Grammys
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The fourth edition of Jacob Collier’s musically ambitious and Grammy-decorated Djesse project will be released on Feb. 29, 2024, through Hajanga / Decca / Interscope.
Collier won a Grammy for a track from each of the first three volumes in this franchise. If his goal is to keep that streak going, he could hardly have picked a better duet partner for his newly released single from the album: Grammy favorite Brandi Carlile, who joins him on the hypnotic ballad “Little Blue.”
“‘Little Blue’ is such a gorgeous song and Jacob is a generational talent,” Carlile said in a statement. “I spend an embarrassing amount of time following him and studying his mind-bendingly beautiful music. Getting to climb inside of it and be a part of his creation is a wonderful twist of fate.”
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The new album already contains a Grammy-nominated track — “Never Gonna Be Alone” (featuring Lizzy McAlpine and John Mayer), which was nominated two years ago (when it was a stand-alone single) for best arrangement, instruments and vocals. Collier and McAlpine co-wrote the song. The album will also contain Collier’s recent single “WELLLL,” a pop/rock track which he co-wrote with Remi Wolf.
Collier won best arrangement, instruments and vocals for a remake of Lionel Richie’s 1983 smash “All Night Long (All Night)” (featuring Take 6) from Djesse Vol. 1; best arrangement, instrumental or acapella for a remake of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer’s Oscar- and Grammy-winning “Moon River” from Djesse Vol. 2; and best arrangement, instruments and vocals for “He Won’t Hold You” (featuring Rapsody), an original song from Djesse Vol 3.
Collier’s Grammy winning streak pre-dates his Djesse project. He won two Grammys for tracks from his 2016 debut album In My Room. A remake of Stevie Wonder’s “You and I” (which was a highlight of Wonder’s 1972 album Talking Book) won best arrangement, instrumental or acapella. A remake of The Flintstones TV theme (which was introduced in 1962) brought Collier the award for best arrangement, instruments and vocals.
Collier, who was born in London, is the first British artist to win a Grammy for each of his first four albums.
Collier, 29, first gained widespread notice three years ago when Djesse, Vol. 3 was nominated for album of the year. (It lost to Taylor Swift’s Folklore.)
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The first three Djesse volumes featured a diverse roster of nearly 25 guest artists, also including JoJo, Steve Vai, Jessie Reyez, T-Pain, Kimbra, Tank and the Bangas, Daniel Caesar, Ty Dolla Sign and Tori Kelly — plus Collier’s mom, Suzie Collier.
In the midst of working on Djesse, Collier started turning each of his concert audiences – from rock clubs to Lincoln Center, and even festivals like Bonnaroo and Glastonbury – into sprawling, improvised choirs. Having recorded each of his 80+ audience choirs, roughly 150,000 different voices play a role in the story and creation of Djesse Vol. 4.
In a statement, Collier reflected on the life-changing Djesse project: “Five years ago, in the wake of a musical journey that had begun in solitude, I set out on an epic adventure with a big dream – a collaborative quadruple album, and by way of that – to learn music, and life, from the greatest teachers of all – my heroes.
“In many ways, Djesse Vol. 4 is an album that’s taken me 30 years to make. It is, to me, a celebration of humankind – the way that I see it and hear it, built with musicians from every corner of the world. To be culminating this collaborative experiment with a 100,000 voice audience-choir, a sound that permeates the heart of this album, feels like I’ve found the heart of it. My voice is only ever as full as the voices around me. Everyone is welcome, and part of the tapestry. And most of all, creating this album has reminded me that life is full of magic, if only we can remember to look for it in each other.”
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Collier has collaborated extensively with Coldplay, appearing on their 2021 album Music of the Spheres, performing with them as a featured guest at their Wembley Stadium shows last summer and on Saturday Night Live in February. Collier co-wrote, co-produced and was featured on “Human Heart” (which also featured We Are King). Collier received a Grammy nod as a songwriter, producer and featured artist on Music of the Spheres, an album of the year nominee last year.
Collier received a Grammy nod for best R&B song two years ago for co-writing SZA’s “Good Days.” The song is featured on her album SOS, which topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks and is considered a sure thing to receive a Grammy nod for album of the year. But because of a Grammy rule change this year, where the Academy instituted a baseline requirement of 20% of playing time for a participant to receive an album of the year nod, Collier will not be in line for a Grammy nod for that contribution to the album.
His other Grammy nods, not already mentioned (he has received 11) are for best R&B performance for “All I Need” (featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla Sign), a track from Djesse Vol. 3 and best arrangement, instruments and vocals for a remake of the 1946 Nat King Cole Trio classic “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), which was a stand-alone single for Collier.
Collier also co-wrote and performed on seven tracks of Stormzy’s 2022 album This Is What I Mean.
09/19/2023
Taylor Swift, SZA and Olivia Rodrigo could be headed for nods in each of the top three categories.
09/19/2023
After The New York Times reported that controversial artist Ghostwriter submitted the A.I.-generated song “Heart on My Sleeve” for Grammy consideration, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is refuting its eligibility in a short Instagram video shared Thursday (Sept. 7).
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In the clip, Mason Jr. walks back on his original comments in the Times article, in which he had previously deemed “Heart on My Sleeve” — the song that mimics Drake and The Weeknd’s voices — as “absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to clear up some of this bad and really inaccurate information that’s starting to float around,” he said in the video. “This version of ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ using the A.I. voice modeling that sounds like Drake and The Weeknd, it’s not eligible for Grammy consideration.”
“Let me be extra, extra clear, even though it was written by a human creator, the vocals were not legally obtained, the vocals were not cleared by the label or the artists and the song is not commercially available and because of that, it’s not eligible,” he continued.
He later added, “I take this [A.I.] stuff very seriously. It’s all complicated, and it’s moving, really, really quickly. I’m sure things are going to continue to have to evolve and change. But please, please, do not be confused. The Academy is here to support and advocate and protect and represent human artists, and human creators period.”
The Times reported that Ghostwriter submitted “Heart on My Sleeve” for song of the year and best rap song for the 2024 ceremony. The song was pulled from streaming services in April, and UMG slammed its usage of A.I. to generate vocals, and said that it demonstrated “why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists.”
Watch Mason Jr.’s full explanation of the song’s non-eligibility below.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” this week becomes one of only four singles in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to log 16 or more weeks at No. 1. So, does that mean it’s a lock for a Grammy nomination for record of the year? Its chances are good, but Grammy voters don’t always follow the lead of music fans.
The three previous singles to spend 16 or more weeks at No. 1 – Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus), Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee‘s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber) and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” – were all nominated for record of the year, though none of them won.
And numerous long-running No. 1 hits weren’t nominated in any Grammy categories. The list includes Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll,” Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” Andy Gibb‘s “Shadow Dancing,” Chic‘s “Le Freak,” Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’” and Tommy Edwards‘ “It’s All in the Game.”
“Last Night” is a multi-format hit, which will work in its favor. And Wallen has been one of the most dominant record sellers of the past few years. But he has yet to even be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s still no evidence that Grammy voters are ready to move on from the 2021 incident where he was videotaped using a racial slur. Also, another country smash, Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” is a formidable record of the year candidate. Both could be among the eight nominees in this category, but that would defy recent Grammy patterns. We haven’t had a year with two or more country hits nominated for record of the year since 1977.
Let’s look back at the five (more in the case of ties) longest-running No. 1 hits of each of the last eight decades (or partial decades) to see how they fared at the Grammys. Conveniently, the Hot 100 and the Grammys started in the same year – 1958. That first Grammy eligibility year began on Jan. 1 of that year. The Hot 100 launched seven months later (on Aug. 4).
We show the number of nominations each song received and list those categories. We also show the number of wins—and also list those categories. (We counted only nominations for that specific track or song, not for the album on which it appeared or the artist in general, or other tracks by that artist.)
The 2020s (2020-23 to date)
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night”: 16 weeks at No. 1 (so far) in 2023. Grammy status to be determined.
Harry Styles’ “As It Was”: 15 weeks at No. 1 in 2022. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); no wins (though Styles won album of the year).
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You“: 12 weeks at No. 1 from 2019-23. No nods. Note: Carey was nominated for best female pop vocal performance for “Hero” in 1994, when this was first released and thus eligible.
Roddy Ricch’s “The Box”: 11 weeks at No. 1 in 2020. 3 nods (song of the year, best melodic rap performance, best rap song); no wins.
BTS’ “Butter”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Adele’s “Easy on Me”: 10 weeks at No. 1 in 2021-22. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop solo performance, best music video); one win (best pop solo performance).
The 2010s
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus): A record 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2019. 3 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best music video), 2 wins (best pop duo/group performance, best music video).
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” (featuring Justin Bieber): 16 weeks in 2017. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (featuring Bruno Mars): 14 weeks in 2015. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance).
Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (featuring T.I. + Pharrell): 12 weeks in 2013. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” (featuring Charlie Puth): 12 weeks in 2015. 3 nods (song of the year, best pop duo/group performance, best song written for visual media); no wins.
The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” (featuring Halsey): 12 weeks in 2016. 1 nod (best pop duo/group performance); no wins.
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You”: 12 weeks in 2017. 1 nod (best pop solo performance), 1 win (best pop solo performance).
The 2000s
Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together”: 14 weeks in 2005. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song); 2 wins (best female R&B vocal performance, best R&B song).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”: 14 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals); 1 win (best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals).
Eminem’s “Lose Yourself”: 12 weeks in 2002-03. 5 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best male rap solo performance, best rap song, best song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media); 2 wins (best male rap solo performance, best rap song).
Usher’s “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris): 12 weeks in 2004. 2 nods (record of the year, best rap/sung collaboration); 1 win (best rap/sung collaboration).
The Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”: 12 weeks in 2009. 2 nods (best dance recording, best short form music video); 1 win (best short form music video).
The 1990s
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day”: 16 weeks in 1995-96. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop collaboration with vocals), no wins.
Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”: 14 weeks in 1992-93. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, best pop vocal performance, female).
Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”: 14 weeks in 1994. 3 nods (record of the year, best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song); 2 wins (best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal, best rhythm and blues song).
Los Del Rio’s “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”: 14 weeks in 1996. No nods.
Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997”/“Something About the Way You Look Tonight”: 14 weeks in 1997-98. 1 nod (best male pop vocal performance); 1 win (best male pop vocal performance).
The 1980s
Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”: 10 weeks in 1981-82. 1 nod (best pop video performance, female); no wins.
Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love”: 9 weeks in 1981. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”: 8 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); 2 wins (song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal).
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ “I Love Rock n’ Roll”: 7 weeks in 1982. No nods.
Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder’s “Ebony and Ivory”: 7 weeks in 1982. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal); no wins.
Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”: 7 weeks in 1983. 3 nods (song of the year, best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song); 2 wins (best R&B vocal performance, male, best rhythm & blues song). Note: Another of Jackson’s 1983 hits, “Beat It,” won for record of the year.
The 1970s
Debby Boone’s “You Light Up My Life”: 10 weeks in 1977. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, female); 1 win (song of the year).
Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”: 8 weeks in 1976-77. No nods.
Bee Gees’ “Night Fever”: 8 weeks in 1978.No nods. (“Stayin’ Alive,” which had half as many weeks at No. 1, brought the group Grammy glory that year, with nods for record and song of the year.)
Andy Gibb’s “Shadow Dancing”: 7 weeks in 1978. No nods.
Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”: 6 weeks in 1970. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)); 4 wins (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s)).
Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1971. 2 nods (record of the year, best pop vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus); no wins.
Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”: 6 weeks in 1972. 2 nods (record of the year, song of the year); 2 wins (record of the year, song of the year).
Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again (Naturally)”: 6 weeks in 1972. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal performance, male); no wins.
Chic’s “Le Freak”: 6 weeks in 1978-79. No nods.
The Knack’s “My Sharona”: 6 weeks at No. 1 in 1979. 1 nod (best rock vocal performance by a duo or group); no wins.
The 1960s
Percy Faith & His Orchestra’s “The Theme from A Summer Place”: 9 weeks in 1960. 4 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best arrangement, best performance by an orchestra); 1 win (record of the year).
The Beatles’ “Hey Jude”: 9 weeks in 1968. 3 nods (record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary-pop performance by a vocal duo or group); no wins.
Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ and Turnin’”: 7 weeks in 1961. No nods.
The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand”: 7 weeks in 1964. 1 nod (record of the year); no wins.
The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer”: 7 weeks in 1966-67. 2 nods (best performance by a vocal group, best contemporary group performance (vocal or instrumental); no wins.
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”: 7 weeks in 1968-69. 1 nod (best rhythm & blues vocal performance, male); no wins.
The 1950s (1958-59)
Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife”: 9 weeks in 1959. 2 nods (record of the year, best vocal performance, male); 1 win (record of the year).
Sheb Wooley’s “The Purple People Eater”: 6 weeks on the Best Sellers and Top 100 charts in 1958 (prior to the inception of the Hot 100). No nods.
Tommy Edwards’ “It’s All in the Game”: 6 weeks in 1958. No nods.
Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans”: 6 weeks in 1959. 2 nods song of the year, best country & western performance); 2 wins (song of the year, best country & western performance).
Note: Danny & the Juniors‘ “At the Hop,” the longest-running No. 1 hit of 1958 (7 weeks at No. 1 on the Top 100 chart), was released in 1957 and thus was ineligible for the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1958.
The death of Robbie Robertson on Wednesday (Aug. 9) has put a spotlight on The Band, the ground-breaking group in which he teamed with Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel. The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 1989. […]
In celebration of Taylor Swift’s six sold-out SoFi Stadium shows in the Los Angeles area starting this week, the Grammy Museum presents a special pop-up exhibit, “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (At Grammy Museum),” open now through Sept. 18.
The exhibit, which is on display in the museum’s fourth floor theater gallery, immerses the visitor into the world of Swift’s recent “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” music video, with a display of 11 costumes and two instruments from the video. The costumes were all worn during Swift’s original Speak Now era.
The music video features actors Joey King and Taylor Lautner breaking Swift out of a museum vault while Presley Cash waits in the getaway car. This is said to be a symbolic representation of how it has felt for Swift to have her fans help her reclaim her music through their support of her first three “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings, all of which have entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1. Swift wrote and directed the music video, with help from director of photography Jonathan Sela, ASC.
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“Taylor Swift is about to make history in Los Angeles by setting the SoFi stadium record for the most performances as a headliner,” Jasen Emmons, chief curator and vice president of curatorial affairs at the Grammy Museum, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to honor this achievement by creating an immersive space for her fans and our community to continue celebrating her all month long.”
Swift’s Speak Now album topped the Billboard 200 for six weeks in 2010-11. The album spawned five top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Mine” (No. 3), “Back to December” (No. 6), “Mean” (No. 11), “Sparks Fly” (No. 17) and “Ours” (No. 13). The album received a Grammy nomination for best country album, but was passed over for an album of the year nod. “Mean,” which Swift wrote in response to her critics, won two Grammys – best country solo performance and best country song.
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) spent its first two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It is the first of the “Taylor’s Version” re-releases to accomplish that feat.
For more information regarding ticket reservations for the exhibit, visit the Grammy Museum’s website.
Exhibit highlights include 13 artifacts, all of which were worn or played by Swift during her original Speak Now era. The first nine artifacts listed here are from the Speak Now tour:
Swift’s vintage lace dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Eric Winterling dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s custom REEM ACRA dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Valentino gown from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Susan Hilferty dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Jenny Packham dress from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Gibson Les Paul red sparkle top guitar from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Deering banjo from her Speak Now Tour
Swift’s Zara dress from her “Mine” music video
Swift’s Temperley dress from her “Mean” music video
Swift’s vintage flapper-style dress from her “Mean” music video
Joey King’s Monsoon white dress and wig from Swift’s “Mean” music video
Sinead O’Connor made history at the seventh annual MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 6, 1990, becoming the first woman to win for video of the year. Her striking clip for “Nothing Compares 2 U,” directed by John Maybury, took the prize, besting Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun,” Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence” and Madonna’s “Vogue.”
In the VMAs’ first six years, just two women had even been nominated for the marquee award. Cyndi Lauper was nominated in 1984, the VMAs’ first year, for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Madonna was nominated in 1989 for “Like a Prayer.”
Even after O’Connor — who died at age 56 on Wednesday (July 26) — broke this barrier, it took awhile for women artists to achieve parity with men at the VMAs in this category. The award went to all-male rock bands the next four years, before TLC won in 1995 for “Waterfalls.” And then we started to see real change. Madonna and Lauryn Hill won in 1998 and 1999, for “Ray of Light” and “Doo Wop (That Thing),” respectively, marking the first time women won back-to-back awards in the category.
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Women won six years in a row from 2007-12, thanks to Rihanna (featuring Jay-Z), Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna again (this time featuring Calvin Harris).
Even though male artists and groups won 10 of the first 11 awards presented in this category, with only O’Connor busting up that streak, women have nearly caught up. Male artists and groups have won 21 times, to 18 for women.
O’Connor won two other “Moonmen” (the gender-neutral term “Moonperson” was still years in the future) that night – best female video and best post-modern video, both also for “Compares.”
When the Grammy nominations were announced at the end of 1990, O’Connor was up in four categories, including record of the year and best pop vocal performance, female. (Prince was nominated for song of the year for writing the song.)
At the inaugural Billboard Music Awards in December 1990, “Nothing Compares 2 U” won for #1 World Single. (Phil Collins’ …But Seriously was named #1 World Album.) At the Brit Awards in February 1991, she took international female solo artist against an incredibly strong field – Mariah Carey, Neneh Cherry, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Tina Turner.
When the Grammys were presented in February 1991, O’Connor won best alternative music album — which was presented for the first time that year — for I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. It was her only career Grammy win.
O’Connor received three more Grammy nominations after that night, all in music video categories – a sign of how strongly she was associated with the art form after “Nothing Compares 2 U.” She was nominated for the Year of the Horse long-form video and two short-form videos, “Fire on Babylon” and “Famine.”
When the nominations for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards are announced on Nov. 10, two country hits could be in the running for record of the year for the first time since Jimmy Carter was President.
Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” both have a very good chance of making the finals. Wallen’s song has logged 23 weeks atop Hot Country Singles. “Fast Car” has logged 12 weeks at No. 2. (Both songs dropped one rung this week, to Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, with the re-entry in the top spot of Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.”)
Combs’ hit probably has a better chance of being nominated than Wallen’s does. Combs has received six Grammy nominations over the years (though he has yet to win). And Chapman’s original version was nominated for record and song of the year. Wallen has yet to be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s no evidence yet that Grammy voters are ready to forgive and forget the 2021 incident where he was videotaped using a racial pejorative.
If both hits are nominated, this would be the first time in 46 years that two or more country hits have competed in this marquee category. (We define a country hit as a song that made the top 20 on Hot Country Songs.) In 1977, three top five country hits vied for record of the year – Crystal Gayle’s elegant torch ballad “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” (which topped the country chart for four weeks), Linda Ronstadt’s exquisite pop/country version of Roy Orbison’s 1963 pop hit “Blue Bayou” (which reached No. 2) and Debby Boone’s megahit rendition of the Oscar-winning ballad “You Light Up My Life” (which reached No. 4).
In three earlier years, two or more country hits competed for record of the year. In 1967, Glen Campbell’s sublime reading of Jimmy Webb’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (a No. 2 country hit) vied with Bobbie Gentry’s enigmatic pop/country crossover smash “Ode to Billie Joe” (a No. 17 country hit).
The following year, for the first and so far only time in Grammy history, three No. 1 country hits competed for record of the year. They were Jeannie C. Riley’s reading of Tom T. Hall’s “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Bobby Goldsboro’s tearjerker ballad “Honey” and Campbell’s version of another Webb classic, “Wichita Lineman.” The Riley and Goldsboro hits each topped the country chart for three weeks; Campbell’s smash headed it for two.
In 1975, Campbell’s sleek version of Larry Weiss’ “Rhinestone Cowboy” and Eagles’ “Lyin’ Eyes” competed for the prize. “Rhinestone Cowboy” topped the country chart for three weeks. “Lyin’ Eyes” reached No. 8 on the country chart.
In 1979, two record of the year nominees had charted on Hot Country Songs, but only one of them was a home-run country hit. That’s Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” which topped the country chart for three weeks on its way to becoming his signature song. The other is a pop smash – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond’s “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” – that was covered by Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, one of the top country duos of the era. Both versions entered Hot Country Singles – as the chart was then called – on Nov. 25, 1978. But whereas the version by Brown and Cornelius made the top 10, the version by Barbra & Neil stalled at No. 70. (It had star-power to burn, but you can practically hear country programmers saying “It just isn’t country.”)
In recent years, it has been hard for even one country hit to wind up with a Grammy nod for record of the year. The last five country hits to be nominated in that marquee category (again defining a country hit as a song that reached the top 20 on Hot Country Songs) were Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” (No. 19 in 2019), Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together) (No. 1 for 10 weeks in 2012), Lady A’s “Need You Now” (No. 1 for five weeks in 2010), Swift’s “You Belong With Me” (No. 1 for two weeks in 2009) and Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” (No. 1 for one week in 1998).
The Recording Academy expanded the number of nominees in each of the Big Four categories (including record of the year) from five to eight in 2018. They expanded it again to 10 in 2021, but have announced that they are dropping it back down to eight for the nominations that will be announced on Nov. 10.
The Recording Academy is accepting submissions from voting members for its second annual best song for social change award. This award recognizes creators of message-driven music that responds to the social issues of our time and has the potential for positive global impact.
This is a special merit award – not a regular, competitive Grammy Award. Entries are reviewed and the recipient is selected by a “blue-ribbon committee.”
The inaugural award was presented at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5 by first lady Jill Biden before she also presented song of the year to Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That.” The inaugural recipient was “Baraye” by Iranian singer/songwriter Shervin Hajipour.
Songs that were commercially released during the last three Grammy eligibility years – that’s Oct. 1, 2020 through Sept. 15, 2023 – are eligible for this award. The submission period began one week ago (July 17) and continues through Aug. 31.
This award, which honors singles or tracks in any musical genre, is presented to the songwriter(s). The song must include music and lyrics in any language, provided that an approved English version of the lyric is submitted.
“We’re excited to offer this award, proposed by our voting members, to recognize creators of message-driven music that responds to the social issues of our time and has the potential for positive global impact,” the Academy said in an email to its members.
The Academy also gave some prompts of specific issues that fit the award: peace, security (personal safety), human dignity, climate crisis, mental health, civil rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, anti-bullying, communities in need, voting rights, homelessness, inequality, hunger access (food security), rights of the disabled, education access, indigenous peoples/land use/resources.
Here is the Academy’s stated eligibility and selection criteria (lightly edited for space and clarity):
“The award recognizes a song that has had profound social influence and impact.
“Submissions should contain lyrical content that: a) addresses a timely social issue; b) explores a subject impacting a community of people in need; and c) promotes awareness, raises consciousness, and builds empathy.
“The song may reference previous work and may include previously recorded or published lyrical material; in addition, a significant degree of new creative and lyrical content is required. The songwriters of the new material are eligible to receive the award; determination of songwriter eligibility for previously recorded or published lyrical work will be at the discretion of the Academy.
“Recordings featuring samples or interpolations are eligible; however, in alignment with Grammy Awards rules, songwriters of sampled or interpolated material are not eligible to receive the award.
“Songs previously acknowledged as finalists for this award will notbe eligible for consideration.
“Previously Grammy-nominated and/or Grammy-winning songs are eligible for this honor as long as they meet the commercial release eligibility criteria for this award.
“Selection criteria include the lyrical content of the song, the artistic quality of the composition, and the perceived impact of the song in delivering an empowering message that brings awareness about social issues that affect the world.
“The selection criteria will be guided by the principle that social good is ‘an action that will result in a benefit being available to the general public,’ which may include songs that affirm the basic humanity of all people.
“In this context, the new award will recognize a song that promotes: Understanding – educates and /or raises awareness of other people’s experiences, advocacy, and tolerance; Peacebuilding – measures intended to create or sustain peace or freedom from dissention; Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another; Being positive – a good, affirmative, or constructive quality or attribute. In contrast, songs containing hate speech or advocating violence or terrorism would be deemed ineligible.”
So strong and deep is the tradition of the cantautor, or singer-songwriter, in Latin music that the Latin Recording Academy is carving out more space for such multifaceted artists. This year, it debuts its best songwriter of the year category as part of the also newly created songwriting field. As with the mainstream Grammy Awards, the category recognizes songwriters credited as writers or co-writers on at least six tracks where they are not the performer, producer or engineer.
In addition, another new category, best singer-songwriter song, will fall under the singer-songwriter field (which has existed since the inception of the Latin Grammy Awards almost 25 years ago and has included the best singer-songwriter album award). To be eligible for this new award, at least 51% of the lyrics on singles or tracks must be in Spanish, Portuguese or any native regional dialect and must be from a singer-songwriter album competing in the best singer-songwriter album category that year. Below are six songwriters who stand a good chance of landing in one — or both — of the newly unveiled categories.
Elena Rose
As fans wait for Elena Rose to drop her long-awaited debut album, the Venezuelan singer-songwriter has kept busy with a string of singles recorded under her own name, plus a plethora of hits in the pop and urban realms. As one of the first women to actively collaborate with reggaetón stars, Elena Rose has opened the door for a new generation of women songwriters — making her a prime pick for the first class of best songwriter of the year nominees. The prolific collaborator has co-written massive hits like Karol G and Becky G’s “MAMIII,” Bad Bunny’s “Party” and, this year, TINI and Maria Becerra’s “Miénteme.”
Edgar Barrera
Perhaps the most versatile songwriter in Latin music today, Barrera has spent over 100 weeks on Billboard’s Latin Songwriters chart, second only to Bad Bunny, thanks to credits on cross-genre hits. In the past 12 months alone, the 32-year-old has worked with regional Mexican act Grupo Frontera on all of its hits, including blockbusters like “un x100to” with Bad Bunny and “Frágil” with Yahritza y Su Esencia. He also boasts credits on Manuel Turizo’s global smashes “La Bachata” and “El Merengue,” as well as multiple singles performed by longtime collaborators Maluma and Christian Nodal, among others, making him a shoo-in for the best songwriter of the year category.
Edén Muñoz
The former frontman of norteño group Calibre 50 has emerged as a successful solo artist and a sought-after songwriter for artists like Pepe Aguilar and Christian Nodal, among others. In June, the SESAC Latina Awards honored Muñoz as regional Mexican songwriter of the year for the fourth consecutive year thanks to a long string of hits. At this year’s Latin Grammys, Muñoz may be a contender in the best singer-songwriter album and song categories with his first solo studio album, Consejos Gratis (for which he wrote 13 out of its 14 tracks), boasting clever lyrics full of wordplay with uptempo fare and romantic ballads.
Gale
The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter got her start writing for other artists while she honed her solo chops. Now, in the wake of the release of her debut album, Lo Que No Te Dije, Gale could be nominated in all three songwriting fields. Her personal strain of alt-rock and pop was highlighted throughout her album and best heard on the uptempo, rock-leaning “Problemas” (making her a likely nominee in the best singer-songwriter album and song categories). She could also be a contender in the best songwriter category thanks to co-writes for the likes of Manuel Turizo and Marshmello (“El Merengue”), Juanes (“Ojalá”) and Aitana, Emilia and Ptazeta (“Quieres”).
Juanes
The Colombian veteran arguably reshaped the singer-songwriting mold when he burst on the scene with his 2000 debut album, Fíjate Bien. In 2023, he’s still innovating, albeit in a more collaborative fashion. On his new album, Vida Cotidiana, Juanes brings in many co-writers, including Tomás Torres and Alexis Díaz-Pimienta. But the album’s standout song, “Gris,” a revealing look into his longtime marriage, is his alone. A Latin Grammy favorite, Juanes is a contender for the best singer-songwriter album and song categories.
Keityn
The Colombian songwriter-producer was ASCAP’s 2023 songwriter of the year — a perfect setup for his inclusion in the inaugural group of best songwriter nominees. A favorite co-writer for two of the biggest Colombian stars of the moment — Shakira and Karol G — he worked alongside Bizarrap and Shakira on the surprise smash “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart earlier this year. Keityn also has songwriting credits on Shakira and Karol G’s “TQG,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100. It’s no small feat for a 26-year-old — nor is regularly writing hits for Manuel Turizo, J Balvin and Maluma (including the global smash “Hawái”).
This story will appear in the July 15, 2023, issue of Billboard.