The 8th Annual Awards Psychic Music Award Winners

Album of the Year

Winner - Fiona Apple “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”

Runners Up - The Chicks “Gaslighter”, Ashley McBryde “Never Will”, Run the Jewels “RTJ4”, and

The Weeknd “After Hours” 

Commentary - All the upheaval at the Grammys, and I'm still wondering how Fiona Apple managed to miss out on General Field nods. Her Fetch the Bolt Cutters was easily the best of the year, in my mind by a mile. It is exquisitely constructed, timely, and each song seems to break new ground as rolls to the next one. Fiona Apple has always been a rule breaker and groundbreaking pop/rock/alternative artist, but I think that after 25 years in the music business, we have finally found Apple at her most daring, her most engaging, her most vulnerable, and her most liberated self, and the results are simply breathtaking. 

Single of the Year

Winner  - The Chicks “Gaslighter” 

Runners Up - Fiona Apple “Shameika”, Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce "Savage (Remix)", Roddy Ricch “The Box”, Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar”, The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Commentary - The fire, energy, and passion that The Chicks poured into their new album and record, 13 years after their last release, was awe-inspiring. It reminded us that they are one of the greatest bands of all time, not just in Country music, and that they still have the anger, the talent, and the fire to create compelling, amazing, and timely music. 2020 was a hell of a year, and Gaslighter felt like this year's anthem and magnum opus. The Chick's perfectly captured this year, and proved that they are still the best at what they do. 

Best New Artist

Winner - Megan Thee Stallion

Runners Up - Summer Walker, Rina Sawayama, and Ingrid Andress

Commentary - You want to talk about exploding on the scene? Let's talk about the newest hit rapper Megan Thee Stallion. She has collaborated with Cardi B, Beyonce, and countless other big names in the business. She has made chart-topping hits, and has managed to do so by being herself as an artist. She is at times vulnerable, and yet still exudes confidence, in tune with rap history and rap future, and yes, she is a savage behind the mic, making her one of the most potent new rap artists to hit the scene in a long time. Her awards streak is also likely to continue as her new album Good News has already emerged as an early favorite in this new Grammy eligibility period. Personally, I cannot wait to see what she does next. 

Best Pop Album

Winner - Dua Lipa "Future Nostalgia" 

Runners Up - Taylor Swift “Folklore”, Harry Styles "Fine Line", and Lady Gaga "Chromatica

Commentary - This was an excellent year for big pop acts, with Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Harry Styles all releasing fantastic records. But I think the best of the bunch is Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia. It is a fun record, bursting with energy, impeccable control, and incredible tracks. It is pure pop, pop/rock perfection, and shows an artist that is getting into her groove, and has an incredibly bright future if she keeps up this level of excellence. 

Best Rock/Alternative Album

Winner - Fiona Apple “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” 

Runners Up - Bob Dylan “Rough and Rowdy Ways” and Brittany Howard “Jaime” 

Commentary -  See Album of the Year

Best R&B Album

Winner - The Weeknd “After Hours” 

Runners Up - Summer Walker “Over It” and Jhene Aiko “Chilombo” 

Commentary - There was a lot of talk about The Weeknd's snub at the Grammys, and while I think some of it is just politics and sore loser stuff, I have to agree, that, in terms of quality at least, it is a real shame that he is missing out. After Hours was not just a really popular album, but easily the best R&B record of the year. He brilliantly combines listenable popular tracks with fun new twists, simultaneously moving the genre forward, while continuing to bring in listeners from across the taste spectrum. A triumph for an already accomplished artist. 

Best Rap Album

Winner - Run the Jewels “RTJ4” 

Runners Up - Roddy Rich “Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial” and Megan Thee Stallion "Suga" 

Commentary - From his collaborations with Outkast, to his solo work, and now with with collaborative four-part Run the Jewels series, Killer Mike has proved himself to be one of the best rappers to ever play the game. RTJ4 is brilliant. It has everything you want out of a great rap album, like awesome beats and wildly inventive lyrics. But what elevates this is the political spin that they inject into their work. Their personal politics are no secret, and they are involved in pushing forward the ideas they believe. Their music feels like a modern-day protest anthem, making it fierce, timely, and necessary. 

Best Country Album

Winners - (TIE) The Chicks “Gaslighter” and Ashley McBryde “Never Will”

Runners Up - Brandy Clark “Your Life is a Record” and The Highwomen “The Highwomen” 

Commentary - How do choose with so many great, female-driven country albums this year? I narrowed it down to two, and then had to stop. That meant leaving Brandy Clark's and The Highwomen's works as runners-up, which I hate to do because they are so damn good. But alas, my top two are works from The Chicks and Ashley McBryde. McBryde's second album proved that she is not only a master lyricist, but that her mastery of old-school country, and her ability to push its boundaries with heart, love, passion, and skill make her one of the genre's best artists working today. The Chicks, after a long hiatus, roared back in brilliant fashion. Gaslighter is undeniably a country album, but it is a country album with a pistol liberal kick and a ferocity that was simply unmatched this year. Two remarkable works. 

Best Pop Performance

Winner - Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar”

Runners Up - Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande “Rain on Me”, Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now”, and Taylor Swift “Cardigan” 

Commentary - The perfect pop anthem that is sexy, romantic, fun, well-produced, and a perfect antidote to the doldrums of 2020. 

Best Rock/Alternative Performance

Winner - Fiona Apple “Shameika”

Runner Up - Brittany Howard “Stay High”  

Commentary - See Album of the Year

Best R&B Performance

Winner - The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Runners Up - Beyonce “Black Parade”, H.E.R. “I Can’t Breathe”, and Summer Walker feat. Usher “Come Thru” 

Commentary - See R&B Album. 

Best Rap Performance

Winner - (TIE) Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyonce “Savage (Remix)” and Roddy Ricch “The Box” 

Runners Up - DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch “Rockstar” and Run the Jewels feat. DJ Premier and Greg Nice “Ooh La La” 

Commentary - Savage was so freaking awesome, one of the biggest hits of the year, and a perfect pairing of two great artists. Roddy Ricch's The Box, which got such a well-deserved Song of the Year nomination, is brilliantly constructed, and a great introduction to an artist that has exploded in hip-hop this year, and has a bright future. 

Best Country Performance

Winner - The Chicks “Gaslighter” 

Runners Up - Ashley McBryde “One Night Standards” and Brandy Clark “Who You Thought I Was” 

Commentary - See Single of the Year