With eight nominations, hip-hop artist Lizzo is the top contender for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards. The nominations were announced on November 20, 2019. Pop singer Billie Eilish and rapper Lil Nas X earned six Grammy nods each. All three artists are competing in the categories of Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist.
In the U.S., “CBS This Morning” had a live telecast of the nominations in the General Field categories. Alicia Keys, “CBS This Morning Host” Gayle King and singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha made the announcements. As previously reported, Keys will host the Grammy Awards for the second year in row. CBS will have a live telecast of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, which will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020.
Here are the nominations in General Field categories. A complete list of nominations can be found on the official Grammy Awards website.
Record of the Year
Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist.
“Bay Guy” Billie Eilish
Finneas O’Connell, producer; Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers/mixers; John Greenham, mastering engineer
“7 Rings” Ariana Grande
Charles Anderson, Tommy Brown, Michael Foster & Victoria Monet, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Billy Hickey & Brendan Morawski, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
“Talk” Khalid
Disclosure & Denis Kosiak, producers; Ingmar Carlson, Jon Castelli, Josh Deguzman, John Kercy, Denis Kosiak, Guy Lawrence & Michael Romero, engineers/mixers; Dale Becker, mastering engineer
“Old Town Road” Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Andrew “VoxGod” Bolooki & YoungKio, producers; Andrew “VoxGod” Bolooki & Cinco, engineers/mixers; Eric Lagg, mastering engineer
:Truth Hurts” Lizzo
Ricky Reed & Tele, producers; Chris Galland, Manny Marroquin & Ethan Shumaker, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
“Sunflower” Post Malone & Swae Lee
Louis Bell & Carter Lang, producers; Louis Bell & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers
Album of the Year
Award to Artist(s) and to Featured Artist(s), Songwriter(s) of new material, Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s), Mixer(s) and Mastering Engineer(s) credited with at least 33% playing time of the album, if other than Artist.
“Norman F**king Rockwell!” Lana Del Rey
Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, producers; Jack Antonoff & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
“When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” Billie Eilish
Finneas O’Connell, producer; Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers/mixers; Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters; John Greenham, mastering engineer
“Thank U, Next” Ariana Grande
Tommy Brown, Ilya, Max Martin & Victoria Monet, producers; Serban Ghenea & Brendan Morawski, engineers/mixers; Tommy Brown, Ariana Grande, Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Victoria Monet, Tayla Parx & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
“I Used to Know Her” H.E.R.
David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris, H.E.R., Walter Jones & Jeff Robinson, producers; Miki Tsutsumi, engineer/mixer; Sam Ashworth, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris & H.E.R., songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer
“7” Lil Nas X
Montero Lamar Hill, songwriter; Eric Lagg, mastering engineer
“Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)” Lizzo
Ricky Reed, producer; Manny Marroquin & Ethan Shumaker, engineers/mixers; Eric Frederic & Melissa Jefferson, songwriters; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
“Father of the Bride” Vampire Weekend
Ezra Koenig & Ariel Rechtshaid, producers; John DeBold, Chris Kasych, Takemasa Kosaka, Ariel Rechtshaid & Hiroya Takayama, engineers/mixers; Ezra Koenig, songwriter; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer
Song of the Year
A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.
“Always Remember Us This Way”
Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
“Bring My Flowers Now”
Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
“Hard Place”
Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris, H.E.R. & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Lover”
Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
“Norman F**cking Rockwell”
Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Someone Yo Loved”
Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn & Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
“Truth Hurts”
Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)
Best New Artist
An artist will be considered for Best New Artist if their eligibility year release/s achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.
Alicia Keys (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for HFA)
The following is a press release from the Recording Academy and CBS:
Fifteen-time GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and global superstar Alicia Keys will return as host of the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and on CBS All Access. Keys took to YouTube and social media this morning to announce the news in a video. The announcement comes just one week before Grammy nominees are revealed on Wednesday, Nov. 20 (8:20 AM, ET). Key categories will be announced live on “CBS This Morning.”
Last year’s ceremony marked Keys’ first time hosting an awards program and was met with praise from fans and critics alike. Her opening monologue featured special guest appearances from former first lady Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Jada Pinkett Smith. A standout moment when Keys played two pianos simultaneously in tribute to black pianist Hazel Scott became a top social moment according to Facebook.
“At first, I did think last year was a one-time thing, but when the opportunity came back around, there was no question about returning as host of the Grammy Awards,” said Keys. “Last year was such a powerful experience for me. Not only did I feel the love in the room, but I felt it from around the world, and it confirmed the healing and unifying power of music.”
“Alicia Keys is the ultimate musically credible MC and talent who brings everything you’d want to hosting big event television,” said Jack Sussman, EVP, Specials, Music and Live Events, CBS Entertainment. “Alicia 2019 raised the bar to the next level, and I have no doubt Alicia 2020 will take Music’s Biggest Night to all new heights.”
“From Best New Artist recipient to Grammy Award host, Alicia Keys has been a beacon of artistry within the music community for more than two decades,” said Recording Academy President/CEO Deborah Dugan. “Last year was a testament to her compelling creativity, and we are thrilled that she will return to the Grammy stage as our host. Anything can happen. You don’t want to miss it!”
“From the opening of last year’s Grammys, it was clear Alicia was the perfect host,” said longtime Grammys executive producer Ken Ehrlich. “While her commitment to the show and musical genius are undeniable, her remarkable ability to guide our live audience and millions more at home was striking. Having worked with her on all of her Grammy appearances, there’s a magic between Alicia and the show, and we are certain this year will make that even more apparent.”
The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from Staples Center in Los Angeles Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live on CBS All Access. Following the live broadcast, the awards show will also be available on demand on CBS All Access.
About Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys is a modern-day Renaissance woman—a 15-time Grammy Award-winning artist/songwriter/musician/producer, an accomplished actress, a New York Times best-selling author, a film, television and Broadway producer, an entrepreneur, and a powerful force in the world of activism. Since the release of her monumental 2001 debut album, “Songs in A Minor,” Keys has sold over 65 million records and built an unparalleled repertoire of hits and accomplishments. She released her powerful and critically acclaimed sixth studio album, “Here,” in 2016 and is prepping for her seventh studio album, set to be released next year. Her first single from the project, “Show Me Love” featuring Miguel, was released in September, followed by a remix featuring 21 Savage this month.
About the Recording Academy
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the Grammy Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the Grammy Awards—music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com . For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, “like” Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy’s social communities on Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Kacey Musgraves’ critically acclaimed “Golden Hour” won Album of the Year, while Childish Gambino’s chart-topping single “This Is America” was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 61st Grammy Awards. CBS had the U.S. telecast of the ceremony, which took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb 10, 2019. Alicia Keys hosted the show. In total, Musgraves and Childish Gambino (the musical stage name of actor Donald Glover) won the most Grammys: four each. In addition to Record of the Year and Song of the Year, Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” also won Grammys for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Music Video. “This Is America” is the first hip-hop song to win the Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Glover/Childish Gambino did not attend the ceremony. Ludwig Göransson, who co-wrote and co-produced the song with Glover, gave the acceptance speech instead for Record of the Year. (Göransson also won a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, for “Black Panther,” which was an award that was not televised.)
Recordings eligible for the 2019 Grammy Awards were those released between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018. The awards are voted for by the Recording Academy.
This was the first year that the Grammys had the new expansions of the General Field categories—Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist—which have increased the number of nominees per category from five to eight. The policy change came after the 2018 Grammy Awards received a lot of criticism for having an overwhelming majority of male nominees and winners. It led to the social-media hashtag #GrammysSoMale, and the Recording Academy subsequently created a diversity and inclusion task force. All the other Grammy categories will continue to have five nominees per category, except in cases where there is a voting tie.
After the #GrammysSoMale backlash of 2018, the Grammys had several female winners in 2019. In addition to winning Album of the Year, Musgraves won all three of the country-music Grammys for which she was nominated. Cardi B made Grammy history has the first solo female artist to win Best Rap Album, for her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy.”
Lady Gaga won three Grammys: Her “Shallow” duet with her “A Star Is Born” co-star/director Bradley Cooper won for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media, while Lady Gaga’s “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’)?” was named Best Pop Solo Performance. (Lady Gaga and Cooper’s soundtrack to “A Star Is Born” was released on October 5, 2018, so it will be eligible for the 2020 Grammy Awards.) Cooper did not attend the Grammys because he was at the BAFTA Awards in London, where “A Star Is Born” won the prize for Best Original Music.
Brandi Carlile also won three Grammys: She dominated the American roots music category by winning all three Grammys that she was nominated for in that field this year. Other female Grammy winners were Dua Lipa, who won Best New Artist, as well as Best Dance Recording (for “Electricity” with Silk City’s Mark Ronson and Diplo). Tori Kelly took the top Grammy prizes for song and album in the gospel category, while Lauren Daigle did the same in the contemporary Christian category. Meanwhile, H.E.R. won the prizes for Best R&B Performance (for “Best Part” featuring Daniel Caesar) and Best R&B Album, for her self-titled EP.
One female Grammy winner who didn’t attend the show was Ariana Grande, who canceled her appearance at the Grammys this year because of reported dispute over which songs she could perform: Her “Sweetnener” album won Best Pop Vocal Album, which is Grande’s first Grammy Award.
After a brief, cheerful introduction by Keys, the show opened with Keys joined on stage by Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez, with each of the women giving short speeches about what music means to them.
Kendrick Lamar, who had the most nominations (eight) heading into the ceremony, was nominated for his work on the “Black Panther” soundtrack, but he ended up with one Grammy win: “King’s Dead” won the prize for Best Rap Performance for Lamar, Jay Rock, Future and James Blake. The award had a rare voting tie this year: Anderson .Paak’s “Bubblin” also won the Grammy in this category.
Drake had seven nominations and ended up with one Grammy: Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan.” Drake and Lamar reportedly declined invitations to perform at the Grammys this year. Drake attended the ceremony, but Lamar did not.
Performers at the 2019 Grammys included Lady Gaga, Keys, Janelle Monáe, Dan + Shay, H.E.R., Musgraves, Cardi B, Shawn Mendes and Carlile. Diana Ross celebrated her 75th birthday with a “Diamond Diana” performance medley of some of her hit songs.
The Grammys are known for having unique tributes and collaborations. This year the on-stage team-ups included Camila Cabello with Ricky Martin, Youg Thug and J Balvin; Miley Cyrus with Mendes; Dua Lipa with St. Vincent; Travis Scott with members of Earth, Wind & Fire; and Post Malone with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
A tribute to the late Aretha Franklin featured Yolanda Adams, Andra Day and Fantasia doing a medley of Franklin’s hits.
Dolly Parton (MusiCares’ 2019 Person of the Year) participated in a tribute to her that included Musgraves, Katy Perry, Maren Morris, Cyrus and Little Big Town performing a medley of Parton hits.
A tribute to Motown’s 60th anniversary featured Jennifer Lopez, Smokey Robinson, Ne-Yo and Keys performing a medley of Motown hits.
Chloe x Halle performed a tribute to the late Donny Hathaway, one of this year’s recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award.
The Grammy ceremony had some time-management problems. The show ran about 10 minutes over its scheduled time (it had been scheduled to run from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. ET), and several winners’ speeches were cut off by music playing over them. In Dua Lipa’s case, her microphone was completely shut off as the telecast quickly switched to a commercial.
The 61st Grammy Awards were produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for the Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich was executive producer, Ben Winston was executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz was director, Chantel Sausedo was the producer, and David Wild and Ehrlich were the writers.
Here is the complete list of winners and nominations for the 61st Grammy Awards:
*=winner
GENERAL FIELD
Album of the Year:
“Invasion of Privacy” — Cardi B
“By the Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Scorpion” — Drake
“H.E.R.” — H.E.R.
“Beerbongs & Bentleys” — Post Malone
“Dirty Computer” — Janelle Monáe “Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves*
“Black Panther: The Album, Music From And Inspired By” (Various Artists)
Record of the Year:
“I Like It” — Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile “This Is America” — Childish Gambino*
“God’s Plan” — Drake
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“All the Stars” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Rockstar” — Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
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
POP FIELD
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:
“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 I 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
DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD
Best Dance Recording:
“Northern Soul” — Above & Beyond Featuring Richard Bedford
“Ultimatum” — Disclosure (Featuring Fatoumata Diawara)
“Losing It” — Fisher “Electricity” — Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson*
“Ghost Voices” — Virtual Self
Best Dance/Electronic Album:
“Singularity” —Jon Hopkins “Woman Worldwide” — Justice*
“Treehouse” — Sofi Tukker
“Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” — SOPHIE
“Lune Rouge” — TOKiMONSTA
CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:
“The Emancipation Procrastination” — Christian Scott and Tunde Adjuah “Steve Gadd Band” — Steve Gadd Band*
“Modern Lore” — Julian Lage
“Laid Black” — Marcus Miller
“Protocol 4” — Simon Phillips
ROCK FIELD
Best Rock Performance:
“Four Out Of Five” — Arctic Monkeys “When Bad Does Good” — Chris Cornell*
“Made An America” — The Fever 333
“Highway Tune” — Greta Van Fleet
“Uncomfortable” — Halestorm
Best Metal Performance:
“Condemned to the Gallows “— Between the Buried and Me
“Honeycomb” — Deafheaven “Electric Messiah” — High on Fire*
“Betrayer” — Trivium
“On My Teeth — Underoath
Best Rock Song:
“Black Smoke Rising” — Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka & Daniel Robert Wagner, songwriters (Greta Van Fleet)
“Jumpsuit” — Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots)
“MANTRA” — Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls & Oliver Sykes, songwriters (Bring Me
The Horizon) “Masseduction” — Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent)*
“Rats” — Tom Dalgety & A Ghoul Writer, songwriters (Ghost)
Best Rock Album:
“Rainier Fog” — Alice in Chains
“M A N I A” — Fall Out Boy
“Prequelle — Ghost “From the Fires” — Greta Van Fleet*
“Pacific Daydream” — Weezer
ALTERNATIVE FIELD
Best Alternative Music Album:
“Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” — Arctic Monkeys “Colors” — Beck*
“Utopia” — Björk
“American Utopia” — David Byrne
“Masseduction” — St. Vincent
R&B FIELD
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 Traditional R&B Performance: “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” — Leon Bridges* (tie)
“Don’t Fall Apart on Me Tonight” — Bettye LaVette
“Honest” — MAJOR. “How Deep Is Your Love” — PJ Morton Featuring Yebba* (tie)
“Made For Love” — Charlie Wilson Featuring Lalah Hathaway
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
RAP FIELD
Best Rap Performance:
“Be Careful” — Cardi B
“Nice For What” — Drake “King’s Dead” — Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake* (tie) “Bubblin” — Anderson .Paak* (tie)
“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
COUNTRY FIELD
Best Country Solo Performance:
“Wouldn’t It Be Great?” — Loretta Lynn
“Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” — Maren Morris “Butterflies” — Kacey Musgraves*
“Millionaire” — Chris Stapleton
“Parallel Line” — Keith Urban
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“Shoot Me Straight” — Brothers Osborne “Tequila” — Dan + Shay*
” When Someone Stops Loving You” — Little Big Town
“Dear Hate” — Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill
“Meant To Be” — Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Best Country Song:
“Break Up In The End” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Chase McGill & Jon Nite, songwriters (Cole Swindell)
“Dear Hate” — Tom Douglas, David Hodges & Maren Morris,
Songwriters (Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill)
“I Lived It” — Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley & Ben
Hayslip, songwriters (Blake Shelton) “Space Cowboy” — Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)*
“Tequila” — Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds & Dan Smyers, songwriters (Dan + Shay)
“When Someone Stops Loving You” — Hillary Lindsey, Chase McGill & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Best Country Album:
“Unapologetically” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Port Saint Joe” — Brothers Osborne
“Girl Going Nowhere” — Ashley McBryde “Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves*
“From a Room: Volume 2” — Chris Stapleton
NEW AGE FIELD
Best New Age Album:
“Hiraeth” — Lisa Gerrard & David Kuckhemann
“Beloved” — Snatam Kaur “Opium Moon” — Opium Moon*
“Molecules Of Motion” — Steve Roach
“Moku Maluhia – Peaceful Island” — Jim Kimo West
JAZZ FIELD
Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
“Some of That Sunshine” — Regina Carter, soloist “Don’t Fence Me In” — John Daversa, soloist*
“We See” — Fred Hersch, soloists
“De-dah” — Brad Mehldau, soloist
“Cadenas” — Miguel Zenón, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album:
“My Mood Is You” — Freddy Cole
“The Questions” — Kurt Elling
“The Subject Tonight Is Love” — Kate McGarry With Keith Ganz & Gary Versace
“If You Really Want” — Raul Midón With The Metropole Orkest Conducted By Vince Mendoza “The Window” — Cécile McLorin Salvant*
Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
“Diamond Cut” — Tia Fuller
“Live in Europe” — Fred Hersch Trio
“Seymour Reads the Constitution!” — Brad Mehldau Trio
“Still Dreaming” — Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade “Emanon” — The Wayne Shorter Quartet*
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
“All About That Basie” — The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty
Barnhart “American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom” — John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists*
“Presence” — Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band
“All Can Work” — John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
“Barefoot Dances and Other Visions” — Jim McNeely & The Frankfurt Radio Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album:
“Heart of Brazil”— Eddie Daniels “Back to the Sunset”— Dafnis Prieto Big Band*
“West Side Story Reimagined”— Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
“Cinque”— Elio Villafranca
“Yo Soy La Tradición” — Miguel Zenón Featuring Spektral Quartet
GOSPEL/ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD
Best Gospel Performance/Song:
“You Will Win” — Jekalyn Carr; Allen Carr & Jekalyn Carr, Songwriters
“Won’t He Do It” — Koryn Hawthorne “Never Alone” — Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin & Victoria Kelly, Songwriters*
“Cycles” Jonathan Mcreynolds Featuring Doe; Jonathan McReynolds, Songwriter
“A Great Work” — Brian Courtney Wilson; Aaron W. Lindsey, Alvin Richardson & Brian Courtney Wilson, Songwriters
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song:
“Reckless Love” — Cory Asbury; Cory Asbury, Caleb Culver & Ran Jackson, songwriters “You Say” — Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram & Paul Mabury, songwriters*
“Joy” — for King & Country; Ben Glover, Matt Hales, Stephen Blake Kanicka, Seth Moslely, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone & Tedd Tjornhom, songwriters
“Grace Got You” — MercyMe Featuring John Reuben; David Garcia, Ben Glover, MercyMe, Solomon Olds & John Reuben, songwriters
“Known”— Tauren Wells; Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp & Tauren
Wells, songwriters
Best Gospel Album:
“One Nation Under God” — Jekalyn Carr “Hiding Place” — Tori Kelly*
“Make Room” — Jonathan McReynolds
“The Other Side” — The Walls Group
“A Great Work” — Brian Courtney Wilson
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: “Look Up Child” — Lauren Daigle*
“Hallelujah Here Below” — Elevation Worship
“Living With a Fire” — Jesus Culture
“Surrounded” — Michael W. Smith
“Survivor: Live From Harding Prison” — Zach Williams
Best Roots Gospel Album: “Unexpected” — Jason Crabb*
“Clear Skies” — Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
“Favorites: Revisited By Request” — The Isaacs
“Still Standing” — The Martins
“Love Love Love” — Gordon Mote
LATIN FIELD
Best Latin Pop Album:
“Prometo” — Pablo Alboran “Sincera” — Claudia Brant*
“Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos), Vol. 2” — Natalia Lafourcade
“2:00 AM” — Raquel Sofía
“Vives” — Carlos Vives
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
“Clairoscura” — Aterciopelados
“Coastcity” — Coastcity
“Encanto Tropical” — Monsieur Periné
“Gourmet” — Orishas “Aztlán” — Zoé*
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
“Primero Soy Mexicana” — Angela Aguilar
“Mitad y Mitad” — Calibre 50
“Totalmente Juan Gabriel Vol. II” — Aida Cuevas
“Cruzando Borders” — Los Texmaniacs
“Leyendas De Mi Pueblo” — Mariachi Sol De Mexico De Jose Hernandez “¡México Por Siempre!” — Luis Miguel*
Best Tropical Latin Album:
“Pa’ Mi Gente” — Charlie Aponte
“Legado” — Formell Y Los Van Van
“Orquesta Akokán” — Orquesta Akokán
“Ponle Actitud” — Felipe Peláez “Anniversary” — Spanish Harlem Orchestra*
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FIELD
Best American Roots Performance:
“Kick Rocks” — Sean Ardoin
“Saint James Infirmary Blues” — Jon Batiste “The Joke” Brandi Carlile*
“All On My Mind” — Anderson East
“Last Man Standing” — Willie Nelson
Best American Roots Song:
“All the Trouble” — Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack & Adam Wright, songwriters (Lee Ann Womack)
“Build a Bridge” — Jeff Tweedy, songwriter (Mavis Staples) “The Joke” — Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)*
“Knockin’ On Your Screen Door” — Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)
“Summer’s End” — Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)
Best Americana Album: “By the Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile*
“Things Have Changed” — Bettye LaVette
“The Tree Of Forgiveness” — John Prine
“The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone” — Lee Ann Womack
“One Drop Of Truth” — The Wood Brothers
Best Bluegrass Album:
“Portraits in Fiddles” — Mike Barnett
“Sister Sadie II” — Sister Sadie
“Rivers and Roads” — Special Consensus “The Travelin’ McCourys” — The Travelin’ McCourys*
“North of Despair” — Wood & Wire
Best Traditional Blues Album:
“Something Smells Funky ‘Round Here” — Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
“Benton County Relic” — Cedric Burnside “The Blues Is Alive and Well” — Buddy Guy*
“No Mercy in This Land” — Ben Harper And Charlie Musselwhite
“Don’t You Feel My Leg (The Naughty Bawdy Blues of Blue Lu Barker) — Maria Muldaur
Best Contemporary Blues Album: “Please Don’t Be Dead” — Fantastic Negrito*
“Here In Babylon” — Teresa James And The Rhythm Tramps
“Cry No More” — Danielle Nicole
“Out of The Blues” — Boz Scaggs
“Victor Wainwright and The Train” — Victor Wainwright And The Train
Best Folk Album:
“Whistle Down the Wind” — Joan Baez
“Black Cowboys” — Dom Flemons
“Rifles & Rosary Beads” — Mary Gauthier
“Weed Garden” — Iron & Wine “All Ashore” — Punch Brothers*
Best Regional Roots Music Album:
“Kreole Rock and Soul” — Sean Ardoin
“Spyboy” — Cha Wa
“Aloha From Na Hoa” — Na Hoa “No ‘Ane’i” — Kalani Pe’a*
“Mewasinsational – Cree Round Dance Songs” — Young Spirit
REGGAE FIELD
Best Reggae Album:
“As the World Turns” — Black Uhuru
“Reggae Forever” — Etana
“Rebellion Rises” — Ziggy Marley
“A Matter of Time” — Protoje “44/876” — Sting & Shaggy*
WORLD MUSIC FIELD
Best World Music Album:
“Deran” — Bombino
“Fenfo” — Fatoumata Diawara
“Black Times” — Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 “Freedom” — Soweto Gospel Choir*
“The Lost Songs of World War II” — Yiddish Glory
CHILDREN’S FIELD
Best Children’s Album: “All the Sounds” — Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats*
“Building Blocks” — Tim Kubart
“Falu’s Bazaar” — Falu
“Giants of Science” — The Pop Ups
“The Nation of Imagine” — Frank & Deane
SPOKEN WORD FIELD
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
“Accessory to War (Neil Degrasse Tyson & Avis Lang)” — Courtney B. Vance
“Calypso” — David Sedaris
“Creative Quest” — Questlove “Faith – A Journey For All” — Jimmy Carter*
“The Last Black Unicorn” — Tiffany Haddish
COMEDY FIELD
Best Comedy Album:
“Annihilation” — Patton Oswalt “Equanimity & The Bird Revelation” — Dave Chappelle*
“Noble Ape” — Jim Gaffigan
“Standup For Drummers” — Fred Armisen
“Tamborine” — Chris Rock
MUSICAL THEATER FIELD
Best Musical Theater Album: “The Band’s Visit” — Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Katrina Lenk & Ari’el Stachel, principal soloists; Dean Sharenow & David Yazbek, producers; David Yazbek, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)*
“Carousel” — Renee Fleming, Alexander Gemignani, Joshua Henry,
Lindsay Mendez & Jessie Mueller, principal soloists;
Steven Epstein, producer (Richard Rodgers, composer;
Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” — Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels, Brandon
Victor Dixon, Erik Grönwall, Jin Ha, John Legend,
Norm Lewis & Jason Tam, principal soloists; Harvey
Mason, Jr., producer (Andrew Lloyd-Webber,
composer; Tim Rice, lyricist) (Original Television Cast)
“My Fair Lady” — Lauren Ambrose, Norbert Leo Butz & Harry
Hadden-Paton, principal soloists; Andre Bishop, Van
Dean, Hattie K. Jutagir, David Lai, Adam Siegel & Ted
Sperling, producers (Frederick Loewe, composer; Alan
Jay Lerner, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
“Once on This Island” — Phillip Boykin, Merle Dandridge, Quentin Earl
Darrington, Hailey Kilgore, Kenita R. Miller, Alex
Newell, Isaac Powell & Lea Salonga, principal soloists;
Lynn Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Ken Davenport, Stephen
Flaherty & Elliot Scheiner, producers (Stephen
Flaherty, composer; Lynn Ahrens, lyricist) (New
Broadway Cast)
MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA FIELD
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:
“Call Me By Your Name” — (Various Artists)
“Deadpool 2” — (Various Artists) “The Greatest Showman” — (Various Artists)*
“Lady Bird” — (Various Artists)
“Stranger Things” — (Various Artists)
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: “Black Panther” — Ludwig Göransson, composer*
“Blade Runner 2049” — Benjamin Wallfisch & Hans Zimmer, composers
“Coco” — Michael Giacchino, composer
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, composer
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — John Williams, composer
Best Song Written For Visual Media:
“All the Stars” — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Alexander William Shuckburgh, Mark Anthony Spears & Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
“Mystery of Love” — Sufjan Stevens, songwriter (Sufjan Stevens)
“Remember Me” — Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Miguel Featuring Natalia Lafourcade) “Shallow” — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)*
“This Is Me” — Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble)
COMPOSING/ ARRANGING FIELD
Best Instrumental Composition: “Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil)” — Terence Blanchard, composer (Terence Blanchard)*
“Chrysalis” — Jeremy Kittel, composer (Kittel & Co.)
“Infinity War” — Alan Silverstri, composer (Alan Silvestri)
“Mine Mission” — John Powell & John Williams, composers (John Powell & John Williams)
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, composer (Alexandre Desplat)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella:
“Batman Theme (TV)” — Randy Waldman & Justin Wilson, arrangers (Randy Waldman Featuring Wynton Marsalis)
“Change the World” — Mark Kibble, arranger (Take 6)
“Madrid Finale” — John Powell, arranger (John Powell)
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, arranger (Alexandre Desplat) “Stars and Stripes Forever” — John Daversa, arranger (John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists)*
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals:
“It Was a Very Good Year” — Matt Rollings & Kristin Wilkinson, arrangers (Willie Nelson)
“Jolene” — Dan Pugach & Nicole Zuraitis, arrangers (Dan Pugach)
“Mona Lisa” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Gregory Porter)
“Niña” — Gonzalo Grau, arranger (Magos Herrera & Brooklyn Rider) “Spiderman Theme” — Randy Waldman, arranger (Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter)*
PACKAGE FIELD
Best Recording Package:
“Be The Cowboy” — Mary Banas, art director (Mitski)
“Love Yourself: Tear” — HuskyFox, art director (BTS) “Masseducation” — Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent)*
“The Offering” — Qing-Yang Xiao, art director (The Chairman)
“Well Kept Thing” — Adam Moore, art director (Foxhole)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package:
“Appetite For Destruction (Locked N’ Loaded Box)” — Arian Buhler, Charles Dooher, Jeff Fura, Scott Sandler & Matt Taylor, art directors (Guns N’ Roses)
“I’ll Be Your Girl” — Carson Ellis, Jeri Heiden & Glen Nakasako, art directors (The Decemberists)
“Pacific Northwest ’73-74′: The Complete Recordings” — Lisa Glines, Doran Tyson & Roy Henry Vickers, art
directors (Grateful Dead) “Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” — Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (“Weird Al” Yankovic)*
“Too Many Bad Habits” — Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Johnny Nicholas)
NOTES FIELD
Best Album Notes:
“Alpine Dreaming: The Helvetia Records Story, 1920-1924” — James P. Leary, album notes writer (Various Artists)
“4 Banjo Songs, 1891-1897: Foundational Recordings of America’s Iconic Instrument” — Richard Martin & Ted Olson, album notes writers (Charles A. Asbury)
“The 1960 Time Sessions” — Ben Ratliff, album notes writer (Sonny Clark Trio)
“The Product of Our Souls: The Sound and Sway of James Reese Europe’s Society Orchestra” — David Gilbert, album notes writer (Various Artists)
“Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981” — Amanda Petrusich, album notes writer (Bob Dylan) “Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris” — David Evans, album notes writer (Various Artists)*
HISTORICAL FIELD
Best Historical Album:
“Any Other Way” — Rob Bowman, Douglas Mcgowan, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton, mastering
engineer (Jackie Shane)
“At The Louisiana Hayride Tonight…” — Martin Hawkins, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
“Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America’s Forgotten War” — Hugo Keesing, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg,
mastering engineer (Various Artists)
“Rhapsody in Blue – The Extraordinary Life of Oscar Levant” — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Andreas K. Meyer & Rebekah Wineman, mastering engineers (Oscar Levant) “Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris” — William Ferris, April Ledbetter & Steven Lance Ledbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)*
PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
“All The Things That I Did and All The Things That I Didn’t Do” — Ryan Freeland & Kenneth Pattengale, engineers; Kim Rosen, mastering engineer (The Milk Carton Kids) “Colors” — Julian Burg, Serban Ghenea, David “Elevator” Greenbaum, John Hanes, Beck Hansen, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrell Thorp & Cassidy Turbin, engineers; Chris Bellman, Tom Coyne, Emily Lazar & Randy Merrill, mastering engineers (Beck)*
“Earthtones” — Robbie Lackritz, engineer; Philip Shaw Bova, mastering engineer (Bahamas)
“Head Over Heels” — Nathaniel Alford, Jason Evigan, Chris Galland, Tom Gardner, Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Tony Hoffer, Derek Keota, Ian Kirkpatrick, David Macklovitch, Amber Mark, Manny Marroquin, Vaughn
Oliver, Chris “TEK” O’Ryan, Morgan Taylor Reid & Gian Stone, engineers; Chris Gehringer & Michelle Mancini, mastering engineers (Chromeo)
“Voicenotes” — Manny Marroquin & Charlie Puth, engineers; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer (Charlie Puth)
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Boi-1da
Larry Klein
Linda Perry
Kanye West Pharrell Williams*
Best Remixed Recording:
“Audio (CID Remix)” — CID, remixer (LSD)
“How Long (EDX’s Dubai Skyline Remix)” — Maurizio Colella, remixer (Charlie Puth)
“Only Road (Cosmic Gate Remix”) — Stefan Bossems & Claus Terhoeven, remixers (Gabriel & Dresden Featuring Sub Teal)
“Stargazing (Kaskade Remix)” — Kaskade, remixer (Kygo Featuring Justin Jesso) “Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)” — Alex Crossan, remixer (Haim)*
SURROUND SOUND FIELD
Best Immersive Audio Album: “Eye in the Sky – 35th Anniversary Edition” — Alan Parsons, surround mix engineer; Dave Donnelly, PJ Olsson & Alan Parsons, surround mastering engineers; Alan Parsons, surround producer (The Alan Parsons Project)*
“Folketoner” — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask & Det Norske Jentekor)
“Seven Words From The Cross” — Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores,
surround mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, surround producer (Matthew Guard & Skylark)
“Sommerro: Ujamaa & The Iceberg” — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ingar Heine Bergby, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Choir)
“Symbol” — Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround mix engineers; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround producers (Engine-Earz Experiment)
PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Engineered Album, Classical:
“Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Mark Donahue & Dirk Sobotka, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)
“Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 — Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“John Williams At The Movies” — Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Jerry Junkin & Dallas Winds)
“Liquid Melancholy – Clarinet Music of James M. Stephenson” — Bill Maylone & Mary Mazurek, engineers; Bill Maylone, mastering engineer (John Bruce Yeh) “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11” — Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra)*
“Visions and Variations” — Tom Caulfield, engineer; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (A Far Cry)
Producer of the Year, Classical: Blanton Alspaugh*
David Frost
Elizabeth Ostrow
Judith Sherman
Dirk Sobotka
CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Orchestral Performance:
“Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“Nielsen: Symphony No. 3 & Symphony No. 4” — Thomas Dausgaard, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
“Ruggles, Stucky & Harbison: Orchestral Works” — David Alan Miller, conductor (National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic)
“Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4” — Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony) “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11” — Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)*
Best Opera Recording:
“Adams: Doctor Atomic” — John Adams, conductor; Aubrey Allicock, Julia Bullock, Gerald Finley & Brindley Sherratt; Friedemann Engelbrecht, producer (BBC Symphony Orchestra; BBC Singers) “Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Michael Christie, conductor; Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edwards Parks, Garrett Sorenson & Wei Wu; Elizabeth Ostrow, producer (The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)*
“Lully: Alceste” — Christophe Rousset, conductor; Edwin Crossley-Mercer, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro & Judith
Van Wanroij; Maximilien Ciup, producer (Les Talens Lyriques; Choeur De Chambre De Namur)
“Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier” Sebastian Weigle, conductor; Renée Fleming, Elīna Garanča, Günther Groissböck & Erin Morley; David Frost, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
“Verdi: Rigoletto” — Constantine Orbelian, conductor; Francesco Demuro, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Nadine Sierra; Vilius Keras &
Aleksandra Keriene, producers (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra; Men Of The Kaunas State Choir)
Best Choral Performance:
“Chesnokov: Teach Me Thy Statutes” — Vladimir Gorbik, conductor (Mikhail Davydov & Vladimir Krasov; PaTRAM Institute Male Choir)
“Kastalsky: Memory Eternal” — Steven Fox, conductor (The Clarion Choir) “McLoskey: Zealot Canticles” — Donald Nally, conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing)*
“Rachmaninov: The Bells” — Mariss Jansons, conductor; Peter Dijkstra, chorus master (Oleg Dolgov, Alexey Markov & Tatiana
Pavlovskaya; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
“Seven Words From The Cross” — Matthew Guard, conductor (Skylark)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Anderson, Laurie: Landfall” — Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet*
“Beethoven, Shostakovich & Bach” — The Danish String Quartet
“Blueprinting” — Aizuri Quartet
“Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring Concerto For Two Pianos: — Leif Ove Andsnes & Marc-André Hamelin
“Visions and Variations” — A Far Cry
Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
“Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2″ — Yuja Wang; Simon Rattle, conductor (Berliner Philharmoniker)
“Biber: The Mystery Sonatas” — Christina Day Martinson; Martin Pearlman, conductor (Boston Baroque)
“Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46; Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26” — Joshua Bell (The Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields)
“Glass: Three Pieces in The Shape of a Square” — Craig Morris “Kernis: Violin Concerto” — James Ehnes; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)*
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album:
“Arc” — Anthony Roth Costanzo; Jonathan Cohen, conductor (Les Violons Du Roy)
“The Handel Album” — Philippe Jaroussky; Artaserse, ensemble
“Mirages” — Sabine Devieilhe; François-Xavier Roth, conductor (Alexandre Tharaud; Marianne Crebassa & Jodie
Devos; Les Siècles)
“Schubert: Winterreise” — Randall Scarlata; Gilbert Kalish, accompanist “Songs of Orpheus – Monteverdi, Caccini, D’India & Landi” — Karim Sulayman; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor; Apollo’s Fire, ensembles*
Best Classical Compendium: “Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush” — JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Tim Handley, producer*
“Gold” — The King’s Singers; Nigel Short, producer
“The John Adams Edition” — Simon Rattle, conductor; Christoph Franke, producer
“John Williams At The Movies” — Jerry Junkin, conductor; Donald J. McKinney, producer
“Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Serenade to Music; Flos Campi” — Peter Oundjian, conductor; Blanton Alspaugh, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
“Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Mason Bates, composer; Mark Campbell, librettist (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)
“Du Yun: Air Glow” — Du Yun, composer (International Contemporary Ensemble)
“Heggie: Great Scott” — Jake Heggie, composer; Terrence McNally, librettist (Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade,
Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra) “Kernis: Violin Concerto” — Aaron Jay Kernis, composer (James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony)*
“Mazzoli: Vespers For Violin” — Missy Mazzoli, composer (Olivia De Prato)
MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD
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 & 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
Lady Gaga at the 60th Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Neira/CBS)
Travis Scott at the 2017 Coachella Festival in Indio, California (Photo by Greg Noire)
Dua Lipa at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Festival Daytime Stage at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds in Las Vegas on September 22, 2018. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, Dua Lipa, St. Vincent, Chloe x Halle and tributes to Aretha Franklin and Dolly Parton have been added to the performing lineup at the 61st Grammy Awards, which will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on February 10, 2019. As previously announced, Alicia Keys is hosting the show, which will have its U.S. telecast on CBS.
Previously announced artists include Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Dan + Shay, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Janelle Monáe, Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, Miley Cyrus, H.E.R., Red Hot Chili Peppers and Diana Ross.
[February 7, 2019 UPDATE: The following entertainers will be presenters at the 61st Grammy Awards: Kelsea Ballerini, Leon Bridges, Luke Combs, Charlie Wilson, Alessia Cara, Julian Edelman, Eve, John Mayer, Bob Newhart, Smokey Robinson, Swizz Beatz, Meghan Trainor, Kane Brown, BTS, Cedric The Entertainer, Nina Dobrev, Anna Kendrick, Jada Pinkett Smith and Wilmer Valderrama.]
Lady Gaga will perform “Shallow” (from the 2018 “A Star is Born” movie soundtrack) with Mark Ronson, who wrote “Shallow” with Lady Gaga, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt. “Shallow” is nominated for four Grammys, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The Grammy Awards take place on the same night as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, where Lady Gaga is nominated for Best Actress and Best Music for “A Star Is Born.” By choosing to attend the Grammys instead, it’s clear that Lady Gaga is going to the ceremony where she thinks she has the better chance of winning more awards.
Meanwhile, on-stage collaborations at the 2019 Grammys have been announced: Cabello will be joined by J Balvin, Young Thug, Ricky Martin and Arturo Sandoval for her performance. Female singers Dua Lipa and St. Vincent will team up for their Grammy performance.
One artist who won’t be performing at the Grammys this year is Ariana Grande, who is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album (“Sweetener”) and Best Pop Solo Performance (“God Is a Woman”). According to Variety, Grande canceled her performance and will not be attending the show because of a dispute over which songs she could sing at the Grammys. She had been set to do a medley of two songs, and reportedly had to fight the show’s producers to perform her current single “7 Rings,” but ultimately quit when the producers would not allow her to choose the second song.
The 61st Grammy Awards show is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for the Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Ben Winston is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, Chantel Sausedo is the producer, and David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers.
In 2018, the Recording Academy received an enormous amount of backlash for having a male-dominated Grammy ceremony, which led to the social-media hashtag #GrammysSoMale. That year, the overwhelming number of Grammy nominees and winners were male, and the only artist with an Album of the Year nomination who was not invited to perform solo on the show was female singer Lorde. (Lorde attended the ceremony but did not perform.) In 2019, the Recording Academy has taken big steps to have more women on the Grammys stage. Keys is one of the few women who have hosted the Grammy ceremony. And three of the biggest tributes at the 2019 Grammys will be to women, while prominent on-stage collaborations will feature women.
Diva Tributes
Aretha Franklin at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Fall Gala at Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City on November 7, 2017. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Dolly Parton at the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 29, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
Diana Ross at the 2017 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on November 19, 2017. (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
Franklin, who died in of pancreatic cancer in August 2018, will have a special tribute at the Grammy Awards with performances by Yolanda Adams, Fantasia and Andra Day. A separate all-star tribute to Franklin (“Aretha! A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul”) will take place on January 13 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Tyler Perry is hosting that separate tribute concert, which will include performances by Adams, Shirley Caesar, Alessia Cara, Kelly Clarkson, Common, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Keys, John Legend, Patti LaBelle, BeBe Winans, Carlile, Chloe x Halle, H.E.R., Monáe and SZA. CBS will televise the concert on March 10, 2019.
Parton, who is MusiCares’ 2019 Person of the Year, will perform a song from the “Dumplin'” movie soundtrack. As part of the Grammy Awards tribute, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Musgraves and Perry will perform some of Parton’s songs. This will be the second tribute to Parton in two days. On February 8, Parton’s MusiCares Person of the Year concert (which is not televised) will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with performances by Parton, Cyrus, Perry, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Leon Bridges, Lauren Daigle, Norah Jones, Mendes, Pink, Ronson, Chris Stapleton, Vince Gill, Don Henley, Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Linda Perry and Mavis Staples.
As previously reported, Ross is celebrating her 75th birthday this year with a “Diamond Diana” performance at the Grammys. The performance is expected to be a medley of some of her hit songs. Ross will also be a performer at “Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration,” an all-star concert for Motown’s 60th anniversary that will be filmed for CBS at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on January 12, 2019. Other “Motown 60” performers include Smokey Robinson, Boyz II Men, Chloe x Halle, Ciara, Lamont Dozier, Fantasia, Brian & Eddie Holland, Thelma Houston, Tori Kelly, John Legend, Little Big Town, Ne-Yo, Pentatonix, Martha Reeves, Valerie Simpson, Mickey Stevenson, Meghan Trainor and Stevie Wonder. Cedric the Entertainer is hosting the show, which CBS will premiere on April 21.
Performers Nominated for Grammys This Year
Chloe x Halle at the 2018 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on October 9, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for DCP via ABC/AMA2018)
Maren Morris at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on January 28, 2018. (Photo by Jeff Neira/CBS)
J Balvin at the 2018 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on October 9, 2018.(Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
It’s a tradition for most of the artists performing at a Grammy Awards ceremony are those who are nominated for Grammys that year. Most of the aforementioned artists have Grammy nominations in 2019. Cabello, Carlile and Mendes will be performing at the Grammy Awards for the first time.
Balvin is up for Record Of The Year for “I Like It,” his collaboration with Cardi B and Bad Bunny.
Cabello’s Grammy nominations this year are for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Havana [Live]” and Best Pop Vocal Album for her solo debut album, “Camila.” Cabello is a former member of Fifth Harmony.
Cardi B has five Grammy nominations this year. Her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” is up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album; “Girls Like You,” her her hit collaboration with Maroon 5, is nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance; her song “I Like It” is one of the contenders for Record of the Year; and her song “Be Careful” is up for Best Rap Performance.
Carlile is nominated for six Grammys: Her song “The Joke” is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song, while her album “By the Way, I Forgive You” is a contender for Album of the Year and Best Americana Album.
Chloe x Halle are nominated for Best New Artist and Best Urban Contemporary Album (for “The Kids Are Alright”).
Dan + Shay’s “Tequila” is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
H.E.R. is one of the nominees for Best New Artist, while her self-titled album is up for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album. She also nominated for Best R&B Performance (for “Best Part”) and Best R&B Song (for “Focus”).
Lady Gaga’s “Shallow” is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media, while her song “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)” is nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance.
Lipa is nominated for Best Dance Recording (for “Electricity”) and Best New Artist.
Malone has four Grammy nominations: Album of the Year (for “Beerbongs & Bentleys“); his “Better Now” single is up for Best Pop Solo Performance; and his “Rockstar” collaboration with 21 Savage is nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance.
Mendes’ self titled album is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, while his single “In My Blood” is a contender for Song of the Year.
Monáe has two Grammy nominations this year: “Dirty Computer” is up for Album of the Year, while she has a Best Music Video nod for “PYNK.”
Morris is nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (for “The Middle,” her collaboration with Zedd and Grey); Best Country Solo Performance (for “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters”); and Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song (for “Dear Hate,” featuring Vince Gill).
Musgraves received four Grammy nominations this year: “Golden Hour” is up for Album of the Year and Best Country Album; “Butterflies” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance; and “Space Cowboy” is a contender for Best Country Song.
Ronson has three nominations: Best Dance Recording (for “Electricity,” Dua Lipa’s collaboration with Silk City’s Ronson and Diplo) while “Shallow” is up for Song of the Year and Best Song Written For Visual Media.
Scott is up for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “Sicko Mode,” as well as Best Rap Album for “Astroworld.”
St. Vincent is nominated for Best Rock Song (for “Masseduction”) and Best Alternative Music Album (for “Masseduction”).
Young Thug is nominated for Song of the Year for “This Is America,” which he co-wrote with Donald Glover (also known as Childish Gambino) and Ludwig Göransson.
Diana Ross at the 2017 American Music Awards (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
Diana Ross, Miley Cyrus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Brandi Carlile and H.E.R. have been added to the performing lineup at the 61st Grammy Awards, which will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on February 10, 2019. It hasn’t been announced what songs they will be performing. As previously announced, Alicia Keys is hosting the show, which will have its U.S. telecast on CBS.
Previously announced artists include Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Dan + Shay, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Janelle Monáe and Kacey Musgraves.
The 61st Grammy Awards show is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for the Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Ben Winston is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, Chantel Sausedo is the producer, and David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers.
Ross is celebrating her 75th birthday this year with a “Diamond Diana” performance that will no doubt be a medley of some of her biggest hits.
It’s a tradition for most of the artists performing at a Grammy Awards ceremony are those who are nominated for Grammys that year. Most of the aforementioned artists have Grammy nominations in 2019. Cabello, Carlile and Mendes will be performing at the Grammy Awards for the first time.
Cabello’s Grammy nominations this year are for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Havana [Live]” and Best Pop Vocal Album for her solo debut album, “Camila.” Cabello is a former member of Fifth Harmony.
Cardi B has five Grammy nominations this year. Her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” is up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album; “Girls Like You,” her her hit collaboration with Maroon 5, is nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance; her song “I Like It” is one of the contenders for Record of the Year; and her song “Be Careful” is up for Best Rap Performance.
Carlile is nominated for six Grammys: Her song “The Joke” is up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song, while her album “By the Way, I Forgive You” is a contender for Album of the Year and Best Americana Album.
Dan + Shay’s “Tequila” is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
H.E.R. is one of the nominees for Best New Artist, while her self-titled album is up for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album. She also nominated for Best R&B Performance (for “Best Part”) and Best R&B Song (for “Focus”).
Lipa is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Dance Recording for “Electricity.”
Malone has four Grammy nominations: Album of the Year (for “Beerbongs & Bentleys“); his “Better Now” single is up for Best Pop Solo Performance; and his “Rockstar” collaboration with 21 Savage is nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance.
Mendes’ self titled album is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, while his single “In My Blood” is a contender for Song of the Year.
Monáe has two Grammy nominations this year: “Dirty Computer” is up for Album of the Year, while she has a Best Music Video nod for “PYNK.”
Musgraves received four Grammy nominations this year: “Golden Hour” is up for Album of the Year and Best Country Album; “Butterflies” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance; and “Space Cowboy” is a contender for Best Country Song.
Camila Cabello at the MTV EMAs 2018 at Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Bilbao, Spain, on November 4, 2018. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images for MTV)
Cardi B at the 2018 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, on October 9, 2018. (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
Post Malone at the 2018 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, on October 9, 2018. (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
Shawn Mendes at the iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 22, 2018. (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)
Janelle Monáe at the 22nd Annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on November 4, 2018. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Kacey Musgraves at the 52nd Annual ACM Awards at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 2, 2017. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS)
Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Dan + Shay, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Janelle Monáe and Kacey Musgraves are in the first group of artists announced to perform at the 61st Grammy Awards, which will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on February 10, 2019. As previously announced, Alicia Keys is hosting the show, which will have its U.S. telecast on CBS.
It’s a tradition for most of the artists performing at a Grammy Awards ceremony are those who are nominated for Grammys that year. All of the aforementioned artists have Grammy nominations in 2019. Cabello and Mendes will be performing at the Grammy Awards for the first time.
Cabello’s Grammy nominations this year are for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Havana [Live]” and Best Pop Vocal Album for her solo debut album, “Camila.” Cabello is a former member of Fifth Harmony.
Cardi B has five Grammy nominations this year. Her debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” is up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album; “Girls Like You,” her her hit collaboration with Maroon 5, is nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance; her song “I Like It” is one of the contenders for Record of the Year; and her song “Be Careful” is up for Best Rap Performance.
Dan + Shay’s “Tequila” is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Malone has four Grammy nominations: Album of the Year (for “Beerbongs & Bentleys“); his “Better Now” single is up for Best Pop Solo Performance; and his “Rockstar” collaboration with 21 Savage is nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance.
Mendes’ self titled album is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, while his single “In My Blood” is a contender for Song of the Year.
Monáe has two Grammy nominations this year: “Dirty Computer” is up for Album of the Year, while she has a Best Music Video nod for “PYNK.”
Musgraves received four Grammy nominations this year: “Golden Hour” is up for Album of the Year and Best Country Album; “Butterflies” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance; and “Space Cowboy” is a contender for Best Country Song.
Alicia Keys is set to host the 61st Grammy Awards, which will take place at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on February 10, 2019. CBS will have the U.S. telecast of the show. It will be the first time that Keys, who has won 15 Grammys, will host the show. She is also an actress and is a coach on NBC’s “The Voice.” She hosted the Soul Train Music Awards in 2004. James Corden hosted the Grammy Awards in 2017 and 2018.
In a statement, Keys said: “I know what it feels like to be on that stage, and I’m going to bring that vibe and energy. I’m so excited to be the master of ceremonies on the biggest night in music and celebrate the creativity, power and, magic. I’m especially excited for all the incredible women nominated this year! It’s going up on February 10!”
Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow added, “A dynamic artist with the rare combination of groundbreaking talent and passion for her craft, Alicia Keys is the perfect choice as host for our show. Throughout her exciting career, I have watched her become a powerful force within the music industry and beyond. As an artist who speaks to the power of music for good, a role model, and a spokesperson for change, we are thrilled to have her on board for what’s sure to be an unforgettable GRAMMY Awards.”
Grammy Awards executive producer Ken Ehrlich commented: “Alicia is one of those rare artists who meld true musical genius with heartfelt emotional lyrics to create a unique approach to everything she does. We have no doubt that she’ll bring all of that as she guides millions of GRAMMY viewers through what we believe will be a very special show in February.”
Keys won her first five Grammys for her 2001 debut album, “Songs in A Minor.” She has sold 30 million records worldwide, according to Sony Music.
With eight nominations, rapper Kendrick Lamar is the leading contender for the 61st Grammy Awards. CBS has the U.S. telecast of the ceremony, which will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb 10, 2019. This is the first year that the Grammys will have the new expansions of the General Field categories—Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist—which have increased the number of nominees per category from five to eight. The policy change came after the 2018 Grammy Awards received a lot of criticism for having an overwhelming majority of male nominees and winners. It led to the social-media hashtag #GrammysSoMale, and the Recording Academy subsequently created a diversity and inclusion task force. All the other Grammy categories will continue to have five nominees per category, except in cases where there is a voting tie.
Lamar, who already has 12 Grammys, is nominated for his work on the “Black Panther” soundtrack, which includes the album’s hit single “All the Stars,” Lamar’s duet with SZA. The “Black Panther” soundtrack is up for Album of the Year, while “All the Stars” is nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Following close behind in nominations is rapper Drake, with seven nods. R&B/hip-hop producer Boi-1da and Americana singer Brandi Carlile have six nominations each. Cardi B, Childish Gambino, Lady Gaga, Maren Morris, H.E.R., and producer Sounwave received five nods each.
Drake and Carlile are the other two artists who will be facing off against Lamar in the categories of Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Drake is nominated in those categories for his album “Scorpion” and the single “God’s Plan.” Carlile is nominated in those categories for her album”By the Way, I Forgive You” and the single “The Joke.”
Recordings eligible for the 2019 Grammy Awards were those released between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018. The 2018 soundtrack to “A Star Is Born” was released on October 5, 2018, so it will be eligible for the 2020 Grammy Awards. However, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow,” the soundtrack’s lead single, was released in time to be eligible for the 2019 Grammy Awards, where it has four nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Noticeable snubs include multiple Grammy winners Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney. Swift’s “Reputation” album received only one nomination (Best Pop Vocal Album), while McCartney’s “Egypt Station” album, one of his best-reviewed in years, was completely shut out of the Grammy race. Another high-profile snub was for Nicki Minaj and her “Queen” album, which failed to get any nominations. Minaj has been nominated for several Grammys in the past but has not yet won one.
Here is the complete list of nominees for the 61st Grammy Awards:
GENERAL FIELD
Record of the Year:
“I Like It” — Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile
“This Is America” — Childish Gambino
“God’s Plan” — Drake
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“All The Stars” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
“Rockstar” — Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
Album of the Year:
“Invasion Of Privacy” — Cardi B
“By The Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Scorpion” — Drake
“H.E.R.” — H.E.R.
“Beerbongs & Bentleys” — Post Malone
“Dirty Computer” — Janelle Monáe
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“Black Panther: The Album, Music From And Inspired By” (Various Artists)
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
POP FIELD
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:
“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 I 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
DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD
Best Dance Recording:
“Northern Soul” — Above & Beyond Featuring Richard Bedford
“Ultimatum” — Disclosure (Featuring Fatoumata Diawara)
“Losing It” — Fisher
“Electricity” — Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
“Ghost Voices” — Virtual Self
Best Dance/Electronic Album:
“Singularity” —Jon Hopkins
“Woman Worldwide” — Justice
“Treehouse” — Sofi Tukker
“Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides” — SOPHIE
“Lune Rouge” — TOKiMONSTA
CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:
“The Emancipation Procrastination” — Christian Scott and Tunde Adjuah “Steve Gadd Band” — Steve Gadd Band
“Modern Lore” — Julian Lage
“Laid Black” — Marcus Miller
“Protocol 4” — Simon Phillips
ROCK FIELD
Best Rock Performance:
“Four Out Of Five” — Arctic Monkeys
“When Bad Does Good” — Chris Cornell
“Made An America” — The Fever 333
“Highway Tune” — Greta Van Fleet
“Uncomfortable” — Halestorm
Best Metal Performance:
“Condemned To The Gallows “— Between The Buried And Me
“Honeycomb” — Deafheaven
“Electric Messiah” — High On Fire
“Betrayer” — Trivium
“On My Teeth — Underoath
Best Rock Song:
“Black Smoke Rising” — Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka & Daniel
Robert Wagner, songwriters (Greta Van Fleet)
“Jumpsuit” — Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots)
“MANTRA” — Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls & Oliver Sykes, songwriters (Bring Me
The Horizon)
“Masseduction” — Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent)
“Rats” — Tom Dalgety & A Ghoul Writer, songwriters (Ghost)
Best Rock Album:
“Rainier Fog” — Alice In Chains
“M A N I A” — Fall Out Boy
“Prequelle — Ghost
“From The Fires” — Greta Van Fleet
“Pacific Daydream” — Weezer
ALTERNATIVE FIELD
Best Alternative Music Album:
“Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” — Arctic Monkeys
“Colors” — Beck
“Utopia” — Björk
“American Utopia” — David Byrne
“Masseduction” — St. Vincent
R&B FIELD
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 Traditional R&B Performance:
“Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand” — Leon Bridges
“Don’t Fall Apart On Me Tonight” — Bettye LaVette
“Honest” — MAJOR.
“How Deep Is Your Love” — PJ Morton Featuring Yebba
“Made For Love” — Charlie Wilson Featuring Lalah Hathaway
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
RAP FIELD
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
COUNTRY FIELD
Best Country Solo Performance:
“Wouldn’t It Be Great?” — Loretta Lynn
“Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters” — Maren Morris
“Butterflies” — Kacey Musgraves
“Millionaire” — Chris Stapleton
“Parallel Line” — Keith Urban
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“Shoot Me Straight” — Brothers Osborne
“Tequila” — Dan + Shay
” When Someone Stops Loving You” — Little Big Town
“Dear Hate” — Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill
“Meant To Be” — Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line
Best Country Song:
“Break Up In The End” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Chase McGill & Jon Nite, songwriters (Cole Swindell)
“Dear Hate” — Tom Douglas, David Hodges & Maren Morris,
Songwriters (Maren Morris Featuring Vince Gill)
“I Lived It” — Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley & Ben
Hayslip, songwriters (Blake Shelton)
“Space Cowboy” — Luke Laird, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves,
songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“Tequila” — Nicolle Galyon, Jordan Reynolds & Dan Smyers, songwriters (Dan + Shay)
“When Someone Stops Loving You” — Hillary Lindsey, Chase McGill & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Little Big Town)
Best Country Album:
“Unapologetically” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Port Saint Joe” — Brothers Osborne
“Girl Going Nowhere” — Ashley McBryde
“Golden Hour” — Kacey Musgraves
“From A Room: Volume 2” — Chris Stapleton
NEW AGE FIELD
Best New Age Album:
“Hiraeth” — Lisa Gerrard & David Kuckhemann
“Beloved” — Snatam Kaur
“Opium Moon” — Opium Moon
“Molecules Of Motion” — Steve Roach
“Moku Maluhia – Peaceful Island” — Jim Kimo West
JAZZ FIELD
Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
“Some Of That Sunshine” — Regina Carter, soloist
“Don’t Fence Me In” — John Daversa, soloist
“We See” — Fred Hersch, soloists
“De-dah” — Brad Mehldau, soloist
“Cadenas” — Miguel Zenón, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album:
“My Mood Is You” — Freddy Cole
“The Questions” — Kurt Elling
“The Subject Tonight Is Love” — Kate McGarry With Keith Ganz & Gary Versace
“If You Really Want” — Raul Midón With The Metropole Orkest Conducted By Vince Mendoza
“The Window” — Cécile McLorin Salvant
Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
“Diamond Cut” — Tia Fuller
“Live In Europe” — Fred Hersch Trio
“Seymour Reads The Constitution!” — Brad Mehldau Trio
“Still Dreaming” — Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade
“Emanon” — The Wayne Shorter Quartet
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
“All About That Basie” — The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty
Barnhart
“American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom” — John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists
“Presence” — Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band
“All Can Work” — John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
“Barefoot Dances and Other Visions” — Jim McNeely & The Frankfurt Radio Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album:
“Heart of Brazil”— Eddie Daniels
“Back to the Sunset”— Dafnis Prieto Big Band
“West Side Story Reimagined”— Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
“Cinque”— Elio Villafranca
“Yo Soy La Tradición” — Miguel Zenón Featuring Spektral Quartet
GOSPEL/ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD
Best Gospel Performance/Song:
“You Will Win” — Jekalyn Carr; Allen Carr & Jekalyn Carr, Songwriters
“Won’t He Do It” — Koryn Hawthorne
“Never Alone” — Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin & Victoria Kelly, Songwriters
“Cycles” Jonathan Mcreynolds Featuring Doe; Jonathan McReynolds, Songwriter
“A Great Work” — Brian Courtney Wilson; Aaron W. Lindsey, Alvin Richardson & Brian Courtney Wilson, Songwriters
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song:
“Reckless Love” — Cory Asbury; Cory Asbury, Caleb Culver & Ran Jackson, songwriters
“You Say” — Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram & Paul Mabury, songwriters
“Joy” — for King & Country; Ben Glover, Matt Hales, Stephen Blake Kanicka, Seth Moslely, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone & Tedd Tjornhom, songwriters
“Grace Got You” — MercyMe Featuring John Reuben; David Garcia, Ben Glover, MercyMe, Solomon Olds & John Reuben, songwriters
“Known”— Tauren Wells; Ethan Hulse, Jordan Sapp & Tauren
Wells, songwriters
Best Gospel Album:
“One Nation Under God” — Jekalyn Carr
“Hiding Place” — Tori Kelly
“Make Room” — Jonathan McReynolds
“The Other Side” — The Walls Group
“A Great Work” — Brian Courtney Wilson
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
“Look Up Child” — Lauren Daigle
“Hallelujah Here Below” — Elevation Worship
“Living With a Fire” — Jesus Culture
“Surrounded” — Michael W. Smith
“Survivor: Live From Harding Prison” — Zach Williams
Best Roots Gospel Album:
“Unexpected” — Jason Crabb
“Clear Skies” — Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
“Favorites: Revisited By Request” — The Isaacs
“Still Standing” — The Martins
“Love Love Love” — Gordon Mote
LATIN FIELD
Best Latin Pop Album:
“Prometo” — Pablo Alboran
“Sincera” — Claudia Brant
“Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos), Vol. 2” — Natalia Lafourcade
“2:00 AM” — Raquel Sofía
“Vives” — Carlos Vives
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
“Clairoscura” — Aterciopelados
“Coastcity” — Coastcity
“Encanto Tropical” — Monsieur Periné
“Gourmet” — Orishas
“Aztlán” — Zoé
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
“Primero Soy Mexicana” — Angela Aguilar
“Mitad y Mitad” — Calibre 50
“Totalmente Juan Gabriel Vol. II” — Aida Cuevas
“Cruzando Borders” — Los Texmaniacs
“Leyendas De Mi Pueblo” — Mariachi Sol De Mexico De Jose Hernandez
“¡México Por Siempre!” — Luis Miguel
Best Tropical Latin Album:
“Pa’ Mi Gente” — Charlie Aponte
“Legado” — Formell Y Los Van Van
“Orquesta Akokán” — Orquesta Akokán
“Ponle Actitud” — Felipe Peláez
“Anniversary” — Spanish Harlem Orchestra
AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FIELD
Best American Roots Performance:
“Kick Rocks” — Sean Ardoin
“Saint James Infirmary Blues” — Jon Batiste
“The Joke” Brandi Carlile
“All On My Mind” — Anderson East
“Last Man Standing” — Willie Nelson
Best American Roots Song:
“All The Trouble” — Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack & Adam Wright, songwriters (Lee Ann Womack)
“Build a Bridge” — Jeff Tweedy, songwriter (Mavis Staples)
“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)
“Knockin’ On Your Screen Door” — Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)
“Summer’s End” — Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)
Best Americana Album:
“By The Way, I Forgive You” — Brandi Carlile
“Things Have Changed” — Bettye LaVette
“The Tree of Forgiveness” — John Prine
“The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone” — Lee Ann Womack
“One Drop of Truth” — The Wood Brothers
Best Bluegrass Album:
“Portraits in Fiddles” — Mike Barnett
“Sister Sadie II” — Sister Sadie
“Rivers and Roads” — Special Consensus
“The Travelin’ McCourys” — The Travelin’ McCourys
“North of Despair” — Wood & Wire
Best Traditional Blues Album:
“Something Smells Funky ‘Round Here” — Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
“Benton County Relic” — Cedric Burnside
“The Blues Is Alive and Well” — Buddy Guy
“No Mercy in This Land” — Ben Harper And Charlie Musselwhite
“Don’t You Feel My Leg (The Naughty Bawdy Blues of Blue Lu Barker) — Maria Muldaur
Best Contemporary Blues Album:
“Please Don’t Be Dead” — Fantastic Negrito
“Here in Babylon” — Teresa James And The Rhythm Tramps
“Cry No More” — Danielle Nicole
“Out of the Blues” — Boz Scaggs
“Victor Wainwright and The Train” — Victor Wainwright And The Train
Best Folk Album:
“Whistle Down the Wind” — Joan Baez
“Black Cowboys” — Dom Flemons
“Rifles & Rosary Beads” — Mary Gauthier
“Weed Garden” — Iron & Wine
“All Ashore” — Punch Brothers
Best Regional Roots Music Album:
“Kreole Rock and Soul” — Sean Ardoin
“Spyboy” — Cha Wa
“Aloha From Na Hoa” — Na Hoa
“No ‘Ane’i” — Kalani Pe’a
“Mewasinsational – Cree Round Dance Songs” — Young Spirit
REGGAE FIELD
Best Reggae Album:
“As the World Turns” — Black Uhuru
“Reggae Forever” — Etana
“Rebellion Rises” — Ziggy Marley
“A Matter of Time” — Protoje
“44/876” — Sting & Shaggy
WORLD MUSIC FIELD
Best World Music Album:
“Deran” — Bombino
“Fenfo” — Fatoumata Diawara
“Black Times” — Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
“Freedom” — Soweto Gospel Choir
“The Lost Songs of World War II” — Yiddish Glory
CHILDREN’S FIELD
Best Children’s Album:
“All The Sounds” — Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats
“Building Blocks” — Tim Kubart
“Falu’s Bazaar” — Falu
“Giants of Science” — The Pop Ups
“The Nation of Imagine” — Frank & Deane
SPOKEN WORD FIELD
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
“Accessory to War (Neil Degrasse Tyson & Avis Lang)” — Courtney B. Vance
“Calypso” — David Sedaris
“Creative Quest” — Questlove
“Faith – A Journey For All” — Jimmy Carter
“The Last Black Unicorn” — Tiffany Haddish
COMEDY FIELD
Best Comedy Album:
“Annihilation” — Patton Oswalt
“Equanimity & The Bird Revelation” — Dave Chappelle
“Noble Ape” — Jim Gaffigan
“Standup For Drummers” — Fred Armisen
“Tamborine” — Chris Rock
MUSICAL THEATER FIELD
Best Musical Theater Album:
“The Band’s Visit” — Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Katrina Lenk & Ari’el
Stachel, principal soloists; Dean Sharenow & David Yazbek, producers; David Yazbek, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
“Carousel” — Renee Fleming, Alexander Gemignani, Joshua Henry,
Lindsay Mendez & Jessie Mueller, principal soloists; Steven Epstein, producer (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
“Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” — Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon, Erik Grönwall, Jin Ha, John Legend, Norm Lewis & Jason Tam, principal soloists; Harvey Mason, Jr., producer (Andrew Lloyd-Webber, composer; Tim Rice, lyricist) (Original Television Cast)
“My Fair Lady” — Lauren Ambrose, Norbert Leo Butz & Harry Hadden-Paton, principal soloists; Andre Bishop, Van Dean, Hattie K. Jutagir, David Lai, Adam Siegel & Ted Sperling, producers (Frederick Loewe, composer; Alan Jay Lerner, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
“Once On This Island” — Phillip Boykin, Merle Dandridge, Quentin Earl Darrington, Hailey Kilgore, Kenita R. Miller, Alex Newell, Isaac Powell & Lea Salonga, principal soloists; Lynn Ahrens, Hunter Arnold, Ken Davenport, Stephen Flaherty & Elliot Scheiner, producers (Stephen Flaherty, composer; Lynn Ahrens, lyricist) (New Broadway Cast)
MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA FIELD
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:
“Call Me By Your Name” — (Various Artists)
“Deadpool 2” — (Various Artists)
“The Greatest Showman” — (Various Artists)
“Lady Bird” — (Various Artists)
“Stranger Things” — (Various Artists)
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media:
“Black Panther” — Ludwig Göransson, composer
“Blade Runner 2049” — Benjamin Wallfisch & Hans Zimmer, composers
“Coco” — Michael Giacchino, composer
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, composer
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” — John Williams, composer
Best Song Written For Visual Media:
“All The Stars” — Kendrick Duckworth, Solána Rowe, Alexander William Shuckburgh, Mark Anthony Spears & Anthony Tiffith, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar & SZA)
“Mystery Of Love” — Sufjan Stevens, songwriter (Sufjan Stevens)
“Remember Me” — Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters (Miguel Featuring Natalia Lafourcade)
“Shallow” — Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)
“This Is Me” — Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble)
COMPOSING/ ARRANGING FIELD
Best Instrumental Composition:
“Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil)” — Terence Blanchard, composer (Terence Blanchard)
“Chrysalis” — Jeremy Kittel, composer (Kittel & Co.)
“Infinity War” — Alan Silverstri, composer (Alan Silvestri)
“Mine Mission” — John Powell & John Williams, composers (John Powell & John Williams)
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, composer (Alexandre Desplat)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella:
“Batman Theme (TV)” — Randy Waldman & Justin Wilson, arrangers (Randy Waldman Featuring Wynton Marsalis)
“Change The World” — Mark Kibble, arranger (Take 6)
“Madrid Finale” — John Powell, arranger (John Powell)
“The Shape of Water” — Alexandre Desplat, arranger (Alexandre Desplat)
“Stars and Stripes Forever” — John Daversa, arranger (John Daversa Big Band Featuring DACA Artists)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals:
“It Was a Very Good Year” — Matt Rollings & Kristin Wilkinson, arrangers (Willie Nelson)
“Jolene” — Dan Pugach & Nicole Zuraitis, arrangers (Dan Pugach)
“Mona Lisa” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Gregory Porter)
“Niña” — Gonzalo Grau, arranger (Magos Herrera & Brooklyn Rider)
“Spiderman Theme” — Randy Waldman, arranger (Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter)
PACKAGE FIELD
Best Recording Package:
“Be The Cowboy” — Mary Banas, art director (Mitski)
“Love Yourself: Tear” — HuskyFox, art director (BTS)
“Masseducation” — Willo Perron, art director (St. Vincent)
“The Offering” — Qing-Yang Xiao, art director (The Chairman)
“Well Kept Thing” — Adam Moore, art director (Foxhole)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package:
“Appetite For Destruction (Locked N’ Loaded Box)” — Arian Buhler, Charles Dooher, Jeff Fura, Scott Sandler & Matt Taylor, art directors (Guns N’ Roses)
“I’ll Be Your Girl” — Carson Ellis, Jeri Heiden & Glen Nakasako, art directors (The Decemberists)
“Pacific Northwest ’73-74′: The Complete Recordings” — Lisa Glines, Doran Tyson & Roy Henry Vickers, art
directors (Grateful Dead)
“Squeeze Box: The Complete Works of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” — Meghan Foley, Annie Stoll & Al Yankovic, art directors (“Weird Al” Yankovic)
“Too Many Bad Habits” — Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Johnny Nicholas)
NOTES FIELD
Best Album Notes:
“Alpine Dreaming: The Helvetia Records Story, 1920-1924” — James P. Leary, album notes writer (Various Artists)
“4 Banjo Songs, 1891-1897: Foundational Recordings of America’s Iconic Instrument” — Richard Martin & Ted Olson, album notes writers (Charles A. Asbury)
“The 1960 Time Sessions” — Ben Ratliff, album notes writer (Sonny Clark Trio)
“The Product of Our Souls: The Sound and Sway of James Reese Europe’s Society Orchestra” — David Gilbert, album notes writer (Various Artists)
“Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981” — Amanda Petrusich, album notes writer (Bob Dylan)
“Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris” — David Evans, album notes writer (Various Artists)
HISTORICAL FIELD
Best Historical Album:
“Any Other Way” — Rob Bowman, Douglas Mcgowan, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton, mastering engineer (Jackie Shane)
“At The Louisiana Hayride Tonight…” — Martin Hawkins, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
“Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America’s Forgotten War” — Hugo Keesing, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
“Rhapsody in Blue – The Extraordinary Life of Oscar Levant” — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Andreas K. Meyer & Rebekah Wineman, mastering engineers (Oscar Levant)
“Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by WIlliam Ferris” — William Ferris, April Ledbetter & Steven Lance
Ledbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
“All The Things That I Did and All The Things That I Didn’t Do” — Ryan Freeland & Kenneth Pattengale, engineers; Kim
Rosen, mastering engineer (The Milk Carton Kids)
“Colors” — Julian Burg, Serban Ghenea, David “Elevator” Greenbaum, John Hanes, Beck Hansen, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrell Thorp & Cassidy Turbin, engineers; Chris Bellman, Tom Coyne,
Emily Lazar & Randy Merrill, mastering engineers (Beck)
“Earthtones” — Robbie Lackritz, engineer; Philip Shaw Bova, mastering engineer (Bahamas)
“Head Over Heels” — Nathaniel Alford, Jason Evigan, Chris Galland, Tom Gardner, Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Tony Hoffer, Derek Keota, Ian Kirkpatrick, David Macklovitch, Amber Mark, Manny Marroquin, Vaughn Oliver, Chris “TEK” O’Ryan, Morgan Taylor Reid & Gian Stone, engineers; Chris Gehringer & Michelle Mancini, mastering engineers (Chromeo)
“Voicenotes” — Manny Marroquin & Charlie Puth, engineers; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer (Charlie Puth)
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Boi-1da
Larry Klein
Linda Perry
Kanye West
Pharrell Williams
Best Remixed Recording:
“Audio (CID Remix)” — CID, remixer (LSD)
“How Long (EDX’s Dubai Skyline Remix)” — Maurizio Colella, remixer (Charlie Puth)
“Only Road (Cosmic Gate Remix”) — Stefan Bossems & Claus Terhoeven, remixers (Gabriel & Dresden Featuring Sub Teal)
“Stargazing (Kaskade Remix)” — Kaskade, remixer (Kygo Featuring Justin Jesso)
“Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)” — Alex Crossan, remixer (Haim)
SURROUND SOUND FIELD
Best Immersive Audio Album:
“Eye in The Sky – 35th Anniversary Edition” — Alan Parsons, surround mix engineer; Dave Donnelly, PJ Olsson & Alan Parsons, surround mastering engineers; Alan Parsons, surround producer (The Alan Parsons Project) “Folketoner” — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask & Det Norske Jentekor)
“Seven Words From The Cross” — Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores, surround mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, surround producer (Matthew Guard & Skylark)
“Sommerro: Ujamaa & The Iceberg” — Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ingar Heine Bergby, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Choir)
“Symbol” — Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround mix engineers; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround producers (Engine-Earz Experiment)
PRODUCTION, CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Engineered Album, Classical:
“Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Mark Donahue & Dirk Sobotka, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)
“Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 — Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“John Williams At The Movies” — Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Jerry Junkin & Dallas Winds)
“Liquid Melancholy – Clarinet Music of James M. Stephenson” — Bill Maylone & Mary Mazurek, engineers; Bill Maylone, mastering engineer (John Bruce Yeh)
“Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11” — Shawn Murphy & Nick Squire, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra)
“Visions and Variations” — Tom Caulfield, engineer; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (A Far Cry)
Producer of the Year, Classical:
Blanton Alspaugh
David Frost
Elizabeth Ostrow
Judith Sherman
Dirk Sobotka
CLASSICAL FIELD
Best Orchestral Performance:
“Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“Nielsen: Symphony No. 3 & Symphony No. 4” — Thomas Dausgaard, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
“Ruggles, Stucky & Harbison: Orchestral Works” — David Alan Miller, conductor (National Orchestral Institute Philharmonic)
“Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4” — Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)
“Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11” — Andris Nelsons, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra)
Best Opera Recording:
“Adams: Doctor Atomic” — John Adams, conductor; Aubrey Allicock, Julia Bullock, Gerald Finley & Brindley Sherratt; Friedemann Engelbrecht, producer (BBC Symphony Orchestra; BBC Singers)
“Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Michael Christie, conductor; Sasha Cooke, Jessica E. Jones, Edwards Parks, Garrett Sorenson & Wei Wu; Elizabeth Ostrow, producer (The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)
“Lully: Alceste” — Christophe Rousset, conductor; Edwin Crossley-Mercer, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro & Judith
Van Wanroij; Maximilien Ciup, producer (Les Talens Lyriques; Choeur De Chambre De Namur)
“Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier” Sebastian Weigle, conductor; Renée Fleming, Elīna Garanča, Günther Groissböck & Erin Morley; David Frost, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
“Verdi: Rigoletto” — Constantine Orbelian, conductor; Francesco Demuro, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Nadine Sierra; Vilius Keras &
Aleksandra Keriene, producers (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra; Men Of The Kaunas State Choir)
Best Choral Performance:
“Chesnokov: Teach Me Thy Statutes” — Vladimir Gorbik, conductor (Mikhail Davydov & Vladimir Krasov; PaTRAM Institute Male Choir)
“Kastalsky: Memory Eternal” — Steven Fox, conductor (The Clarion Choir)
“McLoskey: Zealot Canticles” — Donald Nally, conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing)
“Rachmaninov: The Bells” — Mariss Jansons, conductor; Peter Dijkstra, chorus master (Oleg Dolgov, Alexey Markov & Tatiana
Pavlovskaya; Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks; Chor Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
“Seven Words From The Cross” — Matthew Guard, conductor (Skylark)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance:
Anderson, Laurie: Landfall” — Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet
“Beethoven, Shostakovich & Bach” — The Danish String Quartet
“Blueprinting” — Aizuri Quartet
“Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring Concerto For Two Pianos: — Leif Ove Andsnes & Marc-André Hamelin
“Visions and Variations” — A Far Cry
Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
“Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2″ — Yuja Wang; Simon Rattle, conductor (Berliner Philharmoniker)
“Biber: The Mystery Sonatas” — Christina Day Martinson; Martin Pearlman, conductor (Boston Baroque)
“Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46; Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26” — Joshua Bell (The Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields)
“Glass: Three Pieces in The Shape of a Square” — Craig Morris
“Kernis: Violin Concerto” — James Ehnes; Ludovic Morlot, conductor (Seattle Symphony)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album:
“Arc” — Anthony Roth Costanzo; Jonathan Cohen, conductor (Les Violons Du Roy)
“The Handel Album” — Philippe Jaroussky; Artaserse, ensemble
“Mirages” — Sabine Devieilhe; François-Xavier Roth, conductor (Alexandre Tharaud; Marianne Crebassa & Jodie
Devos; Les Siècles)
“Schubert: Winterreise” — Randall Scarlata; Gilbert Kalish, accompanist
“Songs of Orpheus – Monteverdi, Caccini, D’India & Landi” — Karim Sulayman; Jeannette Sorrell, conductor; Apollo’s Fire, ensembles
Best Classical Compendium:
“Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush” — JoAnn Falletta, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
“Gold” — The King’s Singers; Nigel Short, producer
“The John Adams Edition” — Simon Rattle, conductor; Christoph Franke, producer
“John Williams At The Movies” — Jerry Junkin, conductor; Donald J. McKinney, producer
“Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Serenade to Music; Flos Campi” — Peter Oundjian, conductor; Blanton Alspaugh, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
“Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” — Mason Bates, composer; Mark Campbell, librettist (Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edwards Parks, Jessica E. Jones & Santa Fe Opera Orchestra)
“Du Yun: Air Glow” — Du Yun, composer (International Contemporary Ensemble)
“Heggie: Great Scott” — Jake Heggie, composer; Terrence McNally, librettist (Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade,
Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra)
“Kernis: Violin Concerto” — Aaron Jay Kernis, composer (James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony)
“Mazzoli: Vespers For Violin” — Missy Mazzoli, composer (Olivia De Prato)
MUSIC VIDEO/FILM FIELD
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 & 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
The following is a press release from the Recording Academy:
The GRAMMY Awards reflect what’s happening in the ever-changing landscape of music, and the Recording Academyworks diligently to ensure the awards process continually evolves. Driven by the music makers — Academy members — who seek to meet the needs of the music community, several changes have been enacted for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards process and categories.
Other changes put in place affect various categories including those in the World Music Field, which will now determine nominations through its own Nomination Review Committee where the top 15 selections from general voting membership’s ballots will be narrowed down to the final five nominations by a Trustee-ratified committee of Voting Member experts.
For Best Compilation Soundtrack Album, the growing role of Music Supervisors is recognized as eligible. Also, only Music Supervisors who produced more than half of an album will now be eligible for consideration as album producers.
Driven by the technological side of music evolution, the Best Surround Sound Album category is renamed Best Immersive Audio Album. The same goes for the Field to which it belongs. The change reflects evolving technology, new formats, and current industry trends, practices, and language.
Several category guidelines and/or definitions were also updated. For instance, the Best Alternative Music Album criteria and definition has been broadened and updated as, “Alternative is defined as a genre of music that embraces attributes of progression and innovation in both the music and attitudes associated with it. It is often a less intense version of rock or a more intense version of pop and is typically regarded as more original, eclectic, or musically challenging. It may embrace a variety of sub-genres or any hybrids thereof and may include recordings that don’t fit into other genre categories.”
These changes and other will be in effect for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards, as the Recording Academy continues to ensure the process remains as appropriate, current, and relevant as possible.
For more information about this year’s rule changes and the GRAMMY Awards process, visit www.grammy101.com.
Neil Portnow, the president/CEO of the Recording Academy since 2002, will be leaving the company sometime in 2019. According to a Recording Academy Press release, Portnow will be involved in the Recording Academy’s leadership transition by helping choose the person who will replace him. The Recording Academy is the organization behind the Grammy Awards, the MusiCares charity and the Grammy Museum.
Portnow has been embroiled in controversy since the beginning of 2018. At the 2018 Grammy Awards on January 28, the Recording Academy received a lot of criticism on social media and elsewhere because the majority of the Grammy nominees and winners were male. The hashtag #GrammysSoMale began trending during and after the award show. When asked about the Grammy gender disparity in a press conference held after the Grammys, Portnow said that women needed to “step up” in their talent and motivation in order to have better standing in the industry. Several female artists (such as Pink, Katy Perry and Sheryl Crow) and high-ranking executives expressed outrage at Portnow, who later said that his words were taken out of context and he didn’t intend to offend anyone. Still, some of those who were offended signed an open letter demanding that Portnow resign from the Recording Academy.
The Recording Academy then formed a task force whose goal is to improve diversity and inclusion in the music industry. The mostly female volunteer task force includes a mixture of artists (such as Crow, Common and Andra Day) and executives. But within a few weeks after announcing who was on the task force, Portnow faced another controversy over MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s charity for people in the music industry. Variety reported that former MusiCares VP Dana Tomarken has accused Portnow of unethically using MusiCares funds to cover a financial deficit caused by the 2018 Grammy Awards and making a venue choice for the MusicCares Person of the Year that significantly decreased the funds that the event could raise.
Here is the full Recording Academy press release about Neil Portnow’s exit:
The Recording Academy™ announced today that President/CEO Neil Portnow will begin preparing for a leadership transition after choosing not to seek an extension on his current contract, which expires in July 2019. Portnow shared his plans at the Recording Academy’s semi-annual Board of Trustees meeting last week. Throughout the next year, Portnow will work with the Board to chart out an organizational succession and transition plan, while continuing his current work as active President/CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares®, and Chair of the Board of the GRAMMY Museum®.
“The evolution of industries, institutions, and organizations is ultimately the key to their relevance, longevity, and success,” said Portnow. “Having been a member of the Recording Academy for four decades, serving as an elected leader and our President/CEO, I have not only witnessed our evolution, but proudly contributed significantly to the Academy’s growth and stature in the world. When I had the honor of being selected to lead this great organization in 2002, I vowed that on my watch, for the first time in our history, we would have a thoughtful, well-planned, and collegial transition. With a little more than a year remaining on my current contract, I’ve decided that this is an appropriate time to deliver on that promise. Accordingly, I’ll be working with our Board to put the various elements in place that will ensure transparency, best practices, and the Academy’s ability to find the very best, brightest, and qualified leadership to take us into our seventh decade of operation. I truly look forward to continuing my role leading the Academy in the year ahead, and to continuing the pursuit of excellence and the fine missions we embrace and deliver.”
Portnow, who, prior to serving as President/CEO, served on the Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees, is largely credited with strengthening the Recording Academy’s financial health and brand.
“Since taking the helm in 2002, Neil has been instrumental in evolving the Recording Academy to address the needs of our creative community in a changing music landscape,” said John Poppo, Chair of the Board. “From critically-important music advocacy initiatives and financial assistance for our music community, to the music education and preservation programs of the GRAMMY Museum and GRAMMY Music Education Coalition, Neil has not only advanced the Academy’s mission, he’s extended its reach and impact. The Board and I are indebted to Neil for his years of heartful stewardship and visionary leadership. And, as we thank him for all he’s done, we also look forward to finding the right person to build on our solid foundation as the Recording Academy continues its work to ensure that music and the recording arts remain a thriving part of our cultural heritage.”
Key milestones achieved under Portnow’s 16-year tenure include:
The Recording Academy established advocacy as a hallmark of its Washington, D.C., office, giving music creators a voice on Capitol Hill, and stressing the need to update federal music laws, especially in the wake of the digital music revolution. Last month, after 15 years of advocacy work, and on the heels of the organization’s GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards and Advocacy Day, the Music Modernization Act, which helps bring copyright laws and artist protection into the 21st century, was passed in the House of Representatives and introduced in the Senate.
As the Recording Academy’s leading charity, MusiCares provided more than $5.9 million to 7,900 members of the music industry in the last fiscal year alone—the largest number of clients served and dollars distributed in a single year in the charity’s history—and anticipates it will provide $6.3 million to nearly 9,000 members of the music industry this fiscal year, again reaching new milestones. Since its inception in 1989, MusiCares has distributed approximately $60 million to music people in need. During Portnow’s tenure, MusiCares provided relief efforts to the music community impacted by Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Harvey, and the recent natural disasters in Florida, Puerto Rico, and California.
As a part of Portnow’s vision of preserving, crafting, and sharing music stories with people around the world, and amplifying the Recording Academy’s already robust, innovative, and impactful music education programs for youth, the Recording Academy established the first GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles in 2008. The Museum has since expanded its presence domestically and internationally.
Portnow oversaw a landmark 10-year broadcast deal with CBS to keep the show—one of television’s major entertainment events, ranking as one of the highest-rated and most-watched specials—on CBS through 2026.
In addition to presiding over the GRAMMY Awards®, Portnow expanded the Recording Academy’s telecast portfolio, more than tripling the organization’s television footprint, with a number of new specials, including GRAMMY Salutes to Elton John, the Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, and Whitney Houston, as well as the PBS “Great Performances” series honoring GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award and Special Merit Award recipients.
In 2017, the GRAMMY Music Education Coalition united more than 30 of the nation’s most forward-thinking music education organizations with the goal of increasing the number of youth actively participating in creating, playing, and performing music in U.S. public schools.
After 58 years of traditional balloting, the GRAMMY Awards successfully moved to an online voting platform.
Portnow is the longest serving President in the Recording Academy’s 60-year history.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY®
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards®—music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
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