The 67th Annual Grammy Award nominations dropped on Friday, November 8, and the buzz is electric. Women dominate the field this year with standout nominees across nearly every major category– a well-deserved spotlight on the talent shaping today’s music. However, one glaring omission has fans talking: Ariana Grande’s critically acclaimed Eternal Sunshine failed to secure a spot for Album of the Year, a snub that’s leaving many talking about a potential ‘blacklist.’ 

Rylee and I are going to take on some of the biggest and most controversial categories and give our predictions (and opinions). And I’m pretty sure we’re going to be at least… 80% right (but don’t quote me on that). 

Album of the Year: A Stacked Deck

Elliott’s Pick: The Tortured Poets Department: The competition for Album of the Year is fierce. Nominees include industry heavyweights like Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Department), whose 6 billion streams make it the most-played album of 2024, and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, which is surging with 4.4 billion streams and 17 million daily plays. Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter and Andre 3000’s New Blue Sun add gravitas to the list, while Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess reflect a rising trend towards pop’s infectious charm. Charli XCX’s viral hit Brat is a wild card, because skeptics doubt the Grammy panel will embrace its rebellious energy. 

Rylee’s Pick: The Tortured Poets Department: Based on the trends of previous Grammy picks, it is likely that Taylor Swift will win her 15th Grammy, and as a Swiftie, I have no complaints. While Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft are right behind The Tortured Poets Department for the most streamed album of 2024 and do have a good chance of getting picked, I just can’t imagine Swift not winning Album of the Year. 

Record of the Year: Summer Hits and… AI?

Elliott’s Pick: Espresso: Among the nominees for Record of the Year, Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso stands out as 2024’s song of the summer, topping charts with 1.6 billion streams. Taylor Swift’s collaboration with Post Malone, Fortnight, and Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather are also frontrunners. Beyonce (Texas Hold ‘Em) and Kendrick Lamar (Not Like Us) add depth to the category, and while The Beatles’ posthumous release Now and Then may be nostalgic, I also believe an AI song nominated for a Grammy is a bit ridiculous. Note that Ariana Grande’s We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) failed to secure a nod– a surprising oversight for the fan favorite. 

Rylee’s Pick: Espresso: This song has taken over streaming platforms with its catchy rhythm and powerful vocals, making it the clear frontrunner for Record of the Year. If being my number three artist on my Spotify wrapped says anything, it’s that Sabrina Carpenter can produce a good song. However, Texas Hold Em and Birds of a Feather are still compelling contenders and I can see either of those winning as well. 

Song of the Year

Elliott’s Pick: Birds of a Feather: With songs like Eilish’s Birds of a Feather and Taylor Swfit’s Fortnight leading the category, competition for Song of the Year is tight. Eilish’s track is the third-most-streamed song of 2024, bolstered by TikTok. Meanwhile, Fortnight, a sweeping collaboration with Post Malone, is a jewel from The Tortured Poets Department that speaks to Swift’s reign as a masterful storyteller. Also in the mix are Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ ballad Die with a Smile and Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em, both unique and compelling tracks. Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe literally launched Roan into the spotlight– so that’s nothing to ignore, either. It’s a hard choice to make. 

Rylee’s Pick: A Bar Song (Tipsy): A Bar Song has been a crowd favorite so its popularity makes me feel it is likely to win, but personally, I hope Birds of a Feather takes this one. I think this one could be a toss-up though as both became popular through TikTok. I would also like to mention that while I don’t think Taylor Swift’s Fortnight will win this one, she and Post Malone put together an extremely qualified song. I just can’t see a panel of old men voting for Taylor Swift once again. 

Best New Artist: 2024’s Rising Star?

Elliott’s Pick: Chappell Roan: This year’s Best New Artist lineup includes hits from Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii, but all eyes are on Chappell Roan. (I’m listening to Pink Pony Girl as I write this). With her meteoric rise and critically adored The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, this could be her crowning moment. 

Rylee’s Pick: Chappell Roan: Chappell Roan has made waves in the industry with her stage persona and upbeat music, earning her rightful recognition as a frontrunner for Best New Artist. As someone who has his songs on repeat, I obviously have to shout out Benson Boone, but I don’t think he can earn this title quite yet. As for Sabrina Carpenter, while she has had an impressive year, her extensive history in music and entertainment makes it hard to view her as a “new artist.” Chappell Roan’s artistry feels fresh and unique, making her well-suited for this recognition.

Best Pop Vocal Album

Elliott’s Pick: Short n’ Sweet: I agree with Rylee on this one. Although The Tortured Poets Department and Hit Me Hard and Soft loom large, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is a favorite for this category. 

Rylee’s Pick: Short n’ Sweet: This is a quintessential pop album with relatable lyrics that stand out in a category often filled with innovative sounds. The album’s ability to balance upbeat tracks with emotional ballads gives it a compelling reason to win.

Best Rap Song

Elliott’s Pick: Not Like Us: It has nearly a billion streams… seems pretty unstoppable to me. 

Rylee’s Pick: Not Like Us: Like Elliott said, this song has had nearly a billion streams. Not only that, but I don’t think any other song has risen in popularity and stayed there for as long as this one has. 

Best Song Written for Visual Media

Elliott’s Pick: Can’t Catch Me Now from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: This track has captured hearts and charts alike, echoing the film’s box office success. While I feel like the Twisters soundtrack is a bigger deal now, this song was all I heard all day earlier this year, and that has to count for something. 

Rylee’s Pick: Can’t Catch Me Now from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: I’m not going to lie, I mostly just chose this song to win because one of my favorite artists sings it and I don’t know much about the other tracks. 

Best Country Album

Elliott’s Pick: Cowboy Carter: A Queen’s gambit, Beyonce’s genre-defying Cowboy Carter leads the pack in Best Country Album, showcasing her ability to dominate across styles. The runner-up is likely Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, an ambitious crossover as well, and Kacey Musgrave’s Deeper Well, a more classic country album. With Beyonce’s track record and critical acclaim, it’s hard to bet against her taking home the trophy. 

Rylee’s Pick: Cowboy Carter: Beyoncé takes a bold step into country music with Cowboy Carter, showcasing her versatility as an artist. While I’m not typically a fan of country music, it’s hard to deny Beyoncé’s ability to elevate any genre she touches. That said, the Grammys have rarely seen an album like this—it’s unconventional, and that could either work in her favor or against her.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Elliott’s Pick: Us: Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams’ Us has captured the hearts of fans, thanks to its poetic lyrics and Abrams’ rising star power (Also, can we talk about the bridge?? It’s potentially one of Swift’s best). Beyonce and Post Malone’s Levii’s Jeans offers some competition, while Charli XCX and Billie Eilish’s Guess could definitely sneak through (depending on the judges mood– I have my personal doubts over how brat they are). Gaga and Bruno Mars’ Die with a Smile and Ariana Grande’s trio with Brandy and Monica (The Boy is Mine) round out the category. (The Boy is Mine is a big song this year, but I must’ve missed this remix… it doesn’t seem to be as popular as some of the other choices). 

Rylee’s Pick: Us: These two together is a dream come true and you can’t get much better than this song they have created. The chemistry between Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift on Us is unmatched. It’s a perfect blend of their individual styles, with Abrams bringing her emotional vulnerability and Swift adding her signature poetic lyrics. It’s hard to imagine any other collaboration topping this; the song is a perfect storm of talent and artistry.

Best Dance Pop Recording

Elliott’s Pick: Yes, And?: Charli XCX’s Von Dutch and Billie Eilish’s L’Amour de Ma Vie bring strong competition, with their respective experimental and moody twists. Troye Sivan’s Got Me Started is a crowd favorite (but not superior to Von Dutch, I fear) and Madison Beer’s Make You Mine might surprise as a dark horse contender (but is probably too Tiktok-based to go far). Still, Ariana Grande’s commanding presence in the category gives her a clear edge, with Yes, And? having dominated streaming charts earlier this year– despite the fact that I maintain it sounds like it was produced by Target. 

Rylee’s Pick: Von Dutch: Even though I personally love Ariana Grande’s Yes, And? more than this song, I feel that Charlie XCX has this unique rhythm that makes it a perfect winner for this category. The layered production and different style to Von Dutch make it stand out as a better fit for what it was nominated for. Charli has proven time and again that she’s a master of the genre, and this song feels like another high point in her career. If the Academy wants to reward innovation and fun, Von Dutch seems like the way to go. 

This year’s Grammy nominations highlight a cultural shift: women are not just participants in music– they’re leading it. From Taylor Swift to Sabrina Carpenter, Beyonce to Billie Eilish, these artists have redefined genres and shattered records. Their dominance is a reminder that the industry’s future is undeniably female. 

As we count down to the big reveal, it’s pretty clear that the 67th Grammys are shaping up to be a celebration of the defining voices of 2024. Whether the panel will embrace viral Gen-Z sensations like Brat or stick to more traditional roots remains to be seen. Either way, fans are in for a night to remember. (And we’re hoping our predictions will turn out alright).