2020 GRAMMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

When the Grammy Awards made the decision to make all categories gender-neutral in 2011, I was very concerned about the idea. With our society long being male-dominated, I was afraid that would be reflected in the nominations for music's highest honor. Initially, the nominations were fairly equal (much to my surprise) yet as time went on there began a shift with men gradually receiving far more recognition. This culminated in 2018 with women being barely acknowledged and receiving only seventeen awards out of eighty-six categories. And when this was called out, the then-President of the Recording Academy essentially told women that if they wanted to be a part of the industry they needed to "step up".

But with the recent announcement of the Grammy Award nominations for 2020, there was a notable shift in who received recognition. Women dominated this year in all categories and made historical firsts in the nominations. Beyoncé leads the pack with nine nominations which includes the single that celebrated Black culture and activism, "Black Parade" while Dua Lipa (for her dance-pop collection, "Future Nostalgia") and Taylor Swift (for the indie-rock album, "Folklore" created during quarantine) both followed with six each. In addition to Swift and Lipa, Jhené Aiko, with her alt-soul collection, "Chilombo" and the sister trio, Haim for their pop-rock album, "Women in Music Pt. III" also received nominations for Album of the Year. Other women who did well include alt-rocker, Brittany Howard with five for her debut solo album, "Jamie" along with Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eilish and one of the hottest artists of the year, hip-hop performer, Megan Thee Stallion who all received four. And in the Best New Artist category, six of the eight performers nominated are women and in a major first, there are only females recognized for Best Rock Performance and the Best Country Album category has only female-led acts. 

Men weren't ignored entirely with Post Malone for his album, "Hollywood's Bleeding", alt-rockers, Coldplay's "Everyday Life", psychedelic soul act, Black Pumas and their self-titled debut album and (a bit of a head-scratcher), Jacob Collier, the twenty-six year old, British multi-instrumentalist and his jazz-pop collection, "Djesse Vol. 3" round out the Album of The Year category. Roddy Ricch, with his breakout hip-hop track, "The Box", received six nominations while Justin Bieber and DaBaby follow with four each. 

The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards will be held on January 31, 2021  March 14, 2021 under COVID-19 restrictions. The comedian, Trevor Noah will serve as host for the first time. 
 

Here is a partial list of the nominations for the 2020 Grammy Awards: 

Album of the Year:

"Chilombo" - Jhene Aiko
"Black Pumas (Deluxe)" - Black Pumas
"Everyday Life" - Coldplay
"Djesse Vol. 3" - Jacob Collier
"Women in Music Pt. III" - Haim
"Future Nostalgia" - Dua Lipa
"Hollywood’s Bleeding" - Post Malone
"Folklore" - Taylor Swift

Record of the Year:

"Black Parade" - Beyoncé
"Colors" - Black Pumas
"Rockstar" - DaBaby and Roddy Ricch
"Say So" -Doja Cat
"Everything I Wanted" - Billie Eilish
"Don’t Start Now" - Dua Lipa
"Circles" - Post Malone
"Savage" - Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé

Song of the Year:

"Black Parade" - Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice (Beyoncé)
"The Box" - Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore (Roddy Ricch)
"Cardigan" - Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift (Taylor Swift)
"Circles" - Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post & Billy Walsh (Post Malone)
"Don’t Start Now" - Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa & Emily Warren (Dua Lipa)
"Everything I Wanted" - Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell (Billie Eilish)
"I Can’t Breathe" - Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas (H.E.R.)
"If the World Was Ending" - Julia Michaels & JP Saxe (JP Saxe & Julia Michaels)

Best New Artist:

Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion

Best Pop Solo Performance:

"Yummy" - Justin Bieber
"Say So" - Doja Cat
"Everything I Wanted" - Billie Eilish
"Don’t Start Now" - Dua Lipa
"Watermelon Sugar" - Harry Styles
"Cardigan" - Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

"Un Día (One Day)" - J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy
"Intentions,” Justin Bieber and Quavo
"Dynamite" - BTS
"Rain On Me" Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
"Exile" -Taylor Swift and Bon Iver

Best Pop Vocal Album:

"Changes" - Justin Bieber
"Chromatica" - Lady Gaga
"Future Nostalgia" - Dua Lipa
"Fine Line" - Harry Styles
"Folklore" - Taylor Swift

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:

"Blue Umbrella" - Burt Bacharach and Daniel Tashain
"True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter" - Harry Connick Jr.
"American Standard" - James Taylor
"Unfollow the Rules" - Rufus Wainwright
"Judy" - Renee Zellweger

Best Rock Performance:

"Shameika" - Fiona Apple
"Not" - Big Thief
"Kyoto" - Phoebe Bridgers
"The Steps" - Haim
"Stay High" - Brittany Howard
"Daylight" - Grace Potter

Best Rock Song:

"Kyoto" - Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler and Mashall Vore (Phoebe Bridgers)
"Lost In Yesterday" - Kevin Parker (Tame Impala)
"Not" - Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief)
"Shameika" - Fiona Apple (Fiona Apple)
"Stay High" - Brittany Howard (Brittany Howard)

Best Rock Album:

"A Hero’s Death" - Fontaines D.C.
"Kiwanuka" - Michael Kiwanuka
"Daylight" - Grace Potter
"Sound & Fury" - Sturgill Simpson
"The New Abnormal" - The Strokes

Best Alternative Album:

"Hyperspace" - Beck
"Fetch the Bolt Cutters" - Fiona Apple
"Punisher" - Phoebe Bridgers
"Jaime" - Brittany Howard
"The Slow Rush" - Tame Impala

Best Dance Recording:

"On My Mind,” Diplo & Sidepiece
"My High" - Disclosure Featuring Aminé & Slowthai
"The Difference" - Flume featuring Toro y Moi
"Both Of Us" - Jayda D
"10%" - Kaytranada featuring Kali Uchis

Best Dance/Electronic Album:

"Kick I" - Arca
"Planet’s Mad" - Baauer
"Energy" - Disclosure
"Bubb" - Kaytranada
"Good Faith" - Madeon

Best R&B Performance:

"Lightning and Thunder,” Jhené Aiko Featuring John Legend
"Black Parade" - Beyoncé
"All I Need" - Jacob Collier Featuring Mahalia & Ty Dolla $ign
"Goat Head" - Brittany Howard
"See Me" - Emily King

Best Traditional R&B Performance:

"Sit On Down" - The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor
"Wonder What She Thinks of Me" - Chloe X Halle
"Let Me Go" - Mykal Kilgore
"Anything For You" - Ledisi
"Distance" - Yebba

Best R&B Song:

"Better Than I Imagine" - Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R and Meshell Ndegeocello)
"Black Parade" - Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice (Beyoncé)
"Collide" - Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi (Tiana & EARTHGANG)
"Do It" - Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende (Chloe X Halle)
"Slow Down" - Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)

Best Progressive R&B Album:

"Chilombo" - Jhene Aiko
"Ungodly Hour" - Chloe X Halle
"Free Nationals" - Free Nationals
"F*** Yo Feelings" - Robert Glasper
"It Is What It Is" - Thundercat

Best R&B Album:

"Happy 2 Be Here" - Any Clemons
"Take Time" - Giveon
"To Feel Loved" - Luke James
"Bigger Love" - John Legend
"All Rise" - Gregory Porter

Best Rap Performance:

"Deep Reverence" - Big Sean featuring Nipsey Hustle
"Bop" - Da Baby
"What’s Poppin" - Jack Harlow
"The Bigger Picture" - Lil Baby
"Savage" - Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
"Dior" - Pop Smoke

Best Melodic Rap Performance:

"Rockstar" - Da Baby feat. Roddy Ricch
"Laugh Now, Cry Later" _ Drake feat. Lil Durk
"Lockdown" - Anderson.Paak
"The Box" - Roddy Ricch
"HIGHEST IN THE ROOM" - Travis Scott

Best Rap Album:

"Black Habits" - D Smoke
"Alfredo" - Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
"A Written Testimony" - Jay Electronica
"King’s Disease" - Nas
"The Allegory" - Royce Da 5’9”

Best Rap Song:

"The Bigger Picture" - Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew & Rai’shaun Williams (Lil Baby)
"The Box" - Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore (Roddy Ricch)
"Laugh Now, Cry Later" - Durk Banks, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour & Ryan Martinez (Drake featuring Lil Durk)
"Rockstar" - Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV & Rodrick Moore (Da Baby featuring Roddy Ricch)
"Savage" - Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White (Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé)

Best Country Solo Performance:

"Stick That In Your Country Song" - Eric Church
"Who You Thought I Was" - Brandy Clark
"When My Amy Prays" - Vince Gill
"Black Like Me" - Mickey Guyton
"Bluebird" - Miranda Lambert

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:

"All Night" - Brothers Osbourne
"10,000 Hours" - Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
"Ocean" - Lady A
"Sugar Coat" - Little Big Town
"Some People Do" - Old Dominion

Best Country Song:

"Bluebird" - Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby & Miranda Lambert (Miranda Lambert)
"The Bones" - Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins & Laura Veltz (Maren Morris)
"Crowded Table" - Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby & Lori McKenna (The Highwomen)
"More Hearts Than Mine" - Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis & Derrick Southerland (Ingrid Andress)
"Some People Do" - Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Matthew Ramsey & Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Old Dominion)

Best Country Album:

"Lady Like" - Ingrid Andress
"Your Life is a Record" - Brandy Clark
"Wildcard" - Miranda Lambert
"Nightfall" - Little Big Town
"Never Will" - Ashley McBryde

Best Americana Album:

"Old Flowers" - Courtney Marie Andrews
"Terms Of Surrender" - Hiss Golden Messenger
"World On The Ground" - Sarah Jarosz
"El Dorado" - Marcus King
"Good Souls Better Angels" - Lucinda Williams

Best Jazz Vocal Album:

"Ona" - Thana Alexa
"Secrets Are The Best Stories" - Kurt Elling Featuring Danilo Pérez
"Modern Ancestors" - Carmen Lundy
"Holy Room: Live at Alte Oper" - Somi With Frankfurt Radio Big Band
"What’s The Hurry" - Kenny Washington

Best Latin Jazz Album:

"Tradiciones" - Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra
"Four Questions" - Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
"City of Dreams" - Chico Pinheiro
"Viento y Tiempo: Live at Blue Note Tokyo" - Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aymée Nuviola
"Trane’s Delight" - Poncho Sanchez

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:

"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" - Various Artists
"Bill & Ted Face the Music" - Various Artists
"Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" - Various Artists
"Frozen 2" - Various Artists
"JoJo Rabbit" - Various Artists

Best Music Video:

"Brown Skin Girl" - Beyoncé
"Life Is Good" - Future Featuring Drake
"Lockdown" - Anderson.Paak
"Adore You" - Harry Styles
"Goliath" - Woodkid

Producer of the Year (Non-Classical):

Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Dave Cobb
Flying Lotus
Andrew Watt