Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win?

2025 Grammys Awards Predictions in 50 categories include Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and more.

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Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Grammys Illustration by Brett Ryder

Overall Oscars commentary (Updated Jan. 31, 2025): Variety correctly picked all the winners in the Grammys’ top four categories last year. Huzzah for us! So let’s start the final prognosticating for the 2025 Grammys with one very firm prediction: We’re confident we won’t repeat that winning streak this year. It’s not that we’ve totally lost faith in our soothsaying abilities, but honestly, three of the four marquee all-genre categories are really toss-ups in 2025. About the only things we’d seriously wager on are: (A) Chappell Roan going home with best new artist, and (B) André 3000’s flute album losing album of the year. Beyond that, almost anything goes. Everyone into the betting pool!

Since the Grammy Awards’ inception in 1959, Album of the Year has remained among its most prestigious honors. In the award’s 66-year history, only 11 Black artists have won. Only three Black women are among those 11: Natalie Cole for Unforgettable…With Love (1992), Whitney Houston for “The Bodyguard” soundtrack (1994), and Lauryn Hill for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1999). Their wins remain milestones in a category where Black artists, particularly Black women, have been historically underrepresented. And it just might be Queen Bey’s year.

Check out the final predictions in 50 Grammy categories below.

The 67th Grammys will be held on Sunday, Feb. 2.

*** = PREDICTED WINNER(All predicted nominees listed below are in alphabetical order)

Album of the YearImage Credit: BLAIR CALDWELL“New Blue Sun,” André 3000 “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé “Short n’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter “Brat,” Charli XCX “Djesse Vol. 4,” Jacob Collier “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” Billie Eilish “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” Chappell Roan “The Tortured Poets Department,” Taylor Swift

Will win: “Cowboy Carter”

Could win: “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”; “Hit Me Hard and Soft”

Of course, this is Bey’s year to get this prize… right? You could have lost a lot of money in the past making that same assumption. But we really do think album of the year is hers for the taking, even if her quasi-country collection didn’t finish the year with the full steam it had back in the spring. True, saying “she’s overdue” hasn’t done it for her before. But combine that ongoing sentiment with the fact that “Cowboy Carter” really was a provocative musical and cultural statement — and that her Christmas Day halftime appearance recharged her zeitgeist battery — and the odds of her finally getting across the finish line seem stronger than anyone else’s. Still, don’t rule out a re-crowning of Eilish, who has become practically the Grammys’ poster girl, nor the outside chance of a Roan freshman sweep. Swift had the biggest seller of the year, but after she picked up album of the year for a historic fourth time last year, the Academy consensus is leaning toward giving someone else a shot. – Chris Willman

Record of the YearImage Credit: Kendrick Lamar, YouTube“Now and Then,” the Beatles “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyoncé “Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter “360,” Charli XCX “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan “Fortnight,” Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone

Will win: “Not Like Us”

Could win: “Birds of a Feather”; “Good Luck, Babe!”

Hip-hop has sadly been a non-starter in this category, but a win has happened before for Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” five years ago, so there’s precedent (barely). If the genre is ever going to prevail here again — still a big if! — it will be for a single as culturally ubiquitous as Lamar’s. Huge numbers of voters who feel a significant stake in rap being represented at the Grammys can and will coalesce behind it… even if some Academy members who are less invested in that representation might be docking it for being a diss track. A progressive mindset would also favor Roan’s song since it would become the first single with an overt LGBTQ+ theme to win record of the year, not to mention it just having that great, dog-whistle hook. Then again, how could you rule out recurring Grammy queen Eilish for a sing-along that has commercially surpassed all of her previous award winners to become her biggest single to date? It’s easy to see this one going any of those three ways. Or five ways, since Beyoncé and Carpenter are the other candidates that can’t completely be counted out.

Song of the Year“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (recorded by Shaboozey) “Birds of a Feather” (recorded by Billie Eilish) “Die With a Smile” (recorded by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars) “Fortnight” (recorded by Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone) “Good Luck, Babe!” (recorded by Chappell Roan) “Not Like Us” (recorded by Kendrick Lamar) “Please Please Please” (recorded by Sabrina Carpenter) “Texas Hold ‘Em” (recorded by Beyoncé)

Will win: “Birds of a Feather”

Could win: “Good Luck, Babe!”; “Not Like Us”

Although “Birds of a Feather” could win for record of the year, we feel more strongly about its chances for song of the year. Eilish and brother/collaborator Finneas have talked about how they spent the better part of a year writing and perfecting the hit, which the songwriting community will admire, especially seeing how the toil paid off in a commercial blockbuster. But Lamar and Roan again stand as strong alternatives. And Carpenter’s irresistible entry could be a sleeper. Note that Carpenter took the rare step of submitting and being nominated for two different numbers for record of the year and song of the year, splitting the difference between a couple of equally well-liked smashes; it would undoubtedly be educational for artists considering that gambit in the future if she picked up a win for one of those choices.

Best New ArtistImage Credit: Courtesy of BIZ 3Benson Boone Sabrina Carpenter Doechii Khruangbin Raye Chappell Roan Shaboozey Teddy Swims

Will win: Chappell Roan

Could win: No, really, it’s going to be Chappell Roan

Finally, there is a category that can safely be called well before the ceremony begins. Roan is the kind of phenomenal talent that any Grammy voter can safely imagine still being part of the lead races 20 years from now — a prodigious singing and writing talent whose knack for constant virality is simply icing on the cake. This is a rare instance in which all eight best new artist nominees are credible candidates, and in another year, it would be easy to see almost any of the others taking it, except maybe the cult group Khruangbin. But this isn’t another year. Thank you, Midwest Princess, for making at least one choice simple.

Songwriter of the YearImage Credit: David O’DonohueJessi Alexander Amy Allen Edgar Barrera Jessie Jo Dillon Raye

Will Win: Amy Allen

Nigro should arguably be up here, too, but the rules don’t allow it. Raye could make it through, but it might be as a consolation prize for not being more rewarded as an artist, as she is the only candidate who is nominated as a performer as well as writer, even though the Academy seemed to discourage that double-dipping with its nominal qualification rules. In the end, voters will probably honor the spirit of the category by going for a more “pure” songwriter, and Allen is at the top of that list.

Producer of the Year (Non-Classical)Image Credit: Shervin LainezAlissia Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II Ian Fitchuk Mustard Daniel Nigro

Will Win: Daniel Nigro

If you have just two principal producing/co-writing clients in 2025 and they are Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo, you are leaving everyone else in the happy-just-to-be-nominated dust.

Pop Solo PerformanceImage Credit: Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images“Bodyguard” — Beyoncé “Espresso” — Sabrina Carpenter “Apple” — Charli xcx “Birds of a Feather” — Billie Eilish “Good Luck, Babe!” — Chappell Roan

Will Win: “Birds of a Feather” — Billie Eilish

As much as this could turn out to be Bey’s year in many ways, “Bodyguard” is not one of the most talked-about tracks from “Cowboy Carter,” and her ability to submit different songs in different genre categories probably won’t lead to any across-the-board sweep. The odds more strongly favor Carpenter or Roan for their legit pop smashes. Still, Eilish’s status as a perennial Grammy favorite gives a tailwind to what was just legitimately one of the universal favorite songs of 2024.

Pop Duo/Group Performance“Us”Gracie Abrams Featuring Taylor Swift “Levii’s Jeans”Beyoncé Featuring Post Malone “Guess”Charli XCX & Billie Eilish “The Boy Is Mine”Ariana Grande, Brandy & Monica “Die With a Smile”Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

Will Win: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars

The phrase “too big to fail” doesn’t always apply at the Grammys, but it might be for two artists who together managed a blockbuster global success… and who could make up here for missing out on a nomination for record of the year.

Pop Vocal AlbumImage Credit: Interscope“Short n’ Sweet”Sabrina Carpenter “Hit Me Hard and Soft”Billie Eilish “Eternal Sunshine”Ariana Grande “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”Chappell Roan “The Tortured Poets Department”Taylor Swift

Will Win: Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard and Soft”

Eilish just seems likely to run the board on most of her nominations.

Dance/Electronic AlbumImage Credit: Variety“Brat”Charli XCX “Three”Four Tet “Hyperdrama”Justice “Timeless”Kaytranada “Telos”Zedd

Will Win: Charli XCX

With so much heavyweight competition from more established Grammy favorites in other categories, Charli XCX is not likely to get the massive wins that would be commensurate with how ubiquitous she was in 2024. But her entries in the dance categories allow voters to give her a couple of no-brainer wins.

Dance Pop Recording“Make You Mine” — Madison Beer “Von Dutch” — Charli XCX “L’Amour de Ma Vie [Over Now Extended Edit]” — Billie Eilish “Yes, And?” — Ariana Grande “Got Me Started” — Troye Sivan

Will Win: Ariana Grande

During her big Oscar run for “Wicked,” and considering her snub in the general categories, Grande should be able to bring at least one statue home with her, and she’s the odds-on favorite if Charli XCX and Billie Eilish don’t spoil the party.

Dance/Electronic Recording“She’s Gone, Dance On” — Disclosure “Loved” — Four Tet “Leavemealone” — Fred Again & Baby Keem “Neverender” — Justice & Tame Impala “Witchy” — Kaytranada Featuring Childish Gambino

Will Win: Fred Again and Baby Keem

Traditional Pop Vocal Album“À Fleur De Peau” – Cyrille Aimée “Visions” – Norah Jones “Good Together” – Lake Street Dive “Impossible Dream” – Aaron Lazar “Christmas Wish” – Gregory Porter

Will Win: Norah Jones

A former Grammy queen should claim an easy win here, although someday, if not now, Lake Street Dive will get its due.

Rock Song“Beautiful People (Stay High)”Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney, Beck Hansen & Daniel Nakamura, songwriters (The Black Keys) “Broken Man”Annie Clark, songwriter (St. Vincent) “Dark Matter”Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Eddie Vedder & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Pearl Jam) “Dilemma”Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool, songwriters (Green Day) “Gift Horse”Jon Beavis, Mark Bowen, Adam Devonshire, Lee Kiernan & Joe Talbot, songwriters (Idles)

Will Win: St. Vincent

Rock PerformanceImage Credit: Universal Music Group“Now and Then” – The Beatles “Beautiful People (Stay High)” – The Black Keys “The American Dream Is Killing Me” – Green Day “Gift Horse” – Idles “Dark Matter” – Pearl Jam “Broken Man” – St. Vincent

Will Win: The Beatles

“Now and Then” prompts almost equal levels of love and suspicion, but given the lack of any other obvious front-runner, the chance to give The Beatles what would apparently be their final Grammy ever is hard to pass up for many voters.

Rock Album“Happiness Bastards” – The Black Crowes “Romance” – Fontaines D.C. “Saviors” – Green Day “TANGK” – Idles “Dark Matter” – Pearl Jam “Hackney Diamonds” – The Rolling Stones “No Name” – Jack White

Will Win: Jack White, “No Name”

White had the most acclaimed album of this bunch, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the most obvious or only pick, as there were as many people who actually liked the Pearl Jam or Stones album as might just pick one or the other of them out of habit.

Rap PerformanceImage Credit: Europa Press via Getty Images“Enough (Miami)” – Cardi B “When the Sun Shines Again” – Common & Pete Rock Featuring Posdnuos “Nissan Altima” – Doechii “Houdini” – Eminem “Like That” – Future & Metro Boomin Featuring Kendrick Lamar “Yeah Glo!” – GloRilla “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar

Will Win: Kendrick Lamar

It’s not really a contest here, with Lamar (and not GloRilla) the 1,000-pound gorilla in this category, unless the voters have caught Doechii fever more than we know, which would at least be a fun outside possibility to consider.

Melodic Rap Performance“Kehlani” – Jordan Adetunji Featuring Kehlani “Spaghettii” – Beyoncé Featuring Linda Martell & Shaboozey “We Still Don’t Trust You” – Future & Metro Boomin Featuring The Weeknd “Big Mama” – Latto “3:AM” – Rapsody Featuring Erykah Badu

Will Win: “Spaghettii” – Beyoncé Featuring Linda Martell & Shaboozey

A chance to award two of the biggest hitmakers of the year and give Linda Martell her first Grammy, however incidental her spoken-word contribution is to the track?

Rap AlbumImage Credit: John Jay“Might Delete Later” – J. Cole “The Auditorium, Vol. 1” – Common & Pete Rock “Alligator Bites Never Heal” – Doechii “The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)” – Eminem “We Don’t Trust You” – Future & Metro Boomin

Will Win: Doechii

It is a fine consolation prize if, as expected, Doechii misses out on BNA.

Rap SongImage Credit: Billboard via Getty Images“Asteroids” – Marlanna Evans, songwriter (Rapsody Featuring Hit-Boy) “Carnival” – Jordan Carter, Raul Cubina, Grant Dickinson, Samuel Lindley, Nasir Pemberton, Dimitri Roger, Ty Dolla $ign, Kanye West & Mark Carl Stolinski Williams, songwriters (¥$ (Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign) Featuring Rich The Kid & Playboi Carti) “Like That” – Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Kobe “BbyKobe” Hood, Leland Wayne & Nayvadius Wilburn, songwriters (Future & Metro Boomin Featuring Kendrick Lamar) “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar, songwriter (Kendrick Lamar) “Yeah Glo!” – Ronnie Jackson, Jaucquez Lowe, Timothy McKibbins, Kevin Andre Price, Julius Rivera III & Gloria Woods, songwriters (GloRilla)

Will Win: Kendrick Lamar

Of course he is.

Americana Performance“Ya Ya” – Beyoncé “Subtitles” – Madison Cunningham “Don’t Do Me Good” – Madi Diaz Featuring Kacey Musgraves “American Dreaming” – Sierra Ferrell “Runaway Train” – Sarah Jarosz “Empty Trainload of Sky” – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Beyoncé could win here as well as in the country categories, but “Ya Ya” didn’t have the cultural force of the actual singles off her album. Here’s betting the beloved Ferrell, or possibly Welch & Rawlings, will sneak ahead if the Americana community actually dominates the bloc that chooses to vote in this category.

Americana AlbumImage Credit: Getty Images“The Other Side” – T Bone Burnett “$10 Cowboy” – Charley Crockett “Trail of Flowers” – Sierra Ferrell “Polaroid Lovers” – Sarah Jarosz “No One Gets Out Alive” – Maggie Rose “Tigers Blood” – Waxahatchee

Will Win: Sierra Ferrell

Without full Beyoncé and Gillian Welch albums shuttled off to other genre categories, Ferrell has an even clearer path here, barring Burnett’s long history of winning over the voting sentiment in this category.

Roots Gospel Album“The Gospel Sessions, Vol. 2” – Authentic Unlimited “The Gospel According To Mark” – Mark D. Conklin “Rhapsody” – The Harlem Gospel Travelers “Church” – Cory Henry “Loving You” – The Nelons

Will Win: The Nelons

The Nelons might have had this one even without the tragic plane crash that took their lives.

Latin Pop AlbumImage Credit: COUGHS“Funk Generation” – Anitta “El Viaje” – Luis Fonsi “GARCÍA” – Kany García “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” – Shakira “ORQUÍDEAS” – Kali Uchis

Will Win: Kali Uchis

Obviously, Anitta and Shakira are powerhouses here. However, if they split the more commercially minded vote, branch members unhappy that the acclaimed Uchis hasn’t gotten support in the big four categories may rally behind her.

Musica Urbana AlbumImage Credit: Eric Rojasnadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañanaBad Bunny RayoJ Balvin FERXXOCALIPSISFeid LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTANResidente att.Young Miko

Will Win: Bad Bunny

Comedy AlbumImage Credit: MATHIEU BITTON/NETFLIX“Armageddon” – Ricky Gervais “The Dreamer” – Dave Chappelle “The Prisoner” – Jim Gaffigan “Someday You’ll Die” – Nikki Glaser “Where Was I” – Trevor Noah

Will Win: Dave Chappelle

The Academy seems immune to criticism over perennially giving the comedy award to highly controversial figures.

Audiobook, Narration and Storytelling Recording“All You Need Is Love: The Beatles In Their Own Words” – (Various Artists) “…And Your Ass Will Follow” – George Clinton “Behind The Seams: My Life In Rhinestones” – Dolly Parton “Last Sundays In Plains: A Centennial Celebration” – Jimmy Carter “My Name Is Barbra” – Barbra Streisand

Will Win: Jimmy Carter

It may seem irreverent to the recently deceased president to say he’s part of a smackdown here. Still, sentiment for him may outweigh even the allure of hearing Barbra’s and Dolly’s buttery voices for hours on end (and diva devotee votes may cancel each other out).

Children’s Music Album“Brillo, Brillo!” – Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band “Creciendo” – Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats “My Favorite Dream” – John Legend “Solid Rock Revival” – Rock For Children “World Wide Playdate” – Divinity Roxx and Divi Roxx Kids

Will Win: John Legend

John Legend and Sufjan Stevens… together again? Hard to overcome that combo.

Musical Theater AlbumImage Credit: Joan Marcus“Hell’s Kitchen” – Shoshana Bean, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kecia Lewis & Meleah Joi Moon, principal vocalists; Adam Blackstone, Alicia Keys & Tom Kitt, producers (Alicia Keys, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast) “Merrily We Roll Along” – Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez & Daniel Radcliffe, principal vocalists; David Caddick, Joel Fram, Maria Friedman & David Lai, producers (Stephen Sondheim, composer & lyricist) (New Broadway Cast) “The Notebook” – John Clancy, Carmel Dean, Kurt Deutsch, Derik Lee, Kevin McCollum & Ingrid Michaelson, producers; Ingrid Michaelson, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast) “The Outsiders” – Joshua Boone, Brent Comer, Brody Grant & Sky Lakota-Lynch, principal vocalists; Zach Chance, Jonathan Clay, Matt Hinkley, Justin Levine & Lawrence Manchester, producers; Zach Chance, Jonathan Clay & Justin Levine, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast) “Suffs” – Andrea Grody, Dean Sharenow & Shaina Taub, producers; Shaina Taub, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast) “The Wiz” – Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Nichelle Lewis & Avery Wilson, principal vocalists; Joseph Joubert, Allen René Louis & Lawrence Manchester, producers (Charlie Smalls, composer & lyricist) (2024 Broadway Cast Recording)

Will Win: “Hell’s Kitchen”

Without a clear favorite, a chance to award ongoing Grammy favorite Alicia Keys will almost certainly be unavoidable, especially with most of these other shows already having closed on Broadway.

Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media“The Color Purple” – (Various Artists) “Deadpool & Wolverine” – (Various Artists) “Maestro: Music By Leonard Bernstein” – London Symphony Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Bradley Cooper “Saltburn” – (Various Artists) “Twisters: The Album” – (Various Artists)

Will Win: “Twisters: The Album”

Having enlisted virtually every country star in the universe makes it easy for any Nashville chapter member participating in this category to make their pick, and it was the first successful film compilation soundtrack in quite a while.

Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaImage Credit: Amazon MGM Studios“American Fiction” – Laura Karpman, composer “Challengers” – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers “The Color Purple” – Kris Bowers, composer “Dune: Part Two” – Hans Zimmer, composer “Shōgun” – Nick Chuba, Atticus Ross & Leopold Ross, composers

Will Win: “Challengers”

“Challengers” got shut out for an Oscar nod, but the electronic score was so popular that it may outweigh even the work of as big a favorite as Zimmer.

Song Written for Visual MediaImage Credit: American Symphony“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” [From “Twisters: The Album”] – Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs & Jonathan Singleton, songwriters (Luke Combs) “Better Place” [From “TROLLS Band Together”] – Amy Allen, Shellback & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (*NSYNC & Justin Timberlake) “Can’t Catch Me Now” [From “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes”] – Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo) “It Never Went Away” [From “American Symphony”] – Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste) “Love Will Survive” [From “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”] – Walter Afanasieff, Charlie Midnight, Kara Talve & Hans Zimmer, songwriters (Barbra Streisand)

Will Win: “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”

Batiste’s past status as a top Grammy winner should push him over here, along with the song’s personal/sentimental value that stood prominently in his documentary. However, another nod to the success of the “Twisters” soundtrack is far from impossible.

Music Video“Tailor Swift” – A$AP Rocky “360” – Charli XCX “Houdini” – Eminem “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar “Fortnight” – Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone

Will Win: Kendrick Lamar

Lamar seems likely to keep sweeping the board where he can, although this might be Swift’s best chance to prevail this year.

Music FilmImage Credit: Netflix“American Symphony” – Jon Batiste “June” – (June Carter Cash) “Kings From Queens” – Run DMC “Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple” – Steven Van Zandt “The Greatest Night In Pop” – (Various Artists)

Will Win: “American Symphony”

The Oscars overlooked the compelling story of Batiste dealing with his wife’s cancer. Still, if enough Grammy voters saw it—and possibly not as many did as saw the “We Are the World” documentary—then “American Symphony” will be the easy choice here.

Jazz Vocal AlbumImage Credit: Courtesy of Ambe J. Williams“Journey In Black” – Christie Dashiell “Wildflowers Vol. 1” – Kurt Elling & Sullivan Fortner “A Joyful Holiday” – Samara Joy “Milton + Esperanza” – Milton Nascimento & Esperanza Spalding “My Ideal” – Catherine Russell & Sean Mason

Will Win: Samara Joy

Another established Grammy favorite is back, and it won’t matter that Christmas albums don’t usually prevail.

Alternative Jazz AlbumImage Credit: Courtesy of Kai Regan“Night Reign” – Arooj Aftab “New Blue Sun” – André 3000 “Code Derivation” – Robert Glasper “Foreverland” – Keyon Harrold “No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin” – Meshell Ndegeocello

Will Win: André 3000

At last, some justice for the OutKast member’s “flute album,”… which did actually pick up respectable reviews, despite the jokes.

Global Music PerformanceImage Credit: YouTube“Raat Ki Rani” – Arooj Aftab “A Rock Somewhere” – Jacob Collier Featuring Anoushka Shankar & Varijashree Venugopal “Rise” – Rocky Dawuni “Bemba Colorá” – Sheila E. Featuring Gloria Estefan & Mimy Succar “Sunlight To My Soul” – Angélique Kidjo Featuring Soweto Gospel Choir “Kashira” – Masa Takumi Featuring Ron Korb, Noshir Mody & Dale Edward Chung

Will Win: “A Rock Somewhere”

Collier is another Grammy favorite who is likely to get his love here, since Album of the Year will remain out of his grasp.

Global Music Album“Alkebulan II” – Matt B Featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra “Paisajes” – Ciro Hurtado “Heis” – Rema “Historias De Un Flamenco” – Antonio Rey “Born In The Wild” – Tems

Will Win: Tems

Tems is the obvious crossover favorite here.

Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package“Half Living Things” – Patrick Galvin, art director (Alpha Wolf) “Hounds Of Love: The Boxes Of Lost At Sea” – Kate Bush & Albert McIntosh, art directors (Kate Bush) “In Utero” – Doug Cunningham & Jason Noto, art directors (Nirvana) “Mind Games” – Simon Hilton & Sean Ono Lennon, art directors (John Lennon) “Unsuk Chin” – Takahiro Kurashima & Marek Polewski, art directors (Unsuk Chin & Berliner Philharmoniker) “We Blame Chicago” – Rebeka Arce & Farbod Kokabi, art directors (90 Day Men)

Will Win: Mind Games

Name value aside, Sean really did go all out in giving one of his dad’s lesser-remembered albums its contemporary due, with a high level of ingenuity in the ultra-deluxe package.

Immersive Audio Album“Avalon” – Bob Clearmountain, immersive mix engineer; Rhett Davies & Bryan Ferry, immersive producers (Roxy Music) “Genius Loves Company” – Various Artists “Henning Sommerro: Borders” – Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer & producer “i/o (In-Side Mix)” – Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel & Richard Russell, immersive producers (Peter Gabriel) “Pax” – Morten Lindberg, immersive mix engineer & producer

Will Win: “i/o”

Gabriel was at the forefront of truly thinking about sound and offering alternate versions of his album, the immersive one not being the least of them.

Instrumental Composition“At Last” – Shelton G. Berg, composer (Shelly Berg) “Communion” – Christopher Zuar, composer (Christopher Zuar Orchestra) “I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time” – André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau & Carlos Niño, composers (André 3000) “Remembrance” – Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Béla Fleck) “Strands” – Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf & Christian Euman)

Will Win: André 3000

If only because there is no award for Best Song Title.

Country Solo Performance“16 Carriages” – Beyoncé “I Am Not Okay” – Jelly Roll “The Architect” – Kacey Musgraves “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey “It Takes A Woman” – Chris Stapleton

Will Win: Beyoncé

Now here’s a tough call. Bey is easy to pick if all the voters get to vote in every category—which they don’t. Even so, we believe a lot of the Academy’s Nashville voters, who tend to be more progressive than the average Music Row denizen, will want to reward her for coming into the field rather than resent her for being a carpetbagger. Then again, Stapleton almost can’t lose in these categories historically, and all five candidates are strong contenders.

Country AlbumImage Credit: Getty ImagesCowboy CarterBeyoncé F-1 TrillionPost Malone Deeper WellKacey Musgraves HigherChris Stapleton WhirlwindLainey Wilson

Will Win: Chris Stapleton

Country SongImage Credit: Stone TaulThe ArchitectShane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves) A Bar Song (Tipsy)Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams, songwriters (Shaboozey) I Am Not OkayCasey Brown, Jason DeFord, Ashley Gorley & Taylor Phillips, songwriters (Jelly Roll) I Had Some HelpLouis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen & Chandler Paul Walters, songwriters (Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen) Texas Hold ‘EmBrian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Will Win: Shaboozey

Country Duo/Group PerformanceCowboys Cry TooKelsea Ballerini With Noah Kahan II Most WantedBeyoncé Featuring Miley Cyrus Break MineBrothers Osborne Bigger HousesDan + Shay I Had Some HelpPost Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen

Will Win: Beyoncé Featuring Miley Cyrus

R&B AlbumImage Credit: Tony Bowen“11:11 (Deluxe)”Chris Brown “Vantablack”Lalah Hathaway “Revenge”Muni Long “Algorithm”Lucky Daye “Coming Home”Usher

Will Win: Muni Long

R&B PerformanceImage Credit: Mason Poole for Variety“Guidance” – Jhené Aiko “Residuals” – Chris Brown “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” – Coco Jones “Made For Me (Live On BET)” – Muni Long “Saturn” – SZA

Will Win: SZA

SZA only has a song in the Grammy conversation this year and not a full album, and there are several chances to reward her for it while she is slightly off-cycle as a superstar.

R&B SongImage Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A“After Hours”Diovanna Frazier, Alex Goldblatt, Kehlani Parrish, Khris Riddick-Tynes & Daniel Upchurch, songwriters (Kehlani) “Burning”Ronald Banful & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Tems) “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”Sara Diamond, Sydney Floyd, Marisela Jackson, Courtney Jones, Carl McCormick & Kelvin Wooten, songwriters (Coco Jones) “Ruined Me”Jeff Gitelman, Priscilla Renea & Kevin Theodore, songwriters (Muni Long) “Saturn”Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solána Rowe, Jared Solomon & Scott Zhang, songwriters (SZA)

Will Win: SZA

Alternative Music Performance“Neon Pill”Cage the Elephant “Song of the Lake”Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds “Starburster”Fontaines D.C. “Bye Bye”Kim Gordon “Flea”St. Vincent

Will Win: Fontaines D.C.

Alternative Music Album“Wild God” – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds “Charm” – Clairo “The Collective” – Kim Gordon “What Now” – Brittany Howard “All Born Screaming” – St. Vincent

Will Win: St. Vincent

There’s a reason St. Vincent continues to be a favorite of Grammy producers for telecast performances as well as still having her cred among the intelligentsia. No one else here has that broad an appeal.

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