NEW YORK—Well this is a big surprise, I didn’t even KNOW the nominees for the 2018 aka 60th Annual Grammy Awards were to be unveiled on Tuesday, November 28. Leading the pack of all contenders, is a head-scratcher for me with rapper Jay-Z picking up a total of 8 nominations including Album, Song and Record of the Year.
Followed close behind is Kendrick Lamar who picked up 7 nominations and Bruno Mars who picked up a total of 6 nominations. I’m really hoping this is Kendrick Lamar’s year, as it looks like pop music and rap music is dominating the major three categories and his “DAMN” album was an absolute classic people.
Contenders for Album of the Year include: Childish Gambino “Awaken, My Love!,” Jay-Z “4:44,” Bruno Mars “24K Magic,” Kendrick Lamar “DAMN” and Lorde “Melodrama.” I mean a category dominated by rappers, could lead to Lorde walking away with a victory people.
As for Record of the Year the nominees are: Childish Gambino “Redbone,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber “Despacito,” Jay-Z “The Story of O.J.,” Kendrick Lamar “HUMBLE.” and Bruno Mars “24K Magic.” For Song of the Year it’s a race that is a bit more competitive in my opinion, which makes for interesting dynamics. Contenders include “Despacito” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, “4:44” Jay-Z, “Issues” Julia Michaels, “1-800-273-8255” Logic feat. Alessia Cara and Khalid and Bruno Mars for “That’s What I Like.”
Best New Artist nominees include Alessia Cara, Khalid, Lil Uzi Vert, Julia Michaels and SZA. Vying for the Best Pop Vocal Album are Coldplay “Kalediscope,” Lana Del Rey “Lust For Life,” Imagine Dragons “Evolve,” Kesha “Rainbow,” Lady Gaga “Joanne” and Ed Sheeran for “÷(DIVIDE).” A partial list of nominees for the 2018 Grammy Awards can be viewed below. To see a full list visit www.grammy.com
Best Pop Solo Performance
-Kelly Clarkson “Love So Soft”
-Kesha “Praying”
-Lady Gaga “Million Reasons”
-P!nk “What About Us”
-Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
-The Chainsmokers and Coldplay “Something Just Like This”
-Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
-Imagine Dragons “Thunder”
-Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still”
-Zedd feat. Alessia Cara “Stay”
Best Rock Performance
-Leonard Cohen “You Want It Darker”
-Chris Cornell “The Promise”
-Foo Fighters “Run”
-Kaleo “No Good”
-Nothing More “Go To War”
Best Rock Album
-Mastodon “Emperor of Sand”
-Metallica “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct”
-Queens of the Stone Age “Villains”
-The War on Drugs “A Deeper Understanding”
-Nothing More “The Stories We Tell Ourselves”
Best R&B Performance
-Daniel Caesar feat. Kali Uchis “Get You”
-Kehlani “Distraction”
-Ledisi “High”
-Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like”
-SZA “The Weekend”
Best R&B Album
-Musiq Soulchild “Feel the Real”
-PJ Morton “Gumbo”
-Bruno Mars “24K Magic”
-Ledisi “Let Love Rule”
-Daniel Caesar “Freudian”
Best Rap Performance
-Kendrick Lamar “HUMBLE.”
-Cardi B “Bodak Yellow”
-Big Sean “Bounce Back”
-Jay-Z “4:44”
-Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert “Bad And Boujee”
Best Rap Album
-Jay-Z “4:44”
-Kendrick Lamar “DAMN”
-Rapsody “Laila’s Wisdom”
-Tyler, The Creator “Flower Boy”
-Migos “Culture”
Best Country Solo Performance
-Chris Stapleton “Either Way”
-Miranda Lambert “Tin Man”
-Alison Krauss “Losing You”
-Maran Morris “I Could Use A Love Song”
-Sam Hunt “Body Like A Back Road”
Best Country Album
-Kenny Chesney “Cosmic Halleliujah”
-Chris Stapleton “From A Room: Volume 1”
-Little Big Town “The Breaker”
-Thomas Rhett “Life Changes”
-Lady Antebellum “Heart Break”
The ceremony will be held on Sunday, January 28, 2018 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The ceremony will be televised live on CBS at 8 p.m. EST. A host for the ceremony has not yet been announced.
