Best new artist
We’re likely to see several milestone achievements when the 67th annual Grammy Awards nominations are unveiled on Friday Nov. 8.
If Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is nominated for album of the year, she’ll break out of a tie with Barbra Streisand and stand alone as the woman with the most nods in this category.
If Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is nominated in that same category, she’ll become the Black artist with the most album of the year nods as a lead artist. She’s currently tied for that distinction with Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar.
If Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is nominated for record and/or song of the year, he’ll tie Jay-Z for the most nods in those categories by a rapper.
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If both Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter are nominated in each of the Big Four categories – album, record and song of the year plus best new artist – this will be only the third time in Grammy history that two artists have achieved that feat in the same year. Billie Eilish and Lizzo both did it five years ago. Olivia Rodrigo and FINNEAS both did it three years ago.
Let’s took a closer look at the likely nominees in each of the Big Four categories. We’ll discuss top candidates in each of the races and then reveal our eight picks. (For the second year in a row, there will be eight nominees in each of these categories.)
While Beyoncé’s album hasn’t sustained its popularity as well as some of its rivals – it ranked No. 190 on the Billboard 200 on Oct. 15 as nominations-round voting closed – it’s hard to see how it can miss out on a nomination, especially after husband Jay-Z called out Grammy voters for never giving Beyoncé their top award right on the Grammy stage in February. Cowboy Carter led to a heightened appreciation for Black artists’ long-underrecognized role in the development of country music, and likely paved the way for the success of Shaboozey’s megahit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” This would be Bey’s fifth album to be nominated in this category and her fourth in a row.
Swift’s album topped the Billboard 200 for 15 weeks, longer than any other album this year – and longer than any of her previous albums. Her cultural dominance over the past two years likely stems more from the unprecedented success of The Eras Tour than it does from any particular album. Still, it’s hard to see Tortured Poets not being nominated. This would be Swift’s seventh album of the year nod, and Poets would be her fourth consecutive studio album of new material to be nominated.
Eilish’s first two studio albums were both nominated for this award – her debut won it five years ago, follow-up Happier Than Ever was nominated two years later. Hit Me Hard and Soft is likely to make her 3 for 3. It was her first album to spawn two top five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while Eilish demonstrated her star power by winning a second Oscar for best original song in March, and performing on a globally-televised program which wrapped the 2024 Summer Olympics in August.
Chappell Roan’s first full-length album, The Rise & Fall of a Midwest Princess, also seems like a sure thing. The album was released one week after the start of the eligibility year (Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024) and has slowly built into blockbuster status. The industry loves a good artist development story, and this one is hard to beat.
Sabrina Carpenter’s sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, is also a solid bet. The album has logged four weeks atop the Billboard 200 and includes three singles that have made the top three on the Billboard 200. This represents a different kind of artist development story – someone who was on the cusp of stardom for nearly a decade before really exploding in the past year.
Charli XCX’s Brat is one of the year’s most critically lauded albums and one of the most well-known, especially since Charli tweeted “kamala IS brat” and became part of the year’s top overall story – the presidential election.
Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine also has a good shot. The album topped the Billboard 200 for two weeks and spawned two No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. Thank U, Next, her only previous album to spawn two No. 1 singles, was nominated in this category five years ago. The only possible hitch: The many hit albums by women artists which have exploded since Grande’s album was released back in March may overshadow it.
If Beyoncé is nominated, it would be odd if Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion was not. Many have praised Post’s willing immersion into the country music scene, something Bey did not do in the same way, as the ideal way for a genre outsider to approach a genre. Post has been nominated twice before in this category, with Beerbongs & Bentleys and Hollywood’s Bleeding.
If Bey and Post both make the finals, there will be two nominees by pop artists performing country music. Nashville insiders will want to see at least one nominee by a core country artist. Top contenders there include Chris Stapleton’s Higher, Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind and Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well. Stapleton and Musgraves have each been nominated in this category once in the past; Musgraves has won (for Golden Hour in 2019). If Stapleton is nominated again, he’ll become the first male country solo artist to land two nominations in this category.
Usher could be nominated for his ninth studio album, Coming Home. The R&B star headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in February and scored his biggest crossover hit in nearly a decade with “Good Good,” a collab with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. Two of the artists who performed at the 2022 halftime show, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, wound up with album of the year nods that year. This would be Usher’s second nod in this category. He was nominated for his 2004 blockbuster Confessions.
The Recording Academy added 2,000 new voting members this year (bringing the total number of voting members to 13,000). As has been the case for the past several years, the focus was on adding more women, people of color and people under 40. This could boost the chances of not only Usher’s album, but also Future & Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You, their first of two Billboard 200-topping collaborations; 21 Savage’s Billboard 200-topping American Dream; and Tyla’s Tyla, among others. Tyla’s “Water” won the inaugural Grammy presented for best African music performance in February. The South African singer won two BET Awards on June 30 — best new artist and best international act.
The Rolling Stones were nominated in this category for 1978’s Some Girls. They’re in the conversation this year with Hackney Diamonds, which was produced by Andrew Watt, who won producer of the year (non-classical) four years ago.
Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene would have a good chance at a nomination here, but Bryan didn’t enter his music in the Grammy process this year. That’s also why his “Pink Skies” is missing from the record and song of the year forecasts.
Our Fearless Forecast
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet
Charli XCX, Brat
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine
Post Malone, F-1 Trillion
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department
Beyoncé could be headed for her ninth nomination in this category with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which would extend her record for the most nods in the history of the category. (She surpassed the former record-holder, traditional pop GOAT Frank Sinatra, two years ago.) Don’t tell Jay-Z, but Bey has never won in this category either — the fact that that 0-fer isn’t nearly as much of a point of contention as her album of the year shutout is a sign of how the latter award has become the most coveted Grammy. (Fun Fact: “Texas Hold ’Em” wouldn’t be the first poker-themed hit to land a record of the year nod; Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” was nominated at the awards in 1980.)
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga could be headed for their seventh and fourth nominations in this category, respectively, with the plush “Die With a Smile.” A nod here would put Mars in a tie with Sinatra for second place on the list of artists with the most nominations in the category. (And Gaga could use a little good news after the drubbing her latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux, took.)
Swift and Malone could be headed for their sixth and fourth nominations in the category, respectively, with “Fortnight,” which won video of the year at the MTV VMAs on Sept. 11. But it doesn’t have to be nominated in this category. Three previous Swift album of the year nominees – Red, Folklore and Evermore – weren’t represented in the record of the year nominations.
Eilish could be headed for her fifth nomination in the category with “Birds of a Feather,” which was released in July and quickly eclipsed her previous release “Lunch,” which had seemed likely to be nominated. Eilish would become the first artist in Grammy history to amass five record of the year nods before turning 23. She will reach that birthday on Dec. 18.
Lamar and SZA could each be headed for their fourth nods in the category with “Not Like Us” and “Saturn,” respectively. “Not Like Us” has transcended its origins in the year’s most bitter pop feud. Even if someone didn’t know the backstory, it’s simply an undeniable smash, with a sick beat. And “Saturn” is a gorgeous single.
Lamar could have a second record of the year nomination this year with Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” on which he was featured. The last artist to receive two record the year nods in the same year was Beyoncé four years ago, for her own “Black Parade” and as a featured artist on Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.”
Post Malone could also have two record of the year nods – or he could wind up with none. The Post/Morgan Wallen collab “I Had Some Help” was Billboard’s Song of the Summer. It’s a catchy record, but Grammy voters sometimes steer clear of super-commercial works like this. Post has amassed 10 Grammy nominations over the years (though oddly no wins), but Wallen has yet to receive a Grammy nomination.
Ariana Grande could be headed for her second nod in the category with “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” She was previously nominated for the Rodgers & Hammerstein-interpolating “7 Rings.”
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” headed the Hot 100 for 15 weeks, longer than any other single this year. Like the Lil Nas X/Billy Ray Cyrus collab “Old Town Road,” which was nominated in this category five years ago, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” blends country and R&B/hip-hop elements.
Hozier’s impeccably-produced “Too Sweet” became his first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. Now it may become his first record of the year nominee. Hozier is vying to become the fourth Irish artist to be nominated in this category, following Gilbert O’Sullivan, U2 and Sinéad O’Connor. Hozier’s 2014 hit “Take Me to Church” was nominated for song of the year.
This would be the first nomination in this category for Shaboozey and Hozier, as it would be for such other strong contenders as Benson Boone (whose “Beautiful Things” resembles Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” in its build from a soft opening to a rock-edged finish), Carpenter (“Espresso), Roan (“Good Luck, Babe!), Tommy Richman (“Million Dollar Baby”) and Charli XCX (“360”).
The original studio version of Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” was released in the previous eligibility year and is thus not eligible, but a live version, subtitled “The Village Sessions,” is eligible. Unfortunately for Swims, live and alternative versions are rarely nominated in this category. That could also work to the detriment of Muni Long’s “Made for Me (Live on BET).”
Our Fearless Forecast
Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ’Em”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Hozier, “Too Sweet”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Swift has received seven nominations in this category, more than anyone else in Grammy history, though she has yet to win. (As with Beyoncé in record of the year, it’s odd that the person with the most nominations in the category has never won.) Swift could land her eighth nod in this category this year with “Fortnight,” which she cowrote with Jack Antonoff (it would be his fifth nod in the category) and Post Malone (it would be his second).
Beyoncé and Mars could each be headed for their sixth nominations in this category – Bey with “Texas Hold ’Em” and Mars with “Die With a Smile.” For those keeping score, that would put them in a tie with Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie for second place on the Grammy song of the year nominations leaderboard. All five co-writers of “Die With a Smile” are past song of the year nominees – perhaps it was a requirement for landing the gig – Lady Gaga and Dernst Emile II (D’Mile) have each been nominated three times in the category. James Fauntleroy and Andrew Watt have each been nominated once.
Eilish and Finneas could be headed for their fifth nominations in the category for “Birds of a Feather.” They have won twice, for “Bad Guy” and their Barbie ballad “What Was I Made For?”
Max Martin could be headed for his fifth nomination in the category for co-writing Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” Martin was previously nominated in the category for co-writing Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Swift’s “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.” If this song is nominated, the Swedish hitmaker would become the first songwriter who hails from somewhere other than America or England to amass five nods in this category.
Carpenter’s camp entered “Please Please Please” in this category rather than “Espresso.” This would be the fifth nomination in this category for co-writer Antonoff, who could have two nominations in the category. As noted, he’s also a co-writer of “Fortnight.” If both songs are nominated, this would be the second year in a row that Antonoff has doubled up in this category. Last year, he was nominated for co-writing both Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and Lana Del Rey’s “A&W.” (Unlike his top client, Swift, Antonoff has won in the category. He shared the award in 2013 for cowriting “We Are Young” by his trio fun., featuring Janelle Monáe.)
As in record of the year, Lamar and SZA could each be headed for their fourth nominations in the category with “Not Like Us” and “Saturn,” respectively.
Daniel Nigro has two strong songs in contention – Roan’s can’t-miss “Good Luck, Babe!” (which he co-wrote with Roan and Justin Tranter) and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Obsessed” (which he co-wrote with Rodrigo and Annie Clark – a.k.a. St. Vincent). Nigro and Rodrigo have been nominated twice in this category, for “drivers license” and “vampire.” Tranter was nominated once, for co-writing Julia Michaels’ “Issues.”
Louis Bell could be headed for his third nomination in the category for co-writing “I Had Some Help.” Hozier could be headed for his second for co-writing “Too Sweet.” Boone could be headed for his first for co-writing “Beautiful Things.”
Jelly Roll’s “I Am Not Okay” has a positive message about the importance of greater openness about mental health and self-care issues. It could appeal to some of the same voters who delivered a song of the year nomination to “1-800-273-8255,” about suicide prevention, seven years ago. Jelly Roll sang “I Am Not Okay” over the In Memoriam spot on the Primetime Emmys.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is eligible here, though some voters may nick it in this category for leaning heavily on an earlier hit. The song interpolates J-Kwon’s 2004 single “Tipsy.”
Musgraves is a contender for “Deeper Well,” which she co-wrote with Ian Fitzchuk and Daniel Tashian. Their “camera roll” was nominated for best country song three years ago.
Our Fearless Forecast
“Beautiful Things,” Evan Blair, Benson Boone, Jackson Lafrantz Larsen
“Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell
“Die With a Smile,” James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Dernst Emile II, Bruno Mars, Andrew Watt
“Fortnight,” Jack Antonoff, Post Malone, Taylor Swift
“Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan, Daniel Nigro, Justin Tranter
“Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
“Please Please Please,” Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, Sabrina Carpenter
“Texas Hold ’Em,” Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq
The last seven winners in this category – Alessia Cara, Dua Lipa, Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, Rodrigo, Samara Joy and Victoria Monét – have been women solo artists. This tied the record established in 1997-2003, when the winners were LeAnn Rimes, Paula Cole, Lauryn Hill, Christina Aguilera, Shelby Lynne, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones. Since Roan and Carpenter are widely seen as this year’s front-runners in this category, a new record will likely be set in February.
Several key contenders won new artist prizes at other top award shows. RAYE won best new artist at the Brit Awards on March 2, while The Last Dinner Party won their rising star award. Megan Moroney won new female artist of the year at the ACM Awards on May 16. Roan won best new artist at the MTV VMAs on Sept. 11. The Red Clay Strays won best emerging act of the year at the Americana Honors & Awards on Sept. 18. Sexxy Red won best breakthrough artist at the BET Hip Hop Awards on Oct. 15.
RAYE hasn’t fully broken through in the U.S. yet, but she may have made enough of an impact to be nominated here. Eleven past winners of the Brits’ new artist prize have at least been nominated for best new artist at the Grammys – The Human League (1982), Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1985), Lisa Stansfield (1990), Keane (2005), Duffy (2009), Ed Sheeran (2012), Bastille (2014), Sam Smith (2015), Dua Lipa (2018), Arlo Parks (2021) and Wet Leg (2023).
Though the original version of Swims’ “Lose Control” isn’t eligible for record of the year, he is eligible here. (The rules in this category are more elastic.) He is a strong candidate thanks both to that Hot 100-topping hit and its hit follow-up, “The Door.”
Richman’s first studio album, Coyote, was released after the close of the eligibility year. He made the eligibility list anyway because he had met the minimum requirement of five singles or tracks. One of them was the No. 2 Hot 100 smash “Million Dollar Baby.”
The Hanseroth Twins – Phil and Tim – have a good shot at a nomination. They have amassed 10 Grammy nominations, including three wins – best American roots song for co-writing Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke,” best country song for co-writing Tanya Tucker’s “Bring My Flowers Now” and best rock song for co-writing Carlile’s “Broken Horses.” They are eligible here because this was determined to be the year they achieved prominence as artists. They wouldn’t be the first best new artist nominees who had previous nominations for behind-the-scenes work. Monét, who won best new artist in February, had three previous nominations. FINNEAS, who was nominated in this category three years ago, had nine previous nominations (including eight wins).
Blackpink has yet to receive a Grammy nomination, but that group’s LISA could be headed for a best new artist nomination. She would be the first K-pop artist to be nominated in this category.
Shaboozey is almost certain to be nominated here. Four other country-leaning artists also have a shot – Dasha, whose “Austin” reached No. 3 on Hot Country Songs and No. 18 on the Hot 100; HARDY and Cody Johnson, each of whom have received two new artist of the year nods at the CMA Awards; and Brittney Spencer, who (like Shaboozey) is featured on Cowboy Carter.
One fun note: Two of the leading candidates, Boone and Carpenter, share a surname with past winners in this category. Debby Boone won in 1978. Karen and Richard Carpenter won in 1971. Alas, there is no previous winner named Roan.
Our Fearless Forecast
Benson Boone
Sabrina Carpenter
Megan Moroney
RAYE
Chappell Roan
Sexxy Red
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
“Let ’Em In,” the title of a Wings hit from 1976, also seemed to be the Grammy Screening Committee’s guiding principle in deciding who to allow to compete for best new artist this year. Sabrina Carpenter, who is on her sixth album, was ruled eligible, as was Megan Moroney, who had a No. 30 hit on the Hot 100 in May 2023 with “Tennessee Orange.”
Moroney is nominated for new artist of the year the CMA Awards for the second year in a row. HARDY, who was nominated in that category at the CMAs in both 2021 and 2022, is also eligible this year. So is Cody Johnson, who was nominated in that category at the CMAs in both 2019 and 2022.
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How can an artist who has released six albums be eligible for best new artist? Because, while the Grammys set a minimum number of releases an artist must have to qualify in this category (five singles/tracks or one album), there is no maximum. Instead, the Grammys’ rules and guidelines booklet says nominations for the honor hinge on when “the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence” — and it delegates that determination to a screening committee.
So Carpenter’s eligibility came down to whether the screening committee thought she had achieved prominence as of Sept. 15, 2023, the last day of the previous eligibility year. At that point, the highest she had ever climbed on the Billboard Hot 100 was a decidedly decaf No. 48, for “Skin” in February 2021. The committee decided that so-so showing did not constitute prominence, and that she made her big breakthrough in this eligibility year.
As for the other artists mentioned, the committee likewise decided that this was the year they achieved a breakthrough or prominence. The committee’s oft-stated aim is to be inclusive rather than exclusive, and they demonstrated that this year.
Many of the eligible artists have been nominated for new artist awards at other awards shows in the past year. Chappell Roan, who many see as this year’s Grammy front-runner in this category, won best new artist at the VMAs in September. Benson Boone, Shaboozey and Teddy Swims were on the initial list of nominees at the VMAs but they didn’t make the final three. They’re all eligible here.
Moroney, Shaboozey and Nate Smith are all nominees for new artist of the year at the CMAs on Nov. 20. They are eligible here.
4Batz, Bossman Dlow, October London and Sexxy Red were nominated for best new artist at the BET Awards and are eligible here. Bossman Dlow, Sexyy Red and Tommy Richman are nominated for best new artist at the upcoming BET Hip Hop Awards and are eligible here.
The Red Clay Strays won emerging act of the year at the Americana Music Honors and Awards in September. They’re also eligible here and will likely do well with Grammy voters.
RAYE, who won best new artist and swept many other awards at the Brit Awards in March, is likewise eligible here.
Other buzzy artists on the eligibility list, not already mentioned, include Artemas, Ateez, Barry Can’t Swim, beabadoobee, Central Cee, Ivan Cornejo, Dasha, Djo, Doechii, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Feid, Fireboy DML, Fletcher, Flo Milli, 42 Dugg, Grupo Frontera, Kate Hudson, Knox, David Kushner, The Last Dinner Party, Le Sserafim, Carin Leon, LISA, Mannequin Pussy, Lizzy McAlpine, Michael Marcagi, Reneé Rapp, Rema, Maggie Rose, Royel Otis, Jojo Siwa, Myles Smith, Brittney Spencer, Tigirlily Gold, Myke Towers, Waxahatchee, Koe Wetzel, Remi Wolf and Young Miko.
Artists are allowed to appear on the entry list for best new artist three times, after which they are ruled ineligible for future consideration. That rule came into play this year with Tate McRae, who had been entered three previous times and thus could not compete again.
As it turns out, almost every artist who pundits thought might be eligible made the list. Two who did not are GloRilla and Anne Wilson, both of whom had previous Grammy nominations. That almost always results in disqualification.
The rules in this category have changed over the years as the Recording Academy has struggled to strike just the right balance: not too strict, not too lenient. In the past, the academy has sometimes disqualified artists for reasons that may now seem petty; take Whitney Houston, who had recorded a couple of duets prior to releasing her debut album and was therefore deemed ineligible, or singer-songwriter Richard Marx, who had contributed a song to a soundtrack. Other times, the academy has leaned too far in the other direction. Robert Goulet won in 1963, two years after he became a star in the Broadway musical Camelot. When Alessia Cara claimed the prize in 2018, it was nearly two years after her ballad “Here” hit the top five on the Hot 100.
Three past winners for best new artist — Crosby, Stills & Nash (who won in 1970), Jody Watley (1988) and Lauryn Hill (1999) — wouldn’t be eligible under today’s rules. David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash were all already known for their work in previous groups, as were Watley (in Shalamar) and Hill (Fugees).
A total 323 artists are eligible for best new artist this year, down from 405 last year. This year’s tally is the lowest in this category in five years.
By allowing Carpenter to compete for best new artist this year, the Recording Academy has made the race more competitive and unpredictable. What might have been a shoo-in for Chappell Roan will now be a more spirited contest. Place your bets.
Many Grammy winners for best new artist have gone on to long and distinguished careers. The Beatles, the GOAT of all groups, won the award in 1965. Mariah Carey, the queen of Christmas and one of the top artists in pop and R&B history, won in 1991. Adele, who has the longest-running No. 1 album by a solo woman in Billboard 200 history, won in 2012. Billie Eilish, who won nine Grammys and two Oscars before her 23rd birthday, won in 2020.
Two eventual EGOT recipients, Marvin Hamlisch and John Legend, are past best new artist winners.
Other past winners of note include Bobby Darin (the first winner, in 1959), Jose Feliciano, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Carpenters, Carly Simon, Natalie Cole, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Sade, Bruce Hornsby & the Range, Tracy Chapman, Toni Braxton, Sheryl Crow, LeAnn Rimes, Lauryn Hill, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood and Sam Smith.
All of the aforementioned acts have received at least one additional Grammy nomination since their best new artist wins. But 13 past winners for best new artist haven’t been nominated for a Grammy since their night of glory. We’re not including this year’s winner, Victoria Monét, because she obviously hasn’t had an opportunity yet to add to her nomination tally.
We’re also not including four groups that haven’t been nominated since winning best new artist because one or more members were nominated on their own. America wasn’t nominated after winning in 1973, but Dan Peek, a member of that trio, was, for best gospel performance, contemporary or inspirational, for his album All Things Are Possible. Culture Club wasn’t nominated after winning in 1984, but Boy George was, twice – best pop vocal performance, male for “The Crying Game” and best dance recording for “When Will You Learn.”
Hootie & the Blowfish weren’t nominated after winning in 1996, but Darius Rucker won best country solo performance for “Wagon Wheel.” And fun. wasn’t nominated after winning in 2013 (no surprise since they haven’t released another album since their win), but Jack Antonoff and Nate Ruess have both been nominated since that night. Ruess received two nods for “Just Give Me a Reason,” his hit collab with P!nk. Antonoff has won nine Grammys since that night.
Here’s a list of past winners for best new artist who haven’t been nominated for a Grammy since.
Robert Goulet
08/12/2024
Remarkably, 10 of those 14 artists are women.
08/12/2024
Victoria Monét won her long overdue first Grammy on Sunday night (Feb. 4), beating Noah Kahan, Jelly Roll and Ice Spice, among others, for the coveted best new artist trophy. She also won best R&B album for Jaguar II and best engineered album, non-classical. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
Seasoned veterans dominated in this year’s major Grammy categories, but come time for the best new artist reveal, it’ll be eight of music’s freshest faces that get a moment to shine.
The rising stars in the running for 2024’s best new artist span all ages, backgrounds and genres, but they all have one thing in common — each one shook up their respective corners of the music world in the past year alone. For starters, there’s Ice Spice, who collaborated with Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift, scored four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed a feature on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie soundtrack in 2023. (The 24-year-old may also be the first nominee to ever drop a song with the word “fart” in its title just days before the Grammy ceremony.)
Speaking of Swift — who is nominated six times this year — the pop superstar has two musicians to root for in the best new artist race. In addition to Ice, she’s also buddies with 24-year-old Gracie Abrams, who opened for a slew of Eras Tour dates last year after dropping her long awaited debut album Good Riddance. The “Anti-Hero” singer was one of the first people to congratulate Abrams when the nominations dropped in November, as the indie pop darling previously revealed to Billboard.
Who else did Abrams celebrate with? Fellow nominee Noah Kahan, whose Stick Season has been a mainstay on the charts since its 2023 re-release. “Noah FaceTimed me immediately, and he’s just the f–king best ever,” she gushed at the time. “We kind of were just screaming at each other on the phone like, ‘Let’s pregame and sit with our moms at the awards!’”
When it comes to the country space, however, possibly no one’s name was brought up more this year than Jelly Roll’s. The genre-bending Nashville native made history on the rock and country charts this year thanks to his single “Need A Favor.”
Longtime Ariana Grande collaborator Victoria Monét is also getting her flowers at this year’s awards. She’s the only best new artist nominee this year to also have a nod in one of the other “Big Four” categories, with her song “On My Mama” making the running for record of the year.
Rounding out the category are “ICU” singer Coco Jones, English DJ fred again.. and husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty. Most of the candidates brushed shoulders and gave performances at Spotify’s best new artist party Thursday night (Feb. 1), one of many Grammy week events in the build-up to the big night.
And though it’s ultimately up to the Recording Academy to whom the award goes, you have the chance to decide below. Vote for who you think should take the best new artist crown at the 2024 Grammys here:
Spotify‘s annual best new artist party is returning for Grammy Week 2024.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, the streamer will showcase live performances from Grammys best new artist nominees Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, Victoria Monet and Jelly Roll, among others, at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. The event kicks off at 7 p.m.
“2024 marks eight years since launching Spotify’s Best New Artist campaign and seven years that we have hosted the party to honor the nominees,” says Jeremy Erlich, Spotify’s global head of music, in a statement. “Our mission is to support new artists and artist development, and BNA is a moment to honor the best of the best. It’s been incredible to celebrate with the artists and their teams and see this event grow to what it has become today.”
“Our team has been working for months to bring this event to life,” added Joe Hadley, Spotify’s global head of music partnerships & audience. “Not only do we get to celebrate the artists, but we also get to lift up our partners on the labels, publishers, management and industry teams who we work with day in and day out. Spotify prides itself on being the premiere partner for artists of all stages and their teams. It’s a privilege to not only showcase the incredible art being made but also bring opportunities to artists that help propel careers to the next level.”
The year’s other best new artist nominees are Fred again.., Ice Spice, Coco Jones and The War and Treaty.
Spotify first hosted its best new artist Grammy party in 2017, when it showcased performances by two nominees: The Chainsmokers and Maren Morris. Last year, the party featured performances from all 10 best new artist nominees — Anitta, Omar Apollo, Domi & JD Beck, Muni Long, Latto, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle, Wet Leg and eventual winner Samara Joy — at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.
The 10 2023 Latin Grammy nominees for best new artist showed what they’re made of on Tuesday night (Nov. 14) at the Best New Artist Showcase. The event hosted by the Latin Recording Academy for the second consecutive year highlights and promotes these emerging talents.
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From Colombian singer-songwriter Maréh to Puerto Rican artist GALE, Brazilian singer Natascha Falcão, Mexican band Conexión Divina, Colombian pop/rock trio Timø, Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina and more, one-by-one they took the stage to perform a song of their own and another one by an artist who’s inspired them.
“This is a very significant event within Latin Grammy Week because it elevates the nominees in the category of best new artist, and this category gives life to a fundamental part of the Academy’s mission, which is to celebrate the new generation of creators and support them on their path on the world stages,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, at the beginning of the ceremony.
“With these types of initiatives we reaffirm our commitment to supporting new talents. Especially… where diversity and inclusion are promoted,” he added. “The 10 nominees who will perform on this stage today represent precisely that, and they require your full support.”
Held at the Centro Cultural Magallanes in Seville, Spain, the showcase began with host David Bisbal — winner of the Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2003 — performing a medley of hits, including “Esclavo de sus Besos,” “Bulería” and “Ave María,” which got the crowd dancing. “Twenty years ago I was nominated to this same award, so I can understand perfectly what this means to them,” the Spaniard star said.
This year, each nominee was introduced by a well-known artist who served as their “godparent.” Carlos Vives supported Colombian singer Ana del Castillo, saying that she “represents the female revolution of vallenato”; Christian Nodal presented Conexión Divina, noting that “regional Mexican music is experiencing a historic moment largely thanks” to young people like them; Yotuel introduced GALE, whom he called “an incredible musician… [whose] spirit will make her conquer the whole world”; and Gaby Moreno backed Joaquina, whom she praised for her “tremendous talent for capturing experiences and feelings of her generation.”
The latter two were among the most applauded of the night, with Joaquina performing a cover of “Es Por Ti” by Juanes accompanied by the in-house band and a powerful piano rendition (which she played herself) of her ballad “Rabia”. GALE, who closed the showcase, played her hit “Problemas” and Shakira’s “Inevitable.”
Other nominees who had outstanding performances included Mexican singer Paola Guanche, who presented her soulful ballad “Prohibido” and Celia Cruz’s classic “Bemba Colorá;” Conexión Divina, with their sublime “Odio” and Marco Antonio Solís’ “Si No Te Hubieras Ido;” and the Brazilian Falcão with a beautiful performance of her song in Portuguese “Banho de Flor.”
Maréh brought some bossa nova flavor with “Amuleto” and also performed “Pedro Navaja” by Rubén Blades; León Leiden sang “A Thousand Ways” and Miguel Bosé’s “Morena Mía;” Ana del Castillo performed “A Medias” and a cover of “Amores Extraños” by Laura Pausini; Mexican Borja “Rimas del Verbo Amar” and Alejandro Sanz’s “Y Si Fuera Ella;” and Timø “Conquistar El Planeta” plus “Mariposa Tecknicolor” by Fito Páez.
The annual Latin Grammys — which will be held outside the United States for the first time — will be broadcast from the Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain on Thursday (Nov. 16) at 8 p.m. ET on Univision, UniMás and Galavisión in the U.S., and at 10:30 p.m. CET on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain. Danna Paola, Sebastián Yatra, Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega will serve as co-hosts.
What constitutes a new artist? It’s a question that’s likely on the minds of many who have pored over the list of best new artist nominees at next year’s Grammys.
Indeed, this year’s crop — announced along with the rest of the nominees on Friday (Nov. 10) — includes several acts with notably deep discographies. Jelly Roll — one of 2023’s biggest breakthroughs — started releasing a long string of albums more than a decade ago. Victoria Monét put out her debut EP way back in 2015. And prior to releasing this year’s Lover’s Game, Americana duo The War and Treaty already had three albums under their belt and years of experience outside the band before that.
This is far from a new phenomenon. Chance the Rapper, who won best new artist in 2017, had released three albums prior to winning the award. Lizzo had also put out three full-lengths, including her breakthrough smash Cuz I Love You, prior to her 2020 nomination in the category. And the category’s 2011 winner, Esperanza Spalding, had likewise put out a trio of albums prior to taking home the award.
Some of this is the result of The Recording Academy changing the eligibility criteria over the last decade-and-a-half. After Lady Gaga was deemed ineligible for best new artist in 2010 because she’d been nominated for a Grammy for best dance recording the year prior, the academy updated its rules to allow previous nominees to be nominated for best new artist — just as long as they hadn’t actually won a Grammy, or released an entire album.
Six years after that, the academy again updated the eligibility requirements “to remove the album barrier given current trends in how new music and developing artists are released and promoted.” It also required artists to have “released a minimum of five singles/tracks or one album, but no more than 30 singles/tracks or three albums” in order to qualify.
In 2020, the academy updated the requirements once more by declining to specify the “maximum number of releases” an artist could put out before being deemed ineligible. Instead, it stated that “screening committees will determine whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year.” Today, the academy officially describes the category as recognizing “an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.” In sum, the definition of “new” has become more open-ended than ever.
That may be why this year’s group of nominees is arguably one of the most head-scratching in Grammys history. Below, we take a look at just how “new” this year’s best new artist nominees really are.
The 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony will be telecast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.
Gracie Abrams
Image Credit: Danielle Neu
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