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06 Dec 2022

What Is Your Favorite Latin Collaboration of November 2022? Vote!

In a blink of an eye, November has come to an end, and the Billboard Latin editorial team has compiled a list of the best Latin collaborations that dropped last month — but which is your favorite?

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Including eight tracks that were either on the weekly First Stream Latin roundup or featured by Billboard, this month’s fan poll includes Grupo Firme and Joss Favela’s cumbia sonidera “La Bailadora,” Pablo Alborán and María Becerra’s heartfelt pop flamenco “Amigos,” Paulo Londra and Feid’s much-needed joint “A Veces,” and even the 2022 World Cup anthem “Tukoh Taka” by Nicki Minaj, Maluma and Myriam Fares, to name a few. 

In October, Juan Gabriel and Anahí’s “Dejame Vivir” won the fan poll with a whopping 94 percent of the votes. The reimagined version of the 1984 track, which originally featured Rocío Dúrcal, comes six years after Juanga’s passing.

Kany Garcia and Christian Nodal’s “La Siguiente” took the crown in September, while in August, Cuban newcomer R3ymon and Puerto Rican rapper Anonimus won the coveted fan poll with their track “Santa Diabla,” receiving more than 34 percent of the votes. Sebastian Yatra and Pablo Alboran’s “Contigo” was picked best Latin collaboration of July, with more than 50 percent of the votes, followed by CNCO and Kenia OS’ “Plutón” with more than 37 percent of the votes.

In the summer, Billboard unveiled the “Best Latin Collaborations of 2022 (So Far),” including Christina Aguilera & Ozuna’s “Santo” (January), Becky G & Karol G’s “Mamiii” (February), Sebastian Yatra & John Legend’s “Tacones Rojos (Remix)” (March), Bizarrap & Paulo Londra’s “BZRP Music Sessions #23” (April), Morat & Duki’s “Paris” (May), and Blessd & Rels B’s “Energia” (June).

Who should win the best Latin collaboration of November? Vote below!

06 Dec 2022

‘Goo Goo’ Bucks: What a ‘Wednesday’ Synch Is Worth for The Cramps

In the latest example of a stellar synch bringing in a surprise windfall, The Cramps‘ 1981 psychobilly classic “Goo Goo Muck” has become a breakout hit over the past couple of weeks.

Since Netflix’s new Addams Family spinoff Wednesday debuted on Nov. 23, including the series’ titular heroine performing dance sequence set to “Goo Goo Muck”, the track has taken off on streaming services.

In the week following the show’s release, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, The Cramps’ “Goo Goo Muck” was streamed on-demand over 2 million times in the U.S. — a more than 8,650% increase from the average 47 weeks before this year. That adds up to $11,089.85 in a single week for the Capitol Records master recording and $2,492.33 in publishing, according to Billboard estimates.

Those numbers dwarf the rest of the song’s 2022 activity — until the Wednesday dance sequence came out, “Goo Goo Muck” this year had generated a total of $130.21 per week for the master and $32.28 for the publisher. Thanks to the Wednesday synch, The Cramps’ “Goo Goo Muck” earned in total almost 78% more money in a single week than it had for the entire year.

“It’s a really amazing, fun little bonanza,” Jim Shaw, a member of the late country legend Buck Owens‘ Buckaroos, who happens to own the publishing, told Billboard last week.

Early streaming activity suggests “Goo Goo Muck,” a cover of a 1962 single by Ronnie Cook and the Gaylads, could potentially follow Kate Bush‘s renaissance when her minor 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill” landed in Stranger Things and turned into a smash. “Goo Goo Muck” had 2,500 daily on-demand streams as of Nov. 22; by Dec. 1, the track jumped to more than 209,000 daily streams, according to Luminate.

The streaming boost for “Goo Goo Muck” is a bonus on top of the upfront synch fee — the amount of which is unknown — that would have been paid on both the master recording and the publishing for the song.

Capitol reps did not respond to an interview request, but Shaw, who runs the Buck Owens Foundation, said he scored the publishing rights after the original publisher, Dave Bell, felt guilty about owing his friend Shaw “a couple thousand dollars” and offered the song instead. (Bell, who died in 2013, owned a recording studio, label and publishing company in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., and put out Cook’s original version of “Goo Goo Muck.”)

“It hasn’t really done much until recently,” Shaw says. “That’s what every songwriter, and publisher, hopes will happen. Anything they put on YouTube, they hope something goes viral.” If “Goo Goo Muck” goes full Kate Bush? “Well,” Shaw says. “[It] wouldn’t break my heart.”

06 Dec 2022

Mariah Carey Narrowly Avoids Wardrobe Malfunction With ‘On Stage Improv’: ‘It Was Just a Freestyle Moment’

Never let ’em see you sweat! Mariah Carey came close to suffering a wardrobe malfunction during an appearance in New York City on Monday night (Dec. 5), but not to worry dahhlings. Mimi always recovers.

“Oh my gosh. It was very, very close to being a full-on scandal! But we made it work,” the exasperated icon said in a video posted to her social media. Gesturing to the shoulder of her glamorous gown, Carey explained that the strap “came untethered.”

“But we got it back,” she continued. “And everybody was super professional, we got on stage, with glorious jewelry. But yeah, so I just had to make up a little song about, like, ‘We makin’ dresses, da da da da-aa,’ I don’t know what it is. But, you know, it was just a freestyle moment. It is what it was. It’s nothing great but let me just tell you this: We made it.”

Mariah also shared the clip of herself making up the song in the moment as her team furiously races to fix the errant strap on the midnight blue dress — and touch up her hair and makeup, of course. “Dress malfunction or on stage improv? How about both!” she captioned the post.

On this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (dated Dec. 10), the singer’s classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” comes roaring back to No. 2, blocked from the top spot only by Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” which is enjoying its sixth consecutive week at No. 1.

Watch Mariah recount her near-scandal below, and her hair stylist Danielle Priano’s video of the moment.

06 Dec 2022

Five Burning Questions: The Holiday 100

There’s no place like the Billboard charts for the holiday music season, and as always, our Holiday 100 is back and keeping track of the biggest seasonal hits of each week through the New Year.

This year, it’s once again the usual suspects looking to steal the Christmas No. 1 — Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is on top this week (chart dated Dec. 10), followed by Brenda Lee‘s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and Bobby Helms‘ “Jingle Bell Rock.” They’re also the three highest of the six holiday songs in the top 10 of this week’s Billboard Hot 100, though none of them have yet captured pole position, which still belongs to Taylor Swift’s secular smash “Anti-Hero.”

When, if at all, will one of the holiday perennials take over on the Hot 100? And why do newer songs never seem to be able to grow in momentum on the chart? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

1. As it always does this time of year, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is knocking on the door of the Hot 100’s top spot, moving from No. 5 to No. 2 on the chart this week. But it has a formidable hit blocking its path this time, with Taylor Swift’s six-week No. 1, “Anti-Hero.” Do you think it will depose “Anti-Hero” next week? If not, how long do you think it will take — if it does so at all?

Katie Atkinson: Oh, it’s going back to No. 1, dahling, and I think next week is the week. The current tracking period is the first full week of December, and Christmas music listeners have made the full transition. Time to get out the garland and ornaments for the Hot 100, because its most treasured Christmas star is about to be placed back on top.

Jason Lipshutz: Yeah, next week feels like the week — and that’s an unscientific read on the situation, but the “Anti-Hero”/“All I Want for Christmas Is You” battle reminds me of last year’s showdown between Mariah Carey’s holiday juggernaut and Adele’s multi-week chart-topper “Easy on Me.” “Christmas” took a few weeks into December to dislodge “Easy” during its run, and I’d surmise that it will do the same to “Anti-Hero” starting next week.

Glenn Rowley: “Anti-Hero” might be able to hold onto the crown for one more week but judging by her song’s massive gains this week, it’s clear Mariah just wants the No. 1 for her own (again). And as Christmas gets closer, the festive fervor will only go from high-pitched to full-blown whistle tone. Though I admit there’s an alternate reality in my daydreaming where Taylor’s Midnights smash holds off “ All I Want for Christmas Is You” by becoming the definitive anthem to soundtrack a Newsies-style antitrust revolution by the Swifties, a la “Seize the Day.” 

Andrew Unterberger: Mariah Carey is certainly looming, but I wouldn’t count out some last-minute sales/discounts/remixes emerging from Swift late in the week to help get her the edge she needs here. She’s done it successfully a couple times during the “Anti-Hero” run already, and she’s likely extra motivated this week, as the song is just one week away from tying “Blank Space” as her longest-running Hot 100 No. 1 to date. Once Mariah grabs the top spot, it might be close to a month before she gives it back — and who knows what else will emerge as competition in the meantime — so Swift is gonna want every week she can get for “Anti-Hero” before then. But within 2-3 weeks, it’ll be out of her hands, and Carey’s reign will commence regardless.

Christine Werthman: Swift’s hit has staying power, but Carey’s is coming like a freight train — or perhaps the Polar Express. “Anti-Hero” has been the No. 1 for the last six weeks, but it is dropping in streams, while “Christmas” is on the rise. In fact, Carey’s juggernaut is currently the most-streamed song in the U.S., and as the days tick by to Dec. 25, Carey’s smash will continue to climb, bludgeoning all that stand in its way with a stocking full of holiday cheer. It will be No. 1 soon enough. 

2. While Mariah leads on the Holiday 100, the usual challengers appear just below her in Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock.” If you had to bet on this top three either being the same for each of the next five holiday seasons, or being disrupted at some point — either by an order switch or a different song — which way would you wager?

Katie Atkinson: I’ve always wanted “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” to score even one week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, where it’s so far peaked at No. 2, but Mariah’s merry monster is a hard one to overcome. Lee recorded the song at just 13 years old and is a spry 77 today, and it would be so sweet for her to get her poinsettias while she’s still with us. But as a betting woman, I think that top three will remain in the same order for the next five yuletide seasons.

Jason Lipshutz: I’d guess that some time in the next half-decade, one of the two golden oldies (more likely “Jingle Bell Rock”) gets swapped out with something more recent, while the others persist as part of the big three. That’s not to say that either one will fall off entirely, but betting on “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock” to stay this locked into the big three, when there’s so much competition for those spots, seems improbable. Of course, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” isn’t going anywhere — that’s going to remain one of the three highest-charting holiday songs each year for the next decade, if not just stay at No. 1 that whole time.

Glenn Rowley: The short answer is a holly jolly nope. At this point, the Holiday 100 feels a bit more like Groundhog’s Day than anything else, and the longer these three tracks dominate the season, the more entrenched they seem to become. 

Andrew Unterberger: Betting on stasis with the Holiday 100 is usually the smart play, so I’ll say yes, that’s the top three for the next half-decade. That said, you never know what can pop from out of nowhere these days — and even if a new song isn’t yet powerful enough to run with the big reindeer on an annual basis, it can post a big-enough debut to at least elbow its way in with them temporarily, like Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” did last decade.

Christine Werthman: Carey will remain No. 1 for the next five holiday seasons. Looking back on this week from 2017 until now, Brenda Lee held the No. 2 spot five out of six times, bumped to No. 3 only once by Andy Williams in 2018. Bobby Helms could be the wild card, as he was absent from the top three in 2018 and 2019. I’d bet that Carey and Lee will hold fast but that the third spot will be up for grabs for a new old song over the next few years. 

3. Though Mariah’s Christmas classic will be celebrating its 30th birthday in a couple years, there are still only three songs newer than it in the top 40 of this week’s Holiday 100 – Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” (#10), Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (#14) and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” (#40). Why do you think it remains so hard for newer songs — even “newer” songs that are now a decade or two old themselves — to break into the Christmas canon? Do you see it getting easier anytime in the near or even distant future?

Katie Atkinson: There are a lot of people who assume “All I Want” is a Christmas standard, the way it recalls Phil Spector’s 1960s hits for The Ronettes or Darlene Love, and I think that classic sound is what people are yearning for in their holiday listening. The next-closest new song, “Underneath the Tree,” plays the exact same card. So while a few contemporary Christmas songs will break through here and there (*NSYNC’s “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” comes to mind as one that burned bright and then fizzled out with the boy-band era), the ones that have longevity are the ones that bring the most Noel nostalgia.

Jason Lipshutz: The magic of holiday songs is in their familiarity — the way we trot them out for a few weeks each year, recognize the time-honored melodies and associate them with a special season. Understandably, that canon is difficult to change, or even increase with new material. There’s no doubt that some new holiday songs will eventually earn that nostalgic glow as more years pass — “Underneath the Tree” feels like a likely candidate to keep growing each year — but the process is slow for a reason, and I doubt it’s one that radically evolves in the coming years.

Glenn Rowley: It’s crazy to think that all three of those “newer” songs are 8-10 years old at this point. I mean, Kelly’s even given us a second (stellar!) Christmas album since she released “Underneath the Tree.” Much like a too-rich cup of cocoa, the biggest obstacle to storming the modern Christmas songbook could be over-saturation. Because from the moment Mariah declares, ‘It’s time,’ there’s a limited number of days to cram in all the holiday music you can handle. And would you rather go for something cozy and familiar or something new?

Andrew Unterberger: My working theory with this is that music fans don’t really ever seek out their own holiday music when they’re young — it’s just something that’s passively in their background of their lives for 1-2 months a year, with selections usually made by folks decades their senior. So everyone just grows up with their parents’ holiday music, and they never really even think twice about it — and when, decades later, it’s their own turn to decide what holiday music is going to get played, that’s still what they sentimentally default to. It takes a truly extraordinary new Christmas song to be as satisfying as that type of nostalgia, and that’s why you only get a handful a decade that prove to have any real staying power.

Christine Werthman: Christmas is a season for nostalgia. It’s not like Halloween, where costumes fluctuate depending on the hottest movie or meme of the moment. In fact, if Christmas were a Halloween costume, it would be a ghost — every single year. Familiarity is key for Christmas success, and I suspect the old guard will be holding down the prime slots on the Holiday 100 for many years to come. 

4. We often talk about the possibility of newer songs rising on the Holiday 100, but in truth, it seems like older songs have as good a chance of catching a second wind — particularly in 2022, when new hits can come from any time. Is there a song on this week’s chart from earlier than Mariah Carey’s “Christmas” that you might be looking at as a contender to rise in the holiday rankings in the years to come?

Katie Atkinson: Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” peaked at No. 3 on the Holiday 100 back in 2012, but it hasn’t cracked that top three in a while. I think it should rightfully work its way back up, just as Bad Bunny is also bringing Spanish-language hits to the top of our charts. I also think one of my personal favorites, The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride,” should finally crack the Holiday 100 top five for the first time (it’s so far peaked at No. 8) because it’s just so fun and festive. Climb aboard the sleigh, people!

Jason Lipshutz: Maybe Wham!’s “Last Christmas” never grows to chart-dominating stature, but I could see that song getting bigger each year, as a holiday song that’s fiercely loved and also ripe for some sort of viral revival. As the years wear on, I could see “Last Christmas” usurping “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” or “Jingle Bell Rock” as one of the three biggest holiday songs of the year, and creating a sort of balance in the sound and thematic scope of the primary holiday trio.

Glenn Rowley: I’m always a proponent of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” getting a second or third (or, you know, thirty-eighth) wind during the month of December. Last year, it reached a new peak of No. 7 on the Hot 100 and this week it’s already sitting at No. 6 on the Holiday tally. Maybe the right sync or TikTok trend can push it even higher in Christmases to come.

Andrew Unterberger: Gonna go with “Linus and Lucy.” It’s maybe not the radio-friendliest of the Holiday perennials, with its lack of lyrics and jarring mid-song shifts in tempo and melody, but it’s beloved by every new generation since A Charlie Brown Christmas‘ 1965 debut, and its association with that classic holiday special gives it extra meme potential. Also, the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s entire soundtrack rises higher on the Billboard 200 albums chart each year — it hit the top 10 for the first time last year — so that momentum might carry over to the Hot 100 before too long.

Christine Werthman: Wham!’s “Last Christmas” is currently No. 6, but it was in the top three around this time in 2019. I’d put my chips on that one to sneak its way up the chart in the future, especially if it gets featured in a holiday movie, a la the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” moment in Love Actually. 

5. Let’s say Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bad Bunny and Drake each released a brand-new solo Christmas song on Friday. Which one do you think would be the biggest front-runner for the Holiday 100 No. 1?

Katie Atkinson: I’m going Adele, 100%. Just like her bombastic vocals were a no-brainer for a James Bond theme song 10 years ago, her warm, rich delivery would be tailor-made for a Christmas classic. I’m thinking something more in the understated, bittersweet vein of Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” or Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” than the poppy Mariah route – though a jingly redo of “Rumour Has It” all about Santa Claus could be cute too.

Jason Lipshutz: Give the edge to Adele here — she’s not as prolific as Bad Bunny or Drake, is more of a reliable Hot 100 chart-topper than Beyoncé, and unlike Taylor Swift, has never released a Christmas song. An Adele Christmas single would be a special release from a chart superstar… who also happens to have the type of overwhelming vocal power that a holiday song typically requires. However it sounds, it would have a great shot at No. 1.

Glenn Rowley: Regardless of the song, there’s no stopping Adele the moment she decides to drop an original holiday tune (an eggnog-fueled follow-up to “I Drink Wine,” perhaps?).

Andrew Unterberger: It’s probably Adele — but don’t count out Bad Bunny’s ability to surprise, or Taylor Swift’s will to win.

Christine Werthman: Adele all the way. She has a timeless voice, she transcends generations, and she would likely make something that is contemporary enough for young listeners but classic enough for an older audience to throw into the rotation of holiday standards. As far as knocking out “All I Want for Christmas Is You” from the top spot, though, I’d still give Mariah 70/30 odds to win the No. 1.

06 Dec 2022

Måneskin Is Making Live Rock Thrilling (And Sexy) Again

It’s been a whirlwind 18 months for Måneskin. After nabbing the trophy at Eurovision in May 2021, the Italian rockers notched a win that’s eluded most of that contest’s victors: they scored a Stateside hit on the Billboard Hot 100, via a furious garage rock revamp of the Four Seasons’ “Beggin’” no less. After that went on to top the Alternative Airplay and Rock & Alternative Airplay charts, they followed it up with another Alternative Airplay No. 1, the RHCP-flavored “Supermodel.”

Now, amidst their American leg of The Loud Kids Tour, the quartet is pulling off another trend-flaunting feat: They’re making teenagers care about a new rock band for the first time in years. Of course, this isn’t to say there aren’t rock concerts attracting Gen Z crowds or worthy newcomers netting fervent followings. But Måneskin are one of the few young rock bands making mainstream headway in America — especially among audiences that see the CD as a retro artifact.

Hell, if you Google “Måneskin concert,” the search engine’s first “people also ask” suggestion is, “How old do you have to be to go to a Måneskin concert?” And sure enough, for two sold-out nights at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom (Dec. 2-3), a predominantly teen and twentysomething crowd slathered in glitter gave a rabid response to the glam-sleaze rockers.

With good reason. Frontman Damiano David might pull you in with his lithe hip swings and shirtless stage prowling (the band puts the ‘skin’ in Måneskin), but he seals the deal with a controlled earthy growl that comes across like masterful auditory edging – particularly during “Touch Me,” a live highlight that has yet to see release on Spotify.

Similarly, while in NYC, guitarist Thomas Raggi ripped off a mesmerizing guitar odyssey during the encore that conjured up the shades of Eddie Hazel’s expressive, electric soloing on Funkadelic’s classic “Maggot Brain.”

But it’s not just technical prowess that makes Måneskin come across with crowds: simply put, they know how to put on a goddamn show. Whether it’s Raggi lying on the ground while slithering under bassist Victoria de Angelis or David feeding off drummer Ethan Torchio’s ominous and propulsive drumming during sinuous songs like “I Wanna Be Your Slave,” it’s hard to take your eyes away from the quartet as they feed off each other. And when “Slave” segues into a cover of the Stooges’ spiritual predecessor “I Wanna Be Your Dog” on stage, it’s a fittingly ferocious homage to the Italian band’s American god.

The band’s live prowess is no surprise for anyone who caught their performances at this year’s VMAs or SNL. But in a world where unimpugnable veteran rockers struggle to make their live show seem sexy and dangerous, it’s a bit of a godsend to find a band like Måneskin who remind us that rock can be unpredictable, sensual and showy – both onstage and onscreen.

06 Dec 2022

RM Claims Top 3 Spots on Hot Trending Songs Chart

Multiple songs from RM’s new album Indigo premiere on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart dated Dec. 10, as fans discussed the tracklist and the album’s teasers prior to its Dec. 2 release.

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Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by Twitter and sponsored by Xfinity Mobile, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across Twitter, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday.

RM claims the entire top three, led by “No.2,” with Park Ji-yoon, at No. 1. It’s followed by “Forg_tful,” with Kim Sa-wol, and “Lonely” at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively.

The tracklist for the album was announced Nov. 24, spurring discussion on Twitter before the songs had even been heard.

Further appearances are possible for the 10-song tracklist following the album’s first full week of release.

The highest non-RM appearance belongs to Arcangel and Bad Bunny, whose “La Jumpa” starts at No. 4. The high-profile collaboration was released on Nov. 30, and even after just two days of tracking toward the Dec. 10-dated Billboard charts, the song also debuts at No. 20 on the Hot Latin Songs list.

The remainder of the top 10 also features songs from 1st.One, Metallica, J-Hope and Stray Kids.

Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.

06 Dec 2022

Backstreet Boys Get Animated for ‘Christmas in New York’ Video: Watch

Backstreet Boys are continuing to get in the Christmas spirit. On Tuesday (Dec. 6), the boy band released a new video for their holiday track “Christmas in New York.”

The sweet and sentimental visual sees the quintet — Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson — passionately singing the holiday track while their claymation counterparts explore a twinkling New York City during Christmas time.

The claymation dolls of the boy group witness and participate in classic scenes. One features a dressed up Santa with an elf at his side ringing a bells and asking for donations with a big red bucket. The dolls head down to the TV-decorated intersection of Times Square, take a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park, view the holiday windows at Macy’s 34th street and go ice-skating in Rockefeller Center.

“All the elves are busy/ On Macy’s eighth floor/ It’s good to know there is still a miracle on 34th/ But what I love the most/ Is holding you this close/ This is what they made the Season for/ Oh, spending Christmas in/ Oh, another Christmas in/ Oh, yes, another Christmas in New York,” Littrell closes out the song with the rest of the members.

“Christmas in New York” hails from the boy band’s A Very Backstreet Christmas. The LP — which marked the group’s first collection of yuletide songs and its first studio effort in three years — was released on Oct. 14 via BMG. The set charted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 following its release.

In addition to “Christmas in New York,” other holiday tracks such as “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” are included on the album. “Christmas in New York” is one of three original Christmas songs on the album; the others are titled “Together” and “Happy Days.”

Watch the sweet video for “Christmas in New York” above.

06 Dec 2022

Meet the 2023 Grammy Nominees for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

The inaugural nominees in the Grammys’ new songwriter of the year, non-classical category range from a five-time Grammy winner, The-Dream, to a first-time nominee, Tobias Jesso Jr.

The-Dream is the only nominee in this category who has previously won a Grammy. His awards include song of the year and best R&B song for co-writing Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” The-Dream received six more nominations this year, including five that were expressly for his work on Beyoncé’s latest album, Renaissance.

Like The-Dream, Nija Charles is nominated for album of the year as a songwriter on Renaissance. Amy Allen and Jesso both have double album of the year nominations. Allen is nominated as a songwriter on Harry Styles’ Harry’s House and Lizzo’s Special. Jesso is nominated as a songwriter on Harry’s House and Adele’s 30.

The fifth nominee in the category, Laura Veltz, has no other nominations this year, though she was nominated for best country song in each of the three previous years.

Here are excerpts from the Recording Academy’s official description of the category, taken from the rules and guidelines handbook for the 65th annual Grammy Awards: “This category recognizes the written excellence, profession and art of songwriting for non-performing and non-producing songwriters … Songwriters must have written a minimum of five songs in which they are credited ‘solely’ as a songwriter or co-writer. Songs in which the songwriter was also credited as a primary or featured artist, producer or [in] any other supporting role do not qualify to achieve a minimum song threshold for consideration. Songwriters may supplement their core five song submission with up to four more songs … Songs from albums released in a previous year are not eligible, even if released as a single or added to a new album released during the current eligibility year. Re-released, covered, remixed, reissued, and historical recordings of songs are not eligible.

The addition of this new category coincides with the launch of the Recording Academy’s Songwriters & Composers Wing. Last week, we took a closer look at the nominees for producer of the year, non-classical. Now, let’s look at the nominees for songwriter of the year, non-classical.