This year has been a lot of things: cruel, inconvenient, and, at times, stressful. However, it seems as if the best pieces of art come out of the darkest parts of human history. In a year filled with turmoil, music fans across the world are coming together for a moment of rejoicing in the music that got them through one of the toughest times in recent memory.
The 2021 Grammy nominations were announced by the Recording Academy on Nov. 24 through a virtual ceremony. Beyoncè is the leading nominee, with nine nominations including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Taylor Swift received six nominations, five of those being for her alternative masterpiece folklore. Newcomer Dua Lipa scored in the Album of the Year category with her glorious revue of nostalgia-pop, Future Nostalgia. Global megastars BTS received congratulations from many fans for their nomination for their hit Dynamite, and fan-favorite Harry Styles received his first three Grammy nominations, including a nod for Best Pop Vocal Album for his sophomore masterpiece, Fine Line. The ceremony itself will be aired on CBS on Jan. 31 with Trevor Noah hosting.
Ahead, find the list of Grammy nominees in the major categories for the 2021 ceremony.
Record of the Year
- “Black Parade” — Beyoncè
- “Colors” — Black Pumas
- “Rockstar” — DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
- “Say So” — Doja Cat
- “Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
- “Don’t Start Now” — Dua Lipa
- “Circles” — Post Malone
- “Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncè
Album of the Year
- Chilombo — Jhenè Aiko
- Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) — 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
Song of the Year
- “Black Parade” — Beyoncé
- “The Box” — Roddy Ricch
- “Cardigan” — Taylor Swift
- “Circles” — Post Malone
- “Don’t Start Now” — Dua Lipa
- “Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
- “I Can’t Breathe” — H.E.R.
- “If the World Was Ending” — JP Saxe feat. 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 Dia (One Day)” — J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, and Tainy
- “Intentions” — Justin Bieber feat. Quavo
- “Dynamite” — BTS
- “Rain on Me” — Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande
- “Exile” — Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver
Best Pop Vocal Album
- Changes — Justin Bieber
- Chromatica — Lady Gaga
- Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa
- Fine Line — Harry Styles
- folklore — Taylor Swift
Best Rap Album
- Black Habits — D Smoke
- Alfredo — Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist
- A Written Testimony — Jay Electronica
- King’s Disease — Nas
- The Allegory — Royce da 5’9″
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 Country Song
- “Bluebird” — Miranda Lambert
- “The Bones” — Maren Morris
- “Crowded Table” — The Highwomen
- “More Hearts Than Mine” — Ingrid Andress
- “Some People Do” — Old Dominion
Best R&B Performance
- “Lightning & Thunder” — Jhené Aiko feat. John Legend
- “Black Parade” — Beyoncé
- “All I Need” — Jacob Collier feat. Mahalia and Ty Dolla $ign
- “Goat Head” — Brittany Howard
- “See Me” — Emily King
Best Rap Song
- “The Bigger Picture” — Lil Baby
- “The Box” — Roddy Ricch
- “Laugh Now, Cry Later” — Drake feat. Lil Durk
- “Rockstar” — DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch
- “Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
Best Rock Performance
- “Shameika” — Fiona Apple
- “Not” — Big Thief
- “Kyoto” — Phoebe Bridgers
- “The Steps” — Haim
- “Stay High” — Brittany Howard
- “Daylight” — Grace Potter
Best Progressive R&B Album
- Chilombo — Jhené Aiko
- Ungodly Hour — Chloe x Halle
- Free Nationals — Free Nationals
- Fuck Yo Feelings — Robert Glasper
- It Is What It Is — Thundercat
Best Alternative Album
- Fetch the Bolt Cutters, —Fiona Apple
- Hyperspace — Beck
- Punisher — Phoebe Bridgers
- Jaime — Brittany Howard
- The Slow Rush — Tame Impala
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
- YHLQMDLG — Bad Bunny
- Por Primera Vez — Camilo
- Mesa Para Dos — Kany García
- Pausa — Ricky Martin
- 3:33 — Debi Nova