Album of the Year
Winner - Lady Gaga "Mayhem"
Runners Up - Bad Bunny "Debí Tirar Más Fotos", Clipse, Pusha T & Malice "Let God Sort Em Out",
Kendrick Lamar "GNX", Tyler Childers "Snipe Hunter"
Commentary - After years of journeying through more traditional pop, jazz, working in films, winning Oscars, Lady Gaga returns to her millennial dance pop roots with a welcomed and triumphant return to what made her a star in the first place. Chaotic, fun, inclusive, Mayhem is a rollicking good time, the exact type of escapist and uplifting music for these dark times. It is also a culmination of one of music's greatest artists, who has been producing amazing work for now almost two decades.
Single of the Year
Winner - Olivia Dean "Man I Need"
Runners Up - Tyler Childers "Nose On the Grindstone", Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams "Chains & Whips", Doechii "Anxiety", Lady Gaga "Abracadabra"
Commentary - It was released in time to be nominated for Grammy Awards, but probably too late to build the momentum it needed to get nominated, which is a real shame. Because, when I think about the song of the year, that has taken the world by storm, it is Man I Need. Soulful, old school, beautiful vocals, and a confidence far beyond its artist's years, this song is not just an earworm. It is the introduction of a new artist, whose career has exploded, and rightfully so, as she has the chance to become a generational talent. Her debut album backed up the success of this song, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Best New Artist
Winner - Olivia Dean
Runners Up - Megan Moroney, Leon Thomas, Zach Top
Commentary - See Single of the Year
Best Pop Album
Winner - Lady Gaga "Mayhem"
Runners Up - Elton John and Brandi Carlile "Who Believes in Angels?", Lorde "Virgin"
Commentary - See Album of the Year
Best Rock/Alternative Album
Winner - The Cure "Songs Of A Lost World"
Runners Up - Turnstile "NEVER ENOUGH", Hayley Williams "Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party", Deftones "Private Music", Haim "I Quit", Wet Leg "Moisturizer"
Commentary - The Cure couldn't be there to win their Grammy, because they were burying one of their one. It makes this award, and this incredible album even more poignant. Dark, gothic, yet surprisingly emotional and resonant, Songs of a Lost World is triumphantly sad return for one of rock's legendary acts.
Best Rap Album
Winner - Clipse, Pusha T & Malice "Let God Sort Em Out"
Runners Up - Kendrick Lamar "GNX" and Tyler the Creator "Chromakopia"
Commentary - A new Clipse album is always a huge pop culture moment, as it happens so rarely. Boy it was worth the wait. Yet again, this dynamic duo produced a fantastic rap record with incredible beats, jaw-dropping lyrics, and stunning collaborations. I hate it took so long to hear their music again, but boy it was worth the wait.
Best R&B Album
Winner - Leon Thomas "MUTT"
Runners Up - Durand Bernarr "Bloom", Mariah the Scientist "Hearts Sold Separately", The Weeknd "Hurry Up Tomorrow"
Commentary - A great blend of old-school soul, with modern R&B, MUTT is an R&B triumph that blends great emotional ballads with up-tempo bangers that showcase an incredible new talent.
Best Country/Americana Album
Winner - Tyler Childers "Snipe Hunter"
Runners Up - Kelsea Ballerini "Patterns", Jason Isbell "Foxes in the Snow", Miranda Lambert "Postcards from Texas", Margo Price "Hard Headed Woman", Molly Tuttle "So Long Little Miss Sunshine", Zach Top "Ain't in It for My Health"
Commentary - A great combination of old-school bluegrass vibes, modern country, gospel, and some of the most enigmatic song storytelling of the year, make Snipe Hunter an instant classic.
Best Pop Performance
Winner - Olivia Dean "The Man I Need"
Runners Up - Lady Gaga "Abracadabra", Bad Bunny "DTMF", Lola Young "Messy"
Commentary - See Single of the Year
Best Rock/Alternative Performance
Winner - Turnstile "NEVER ENOUGH"
Runners Up - Deftones "My Mind is a Mountain", Hayley Williams "Parachute", Haim "Relationships"
Commentary - Sometimes, I can't always come up with the words. So simply put, a great rock record.
Best Rap Performance
Winner - Clipse, Pusha T & Malice Featuring Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams "Chains & Whips"
Runners Up - Doechii "Anxiety", Kendrick Lamar with SZA "Luther", Tyler, the Creator featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne "Sticky"
Commentary - See Best Rap Album.
Best R&B Performance
Winner - Kehlani "Folded"
Runners Up - Coco Jones "Taste", SZA "BMF", Leon Thomas "Yes it Is", Summer Walker "Heart of a Woman"
Commentary - I was so happy to see one of the best songs of last year get the Grammy recognition it deserved. At this point, Kehlani is a legend, and Folded, is the perfectly smooth, let lyrically complex song to showcase her amazing talent.
Best Country/Americana Performance
Winner - Margo Price & Tyler Childers "Love Me Like You Used To Do"
Runners Up - Zach Top "I Never Lie", Molly Tuttle "That's Gonna Leave a Mark"
Commentary - Two of my favorites create an absolutely beautiful song.
