband, producer Mark Ronson), as well as Lenny Kravitz, Serena Williams, Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson; Scottie Pippen, Cameron Crowe, Peter Asher, Gayle King, Max Martin, Shania Twain, Adrian Brody, Jon Bon Jovi, Paris Hilton, Smokey Robinson and, attending for the 24th consecutive year, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her husband, Paul. 

Meryl Streep, Clive Davis, Cher, and co-chairman/COO of Warner Records Tom Corson attend the Pre-Grammy Gala & Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jon Platt at The Beverly Hilton on February 3, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

But the brightest stars were on the stage as an incredibly diverse rosters of artists performed. Green Day, introduced by Williams, who called herself the band’s “mascot,” opened the evening with exhilarating performances of “American Idiot” and “Basket Case.”

Next, in a delightful gender twist, Ronson and his co-writer Andrew Wyatt were joined by Lainey Wilson filling in for Ryan Gosling, for a pitch-perfect take on “I’m Just Ken,” from Barbie. The Grammy- and Oscar-nominated Ronson joked he was going into awards season with some guidance from the song about “the beauty of being a runner-up, which is a lesson I’ll try to remember tomorrow night [at the Grammys].” (He’s already emerged a winner with the song triumphing as best song at the Critics Choice Awards in January). 

As promised, the evening heavily focused on developing acts, all of them nominated for best new artist this year, who have broken through with defining songs over the past several months. Ice Spice sassily strutted across the stage during “Deli,” while Noah Kahan introduced himself as “Mumford’s son,” a totally appropriate description for his folk sound, as he delivered strong, tuneful renditions of “Stick Season” and “Dial Drunk.” (His banjo-driven performance begs for him to tour with Mumford & Sons as a strong double bill). Victoria Monet, who is up for seven Grammys on Sunday (Feb. 4), danced through an energetic “On My Mama.”

Green Day band members Mike Dirnt, Billie Joe Armstrong and Tre Cool arrive for the Recording Academy and Clive Davis’ Salute To Industry Icons pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California on February 3, 2024.

Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

But it was two fellow best new artist nominees who delivered truly starmaking turns. Following Josh Groban’s stirring, beautiful takes on two Stephen Sondheim numbers picked by Davis — Into the Woods‘ “Children Will Listen” and Sweeney Todd‘s “Not While I’m Around,” the Tony-nominated artist was joined by Michael Trotter, one-half of best new artist-nominated duo, The War and Treaty, for a soaring, breathtaking version of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” with Trotter’s unwavering falsetto bringing the audience to it’s feet.

Though the Groban/Trotter pairing would have seemed impossible to follow, Jelly Roll took the crowd to church with two songs about his desperate search for redemption as he delivered scorching, pleading versions of “Need a Favor,” performed with a full choir, and “Save Me,” accompanied by Wilson.

Sony Music Publishing chairman and CEO Jon Platt was recognized as the 2024 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons honoree. Feted by energetic crowd-pleasing performances by Public Enemy and the Isley Brothers, two acts who had played pivotal roles in the early stages of his career, Platt took the stage shortly after midnight to receive his award. In a speech that spanned more than 30 minutes during which the fire alarm went off not once, but twice, Platt ran through a number of highlights in his illustrious career, calling the evening’s honor a full-circle moment. In 1998, Platt attended his first Davis pre-Grammy gala, then held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. There, he ran into the late former Motown president/CEO Jheryl Busby.

“He said, ‘Somebody was asking me, who do I see in the industry today that can achieve the things that I’ve achieved. …I told them, Big Jon could run the whole thing one day,’” Platt recounted. Busby’s words were life altering. “For someone to share the belief that they have in you is powerful, it is incredibly powerful. And from that day, I kind of like changed the course of my focus. I had a purpose after that, because this guy said I could run the whole thing. So, I just changed the way I acted change people I had around me, the  people I was around, so on and so forth. Everything had great intention. And so, to be here tonight, receiving the industry icon is an incredible full circle moment that I’m quite proud of.” 

In an extraordinary moment, Platt took time to acknowledge the rivalry between him and his former EMI Music Publishing colleague Jody Gerson, who is now CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group. “People think Jody and I have this complicated relationship. We do because we’re both intense competitors,” he said. “We compete incredibly hard. Beyond this competition is this deep love and respect that we have for each other. I mean you have to respect your competitors, but it goes deeper than that with me and Jody. Like I have this incredible amount of respect for her.  And Jody is the person that hired me at EMI, so in many ways she changed my life. And people always like to say when you achieve these things and you say how you did it, ‘Well, you would have did it anyway.’ Maybe not. The only thing you could do is focus on is how it happened. And that’s how it happened. Everything I’m telling you was how it happened. So, I appreciate you Jody and I truly hope that Marty [Bandier, former CEO/chairman of EMI Music Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing] is proud of the legacy that we’re leaving for him.”

As the clock approached 1 a.m., the final performers took the stage to an appreciative audience as Colombian superstar Maluma sang a high-energy “Hawaii” and the iconic Gladys Knight performed “The Way We Were,” a song Knight and The Pips took to No. 11 nearly 50 years ago in 1975. She was then joined by Dionne Warwick — half the team who recorded the 1985 charity juggernaut, “That’s What Friends Were For” — with Andra Day and Keyshia Cole joining in. The crowd burst into applause when Stevie Wonder, who also appeared on the original song, played his instantly recognizable harmonica solo. Though that was supposed to be the last number, Wonder led the group in “What the World Needs Now Is Love” to usher the audience out into a rainy Los Angeles night. 

The setlist for Clive Davis and the Recording Academy’s 2024 pre-Grammy party:

Green Day — “American Idiot, “Basket Case”Mark Ronson — “I’m Just Ken” with Lainey Wilson and Andrew WyattIce Spice — “Deli”Noah Kahan — “Stick Season,” “Dial Drunk”Victoria Monet — “On My Mama”Josh Groban — Sondheim medley with “Children Will Listen” and “Not While I’m Around”Josh Groban and Michael Trotter Jr. — “Bridge Over Troubled Water”Jelly Roll — “Need a Favor,” “Save Me” with Lainey WilsonPublic Enemy — “Can’t Truss It,” “Bring the Noise,” “Fight the Power”Isley Brothers — “Shout”Maluma —“Hawaii”Gladys Knight — “The Way We Were”Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Andra Day and Keyshia Cole —“That’s What Friends Are For,” “What the World Needs Now Is Love” 

The best thing about the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards, where they dispense Lifetime Achievement Awards and other career-capping honors, is the warm way the recipients reach across genres and generations to acknowledge each other. And so it was when the 2024 honors were presented on Saturday (Feb. 3) at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles.
Hip-hop innovator DJ Kool Herc, who received a Trustees Award, spied fellow honoree Gladys Knight in the front row and said of “Midnight Train to Georgia,” her 1973 classic with the Pips – “now, that’s flow.”

Ice Cube also praised Knight and the gospel singing group The Clark Sisters in his remarks, in which N.W.A received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

“We knew when we started to do music in 1985/1986 that a Grammy was not in the cards for the type of music we were doing, and we were cool with that. We can’t sing like Gladys or hold a note like The Clark Sisters. We wanted to make sense of the world around us, Long Beach, Compton, Watts.”

He noted that when N.W.A started out they had their lane all to themselves. “We didn’t think the whole world would be doing it. We thought it was ours. What it showed was when you do your thing, the world will come to you and you don’t have to go to the world.”

N.W.A is the fifth rap group to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in the past eight years, following Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five and Salt-N-Pepa. (In addition, Slick Rick, who rose to prominence in Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew, was honored on his own last year.)

In welcoming the audience to the Special Merit Awards, Ruby Marchand, the Academy’s chief awards and industry officer, said “This ceremony is a highlight of Grammy Week, so heartfelt.” That’s the right word for it. Especially since the Grammy Awards scaled up to arenas in 1997 when they were held at New York’s Madison Square Garden for the first time, the Special Merit Awards are seen as the warmer, more intimate show, with good feelings all around. Perhaps that’s because it’s not a competition and because these acknowledgements usually come late in the honorees’ careers, when they are in a reflective mood.

Four of the honors were presented posthumously – Lifetime Achievement Awards to Donna Summer, Tammy Wynette, Eazy-E of N.W.A and a Technical Grammy Award to sound engineer Tom Kobayashi. In addition, attorney Joel Katz, who received a Trustees Award, “[is] addressing his health concerns,” in the words of fellow attorney Jason M. Karlov, who accepted for him.

Dr. Dre, being honored as a member of N.W.A sent a text message, read by Harvey Mason, jr. CEO of the Recording Academy, in which he explained that the ceremony fell on his daughter’s birthday and he put family first, but nonetheless said “I’m honored to receive this award with my N.W.A brothers.”

Two well-chosen guest artists introduced segments. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, who had a No. 1 smash on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1996 with “Tha Crossroads,” a tribute to Eazy-E, presented the award to N.W.A. The members said that N.W.A “changed music, culture and America forever.” And Shelby Lynne presented the award to one of her idols, Wynette. Lynne also sang a good bit of Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man,” which she correctly called “a country classic for the ages.”

Wynette’s award was accepted by Tamala Jones, her daughter by George Jones. The daughter credited the Showtime miniseries George & Tammy for being a factor that may have helped Wynette, who died in 1998, finally receive this award. George Jones received the honor in 2012.

Bruce Sudano, who was married to Summer for more than 30 years, accepted Summer’s Lifetime Achievement Award, along with their daughters Mimi, Brooklyn and Amanda. He said the phone call in which he was notified of the honor stirred “feelings I didn’t anticipate. My body filled with pure joy, connected to a tear in my eye. It’s gratifying for us that, more than 10 years after her passing, her voice and music are still omnipresent in the zeitgeist.”

He credited Universal Music Group and Warner Chappell, among others, for coming up with creative ways to keep her music alive. “I’m grateful that she continues to inspire young fans, [whether newcomers or] beautiful Beyoncé and her Summer Renaissance.”

The Summer segment ended when her daughter Mimi sang a few ethereal lines from Summer’s 1977 dance/electronica classic “I Feel Love.”

Summer was the first female artist to win Grammy Awards in four different genres: R&B (“Last Dance”), rock (“Hot Stuff”), inspirational (“He’s a Rebel” and “Forgive Me”) and dance (“Carry On”).

Knight spoke emotionally about family in accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award. She noted that her mother would never allow her to sing “easy.” It had to come from a deeper place. All credit, then, to Gladys Knight’s mother for encouraging her daughter to find the perfect blend of “pain and glory” that has always been her trademark.

In 1974, Gladys Knight & the Pips became the first group to win Grammys in both pop and R&B categories the same night.

Laurie Anderson accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award with an eloquent speech. “I make music that doesn’t have a snappy name,” she said. “‘Multi-media’ is the one I dislike the least. ‘Experimental’ sounds like I’m making things in a laboratory that might explode.”

She also related three rules to live by that she and her late husband, Lou Reed, came up with.“1) Don’t be afraid of anyone. 2) Get a really good bullshit detector. 3) Be really tender.”

Anderson could win a competitive Grammy on Sunday, one day after accepting this honorary one. She is nominated for best historical album for Words & Music, May 1965 (Deluxe Edition). Anderson is one of two of this year’s Special Merit Awardees who are current Grammy nominees. Karen Clark-Sheard of The Clark Sisters is nominated for best gospel performance/song for “God Is Good.”

Peter Asher, who received a Trustees Award, had scanned the list of previous recipients of that award, and said he found it “intimidating.” Citing in particular The Beatles, Mo Ostin, Ahmet Ertegun, Sir George Martin, Lou Adler, Carole King and Clive Davis, he said “the phrase ‘We are not worthy’ comes to mind when I get this award.”

In a video setting up the presentation, the Grammys reached back to a clip from the 1990 telecast where Asher won producer of the year, non-classical for the second time. “I would like to thank the artists I worked with,” he said. “They could very easily have made the records without me, but I certainly couldn’t have made them without them.”

There were moments of humor in the proceedings. Sound engineer Tom Scott, who received a Technical Grammy Award in tandem with his late partner Tom Kobayashi, had to sheepishly admit that even he sometimes has technical issues. “I had this [acceptance speech] on my cell phone, but it’s on a little red zone that says it has 5% power, so I had to fall back on analog,” he said, as he pulled out a printed copy of his remarks to read.

Jason M. Karlov, an attorney at Katz’s law firm, Barnes + Thornburg, said this in accepting Katz’s Trustees Award, which are generally given to non-performers. “I’ve heard Trustees Awards are not for performances but if you’ve ever known Joel, it’s a performance.”

Karlov also said that Katz feels that “his most prideful work is his 41 years of service on behalf of the Academy.” As an outside general counsel for the Recording Academy, Katz is credited with leading the negotiations for the Grammys’ 10-year, $500 million deal with CBS in 2016. (The Academy has rewarded a handful of Grammy insiders with Trustees Awards over the years, including Christine Farnon, the Academy’s first full-time employee; Pierre Cossette, who was instrumental in turning the Grammys into a live telecast; Walter C. Miller, the show’s longtime director; and Ken Ehrlich, who produced or executive produced the telecast for 40 years.)

K’naan’s “Refugee” was the Best Song for Social Change Award Honoree.This award, now in its second year, honors songwriter(s) of message-driven music that speaks to the social issues of our time and has demonstrated and inspired positive global impact.

“Refugee,” which K’naan co-wrote with Steve McEwan and Gerald Eaton, serves as a tribute to refugees around the world. K’naan, 45, was nominated in a comparable category, best video with a message, at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards for “Is Anybody Out There?,” a collaboration with Nelly Furtado.

Annie Ray of Annandale High School in Annandale, Virginia, received the 2024 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum. Ray serves as both the orchestra director and performing arts department chair at Annandale High School in the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. “Orchestra is much more than just a class – it’s a second family,” Ray said.

Sorry, Swifties. Taylor Swift will not be performing at the 2024 Grammys Awards, Billboard has learned. The 34-year-old pop superstar, who is nominated for six awards at this year’s Grammys, is expected to attend the ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 4) but won’t be stepping onto the stage for a live musical performance. Immediately after the […]

Just as Bon Jovi has done for 40 years, musicians came to rock at the Los Angeles Convention Center Friday night (Feb. 2) as the band’s namesake, Jon Bon Jovi, was honored at MusiCares 33rd Person of the Year annual gala.  

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The honoree himself set the tone for the night, opening the evening with “Legendary,” the propulsive first single from the band’s forthcoming album that sounds like a classic Bon Jovi track. “As I look out here at all you tuxedoed executives, I remind you this is a Bon Jovi concert,” Jon Bon Jovi said. “We don’t sit down.”

And there was certainly no sitting as Bon Jovi then introduced Bruce Springsteen, calling him “my mentor, my hero, my brother, my friend,” as the audience of more than 2,000 began chanting the requisite “BRUUUUUUCE.” Springsteen’s participation had been in doubt after his 98-year old mother, Adele, died on Wednesday (Jan. 31).

 As Bon Jovi later explained, when Springsteen — MusiCares Person of the Year in 2013 — first got the news about his mother, he was already on a plane to Los Angeles. “I certainly would have understood if he’d said that he couldn’t make it,” Bon Jovi said, “but he wanted to be here tonight for MusiCares. And he wanted to be here tonight for me. And I’m forever grateful to you.

The two most famous musicians from New Jersey (perhaps other than Frank Sinatra) ripped into spirited renditions of Bon Jovi’s 2006 hit “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” which boasts Springsteenean “Alrights” in the chorus, and Springsteen’s “Promised Land,” with Bon Jovi playing Springsteen’s trademark harmonica parts before the Boss joined in for a little harmonica duet at the end. 

Among those singing along in the audience were Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, MSNBC host Ari Melber, frequent Bon Jovi collaborator Desmond Child, Rita Wilson, Carly Pearce, Gayle King, Nile Rodgers and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul. The latter pair made the rounds earlier in the evening, schmoozing with Bon Jovi, 2012 MusiCares honoree Paul McCartney and Springsteen. 

Bon Jovi then sat down, flanked for much of the evening by Springsteen and McCartney, as a constellation of artists took the stage to deliver some of the most beloved anthems in the arena rock canon from the past 40 years. With more than 150 million albums sold, including 12 times platinum rock juggernaut Slippery When Wet, and nearly 20 top 40 hits, there was no shortage of familiar material to draw from. 

Melissa Etheridge, joined by Larkin Poe had the tough task of following Bon Jovi and Springsteen, but proved more than up to the challenge with a sizzling version of Jon Bon Jovi’s No. 1 solo hit, “Blaze of Glory,” from the 1990 film Young Guns ll. Train’s Pat Monahan delivered a stylish take on 2000’s driving hit, “It’s My Life”; Shania Twain turned in a dramatic reading of ballad “Bed of Roses”; Sammy Hagar was joined by guitar slinger Orianthi for Bon Jovi’s first No. 1, 1986’s “You Give Love A Bad Name”; and Jason Isbell pulled out a double neck guitar, similar to the one sported by former band member Richie Sambora, on the iconic “Wanted Dead or Alive.” While many acts pulled from the multi-platinum group’s ’80s and ’90s era, the Goo Goo Dolls dipped into more recent fare, taking on the title track from 2016’s This House is Not for Sale.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan served as a nimble and often hilarious host, good naturedly roasting Jon Bon Jovi for his ’80s fashion and even more so for his ’80s big hair, and even taking to the stage in a replica of a trademark beefcake poster of Jon Bon Jovi from the ’80s in a cut-off Jack Daniels T-shirt, obscenely short denim shorts and a wig with a shocking amount of teased, flowing blond locks. As he sarcastically noted of the ridiculously photogenic Bon Jovi, “You have to wonder where he would have gotten if he was good looking.” 

Later, he suggested that Bon Jovi, McCartney and Springsteen, as well as table mate, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, could form a new iteration of The Traveling Wilburys, with Kraft on lead vocals. 

Additionally, a new generation of artists equipped themselves well taking on songs that they had likely grown up with or heard their parents play.  Best new artist nominee Jelly Roll delivered a growly, rollicking “Bad Medicine,” while taking advantage of the playing before a room full of powerful music industry executives to spread a message about an issue close to his heart, drug addiction. The country artist, who spoke at a congressional hearing in support of an anti-fentanyl bill in January, sported a jacket with facts about drug addiction, including one across his back that read “190 people a day overdose and die in the United States of America.”

A pigtailed Lainey Wilson followed with a spirited “We Weren’t Born to Follow,” while Måneskin’s charismatic frontman Damiano David performed a propulsive “Keep the Faith.” Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH delivered a pounding “Have A Nice Day,” and guitar wiz Marcus King showed off his blazing fret work on “Born to Be My Baby.” 

Playing on the round, revolving B-stage in the middle of the audience, best new artist nominees The War and Treaty gave one of the evening’s most inspired performances at times singing directly to each other with an elevated, emotional take of “I’ll Be There For You,” Bon Jovi’s 1989 tale of devotion that husband and wife team Michael and Tonya Trotter should definitely consider cutting for their next album. Also utilizing the smaller space to great effect was 17-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark with a beautiful rendition of  2007’s “(You Want to) Make a Memory.”

The evening also included video tributes from Matthew McConaughey, John Mayer, P!nk, Ed Sheeran and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who praised Bon Jovi for “his everyday commitment to [help] other people.” Bon Jovi’s myriad philanthropic efforts include the JBJ Soul Foundation, which has built  close to 1,000 units of affordable housing, and JBJ Soul Kitchens, which operate on a pay-it-forward model where those in need volunteer for their meals at the kitchen while paying customers are asked to make a donation that will cover their meal as well as the meal of someone in need.

Kraft, who first met Bon Jovi on the sidelines at the 1997 Super Bowl (“In a game we lost,” he noted), presented Bon Jovi with his award, praising the honoree for his business acumen and social consciousness. 

“Unlike the majority of artists and performers, who understandably, are insular, Jon’s always had an empathy for the world at large,” Kraft said. “And he’s shown that impact as a philanthropist. He has used his platform as a global rock star and paired it with his own money and operating skill and created the Soul Foundation… building a model program for solving the vicious cycle of hunger, poverty and homelessness that has now been copied by many others.” He also praised the son of two Marines for his long-lasting marriage to his high school sweetheart, Dorothea. 

After thanking Springsteen and McCartney (saying to the Beatle, “I think it’s fair to say that the reason most, if not all, of us are in the room tonight, is because of you.”), Bon Jovi quickly noted that this award wouldn’t have been possible without those around him. “Everything that I’ve accomplished with or without the band or in my philanthropic life has had the support of my family, my friends, bandmates, collaborators and an army of the willing, who’ve been ready to take my dreams and make them a reality,” he said. 

He also praised the ability of music as the “common thread” that “moves us when we’re happy and it comforts us when we’re sad and brings us together.” He then spoke of recently buying back his first electric guitar that he sold in 1979 for $100. With his newly reclaimed guitar back in his hands, “the first thing I did was held it, cradled it, really, and then wrote a song… another thing I’ve come to know is that every time that I strum my guitar, I’m reminded that I have a best friend for life. That instrument will never let you down.” 

Bon Jovi then thanked MusiCares for providing assistance to those musicians not as fortunate as himself, who have needed a helping hand. Since 1991, MusiCares has handed out more than $110 million to provide essential support for programs and services assisting the music community, including physical and mental health, addiction recovery, preventive clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies, and disaster relief. 

(L-R) Michael Trotter Jr., Hugh McDonald, Jon Bon Jovi, Sammy Hagar and Jelly Roll attend the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year Honoring Jon Bon Jovi during the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 02, 2024 in Los Angeles

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Ending by saying, “the 18-year-old in me wants to sing with everybody else,” Bon Jovi called his band back to the stage, including keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres, as well all the evening’s participating artists (minus Springsteen) to perform the group’s beloved anthem and 1986 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Living on a Prayer.” Jon Bon Jovi roamed the stage, hugging and trading lyrics with many of the performers to close the evening. 

See the MusiCares Salute to Jon Bon Jovi set list below:

“Legendary,” Bon Jovi“Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen“The Promised Land,” Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen“Blaze of Glory,” Melissa Etheridge and Larkin Poe“Bad Medicine,” Jelly Roll“We Weren’t Born to Follow,” Lainey Wilson“It’s My Life,” Pat Monahan“Bed of Roses,” Shania Twain“Wanted Dead or Alive,” Jason Isbell“Keep the Faith,” Damiano David“This House is Not for Sale,” Goo Goo Dolls“I’ll Be There for You,” The War and Treaty“Have a Nice Day,” Mammoth WVH“(You Want To) Make a Memory,” Brandy Clark“Living on a Prayer,” Bon Jovi and guests

Record of the year is one of the most superstar-packed categories at Sunday’s (Feb. 4) 2024 Grammy Awards — but who do you think should win? We have five previous Grammy winners in the mix: 12-time winner Taylor Swift with “Anti-Hero”; seven-time winner Billie Eilish with her Barbie soundtrack contribution “What Was I Made For?”; […]

Miley Cyrus is set to perform her smash “Flowers” at the 2024 Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 4) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Billboard has confirmed. Variety was first to report the news. The ceremony will air live on CBS and Paramount+. Surprisingly, this will be the first time Cyrus has performed the song on TV since its release in January 2023.

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Sixteen years into her post-Hannah Montana pop career, Cyrus received her first Grammy nominations in “Big Three” categories – album, record and song of the year. Cyrus’ father, Billy Cyrus, has landed two record of the year nominations – for “Achy Breaky Heart” (1992) and as a featured artist on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (2019). The Cyruses are just the third parent-child pair to each receive record of the year nominations, following Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra and Nat “King” & Natalie Cole.

“Flowers,” which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 and remained there for eight consecutive weeks, is also nominated for best pop solo performance.

Cyrus co-wrote “Flowers” with Gregory Aldae Hein and Michael Pollack. It appears on Cyrus’ album Endless Summer Vacation, which is also nominated for best pop vocal album.

Also set to perform on the show are Burna Boy, Luke Combs (with Tracy Chapman), Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Dua Lipa, Joni Mitchell (in her first Grammy performance), Olivia Rodrigo, Travis Scott, SZA and U2. Burna Boy is expected to be joined by 21 Savage and Brandy. Mitchell is expected to be joined by Brandi Carlile.

In addition, Stevie Wonder, Fantasia Barrino, Annie Lennox and Jon Batiste will perform in the In Memoriam segment, in which they will honor Tony Bennett, Tina Turner, Sinéad O’Connor and Clarence Avant, respectively.

Stevie Wonder, Fantasia Barrino, Annie Lennox and Jon Batiste are set to honor recently departed music icons at the 2024 Grammy Awards, set for Sunday (Feb. 4) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Most have deep personal connections to the honorees. Wonder will pay tribute to Tony Bennett, with whom he teamed to perform “For […]