Much more than in recent years, the 2021 Grammy Awards were extremely controversial. Within seconds of the nominees’ full disclosure, the internet and the media fell on the same question, “Where the hell is The Weeknd?” But the absence of the Canadian singer in the categories was only the beginning. It was a short time before rumors started circulating on the internet that the Grammy organization had totally ignored The Weeknd because they would like his inclusiveness in the awards, which imply him not appearing at the Super Bowl, which, at first, would happen a week after the Grammys. In the last few days, another chapter of this story was added when the HDD announced that it was possible that the organizers of the Super Bowl would have made The Weeknd not be nominated so his performance on the final of the football championship would be exclusive.
Indeed, the Grammy has always proved to be a dubious award. For example when Beck and his 2014’s Morning Phase won over Beyonce’s self-title in the Album of the Year category in 2015. Or better yet, when Lana Del Rey and Ariana Grande left shaking hands last year. However, we cannot say that the Grammy has not tried to improve. In the last few years, they left their main categories up to eight nominees, thus creating a greater possibility for inclusion and diversity. Even though for eight years, women shared the largest number of nominations in the main categories — although in 2019 Dua Lipa was the only woman to win a category. Grammy is trying but needs to try harder.
Today we are going to predict the winners of the 63rd Grammy Awards that will take place next Sunday, March 14, talking about who WILL win and who SHOULD win.
Record of the Year
- Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
- Black Pumas – “Colors”
- DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
- Doja Cat – “Say So”
- Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted’
- Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
- Post Malone – “Circles”
- Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – “Savage”
Will Win: Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Should Win: Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
When we look back to 2020, two songs can be seen as the songs that defined the year: “Blinding Lights” and “Don’t Start Now.” As already stated, The Weeknd was not nominated, and therefore “Don’t Start Now” is likely to win the category. The initial single from the British singer’s second album, Future Nostalgia, was a tremendous success, in addition to counting as excellent production and great lyrics. Although we have other great nominees, like Megan with “Savage” and Beyoncé with “Black Parade,” none of these seems to be strong enough to beat the success of Lipa’s song — which in recent years has been a decisive factor in the choice of winners as well.
Album of the Year
- Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
- Black Pumas – Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition)
- Coldplay – Everyday Life
- Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 3
- Haim – Women in Music Pt. III
- Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
- Post Malone – Hollywood’s Bleeding
- Taylor Swift – folklore
Will Win: Taylor Swift – folklore
Should Win: Taylor Swift – folklore
I think this category is kind of obvious to most people. Chances are that Taylor Swift will join the select group of artists who have won the biggest Grammy category three times. And, maybe, this time is the time she deserves the most. folklore was the biggest album of 2020. Although it didn’t have a big hit song like “Don’t Star Now,” it spent eight weeks at #1 on Billboard, sold over a million pure copies in the US, and was extremely critically acclaimed. Perhaps the only competitor strong enough to beat Swift in this category would be Dua Lipa, but even so, Future Nostalgia seems too distant for that.
Song of the Year
- Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
- Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
- Taylor Swift – “Cardigan”
- Post Malone – “Circles”
- Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
- Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”
- H.E.R. – “I Can’t Breathe”
- JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels – “If the World Was Ending”
Will Win: Taylor Swift – “Cardigan” or Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Should Win: Taylor Swift – “Cardigan” or Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Within the four main categories, this must be the strongest of all. In fact, 2020 brought excellent compositions, whether they came from political movements or the isolation or quarantine. Taylor Swift again leads the way here with “Cardigan,” the folklore lead single. Although not as strong politically as “Black Parade” or as hit as “Don’t Start Now,” “Cardigan” counts as an ambitious composition by Swift with Aaron Dessner. It is also worth mentioning that with this nomination Taylor became the artist with the highest number of nominations in the Song of the Year category, even though she has never won a single time. It looks like Taylor will finally win her first.
Best New Artist
- Ingrid Andress
- Phoebe Bridgers
- Chika
- Noah Cyrus
- D Smoke
- Doja Cat
- Kaytranada
- Megan Thee Stallion
Will Win: Megan Thee Stallion
Should Win: Phoebe Bridgers
This one also seems a little obvious. Megan Thee Stallion had an incredible year. She released an EP and her album, as well as a partnership with Cardi B on “WAP” and Beyoncé on “Savage,” both being one of the best songs from last year. Although Phoebe Bridgers seems to deserve more for her incredible Punisher and the repercussions of it, almost certainly this year is Stallion.
Best Pop Solo Performance
- Justin Bieber – “Yummy”
- Doja Cat – “Say So”
- Billie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”
- Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
- Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar”
- Taylor Swift – “Cardigan”
Will Win: Taylor Swift – “Cardigan” or Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Should Win: Taylor Swift – “Cardigan” or Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
- J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy – “Un Dia (One Day)”
- Justin Bieber Featuring Quavo – “Intentions”
- BTS – “Dynamite”
- Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
- Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver – “Exile”
Will Win: Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver – “Exile” or Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Should Win: Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver – “Exile”
Best Pop Vocal Album
- Justin Bieber – Changes
- Lady Gaga – Chromatica
- Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
- Harry Styles – Fine Line
- Taylor Swift – folklore
Will Win: Taylor Swift – folklore or Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
Should Win: Taylor Swift – folklore
Best Rock Performance
- Fiona Apple – “Shameika”
- Big Thief – “Not”
- Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
- HAIM – “The Steps”
- Brittany Howard – “Stay High”
- Grace Potter – “Daylight”
Will Win: Fiona Apple – “Shameika” or Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
Should Win: Fiona Apple – “Shameika”
Best Rock Song
- Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
- Tame Impala – “Lost in Yesterday”
- Big Thief – “Not”
- Fiona Apple – “Shameika”
- Brittany Howard – “Stay High”
Will Win: Fiona Apple – “Shameika” or Phoebe Bridgers – “Kyoto”
Should Win: Fiona Apple – “Shameika”
Best Rock Album
- Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
- Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
- Grace Potter – Daylight
- Sturgill Simpson – Sound and Fury
- The Strokes – The New Abnormal
Will Win: The Strokes – The New Abnormal
Should Win: Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
Best Alternative Music Album
- Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
- Beck – Hyperspace
- Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
- Brittany Howard – Jaime
- Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Will Win: Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters or Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
Should Win: Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters or Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
Best R&B Song
- Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello – “Better Than I Imagine”
- Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
- Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG – “Collide”
- Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
- Skip Marley & H.E.R. – “Slow Down”
Will Win: Beyoncé – “Black Parade” or Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
Should Win: Beyoncé – “Black Parade”
Best Progressive R&B Album
- Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
- Chloe X Halle – Ungodly Hour
- Free Nationals – Free Nationals
- Robert Glasper – F*** Yo Feelings
- Thundercat – It Is What It Is
Will Win: Chloe X Halle – Ungodly Hour
Should Win: Chloe X Halle – Ungodly Hour
Best Rap Song
- Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
- Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
- Drake Featuring Lil Durk – “Laugh Now, Cry Later”
- DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
- Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – “Savage”
Will Win: Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – “Savage” or Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Should Win: Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – “Savage”
Best Rap Album
- D SMOKE – Black Habits
- Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo
- Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony
- Nas – King’s Disease
- Royce 5’9” – The Allegory
Will Win: Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony or Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo
Should Win: Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
- Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG
- Camilo – Por Primera Vez
- Kany Garcia – Mesa Para Dos
- Ricky Martin – Pausa
- Deb Nova – 3:33
Will Win: Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG
Should Win: Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG
Best Folk Album
- Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman
- Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance
- Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
- The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – All the Good Times
Will Win: Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance or Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
Should Win: Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
Best Song Written for Visual Media
- Taylor Swift – “Beautiful Ghosts”
- Brandi Carlile – “Carried Me With You”
- Idina Menzel & Aurora – “Into the Unknown”
- Billie Eilish – “No time to Die”
- Cynthia Ervio – “Stand Up”
Will Win: Billie Eilish – “No time to Die”
Should Win: Billie Eilish – “No time to Die” or Taylor Swift – “Beautiful Ghosts”
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
- Jack Antonoff
- Dan Auerbach
- Dave Cobb
- Flying Lotus
- Andrew Watt
Will Win: Jack Antonoff
Should Win: Jack Antonoff
Best Music Video
- Beyoncé – “Brown Skin Girl”
- Future Featuring Drake – “Life Is Good”
- Anderson .Paak – “Lockdown”
- Harry Styles – “Adore You”
- Woodkid – “Goliath”
Will Win: Beyoncé – “Brown Skin Girl”
Should Win: Beyoncé – “Brown Skin Girl”
Best Music Film
- Beastie Boys – Beastie Boys Story
- Beyoncé – Black Is King
- Freestyle Love Supreme – We Are Freestyle Love Supreme
- Linda Ronstadt – Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
- ZZ Top – That Little Ol’ Band From Texas
Will Win: Beyoncé – Black Is King
Should Win: Beyoncé – Black Is King
The Soundx 