Beyoncé Leads Grammy Nominations for 67th Annual Awards

Already the most awarded artist in Grammy history, Beyoncé has set yet another record with 11 nominations for the upcoming 67th Grammy Awards. Her album COWBOY CARTER earned her a spot in three of the night’s top categories: Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year with “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” Other beloved artists, such as Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, also dominated the same general categories, continuing their presence as Grammy favorites in recent years.

The Grammy nominations this year reflect a mix of established stars and emerging talents. Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX are among those who received multiple nominations, making this a significant year for breakout artists. Notably, Carpenter and Roan are both in contention in all four of the “general field” categories, which include Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.

Beyoncé’s Ever-Broadening Impact

With her 11 nominations this year, Beyoncé has now accumulated a record-breaking 99 Grammy nominations over her career. In addition to the general field categories, she received nominations in a range of genre categories like pop, Americana, country, and melodic rap, showcasing her versatility. Despite stating, “This ain’t a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” her work on *COWBOY CARTER* found its way into the Best Country Album category, placing her alongside artists like Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, and Post Malone.

Post Malone, a prominent feature artist this year, is tied with Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and Kendrick Lamar with seven nominations. His contributions to Taylor Swift’s track “Fortnight” earned him nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Additionally, Post’s collaboration on Beyoncé’s song “LEVII’S JEANS” got him a nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, where he competes against his own track “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen. His song, a popular break-up anthem, is also nominated for Best Country Song.

Big Hits in Country and Rap

The year’s longest-running No. 1 hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey, is also vying for Song of the Year. Shaboozey himself, who worked on two tracks for COWBOY CARTER, is up for Best New Artist, joined by other emerging names like Benson Boone, Doechii, Khruangbin, RAYE, and Teddy Swims.

The Rise of New Stars

This year has been pivotal for some artists with years of experience who finally reached mainstream acclaim. Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Please Please Please” is up for Song of the Year, and her hit “Espresso” has a Record of the Year nomination. Chappell Roan, a rising star known for her queer anthem “Good Luck, Babe!,” is also competing in both Song and Record of the Year categories, and her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is up for Album of the Year.

Charli XCX, who enjoyed a massive resurgence in popularity in Summer 2024, is also up for Grammy recognition as a solo artist for the first time. Her album BRAT has been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Dance/Electronic Album, with singles like “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish up for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Charli’s other tracks, “Apple,” “Von Dutch,” and “360,” received nominations in Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Dance Recording, and Best Music Video, respectively.

Familiar Faces in New Categories

Though Kendrick Lamar didn’t release a full album in 2024, his high-profile feud with Drake over the summer kept him in the spotlight. Kendrick’s track “Not Like Us” is nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Rap Performance. This marks the first diss track nomination since 2016, when Drake’s “Back to Back” faced off with Kendrick’s own “Alright” in the Best Rap Performance category.

Alicia Keys, a 16-time Grammy winner, is nominated this year in a new field—Best Musical Theater Album—for her Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen, an autobiographical piece. In the rap scene, rising star Doechii, whose song “Nissan Altima” is nominated for Best Rap Performance, is also competing for Best New Artist. British artist RAYE made Grammy history as the first musician nominated simultaneously for Best New Artist and Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical.

Unexpected Surprises and Overlooked Talent

After more than three decades in music, André 3000 has received his first Album of the Year nomination as a solo artist for New Blue Sun, an experimental jazz album. Known for his work in rap, André took a different musical direction this time, earning him a nod for Best Alternative Jazz Album. Despite the shift, he remains a force in the Grammy race, competing alongside artists like Arooj Aftab and Robert Glasper.

However, as in every awards season, some acclaimed works missed out on nominations. Vampire Weekend’s Only God Was Above Us received glowing reviews but didn’t secure any nominations in the rock or alternative categories. Similarly, Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism was absent from this year’s nominations, despite her past Grammy success.

The global music scene saw several snubs as well, with African artists Ayrra Starr, Tyla, and Rema missing from the nominee list despite notable international achievements. In hip-hop, the critically acclaimed American Dream by 21 Savage was also overlooked. Meanwhile, albums released late in the year, such as Chromakopia by Tyler, The Creator and Glorious by GloRilla, didn’t qualify due to the eligibility cutoff of August 30, 2024. Although GloRilla’s “Yeah Glo!” did make the list, securing a spot in the Best Rap Performance category.

The Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025. As the anticipation builds, the Recording Academy has set the stage for another memorable ceremony that highlights both iconic and emerging voices in music.