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GRAMMYS
Who Will Win And Who Should Win At The 2023 Grammys: The Big Four Categories
We are now just days away from the 2023 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 5. (Here’s how to watch the show, in case you didn’t know, and here’s the full list of this year’s nominees.) The Recording Academy’s picks for who is going to win what awards are in, and all that’s left to do is wait and see who will be cement themselves in music history and take a golden gramophone trophy home.
Actually, there’s another thing left to do, not a requirement but a fun thought exercise: make picks for who the Academy has likely chosen for the four major awards (Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year) and who we think should win them.
Make your own selections if you’d like, but if you wouldn’t mind hearing another perspective before you do, I’ve come up with some predictions and opinions. It wasn’t easy, because New Artist, Song, Record, and Album categories are stacked this year; A lot of new artists made an immediate impact on the music landscape, a number of songs are already being hailed as classics, and some albums on this year’s list are all-timers (at least one is if you ask Questlove, anyway).
So, before the 2023 Grammys officially kick off, let’s take a look at who probably will win the big four awards and who probably should get them.
Best New Artist
- Anitta
- Domi & JD Beck
- Latto
- Måneskin
- Molly Tuttle
- Muni Long
- Omar Apollo
- Samara Joy
- Tobe Nwigwe
- Wet Leg
Who will win: Anitta
Who should win: Anitta
Really, it’s hard to call Anitta new. It’s been nearly a decade since the Brazilian superstar released her 2013 self-titled debut album, which went No. 1 in her home country. In recent times, though, she has profoundly broken out on a broader international level. Her 2022 album Versions Of Me was her first on Warner (previous releases came out via Warner Music Brasil) and its biggest single, “Envolver,” was a global hit: It’s her first solo track to place on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (after the Cardi B and Myke Towers collab “Me Gusta” in 2020), it became a TikTok sensation, and it was the first song by a Brazilian artist to rank No. 1 on the daily Spotify Global Chart. Between all that and other viral moments, Anitta is currently the best version of herself and is only getting better. While the crop of Best New Artist nominees is strong, none of the others have yet reached Anitta-level success.
Song Of The Year
- Adele — “Easy On Me”
- Beyoncé — “Break My Soul”
- Bonnie Raitt — “Just Like That”
- DJ Khaled — “God Did” Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy
- Gayle — “ABCDEFU”
- Harry Styles — “As It Was”
- Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
- Lizzo — “About Damn Time”
- Steve Lacy — “Bad Habit”
- Taylor Swift — “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
Who will win: Adele — “Easy On Me”
Who should win: Taylor Swift — “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
The new expanded version of “All Too Well” quickly became one of the most storied songs in Swift’s discography, an oeuvre that has not been wanting of praise. Rolling Stone‘s Rob Sheffield proclaimed the tune “sums up Swift at her absolute best,” and in the age of allegedly waning attention spans, fans have streamed the lengthy song over 450 million times on Spotify and made it the longest No. 1 song in Billboard Hot 100 history. There’s a problem, though: The Grammys honor new music (relatively new, anyway; “ABCDEFU” came out in August 2021). “All Too Well,” which originates from 2012’s Red, isn’t exactly a brand new track. That may dissuade Grammy voters from giving it the trophy, but it also wouldn’t be a crime if Adele’s “Easy On Me,” another powerfully evocative former No. 1 single, ended up winning. Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” is also worth noting here, as it’s far from a pop tune but has nonetheless had pop tune success and acclaim.
Record Of The Year
- ABBA — “Don’t Shut Me Down”
- Adele — “Easy On Me”
- Beyoncé — “Break My Soul”
- Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius — “You And Me On The Rock”
- Doja Cat — “Woman”
- Harry Styles — “As It Was”
- Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
- Lizzo — “About Damn Time”
- Mary J. Blige — “Good Morning Gorgeous”
- Steve Lacy — “Bad Habit”
Who will win: Adele — “Easy On Me”
Who should win: Harry Styles — “As It Was”
First, an important note: The Recording Academy previously explained, “Record Of The Year deals with a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to that recording, while Song Of The Year deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote the song.”
So, broadly, Song is about songwriting and Record is about the finished recording. That said, Harry Styles’ “As It Was” is a gorgeously executed recording deserving of the Record Of The Year title. At its core, it’s a summery pop-rock song that sounds a lot like some beach-faring indie music from years back. But, that aesthetic has been revived and refreshed just enough for modern day, yielding a tune that sounds warmly and breezily nostalgic while also slotting nicely into the current pop landscape. Headphone listeners are rewarded with the one, too, as there are a lot of production treats and intricacies that are hard to appreciate on an iPhone speaker but that give the song new dimension when you pay attention to them. The results really speak for themselves: “As It Was” is the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo artist in Hot 100 history and it appears not too long from now, it’ll become the first song from 2022 to eclipse 2 billion Spotify streams.
Album Of The Year
- ABBA — Voyage
- Adele — 30
- Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti
- Beyoncé — Renaissance
- Brandi Carlile — In These Silent Days
- Coldplay — Music Of The Spheres
- Harry Styles — Harry’s House
- Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
- Lizzo — Special
- Mary J. Blige — Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Who will win: Adele — 30
Who should win: Beyoncé — Renaissance
Like many Grammy categories, pitting the nominees against each other is like comparing apples and oranges… and hammers and beach balls and secret family recipes. By what metrics do you measure products as wildly different as Album Of The Year nominees from Brandi Carlile, Adele, Coldplay, and Kendrick Lamar when they’re all up for the same award? It’s a task so impossible, it’s a wonder the Recording Academy is able to come to a decision at all year after year.
Annually, though, they do come up with a pick, one that makes fans mad regardless of who won. However, Beyoncé’s Renaissance would be a hard (but not impossible, as haters will prove should the album win) pick to hate, no matter your disposition. The LP has elements of dance, house, disco, pop, R&B, and probably dozens of other musical styles too numerous to mention here, all delivered by the incomparably confident, capable, and charismatic Beyoncé. Even putting her star power aside, Renaissance is a spectrum-spanning album that is full of mind-blowing musical moments. Here’s something that’s hard to make an argument against: Renaissance defined music in 2022 (and more importantly, during this year’s eligibility window from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022). That sounds like the Album Of The Year to me.
Find the full list of 2023 Grammy nominees here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Quavo To Pay Tribute To Takeoff At The Grammys
The Grammys will pay homage to the late Takeoff with the help of his uncle and fellow Migos member, Quavo. The Recording Academy announced Quavo as a performer for this year’s ceremony. The rapper and the Maverick City Music choir will perform “Without You” during the In Memoriam segment.
“Without You” marked Quavo’s first release since the passing of Takeoff on November 1st. Throughout the record, Qua’ reflects on all of the memories they shared and how they came up from under the same roof to reach international stardom. Fans praised “Without You” upon its release, especially since it was the first release from Quavo since Takeoff’s death. The song boasted production from Murda Beatz, Mike Dean, Zaytoven, and more.
Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston, TX on Nov. 1st after an argument broke out during a dice game. Police captured the suspect, Patrick Clark, who has since been released on a $1M bond. However, Clark maintained his innocence since his arrest in late 2022.
Following Takeoff’s funeral, Quavo shared a statement on Instagram paying homage to his Only Built For Infinity Linx collaborator. The heartbreaking post detailed their relationship as children and his relationship with Takeoff. Quavo shared details of their journey as rappers. He detailed their childhood together, rapping along to Big Tymers and how Takeoff’s triplet flow developed the Migos style.
“This whole time I’ve been trying to figure what you really are to me because nephew wasn’t it. We hated that word ‘nephew’ or when they said ‘Unc and Phew’ cuz we always knew we were way closer than that and it made me feel old too,” he wrote. “But I knew you weren’t my brother cuz you are my sister’s so, so I couldn’t say brother. Now I finally get it… you are OUR angel watching me and watching us this whole time in living form making sure EVERYONE FELT UR LOVE AND HUGS while u here and u made our dreams come true.”
Quavo Will Honor Takeoff In The Grammys’ ‘In Memoriam’ Segment Along With Gospel Band Maverick City Music
Rap fans haven’t seen Quavo perform since the death of his brother-in-arms Takeoff, who was shot and killed last Halloween. He’ll make his return to the stage this Sunday, during the 2023 Grammys; fittingly, he’ll do so to pay tribute to Takeoff during the ceremony’s “In Memoriam” segment. He’s billed to perform his emotive song “Without You” along with contemporary worship group Maverick City Music.
The Recording Academy announced the performers this afternoon. In addition to Quavo, the lineup includes Bonnie Raitt, who will sing “Songbird” for Christine McVie with Mick Fleetwood and Sheryl Crow, and Kacey Musgraves, who will perform “Coal Miner’s Daughter” in tribute to Loretta Lynn.
The 2023 Grammys are set to air live at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on Sunday, February 5 from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The show will be hosted by Trevor Noah in his third outing in the role, with presenters to include Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, and Shania Twain, among others. You can see the full list of nominations here.
Despite curtailing his musical activity in the wake of Takeoff’s death, Quavo was recently seen enjoying the College Football Playoff National Championship game, which his Georgia Bulldogs won handily against the TCU Horned Frogs.
Questlove To Curate Hip-Hop 50 Tribute Performance At 2023 Grammys
Questlove will be co-curating the Hip-Hop 50 tribute performance for the 2023 Grammys. The six-time winner announced the performance in honor of the 50-year anniversary of hip-hop on Tuesday.
“I’m really really thrilled to announce that there’s gonna be a special segment on the Grammy telecast, this Sunday night, honoring hip-hop’s 50th,” Questlove says in his announcement video. “Can you believe 50? It’s going to be an absolutely amazing moment with some of the biggest names from the genre coming together to celebrate hip-hop history — its past, its present, its future.”
The Roots musician goes on to say that hip-hop has had a “driving force in the music, in the culture.”
He further added that hip-hop’s “impact on our culture and our world” is “immeasurable.”
“I’ve had the great privilege of co-curating this thing with The Roots and many many others that are gonna join us that night. So, you gotta see it,” he continued.
The performance is part of the Paramount Global initiative to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop in partnership with Mass Appeal. While the Grammys haven’t announced the official lineup, look for the full list in the coming days.
The 2023 Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Sunday, Feb. 5 at 8:00 PM, ET. For the full list of nominations, including Kendrick Lamar, Future, as well as Drake, and more, head here. Comedian Trevor Noah will be hosting the event for a third straight year.
Check out Questlove’s full announcement video below.
[Via]
Trevor Noah Reflects On Nerves Before Hosting Grammys For 3rd Time
Trevor Noah is set to return as the host of the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, marking his third time hosting the event. Regardless of his experience, he says that he’s still nervous to be taking the stage in front of such a star-studded crowd.
“The nerves come in because you’re standing in front of not just some of the best, but some of the biggest performers in the world,” Noah recently told the Associated Press. “Nerves are part of what I do.”
Noah also reflected on the event marking his third time as host.
“Every year, I notice that I develop a different rapport with the people in the room,” he further said. “That opens you up to a few more jokes and a few more conversations in a way where people understand the context of who you are in relations to them. It means you get to have a little bit of fun without anybody feeling like you’re dunking on them.”
The former host of The Daily Show also noted that he’s excited to see the performers at the ceremony. They include Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, Lizzo, Steve Lacy, as well as Brandi Carlile.
“We love having Trevor because he’s so darn good at it,” said Harvey Mason jr, the CEO of the Recording Academy. Afterward, he described him as “personable” and “funny.”
As for the awards themselves, Beyoncé leads the way with nine nominations. She’s up for record and song of the year nods for her hit “Break My Soul.” Kendrick Lamar ranks second in total nominations with eight.
The Grammys will be airing live from Crypto.com Arena on Sunday on CBS and Paramount+.
I’m super excited to be hosting the #Grammys once again!
Tune in Sunday, Feb 5th on @CBS
Thank you @billboard & @neenaroe for the cover / story!
Photographer: @peterashlee Stylist: @jasonbolden Groomer: Enid Seymore Producers: Get Swayed Location: @_HudsonYardsNYC pic.twitter.com/47kl1RMLgv
— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) December 15, 2022
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How To Watch The 2023 Grammys Awards
The 2023 Grammys are right around the corner. This year’s award show is set to be a historical one, as there are a ton of “firsts” among the nominations. Kendrick Lamar is the first artist to be nominated for Album Of The Year for four consecutive releases. Beyonce tied her husband Jay-Z as the most-nominated artist in history. BTS’s “Yet To Come” is the firrst Korean-language song to be nominated. And Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is the first Spanish-language album ever nominated for Album Of The Year.
In addition, Trevor Noah will host for the third time in a row, while the first round of announced performers includes Bad Bunny, Brandi Carlile, Kim Petras, Lizzo, Luke Combs, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, and Steve Lacy, with a rumor circulating online that Jay-Z will join DJ Khaled to perform his fan-favorite “God Did” verse. More performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
With all that history flying around, the Grammys will be worth watching… but how do you tune in?
The 2023 Grammys will air live on Sunday, February 5 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. You can watch on CBS or stream from Paramount+ or the Grammys website.
Will The 2023 Grammys Awards Be Livestreamed?
The 2023 Grammy Awards are steadily approaching, as fans and artists alike are gearing up (emotionally and possibly, physically) for music’s biggest night. However, some might be wondering how they’ll be able to watch it at home — and whether there’ll be a livestream.
On February 5, the Grammys will be broadcasted live on CBS and available to be streamed on-demand from Paramount+. Held at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center), the event kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and will run until about 11:30 p.m. ET. It will also play from the Recording Academy’s website here.
Throughout the awards show, there will also be performances from a number of very special stars. So far, the first round of artists playing has been announced, with Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Brandi Carlile, Luke Combs, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Kim Petras, and Sam Smith on the lineup. According to the Recording Academy’s website, more performers will be added in the coming days. Trevor Noah of The Daily Show is set to host.
As for the presenters for the coveted awards, including Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and many more, the lineup is still TBA.
For a complete list of 2023 Grammy nominees, view Uproxx’s complete list here.
What Time Will The 2023 Grammy Awards Start?
The full list of 2023 Grammys nominees has been out since November. Trevor Noah confirmed to Billboard in December that he would host the Grammys for the third-straight year. Yesterday, January 25, The Recording Academy revealed the “first wave” of performers for the year’s ceremony as Bad Bunny, Brandi Carlile, Kim Petras, Lizzo, Luke Combs, Mary J. Blige, Sam Smith, and Steve Lacy.
Cool. When is it?
The 2023 Grammys will air live on CBS on Sunday, February 5 — so, not this Sunday but the next Sunday — beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The ceremony will take place at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and, in addition to CBS on television, will stream live (and later on demand) on Paramount+. The full rundown can be found at the Grammys’ official website.
With Billboard, Noah reflected on becoming the second person alongside LL Cool J to host the Grammys at least three-straight times.
“I don’t think it’s normal to host it once, so I don’t have a great frame of reference for this. It is thrilling. For me, it’s a cheat code because I’m a fan of almost all the people who are there,” Noah said. “It has also been interesting because of the journey. The first one was [during] COVID-19, and it was a completely different way to make the show. And then the next one was in Las Vegas because of the restrictions [in Los Angeles], and that was a different type of show. Now it’s exciting [because] it’ll be the first one for me back in LA — that’s hopefully not just normal, but different for the right reasons.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.