NPR Music’s Stephen Thompson breaks down the nominations for subsequent 12 months’s Grammy Awards, out Friday. A number of the world’s greatest pop stars acquired main nods, with SZA because the most-nominated artist.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Nominations for subsequent 12 months’s Grammy Awards are out right this moment. A number of the world’s greatest pop stars acquired main nods – performers like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and Miley Cyrus – although it was the singer and songwriter SZA who led your complete area with 9 nominations.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “KILL BILL”)
SZA: (Singing) I’d kill my ex – not one of the best concept.
SUMMERS: Right here to speak all issues Grammys with us is Stephen Thompson from NPR Music. Thanks for being right here.
STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: Thanks.
SUMMERS: OK. So they offer out Grammys in 94 totally different classes. It is exhausting to sum every part up in just some minutes. We will strive our greatest. What are your huge takeaways from this spherical of nominations?
THOMPSON: Properly, the very first thing that jumped out to me is that within the high three normal classes – I am speaking about album, report and track of the 12 months – they’re overwhelmingly dominated by girls. That’s uncommon for the Grammys, which have had type of an up-and-down historical past with makes an attempt to realize some type of gender parity. In every of these three classes, there are eight nominees apiece, and each artist is a lady apart from Jon Batiste. As you scroll by means of these main classes, you see lots of those self same enormous names popping up time and again. You talked about them – SZA, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo. All of them are vastly represented in these high classes, and every of them has at the very least six nominations. When you’re in search of surprises, individuals who weren’t essentially anticipated to dominate, Victoria Monet had an enormous day. She acquired seven nominations, together with finest new artist and report of the 12 months for the track “On My Mama.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ON MY MAMA”)
VICTORIA MONET: (Singing) I put that on my mama, on my hood. I look fly. I look good. You possibly can’t contact my bag.
SUMMERS: All proper. What else jumps out to you? Are there every other huge surprises which might be value us speaking about?
THOMPSON: Properly, it is exhausting to name Jon Batiste a shock after he gained album of the 12 months. He pops up in album of the 12 months, track of the 12 months, report of the 12 months. It is a clear reminder the Grammys completely love Jon Batiste. One factor I noticed scrolling by means of all of these 94 classes is that whereas SZA is probably the most nominated artist, probably the most nominated album is definitely the soundtrack to the “Barbie” film. I counted 11 nominations for songs from “Barbie,” together with 4 of the 5 nominees within the class of finest track written for visible media. That does not even rely the “Barbie” rating, which can also be nominated – so an enormous, enormous, enormous day for the “Barbie” soundtrack. It helps that these “Barbie” songs are by enormous stars. You have acquired Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and, in fact, Ryan Gosling for “I am Simply Ken.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I’M JUST KEN”)
RYAN GOSLING: (Singing) I am simply Ken. Anyplace else, I would be a ten. Is it my future to stay and die…
SUMMERS: OK. In much less enjoyable information, let’s discuss snubs, individuals who didn’t make the listing for nominations – any of these stand out to you?
THOMPSON: Properly, trying on the different classes, I am truly shocked the “Barbie” soundtrack did not get an album of the 12 months nod. However what stood out to me probably the most, I believe, is how scant the illustration was for rock and nation music and hip-hop, to a sure extent. With a lot pop and R&B within the lead classes, there’s not lots of room left over for these different genres. Lots of people thought Foo Fighters have been going to get main nominations for his or her album, “However Right here We Are.” It is one in all their finest in years. They’re an enormous Grammy favourite. Dave Grohl is mainly the mayor of rock ‘n’ roll. They’re nominated within the rock classes, however they acquired shut out of the final area.
This was additionally a really, very huge 12 months commercially for nation music, and but nation acquired largely neglected of lots of the key classes, too. Luke Combs had an enormous crossover hit together with his cowl of Tracy Chapman’s “Quick Automotive.” That solely acquired one nomination. And I used to be very inquisitive about what the Grammys have been going to do with Morgan Wallen. His track, which known as “Final Night time,” was the largest hit of this 12 months, however he is additionally a mainstream nation star with a really polarizing fame. And lately, the Grammys have shied away from what you would possibly name bro nation, and so they principally shied away from Morgan Wallen this 12 months, too. So he acquired only one nomination. “Final Night time” was nominated for finest nation track.
SUMMERS: Stephen Thompson is a author with NPR Music and a co-host of Pop Tradition Blissful Hour. Stephen, thanks.
THOMPSON: Thanks, Juana.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LAST NIGHT”)
MORGAN WALLEN: (Singing) I do know that final night time we let the liquor discuss. I can not bear in mind every part we stated, however we stated all of it. You informed me…
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