Album of the Year
Winner - Lizzo “Cuz I Love You”
Runners Up - Billie Eilish “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”, Rapsody “Eve”, Bruce Springsteen “Western Stars”, and Tanya Tucker “While I’m Livin’”
Commentary - When I sat down and thought of the album this year that I enjoyed the most, I had on repeat the most, and encouraged the most people to listen to, I kept coming back to Lizzo. 2019 was Lizzo's year. She is not technically a new artist, but she is considered one, because her music has finally made her grow from an underground favorite, to a genuine superstar. Cuz I Love You is just such a fun album to listen to. It is a brilliant mixture of pop, soul, and hip hop. It is infectious, particularly one of my favorite songs of the year, Juice, with its 80's jazzy vibe. Lizzo herself is infectious, she encourages positive body images, lifts people up no matter who they are, and has clearly made it her mission to make people smile with her music. She is not the pop star we deserve in our current climate, but she is the pop star we need. Cuz I Love You is a masterwork, and will hopefully serve as a launchpad for a long and fun career from a truly breathtaking artist.
Single of the Year
Winner - Tanya Tucker “Bring My Flowers Now”
Runners Up - Taylor Swift "You Need to Calm Down", Lizzo "Juice", DJ Khaled Featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend “Higher”, and Brittany Howard "History Repeats"
Commentary - Tanya Tucker had not released an album in a decade, when her new effort hit. A lot had changed in that decade, not just in the music industry, but for Tucker herself. She is still that rough and tumble, outlaw, underappreciated and uncompromising country star we knew her to be. She is also a little bit softer, a lot more reflective, and has chosen to partner with amazing collaborators, in this case Brandi Carlile, to bring a humanistic, heartbreaking, and amazing style to her music. Bring My Flowers Now is reminiscent of the late work of Johnny Cast, particularly Hurt. You cannot help but get swept up in the moment listening to this beautiful,yet haunting song. She is now in her 60's, and as she looks back at her unique and prolific career in country music, we get to enjoy the ride with her. Welcome back Tanya, and don't make us wait another decade to experience your artistry.
Best New Artist
Winner - Lizzo
Runners Up - Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, and Maggie Rogers
Commentary - See Album of the Year
Best Pop Album
Winner - Billie Eilish “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”
Runners Up - Lana Del Rey “Norman Fucking Rockwell”, Taylor Swift “Lover”, and Maggie Rogers “Heard It In a Past Life”
Commentary - Billie Eilish is the next generation's pop music. Her debut album When We Fall Asleep, Where do We Go? is the next generation's launching point into music. It is a distinctly new feel for pop music, represents the confusion and angst of Gen Z, while also still being fun, rebellious, and easy to listen to. Eilish has a long career ahead of her, and she could end up being one of the artists that defines the next decade of American music.
Best Rock/Alternative Album
Winner - Bruce Springsteen “Western Stars”
Runner Up - Tool "Fear Inoculum"
Commentary - I don't know how many albums Bruce Springsteen has left in his head, but if he keeps churning out quality work like Western Stars, I hope that the magic never ends. Springsteen is a master storyteller, and on Western Stars, he tells the stories of ordinary people, tired yet energetic, broken yet fixable, down and out, yet hopeful. His musical style is a mix of rock, country, and classical orchestrations. He continues to reinvent his music, try new things, and Western Stars proves that no matter his age or length of his career, Bruce Springsteen is sill The Boss, and the best.
Best Rap Album
Winner - Rapsody “Eve”
Runners Up - Megan Thee Stallion “Fever” and Tyler the Creator “Igor”
Commentary - Female rappers are having a banner couple of years. Megan Thee Stallion is the up and coming new star in hip hop. Legends like Lil Kim and Missy Elliott are releasing new work, and folks like Nicki Minaj and Cardi B are tearing up the charts. I could not be more thrilled to see these powerful and talented women taking their place among hip-hops best. One of the underrated members of this new cohort of talented female rappers is NC's own Rapsody, and she might be the best of the bunch. Her previous album, Laila's Wisdom, got some Grammy attention. I cannot for the life of me figure out how Eve didn't get more. Eve celebrates black women in history, is lyrically potent, Rapsody's flow is impeccable, and it serves as a vital entry into the hop hop canon.
Best R&B Album
Winner - Lizzo "Cuz I Love You"
Runners Up - Anderson .Paak “Ventura”, Beyonce “Homecoming: The Live Album”, and Solange “When I Get Home”
Commentary - See Album of the Year
Best Country Album
Winner - Tanya Tucker “While I’m Livin’”
Runners Up - Rhiannon Giddens “There is No Other”, Eric Church “Desperate Man”, and Pistol Annies “Interstate Gospel”
Commentary - Mostly, see Single of the Year. But to add. If you love and are heartbroken by Bring My Flowers Now, you will love the rest of Tucker's comeback album.
Best Pop Performance
Winner - Taylor Swift “You Need to Calm Down”
Runners Up - Maggie Rogers “Light On”, Lady Gaga “Always Remember Us This Way”, Halsey “Without Me”, and Billie Eilish “Bad Guy”
Commentary - I have long given up understanding the complete love/hate relationship people have with Taylor Swift. She is criticized for not speaking out on issues, then we she does, people complain that they don't need her support. I like a lot of Swift does, personally and musically, and there are things I don't. Period. She s a human, and I feel about her the way I feel about most humans. I will say this, if you are one of those that wishes she would take a stand on something she believes in, then you should love You Need to Calm Down. Its a fun, inventive, lyrically potent song, that takes direct aim at her haters, homophobic people, and the rumor mill about her feuds with other artists. With all of the stuff she is going through with her former producer, I think we are finally starting to see Swift unfiltered. If this song is a microcosm of that change, I hope she keeps it up.
Best Rock/Alternative Performance
Winner - Brittany Howard “History Repeats”
Runners Up - Gary Clark Jr. “This Land” and Sleater-Kinney “Hurry On Home”
Commentary - I loved Alabama Shakes, and I hope that, as a band, they have not completely broken apart. That being said, with or without her band, Brittany Howard continues to blaze a trail through modern rock music. History Repeats, her new single off of her solo debut album Jamie (which will be eligible next year for these awards), is a perfect example of Howard's talent: great guitar, inventive, and soulful, and a representation of the best of rock music
Best R&B Performance
Winner - Lizzo "Juice"
Runners Up - Solange "Stay Flow" and Anderson. Paak feat. Andre 3000 “Come Home”
Commentary - See Album of the Year
Best Rap Performance
Winner - DJ Khaled Featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend “Higher”
Runner Up - Megan Thee Stallion feat. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign “Hot Girl Summer”
Commentary - Nipsey Hussle had such an endearing story in rap music. His rise from his days in a gang, to becoming a valued member of his community who gave back to the place that made him, is the stuff dreams were made of. He turned his pain and his journey into essential art that was vivid and timeless. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. This great song, anchored by Hussle's flow, with the help of John Legend and DJ Khaled, is a final reminder of his greatness, and why he will be missed.
Best Country Performance
Winner - Tanya Tucker “Bring My Flowers Now”
Runners Up - Ashley McBryde “Girl Going Nowhere” and Maren Morris feat. Brandi Carlile “Common”, Miranda Lambert “It All Comes Out in the Wash”
Commentary - See Single of the Year
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