The time has come for our award season aspirations to be assured or disproven! With the GRAMMYs fast approaching, our writers took on eight key categories. Not only did we consider who will win, but also who deserves it the most this year!
Best New Artist
Who will win: This year we saw the rise of pop’s favorite Midwest Princess, Chappell Roan. Turning heads with her bold campy aesthetic and unapologetic attitude, Chappell Roan has captured the public's heart. Her popular tracks like “Good Luck Babe!”, “Casual”, and “Pink Pony Club” are instant cult classics especially in the queer music scene. Her raw, authentic storytelling is a breath of fresh air and surely makes her a strong contender for Best New Artist.
Who should win: With the success in her newest album “Alligator Bites Never Heal”, Doechii broke the internet with her creative and playful charisma. Her style and personality shone through in tracks like “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “NISSAN ALTIMA”, which is a refreshing sight to see in Hip Hop and, to me, felt deserving of the best new artist title.
- Kelly Cheng, Staff Writer
Best Dance/Electronic album
Who will win: Charli XCX”s “Brat” was more than just an album, but rather a cultural reset for Electronic pop. “Brat” scored seven Grammy nominations this year with its creative and influential tracks such as “360”, “Apple”, and “Club Classics”. Charli’s work this year is not only a commercial success but also a hopeful candidate in the best dance/electronic album category.
Who should win: KAYTRANADA’s third studio album Timeless was one of my personal favorites this past year. Tracks like “Snap My Finger (feat. PinkPantheress)," “Witchy (feat. Childish Gambino),” and “Out Of Luck (feat. Mariah the Scientist)” brings a beautiful blend of RnB and electro/house. KAYTRANADA skillfully crafted an album that has a little bit of everything for everyone with his collaborations and sound engineering. The album is indeed, timeless, and is the best dance/electronic album of the year in my heart.
- Kelly Cheng, Staff Writer
Best Pop Duo/Group
Who will win: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars surprised everyone when they dropped “Die with a Smile” this past summer. It quickly skyrocketed in popularity, later to be revealed as the first single from Gaga’s next album, Mayhem. I think it’s a safe bet to assume that Grammy voters adore this song: it’s a soft rock ballad from two of the best pop musicians of our generation. It’s well-written and beautifully mixed, and the instrumentals are full of melancholy and theatrical. It’s popular for a reason, and I can stand behind it as a solid contender for the award come Grammy night.
Who should win: It wasn’t a surprise to anyone when the remix of “Guess” by Charli XCX and Billie Eilish became a hit sensation. “Guess” sounds straight out of the early 2000s club scene – which Charli has admitted to being heavily inspired by for the production of ‘brat’ – and is a fun, fresh pick. Everything down to the satirical lyricism, Billie Eilish's verse, and the excellent sample from LIZ’s ‘When I Rule the World’ make this a favorite of mine. Charli had a handle on the industry with the popularity of ‘brat’ summer, so I think for the anthem of said season not to win would be a large miss on the Recording Academy’s end.
- Ren Gibson, Staff Writer
Best Alternative Music Album
Who will win: A beautiful fusion of R&B and indie pop, Charm, is the most enjoyable listening experience I have had all year. Because of this, I think that now is the time for Clairo to win a Grammy despite it being her first ever nomination. Charm has more than enough hit songs on it to justify her winning the award. With songs like “Juna,” “Sexy to Someone,” and “Terrapin,” it would be hard for any other artist to pass her in my opinion. From start to finish this album is amazing, and arguably has no skippable songs on it, and what better album to win than one you can not stop listening to!
Who should win: St. Vincent’s All Born Screaming has everything it needs to win Best Alternative Music Album. It has an industry veteran’s name attached to it in St. Vincent, it is extremely well produced just like every album that is nominated, and last but not least it feels transformative. They bring their all to every single song on the album, with great instrumentals and production, it should surprise no one if All Born Screaming wins.
- Fenton Wright, Staff Writer
Album of the Year
Who will win: It is very hard for me to say that anyone besides Taylor Swift is going to win album of the year. Coming off her Eras tour, feels as if this award is meant for her this year. The Tortured Poets Department is just another album that shows how much of a heavy hitter she is every single year. She constantly puts out hit after hit and that is something that cannot be denied. It was the most pre-saved album ever on Spotify, the most streamed album release of all time, and overall it was the top selling album of 2024. Those are just a few of the achievements that this album has under its belt and each one of them puts her in a completely different league when compared to the other artists. Each track on the album is gut-wrenching and once again has insanely good production done by Jack Antonoff. With the year that Taylor had overall, it feels as if winning the Album of the Year will be her cherry on top.
Who should win: Despite the massive names surrounding him like Taylor Swift, Billie Eillish, or Beyoncé, André 3000 deserves to be among the nominees for Album of the Year and no one should be surprised by his album New Blue Sun being here. When it comes to albums that have completely redefined an artist this past year than no one comes close to the work that 3000 did on this record. He completely reinvented himself into something that no one could have expected. New Blue Sun comes off the back of us not having gotten a true album from 3000 in over a decade. He featured on songs here and there most notably “Life of the Party” by Kanye West, but nothing out of what we had come to expect from him. With New Blue Sun, he took a major risk by not releasing a rap album which all of his fans expected, instead he picked up his flute and took us on what can be described as a meditative journey. I believe that the Album of the Year should go beyond who sold the most or who got streamed the most. I believe that it should also look at how it changed our perception of the artist, and with New Blue Sun, I feel that André 3000 has truly entered a new era as an artist and has redefined what it means to be an artist.
- Fenton Wright, Staff Writer
Best Alt Music Performance
Who will win: St. Vincent has raw, undeniable talent. “Flea” is a prime example of her power as an artist and an innovator in the world of music, and I believe that the song is primed to give St. Vincent her fourth Grammy win as the best alternative music performance at this year’s ceremony. In an interview with the New York Times, St. Vincent said that she wanted to make music that felt “dangerous”, something that she definitely achieves with this song, a head-banging riot rife with driving percussion and St. Vincent’s characteristically powerful guitar skills. Her powerhouse vocals are the cherry on top of this song, giving it exactly what it needs to reach sonic perfection. St. Vincent’s position at the forefront of innovation and creativity has given her an edge going into this Grammy’s season. She is doing something no one else is, and she will certainly reap the rewards.
Who should win: Cage the Elephant has on their hands a strong, classic example of their innovative sound and potent lyricisms with “Neon Pill”, the title track off of their sixth studio album. Since their formation in 2006, Cage the Elephant has made catchy earworms that drove the rock band to popularity in and out of the alternative rock genre. “Neon Pill” shares those same characteristic melodies, while also confronting the very real mental health struggles that almost cost frontman Matt Shultz everything. The song itself is a revelation for the band, it’s the same band that we know and love, but according to Shultz, the band was “just really relaxed into ourselves and reaching to make something that we love.” Armed with vulnerability, experience, and an openness to try new things, Cage the Elephant reached deep with this song, and made something that represents not only the band, but the ever-changing landscape of alternative music. The band’s passion, skill, and knowledge shines through in this song, and I believe that makes it worthy of a win at this year’s Grammys.
- Ahni Brown Harbin, Staff Writer
Record of the Year
Who will win: Let's be honest, Taylor Swift is a power house of pop music and this year was no different. I predict another strong year for her at the Grammys, as she will probably win record of the year with Fortnight (featuring Post Malone). With the release of a brand new album, The Tortured Poets Department, she will be a force to be reckoned with as she was named Top Artist for many streaming platforms. Not to mention her absolutely world dominating Eras Tour that just finished in December. This song is no different from her other hits, as it was her single that first introduced us to her new female rage of an album. As a fan of Taylor Swift and Pop music I’m excited to see how this year's Grammys react to this Queen of Pop.
Who should win: Personally, my 2024 was full of Chappell Roan; that’s something I wouldn’t have changed for the world. My first introduction to her music was Good Luck, Babe and I’d pick that song to represent my 2024 without hesitation. Her vocal talent is remarkable and the story she tells through this song is why it’s so addictive. 2024 was Chappell’s breakout year but this recent album wasn’t her first radio in the industry. I believe that she deserves this big break and a chance to be recognized by the Grammys for her incredible artistry. To me, Chappell Roan has claimed one of the thrones as a Queen Pop!
- Rebecca Kasuba, Staff Writer
Best Folk Album
Who will win: With the rapid growth of Adrianne Lenker’s fanbase (which is so well deserved) I truly would be surprised if anyone else won in this category. Lenker is nominated for her album “Bright Future” which is, without a doubt, an absolute masterpiece. “Bright Future” explores themes of love and loss mixed with Lenker’s iconic acoustic sound. Songs like “No Machine” and “Donut Seam” are bound to pull some strings at the GRAMMYs. Adrianne Lenker is such a beautiful and talented songwriter that I don’t even have any words that feel deserving of her.
Who should win: Of course, Adrianne Lenker deserves a win as much as the next person. However, I would be lying if I said Gillian Welch didn’t deserve some love. Welch has been nominated for the GRAMMYs multiple times, but has only won once in 2000. She’s been in the folk scene since the 90’s, blending classic folky sounds with undertones of country and Americana elements. Welch’s new album “Woodland” in collaboration with David Rawlings is up this year, telling stories of the countryside in a beautiful and playful way, combined with Welch’s unique guitar style. I may be biased since I grew up listening to her, but I think it’s time for Gillian Welch to get some well deserved spotlight-time.
- Ana Achata, Staff Writer
