The Recording Academy announced the nominations for February’s 2019 Grammy Awards and while Taylor Swift, Beyonce and Ariana Grande fans were outraged their favorites didn’t earn “key” nominations there was genuine surprise at two of the players that did. Two players that also have major stakes at the 91st Academy Awards later that month.
“A Star is Born’s” “Shallow,” performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, earned nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Song Written for Visual Media. The rest of the songs from “A Star is Born” did not qualify because of the soundtrack’s release date (the deadline was Sept. 30). If you need any sign that “A Star is Born” is a cultural phenomenon that should easily win Best Picture, I’m not sure what else will convince you. That being said…
“Black Panther’s” soundtrack earned an Album of the Year nomination while “All the Stars,” performed by Kendrick Lamar and SZA, took Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Song Written for Visual Media and Best pp/Sung Performance nods. To say these nominations are a key indicator of how much “Black Panther” has also influenced pop culture is something of an understatement. Moreover, Walt Disney Studios and Marvel Studios now have another very prominent honor to point at when pushing the Best Picture candidacy of Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed blockbuster.
It’s hard to remember the last time music created for more than one piece of visual media content so dominated the Grammys key categories. The nominations are also shocking considering that “The Greatest Showman” soundtrack, one of the biggest hits of the past year, earned only two nominations, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media and Song Written for Visaul Media (“This Is Me”).
Lamar leads all nominees with eight. Drake follows with seven while producer Boi-1da and Brandi Carlile with six each. Landing five each were Cardi B, Childish Gambino, H.E.R., Lady Gaga, Maren Morris, producer Sounwave and mastering engineer Mike Bozzi.
The 61st Grammy Awards will be telecast live on CBS on Feb. 10 from Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Key and popular categories including Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year are listed below. All of this year’s nominees are listed here.
Record Of The Year
I LIKE IT
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
Invincible, JWhiteDidIt, Craig Kallman & Tainy, producers; Leslie Brathwaite & Evan LaRay, engineers/mixers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer
THE JOKE
Brandi Carlile
Dave Cobb & Shooter Jennings, producers; Tom Elmhirst & Eddie Spear, engineers/mixers; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
THIS IS AMERICA
Childish Gambino
Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, producers; Derek “MixedByAli” Ali & Riley Mackin, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
GOD’S PLAN
Drake
Boi-1Da, Cardo & Young Exclusive, producers; Noel Cadastre, Noel “Gadget” Campbell & Noah Shebib, engineers/mixers; Chris Athens, mastering engineer
SHALLOW
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Lady Gaga & Benjamin Rice, producers; Tom Elmhirst, engineer/mixer; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
ALL THE STARS
Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Al Shux & Sounwave, producers; Sam Ricci & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
ROCKSTAR
Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage
Louis Bell & Tank God, producers; Louis Bell & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
THE MIDDLE
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
Grey, Monsters & Strangerz & Zedd, producers; Grey, Tom Morris, Ryan Shanahan & Zedd, engineers/mixers; Mike Marsh, mastering engineer
Album Of The Year
INVASION OF PRIVACY
Cardi B
Leslie Brathwaite & Evan LaRay, engineers/mixers; Belcalis Almanzar & Jorden Thorpe, songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer
BY THE WAY, I FORGIVE YOU
Brandi Carlile
Dave Cobb & Shooter Jennings, producers; Dave Cobb & Eddie Spear, engineers/mixers; Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
SCORPION
Drake
Noel Cadastre, Noel “Gadget” Campbell & Noah Shebib, engineers/mixers; Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters; Chris Athens, mastering engineer
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
Darhyl “Hey DJ” Camper Jr, H.E.R. & Jeff Robinson, producers; Miki Tsutsumi, engineer/mixer; Darhyl Camper Jr & H.E.R., songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer
BEERBONGS & BENTLEYS
Post Malone
Louis Bell & Post Malone, producers; Louis Bell & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers; Louis Bell & Austin Post, songwriters; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
DIRTY COMPUTER
Janelle Monáe
Chuck Lightning & Janelle Monáe Robinson & Nate “Rocket” Wonder, producers; Mick Guzauski, Janelle Monáe Robinson & Nate “Rocket” Wonder, engineers/mixers; Nathaniel Irvin III, Charles Joseph II, Taylor Parks & Janelle Monáe Robinson, songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer
GOLDEN HOUR
Kacey Musgraves
Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves & Daniel Tashian, producers; Craig Alvin & Shawn Everett, engineers/mixers; Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves & Daniel Tashian, songwriters; Greg Calbi & Steve Fallone, mastering engineers
BLACK PANTHER: THE ALBUM, MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY
(Various Artists)
Kendrick Lamar, featured artist; Kendrick Duckworth & Sounwave, producers; Matt Schaeffer, engineer/mixer; Kendrick Duckworth & Mark Spears, songwriters; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
Song Of The Year
ALL THE STARS
Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears & Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
BOO’D UP
Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai)
GOD’S PLAN
Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
IN MY BLOOD
Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes & Geoffrey Warburton, songwriters (Shawn Mendes)
THE JOKE
Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)
THE MIDDLE
Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Kyle Trewartha, Michael Trewartha & Anton Zaslavski, songwriters (Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey)
SHALLOW
Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
THIS IS AMERICA
Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)
Best New Artist
CHLOE X HALLE
LUKE COMBS
GRETA VAN FLEET
H.E.R.
DUA LIPA
MARGO PRICE
BEBE REXHA
JORJA SMITH
Best Pop Solo Performance
COLORS
Beck
HAVANA (LIVE)
Camila Cabello
GOD IS A WOMAN
Ariana Grande
JOANNE (WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOIN’?)
Lady Gaga
BETTER NOW
Post Malone
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
For new vocal or instrumental duo/group or collaborative pop recordings. Singles or Tracks only.
FALL IN LINE
Christina Aguilera Featuring Demi Lovato
DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART
Backstreet Boys
‘S WONDERFUL
Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
SHALLOW
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
GIRLS LIKE YOU
Maroon 5 Featuring Cardi B
SAY SOMETHING
Justin Timberlake Featuring Chris Stapleton
THE MIDDLE
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
LOVE IS HERE TO STAY
Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
MY WAY
Willie Nelson
NAT “KING” COLE & ME
Gregory Porter
STANDARDS (DELUXE)
Seal
THE MUSIC…THE MEM’RIES…THE MAGIC!
Barbra Streisand
Best Pop Vocal Album
CAMILA
Camila Cabello
MEANING OF LIFE
Kelly Clarkson
SWEETENER
Ariana Grande
SHAWN MENDES
Shawn Mendes
BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA
P!nk
REPUTATION
Taylor Swift
Best Dance Recording
NORTHERN SOUL
Above & Beyond Featuring Richard Bedford
Above & Beyond, producers; Above & Beyond, mixers
ULTIMATUM
Disclosure (Featuring Fatoumata Diawara)
Guy Lawrence & Howard Lawrence, producers; Guy Lawrence, mixer
LOSING IT
Fisher
Paul Nicholas Fisher, producer; Kevin Granger, mixer
ELECTRICITY
Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
Silk City, producers; Josh Gudwin, mixer
GHOST VOICES
Virtual Self
Porter Robinson, producer; Porter Robinson, mixer
Best Dance/Electronic Album
SINGULARITY
Jon Hopkins
WOMAN WORLDWIDE
Justice
TREEHOUSE
Sofi Tukker
OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES
SOPHIE
LUNE ROUGE
TOKiMONSTA
Best R&B Performance
LONG AS I LIVE
Toni Braxton
SUMMER
The Carters
Y O Y
Lalah Hathaway
BEST PART
H.E.R. Featuring Daniel Caesar
FIRST BEGAN
PJ Morton
Best R&B Song
BOO’D UP
Larrance Dopson, Joelle James, Ella Mai & Dijon McFarlane, songwriters (Ella Mai)
COME THROUGH AND CHILL
Jermaine Cole, Miguel Pimentel & Salaam Remi, songwriters (Miguel Featuring J. Cole & Salaam Remi)
FEELS LIKE SUMMER
Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)
FOCUS
Darhyl Camper Jr, H.E.R. & Justin Love, songwriters (H.E.R.)
LONG AS I LIVE
Paul Boutin, Toni Braxton & Antonio Dixon, songwriters (Toni Braxton)
Best Urban Contemporary Album
EVERYTHING IS LOVE
The Carters
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Chloe x Halle
CHRIS DAVE AND THE DRUMHEDZ
Chris Dave And The Drumhedz
WAR & LEISURE
Miguel
VENTRILOQUISM
Meshell Ndegeocello
Best R&B Album
SEX & CIGARETTES
Toni Braxton
GOOD THING
Leon Bridges
HONESTLY
Lalah Hathaway
H.E.R.
H.E.R.
GUMBO UNPLUGGED (LIVE)
PJ Morton
Best Rap Performance
BE CAREFUL
Cardi B
NICE FOR WHAT
Drake
KING’S DEAD
Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake
BUBBLIN
Anderson .Paak
SICKO MODE
Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee
Best Rap/Sung Performance
LIKE I DO
Christina Aguilera Featuring Goldlink
PRETTY LITTLE FEARS
6lack Featuring J. Cole
THIS IS AMERICA
Childish Gambino
ALL THE STARS
Kendrick Lamar & SZA
ROCKSTAR
Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage
Best Rap Song
GOD’S PLAN
Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan, Ron LaTour, Matthew Samuels & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Drake)
KING’S DEAD
Kendrick Duckworth, Samuel Gloade, James Litherland, Johnny McKinzie, Mark Spears, Travis Walton, Nayvadius Wilburn & Michael Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake)
LUCKY YOU
R. Fraser, G. Lucas, M. Mathers, M. Samuels & J. Sweet, songwriters (Eminem Featuring Joyner Lucas)
SICKO MODE
Khalif Brown, Rogét Chahayed, BryTavious Chambers, Mike Dean, Mirsad Dervic, Kevin Gomringer, Tim Gomringer, Aubrey Graham, John Edward Hawkins, Chauncey Hollis, Jacques Webster, Ozan Yildirim & Cydel Young, songwriters (Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee)
WIN
K. Duckworth, A. Hernandez, J. McKinzie, M. Samuels & C. Thompson, songwriters (Jay Rock)
Best Rap Album
INVASION OF PRIVACY
Cardi B
SWIMMING
Mac Miller
VICTORY LAP
Nipsey Hussle
DAYTONA
Pusha T
ASTROWORLD
Travis Scott
Best Music Video
APES***
The Carters
Ricky Saiz, video director; Mélodie Buchris, Natan Schottenfels & Erinn Williams, video producers
THIS IS AMERICA
Childish Gambino
Hiro Murai, video director; Ibra Ake, Jason Cole & Fam Rothstein, video producers
I’M NOT RACIST
Joyner Lucas
Joyner Lucas & Ben Proulx, video directors; Joyner Lucas, video producer
PYNK
Janelle Monáe
Emma Westenberg, video director; Justin Benoliel & Whitney Jackson, video producers
MUMBO JUMBO
Tierra Whack
Marco Prestini, video director; Sara Nassim, video producer
Best Music Film
LIFE IN 12 BARS
Eric Clapton
Lili Fini Zanuck, video director; John Battsek, Scooter Weintraub, Larry Yelen & Lili Fini Zanuck, video producers
WHITNEY
(Whitney Houston)
Kevin Macdonald, video director; Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn & Lisa Erspamer, video producers
QUINCY
Quincy Jones
Alan Hicks & Rashida Jones, video directors; Paula DuPré Pesmen, video producer
ITZHAK
Itzhak Perlman
Alison Chernick, video director; Alison Chernick, video producer
THE KING
(Elvis Presley)
Eugene Jarecki, video director; Christopher Frierson, Georgina Hill, David Kuhn & Christopher St. John, video producers