Many will soon flock to Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on the first of February next year for the biggest award ceremony of the year: The 68th Annual Grammys. The Grammys are known for being the biggest night in music for both artists and those who work with them to produce songs, albums, and other types of music. Although there are several months until artists walk home with the most prized music award, the Recording Academy drums up hype for the ceremony by releasing the music that is nominated for the upcoming ceremony. The art is meticulously selected by the Recording Academy and is supposed to represent not only the best but also the most impactful releases of the year. Last year sparked some controversy, with Beyonce winning both Country Album of the Year and also the most coveted award: Album of the Year (AOTY). Also, many were surprised with Taylor Swift not taking any awards home after one of her most successful years in her career. Also, Ye got kicked out of the ceremony for displaying his date’s nude outfit. That being said, most of that has faded away and people are getting excited about this year’s ceremony.

Some of the categories at the Grammys include Record of the Year (ROTY), Best New Artist, and newly Album Cover of The Year. Another new category that has got people talking about it is the divide in the Country Music categories. Last year, there was only one major category, Country Album of The Year. However, this year, it has been divided into two: Contemporary and Traditional, which is in no doubt a response to Beyonce’s win in the category previously. However, the focus and controversy from the public has shifted to this year’s nominations. So without further ado, I will be reviewing who is nominated for the biggest awards of the night–and who I think will win.

The first category I will be reviewing is Best New Artist. This award is to highlight those who had breakout careers and those who will continue to shine in their careers as musicians. Those nominated for this award are:

1. Olivia Dean
2. KATSEYE
3. The Marias
4. Addison Rae
5. sombr
6. Leon Thomas
7. Alex Warren
8. Lola Young

I think that all of these artists have definitely “achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape” (Grammy.com) as the Recording Academy puts it themselves. A few notable artists in this category are Addison Rae, Alex Warren, and Lola Young. All three of these artists had great commercial years as artists. Both Rae and Warren “blew up” on TikTok during the pandemic, but waited to launch their music careers until they were ready to shine. Alex Warren released songs like “Ordinary” and “Eternity,” both of which were well received by the public. Addison Rae broke out with “Diet Pepsi” and then released her self-titled pop record in June. I believe that only one of these artists shine the most and it is none other than Addison Rae. Many people were surprised when she released “Diet Pepsi” and were only more excited when she announced new singles for her album including “Headphones On,” “High Fashion,” “Fame Is A Gun” and more. These singles and the album that accompanied them was very well received in the Pop community, and only show her promise as an artist in the future. The “Addison” album brought interesting structure and talent to the Pop sphere, and I believe that for this reason she will go home with the award. All of the artists nominated should be congratulated, for they all had breakout years and show promise in their musical futures.

Secondly is Record of The Year. Defined as to honor “artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to sales or chart position,” (Recording Academy) ROTY celebrates not only the artist and songwriters, but the engineers and producers. This years nominations are as follows:

1. “DtMF” – Bad Bunny
2. “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
3. “Anxiety” – Doechii
4. “Wildflower” – Billie Eilish
5. “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
6. “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar + SZA
7. “The Subway” – Chappell Roan
8. “APT.” – ROSE + Bruno Mars

As one can see, some of the most known songs of this past year were nominated. Highlights for this category are “The Subway,” “Abracadabra,” and “Luther,” all being very well received songs in the music community. All of these songs were inescapable this year and all potentially deserve this award. However, one specifically stands out to me. I think that the ROTY for this year will be none other than “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga. Teased during the ad break for the Grammys last year and took the world by storm. It was then followed up by Gaga’s very successful album, “MAYHEM,” which is nominated for Album of the Year.

Noting Gaga’s “MAYHEM” is a great segue into the most coveted awards in the entire music world, Album of the Year. Not only is Gaga nominated, but people like Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, Clipse, and more. Here are the official nominations:

1. “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” – Bad Bunny
2. “SWAG” – Justin Bieber
3. “Man’s Best Friend” – Sabrina Carpenter
4. “Let God Sort Em Out” – Clipse, Pusha T, Malice
5. “MAYHEM” – Lady Gaga
6. “GNX” – Kendrick Lamar
7. “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
8. “CHROMAKOPIA” – Tyler, The Creator

All of these albums had great commercial success and even signified the new coming of people like Leon Thomas, and a return to music for people like Justin Bieber. That being said, I believe that this award will not go to either of them, but the main competition will be between Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga. All three of these albums had critical acclaim and controversy surrounding them. Album of the Year not only respects the creation of the art but also the impact that it had on people and the world. Kendrick Lamar had a huge year with his and SZA’s “Grand National Tour” and his previous performance at the Superbowl. Gaga also had a successful tour and her album was a masterclass in the inner workings of the Pop genre. That being said, I think that this award will go to none other than “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” by Bad Bunny. This album was not only fantastic, but also was social commentary on gentrification, ties to one’s culture, and overall themes of what it means to be a member of a marginalized community in the United States. Bad Bunny recently started controversy over not touring his album in the continental United States as a protest to the Trump administration and ICE showing up to deport Latino people in the country. This album had a huge impact on the US and the world and I think the Grammys will choose to recognize this at this year’s ceremony. Bad Bunny is no stranger to the Grammys, and the Grammys seem to be interested in his work and influence. Being nominated for Album of the Year is a feat in and of itself, and all the albums nominated are definitely deserving of the award. Last year, I predicted that Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” would win and I hope to correct again this time around.

Overall, the Grammys highlight musical excellency, and to be nominated for an award shows great talent and meticulous attention to detail. The Grammy is one of the most highly noted music awards and even being considered for one is a feat that many artists dream of. Overall, I believe that Addison Rae, Lady Gaga, and Bad Bunny will be the big winners of this year, and I hope you tune into the Grammys this February to see who wins.