2022 Billboard Music Awards Finalists Announced: The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Kanye, and More
Olivia Rodrigo
The Best Music Documentaries Streaming On Disney+ And Hulu
What makes a good music documentary?
Is it unfiltered talking head interviews from an artist’s inner circle, narrating their rise to fame and filling in the gaps with unheard tales of tragedy and triumph? Is it hundreds of hours’ worth of archival footage that transports fans back to the tour buses and motels and the chaotic marathon of on-the-road, small-town gigs? Is it the artist themselves taking control of the camera to give us a more intimate, insightful look into their creative process — the highs, the lows, the sacrifices, and the perks of fame?
Is it a combination of all of these?
Whatever that magical “it” factor is, all of the docs on this list — from tranquil recording sessions to cinematic road trip movies to dramatic reenactments to reels of film that have been hidden away for decades — have it in some form or other.
These are the best music documentaries streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
The Beatles: Get Back (2021)
Run Time: 468 min
There’s a kind of mythos surrounding The Beatles, their meteoric rise, and their complicated break-up. Much of that is fueled by the untimely death of their founding member, John Lennon, but more still stems from the group’s prolific lyrical output — something that’s on full display in Peter Jackson’s biographical epic, Get Back. The three-part six-hour-long documentary is a musical odyssey, one that peels back the veneer of nostalgia and gives us a raw, moving, and at times unbearably intimate look at the four lads whose influence is still being felt, decades after their initial peak of stardom. Subdued and unstructured but made with purpose, the series gives us a glimpse of these figures with episodes of genius on full display — like when Paul riffs on his bass and produces one of the band’s biggest hits in just a few minutes. The best moments come when we get an unedited look at the strife, tension, and profound connection these musical icons shared, though.
Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever, A Love Letter to Los Angeles (2021)
Run Time: 65 min
Billie Eilish has had a prodigious career. That’s not hyperbole, it’s simply a fact. She’s ticked off everything from Grammy wins and Oscars trophies to headlining the world’s major music festivals and being interesting enough that not one, but two documentaries have attempted to distill her star power to something us mere mortals can understand. In this doc, which stands as Billie’s love letter to her hometown, director Robert Rodriguez throws animation into the mix, creating a kind of hybrid doc/album concept film that’s both beautifully straightforward and deceptively insightful.
Summer of Soul (2021)
Run Time: 118 min
Go all the way back to the consequential summer of 1969 as Roots crew drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson brings the incomparable Harlem Cultural Festival to life with his Oscar-winning Summer Of Soul. Filled with a collection of performances from iconic musicians like Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight, this doc doubly rewards viewers by diving into the intersection between current events and music, showcasing the power of music and an event that has been shockingly under-remembered until now.
Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U (2022)
Run Time: 76 min
The only female artist who’s had a bigger breakout than Billie Eilish is this Disney star whose catchy-as-hell breakup track, Driver’s License catapulted her to the top of the charts during a pandemic that had us all feeling a little blue. This doc shares some of the same qualities that made that song, and its accompanying music video, such a hit. There’s a barren feeling to all of the deserts and flatlands Rodrigo drives through while on her way from the recording studio where she created her debut album Sour, back home to California. There’s also a vintage, grainy filter imposed on all of the vistas she stops at along the way, performing some of the album’s biggest hits to intimate crowds and fan gatherings. It’s a vibe – and a worthy entry into the music doc space from an artist who’s just getting started.
Folklore: The Pond Sessions (2020)
Run Time: 105 min
Of the two stellar albums Taylor Swift dropped in 2020, Folklore was the one with the least fanfare surrounding it — a record Swift quietly unveiled that guided fans even deeper into the fantasy-like wood she’d escaped to during quarantine. And with this doc — an intimate, no-frills recording session in a rustic cabin by a lake, somewhere north of New York City – Swift doubles down on this new era of her career she’s knowingly entered into. This is a doc about Taylor Swift, the songwriter – not the pop star or tabloid target. Stripped down and raw, the doc merges some home videos of Swift recording the album years earlier with frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff and newcomer (to the Swift scene) Aaron Dessner with live performances from Swift, held in between chats that dive deep into her musical knowledge and her artistic process. It’s illuminating in the best way and Swift has never been better.
We Are Freestyle Supreme (2020)
Run Time: 90 min
Before Lin Manuel-Miranda was creating Oscar-nominated bops for Disney flicks and winning Peabody awards for history-making Broadway musicals, he was just a guy on a street corner in the Heights, freestyling with his friends. This doc, which leans heavily on archival footage of Miranda and fellow Freestyle Supreme members like Thomas Kail, Christopher Jackson, and others, charts the rise of the group whose on-stage trick is to take audience suggestions and turn them into feature-length raps and bops and skits for our entertainment. There’s some incredible talent on display here as we see the group perform at fringe fests and basement cellars, but somehow, knowing the success each of these guys will one day find makes viewing their humble beginning even more exciting.
Amazing Grace: Aretha Franklin (2018)
Run Time: 89 min
In 1972, Aretha Franklin gave a two-night performance of some of her biggest hits in a crowded Baptist church. Decades later, we finally get that footage. Filmed by Sydney Pollock, this is Aretha Franklin before people universally recognized her as an icon. Her voice is unparalleled, her energy infectious, her talent obvious, but this doc shows the synergy between her religious upbringing and the music she would bring to the world. It might just move you to tears.
Blackpink: The Movie (2021)
Run Time: 100 min
Of the two Blackpink docs circulating the streaming world, this Hulu entry highlights the girl group’s undeniable stage presence, weaving concert footage from their most recent internet-breaking performance, “The Show” with older clips from when they were just beginning their reign as the queens of KPop. There’s a bit of commentary from the women as they reflect on their bond and how they’ve gotten this far, but the strongest moments are when fans get to watch them in their element, killing intricately choreographed numbers and serving up some of the best live shows we’ve seen yet.
Madonna: The Breakfast Club (2019)
Run Time: 105 min | IMDb: 6.5/10
The most fascinating music docs tell the stories of stars before they became them. Plenty of entries on this list fit the bill, but none do it like this hybrid film that mixes archival footage and glimpses of Madonna’s old stomping grounds in Detroit with dramatic reenactments of the artist’s earliest days in New York. The journey is gripping, from mourning her mother and hoping to escape the dreariness of her hometown, to hitting the scene in Queens during a musical rebirth when fashion and art, and street culture were colliding to form a creative environment unique enough to turn a talented former dancer into a pop music behemoth.
Zappa (2020)
Run Time: 169 min
Music fans have likely heard the name Frank Zappa, but few truly understand just how unique and idiosyncratic his career truly was. This doc aims to rectify that, combing through hundreds of hours of archival footage supplied by Zappa’s estate to paint a picture of the sometimes-acclaimed, sometimes-controversial musician that we simply haven’t seen before. From his early beginnings worshipping the musical oddities to spoofing hit Beatles records to fighting American censorship, Zappa was an individual in every sense of the word, which makes charting his musical journey all the more interesting.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The Biggest Winners, Losers, And Surprises Of The 2022 Grammys
The Grammys are all about celebrating the best and brightest in music, but in another sense, it’s about picking winners… and therefore losers (or non-winners if you want to soften the blow of that descriptor). While there’s a general formula to an awards show like this, there’s always room for the unexpected to happen, whether that’s an award win nobody saw coming (those definitely happened at last night’s 2022 ceremony) or an especially noteworthy performance (ditto).
When it comes to winners, losers, and surprises, some stand out more than others, so let’s run through some of the evening’s biggest figures and moments in those three categories. (Also, in case you missed it, check out the full list of last night’s winners here.)
Winner: Jon Batiste
The Late Show bandleader’s run as one of the biggest winners of the 2022 Grammys actually started in 2021, when it was revealed he had racked up an amazing 11 nominations. Batiste’s nominations in R&B, jazz, American roots, soundtrack, contemporary classical, and visual categories tied him for the second-most Grammy nominations in a single year, with Kendrick Lamar’s 11 in 2016 and behind Michael Jackson and Babyface’s 12 in 1984 and 1997, respectively. Even if Batiste ended up not winning a single one of those awards, what he achieved still would have been phenomenal. With as many chances as Batiste had, though, he of course managed to pick up at least a couple trophies: Before the actual ceremony even started, he won four Grammys.
Of course, he also put on perhaps the evening’s most dynamic, feel-good, and exciting performance with “Freedom.” But wait, there’s more…
Surprise: Jon Batiste
I write this with all due respect to Batiste’s extraordinary abilities as a musician and entertainer, but his 2021 LP We Are won the Grammy for Album Of The Year and there’s just no way that should have happened.
I don’t think Batiste would even take exception to me saying that: In the moment his victory was announced, nobody in the room showed more visible confusion than Batiste, who held a perplexed expression and uncertain shrug for a good ten seconds before making his way to the stage. Feigning shock is a common reaction to winning a major award like that, but if he wasn’t as genuinely dumbfounded as he looked, he should get an Oscar, too.
The Grammys are not meant to be a popularity contest, so the Recording Academy says, but rather, the aim is to honor the best in music. That said, if We Are truly was the best album of the past year, few people were aware of it; We Are was nominated against works by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, HER, Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Kanye West, and Batiste’s LP is really the only nominated work that wasn’t a part of the mainstream pop culture conversation when it was released.
Loser: Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish had an unbelievable first year at the Grammys in 2020, when she swept the four major categories and ended up winning five of her six total nominations. Converting at that high of a rate was an aberration, though, and since then, there’s been a clear regression toward the mean, especially after last night.
At the 2021 Grammys, she still did well, winning two of the four awards for which she was nominated. This year, though, things were different. Eilish was one of 2022’s most-nominated artists, with seven total nods (a personal best for her), including nominations in three of the four major categories (not Best New Artist for obvious reasons). When the night was over, Eilish didn’t have to worry about dropping any Grammys like Olivia Rodrigo did because she didn’t win a single one.
Overall, though, Eilish is still doing quite well over her Grammy career, as her lifetime total sits at 7 wins out of 17 nominations. She’s also probably not too upset about how yesterday went considering she put on one of the show’s most thrilling music performances and was seen smiling and having a heck of a time throughout the broadcast.
Surprise: Everything about Doja Cat and SZA’s acceptance speech
Doja Cat and SZA picked up the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with “Kiss Me More,” and even before it started, their acceptance speech was an affair, no element of which could have been predicted. After the victory was announced, SZA struggled to walk to the stage as she contended with her crutches. Shortly after she made it up there, Doja came rushing in from another part of the venue. Doja, out of breath and adjusting her clothing, declared, “I’ve never taken such a fast piss in my whole life.”
That bathroom sprint would have been enough to make this moment noteworthy, but almost immediately after she started speaking, she got so emotional that she could hardly keep it together as she expressed how important the award was to her. This carries extra weight given that she has in recent days insisted she plans on quitting the music industry. There was a lot going on here, but a takeaway to consider is that perhaps this recognition will make Doja consider sticking around the music biz. At the very least, it illustrates how meaningful her work is to her.
Surprise: Olivia Rodrigo
อหหหหห!!!!!
#BTS #GRAMMYs #GrammyAwards pic.twitter.com/W91zdbyM4U
— 진
(@sawok_2minn) April 4, 2022
Olivia Rodrigo has been focusing primarily on music lately, which makes sense given that she’s become a global superstar over the past year. She apparently didn’t want us to forget that she’s also an actor by trade, so she went full thespian for a surprise appearance during BTS’ Grammy performance of “Butter.” BTS went super theatrical with their rendition, opening with basically a live-action spy movie, in which she flexed her emotional range, showing off happiness, shock, and intrigue in a matter of seconds. BTS’ shtick would have been fine without Rodrigo, sure, but her cameo was fun and the kind of small touch that pushes moments over the top.
Meanwhile, in not-so-surprising Rodrigo news, she also won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
Loser: Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X has come a long way since he was a potential one-hit-wonder with “Old Town Road,” which won him his first two Grammys back in 2020. He didn’t do so hot this year, though, as he earned five nominations (including three in the major categories) but didn’t win a single won, bringing his lifetime Grammys record to two wins out of 11 nominations.
Another way to look at it, though: If you’re of the school that it really is an honor just to be nominated, then Lil Nas X is one of the most decorated artists of the past few years. He also put on a pretty killer performance that’s sure to ruffle some feathers, a favorite Lil Nas X pastime. So, all in all, despite the losses, it was still a pretty good night for him.
Winner: Questlove
Save for being a footnote in the most infamous pop culture moment of 2022 so far, Questlove has had himself a terrific week. Immediately after Will Smith went ahead and smacked Chris Rock on stage at the Academy Awards, Rock gathered himself and gave Questlove the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, for Summer Of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised). While that moment (which Quest made a quick joke about while presenting) was overshadowed by shenanigans, Questlove’s victory for Best Music Film wasn’t. His movie earned yet another major award, and this time, Questlove actually got to enjoy his deserved spotlight, distraction-free.
Surprise: Baby Keem
Baby Keem is a capable rapper: His 2021 debut album The Melodic Blue was top-5 in the US and its standout single, the Kendrick Lamar-featuring “Family Ties,” was top-20 and platinum-certified. Now, with that said, if you list his name alongside Cardi B, J. Cole, Drake, and Megan Thee Stallion, which one of that group feels like the odd man out? Without a doubt, based on fame and success and no disrespect, it’s Keem.
So, some hip-hop fans certainly had at least one eyebrow raised when “Family Ties” won the Best Rap Performance Grammy over those aforementioned rap icons (although the Lamar bump surely helped). I’m not necessarily saying Keem isn’t deserving of the honor, more so just pointing this out: I tried finding the Vegas betting odds for the category and wasn’t successful, but I’d have to imagine Keem would have been in last. So, congrats on the upset, Keem.
Loser: J. Cole
Over the years, J. Cole has had an up-and-down relationship with the Grammys: Up in the sense that he’s earned an impressive 16 nominations since his first (for Best New Artist) in 2012, but down in the sense that he’s only managed to win one: Best Rap Song for “A Lot” in 2020. That includes last night, where his luck didn’t change: He was up for Best Rap Performance, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Album but lost to Baby Keem, Kanye West, Kanye West again, and Tyler The Creator, respectively. Given that The Off-Season was a well-received No. 1 album and Ye isn’t in what most people would consider the peak of his music career, those losses especially have to sting.
Winner: Taylor Hawkins
The Foo Fighters drummer had a big night at this year’s ceremony, but as the music world knows by now, sadly, he was not able to enjoy it himself after his recent death. In the days leading up to the big night, the Recording Academy said they were working on some sort of way to honor Hawkins and his presence was certainly felt. He got a nice video tribute separate from the in memoriam segment, replacing Foo Fighters’ canceled performance slot. He also got a major shout-out from Billie Eilish, who wore a shirt with his face on it during her show-stopping performance of “Happier Than Ever.”
On top of that, Foo Fighters won a few Grammys, giving Hawkins some posthumous awards: Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Performance. While it is awful to have to say goodbye to one of the most beloved drummers of the past couple decades, last night was a fitting farewell.
Find the full list of this year’s Grammy nominees and winners here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Olivia Rodrigo Already Broke One Of The Three Grammy Statues She Won At The 2022 Awards
Olivia Rodrigo didn’t break any Grammy records at last night’s awards show (at least none that I’m aware of), but she did literally break a Grammy. A red-carpet photo from after the ceremony shows the aftermath of Rodrigo apparently dropping one of her three Grammy trophies, which was left worse for wear after the impact it sustained.
The photo at the top of this post shows Rodrigo’s reaction to dropping and breaking the Grammy, which is one of pure shock as her mouth is agape and her eyes are full of astonishment. For formatting purposes, we had to crop the image, so you can’t see the broken trophy in shambles. So, here’s the original photo, which shows the trophy on the floor, the gramophone horn snapped off from the rest of the statue:
Ultimately, it’s probably no big deal, as this is something the Recording Academy has likely dealt with before and they’ll presumably get a replacement trophy for Rodrigo. This could also actually be a bit of a humblebrag for Rodrigo: She had so many Grammys that she had a hard time holding them all.
What is a big deal, though, is that she won three Grammys in the first place. She had seven nominations and ended up winning a trio of awards: Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance (for “Drivers License”), and Best Pop Vocal Album (for Sour).
Find the full list of 2022 Grammy winners and nominees here.
Jon Batiste Wins Album of the Year for ‘We Are’ at 2022 Grammys
Silk Sonic’s ‘Leave The Door Open’ Wins The 2022 Grammy Award For Record Of The Year: ‘We Gettin Drunk!’
Just as H.E.R. and Lenny Kravitz cleared the Grammys stage following an electrifying performance, Keith Urban grabbed the mic to announce the winner of the biggest yearly prize awarded to a single song. And yes, this is when we have to explain each year, that Record Of The Year awards the recording of the song (artists, producers, engineers), whereas Song Of The Year is about the song’s composition (songwriters). After Childish Gambino took home the prize in 2019 for “This Is America,” Billie Eilish won the award the past two years for “Everything I Wanted” and “Bad Guy.” But it wasn’t a three-peat for Eilish tonight.
Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open” took home the 2022 award for Record Of The Year and the duo of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars were over the moon. “We’re really trying our hardest to remain humble at this point. But in the industry, we call that a clean sweep!” .Paak told the audience, after the duo won Song Of The Year AND Record Of The Year, as well as the Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song Awards. “Drinks is on Silk Sonic tonight! We gettin drunk!” .Paak added. Silk Sonic also performed “777” earlier in the evening for the opening performance of the Grammy Awards show.
The Record Of The Year nominees included ABBA for “I Still Have Faith In You,” Jon Batiste for “Freedom,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga for “I Get A Kick Out Of You, ” Justin Bieber for “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon, Brandi Carlile for “Right On Time,” Doja Cat for “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA, Billie Eilish for “Happier Than Ever,” Lil Nas X for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” and Olivia Rodrigo for “Drivers License.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Olivia Rodrigo Lands The 2022 Grammy Award For Best New Artist
Each year, there’s a new round of artists who make an impact, big or small, on the music industry. In that group, a select few are chosen to be recognized in the Best New Artist category at the Grammys every year. Winners in this category over the last few years have come from an array of genres. In 2017, Chance The Rapper took the award while pop singer Alessia Cara did so the following year. The award was given to Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish in 2019 and 2020 respectively, and last year, Megan Thee Stallion was graced with the Best New Artist award.
This year, that honor has been given to Olivia Rodrigo. Fresh off her awesome performance of “Drivers License,” she was selected over the other Best New Artist nominees which were Arooj Aftab, Jimmie Allen, Baby Keem, Finneas, Glass Animals, Japanese Breakfast, The Kid Laroi, Arlo Parks, and Saweetie.
Over the past twelve months, many of the artists in this year’s Best New Artist category had highlight moments that certainly helped to boost their careers. Arlo Parks’ Collapsed In Sunbeams, which is also nominated for Best Alternative Music Album, won the Mercury Prize, which is awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. Olivia Rodrigo scored her first No. 1 album with Sour after tearing up the singles chart with “Drivers License.” The Kid Laroi also delivered a chart-topping album and single with F*ck Love and “Stay” with Justin Bieber. Lastly, Japanese Breakfast won the 2021 Uproxx Critics Poll thanks to their third album Jubilee, which is also nominated in this year’s Best Alternative Music Album category.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Olivia Rodrigo On The Beyonce Grammys Performance That Inspired Her: ‘I Remember Watching It like 25 Times’
Olivia Rodrigo is nominated for a whopping seven (!) Grammys at this year’s ceremony, but it’s one of her favorite memories of a performance over ten years ago that’s top of mind right now. In an interview with People, Rodrigo remembered watching Beyonce’s rather iconic 2010 performance of “If I Were A Boy” — which, by the way, also interpolates Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” in a brief moment of genius — and being pretty inspired by the moment.
“There’s this video of Beyoncé doing ‘If I Were a Boy’ at the Grammys, and I remember watching it like 25 times, being so enamored with her,” she said. “It’s so crazy that, maybe one day, a younger girl’s going to watch my performance many times and think that it’s cool. That’s the dream. That’s all I want.” Olivia is slated to perform at this year’s event, so it’s very likely that exact scenario will occur this Sunday.
In the lead up to the Grammys this year Olivia has been anything but slowing down. She recently released her Sour film documentary, Driving Home 2 U, and is also apparently practicing for her upcoming tour behind the hit album by singing while running on a treadmill. That’s probably harder than touring itself, right? I mean, I can barely get myself to keep going on the treadmill with normal breathing… but I guess that’s how you get into the kind of shape Beyonce is in.
Who Will Win And Who Should Win At The 2022 Grammys
The 2022 Grammys are finally right around the corner after being postponed due to Omicron concerns and moved from LA to Las Vegas. As the self-proclaimed “biggest night in music,” the 2022 Grammys are expected to be a joyous gathering after last year’s ceremony was eclipsed by controversy and COVID. While this year still has a bit of controversy (Kanye West was reportedly banned from performing), The Recording Academy has increased the number of nominations to strive for more diversity. Now, all four major categories (Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, and Record Of The Year) changed from eight nominations to ten, allowing a few more artists to get recognized for their musical achievements. The expanded categories mean there is even more great music to choose from, so Uproxx has you covered with our predictions for who will win and who should win at the 2022 Grammys.
2021 saw some big breakouts and some hard-hitting releases as the US rolled out vaccines and people began to re-entering society. The artist leading the nominations is Jon Batiste, who holds an impressive 11 nominations across all categories. Following Baptiste, Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and HER are all tied for second-most nominated, with each artist holding eight nominations.
This year is also expected to big a big one for Olivia Rodrigo, who very well could pull a Billie Eilish and sweep all four major categories, seeing as her debut album, Sour, was a smash hit. Speaking of Eilish, the singer’s Happier Than Ever earned her a number of nods, as well. She’s actually tied with Rodrigo for third-most nominations as they both received seven.
Check out our predictions below for how the biggest and most coveted categories could play out.
Best Rap Album
J. Cole — The Off-Season
Drake — Certified Lover Boy
Nas — King’s Disease II
Tyler, the Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost
Kanye West — Donda
Who will win: Kanye West — Donda
Who should win: Tyler The Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost
This year’s Best Rap Album category is filled with well-established artists. Both Kanye West’s Donda and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy dominated news cycles after being postponed and ended up getting released within days of each other. Kanye’s Donda is also nominated for Album Of The Year, and seeing as the rapper already holds 22 wins and 75 nominations throughout his career, it’s likely the Recording Academy will give him the Best Rap Album award. However, Tyler The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost is the one that deserves to take home the trophy. The album shows off Tyler’s impeccable MC skills and his alter ego, Tyler Baudelaire, feels like his most genuine thus far. The LP addresses important contemporary topics and sees Tyler showing off some new techniques, resulting in a top-level album as a whole.
Best Rap Performance
Baby Keem — “Family Ties” Feat. Kendrick Lamar
Cardi B — “Up”
J. Cole — “My Life” Feat. 21 Savage and Morray
Drake — “Way 2 Sexy” Feat. Future and Young Thug
Megan Thee Stallion — “Thot Sh*t”
Who will win: Cardi B — “Up”
Who should win: Baby Keem “Family Ties” Feat. Kendrick Lamar
The Best Rap Performance category saw a number of deserving nominations this year. Of course, Cardi B show-stopped with her 2021 track “Up,” which featured tongue-tied verses so catchy it went viral on TikTok. Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot Sh*t” also gets an honorable mention as it became an instant hit and its video showed the rapper torturing a misogynistic, slut-shaming senator. But even with those two songs deserving of the award, we lean towards Best New Artist nominee Baby Keem, whose role in his Kendrick Lamar collaboration, “Family Ties,” proves he more than lives up to the hype. The rapper’s flow matches the energy of the song’s propulsive beat and flexes his witty penmanship and impressive breath control.
Best Alternative Music Album
Fleet Foxes — Shore
Halsey — If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
Japanese Breakfast — Jubilee
Arlo Parks — Collapsed In Sunbeams
St. Vincent — Daddy’s Home
Who will win: St. Vincent — Daddy’s Home
Who should win: Japanese Breakfast — Jubilee
2021 was a great year for indie and alternative music lovers. Nearly all the artists in the category delivered career highlights, with Halsey joining forces with Nine Inch Nails members for her darkest release yet, and Arlo Parks crooning spine-chilling prose that deal with the realities of mental health crises, heartbreak, and unrequited queer love. St. Vincent’s Daddy’s Home is a likely winner, per The Recording Academy’s history of awarding Annie Clark in the category in 2015, which is surprising based on its lukewarm reviews. The real winner here is Japanese Breakfast, whose album Jubilee was free of dull moments and overall constituted an electrifying and heartfelt effort from the musician.
Best Pop Solo Performance
Justin Bieber — “Anyone”
Brandi Carlile — “Right on Time”
Billie Eilish — “Happier Than Ever”
Ariana Grande — “Positions”
Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
Who will win: Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
Who should win: Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
This year’s Best Pop Solo Performance category includes more ballads than upbeat pop bangers. Even still, Billie Eilish did put on a wonderful display of her talents in “Happier Than Ever” and Ariana Grande busted out her far-reaching vocals for “Positions.” However, Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” is the most likely winner in the category. The track was both her debut single and the song that put her on the map, leading to several weeks at No. 1. While the rest of her catalog is filled with more dance-ready tunes, the emotions in “Drivers License” are tangible and most definitely Grammy-worthy.
Best Pop Vocal Album
Justin Bieber — Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
Doja Cat — Planet Her (Deluxe)
Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever
Ariana Grande — Positions
Olivia Rodrigo — Sour
Who will win: Olivia Rodrigo — Sour
Who should win: Doja Cat — Planet Her (Deluxe)
We all know that Olivia Rodrigo’s has some impressive pipes, but Doja Cat’s Planet Her deserves the award due to its versatility. The album features some radio-ready, melodic bops like “Kiss Me More,” but it also includes several songs that show Doja trying out inventive tactics. Her voice is breathy and robust on “Woman” while she distorts her voice into airy and swaggering bursts on “Get Into It (Yuh).” The combination of styles on this Planet Her makes for an enticing and impressive effort, and one that should win Best Pop Vocal Album.
Best Progressive R&B Album
Eric Bellinger — New Light
Cory Henry — Something To Say
Hiatus Kaiyote — Mood Valiant
Lucky Daye — Table For Two
Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington — Dinner Party: Dessert
Masego — Studying Abroad: Extended Stay
Who will win: Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington — Dinner Party: Dessert
Who should win: Lucky Daye — Table For Two
Today’s modern R&B genre is stacked with prolific and groundbreaking artists, as exemplified by this year’s Best Progressive R&B Album category. Acclaimed artists Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington came together for the jazzy joint album Dinner Party: Dessert, which tapped a massive team of collaborators and is likely to take home the winning trophy. But Lucky Daye’s album Table For Two also shines bright. The New Orleans native showed off his multi-faceted artistry on the album, seamlessly flipping from soulful ballads to sultry and rhythmic tracks. Either would be great wins, to be quite honest.
Record Of The Year
ABBA — “I Still Have Faith In You”
Jon Batiste — “Freedom”
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga — “I Get A Kick Out Of You”
Justin Bieber — “Peaches” Feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Brandi Carlile — “Right On Time”
Doja Cat — “Kiss Me More” Feat. SZA
Billie Eilish — “Happier Than Ever”
Lil Nas X — “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
Who will win: Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
Who should win: Doja Cat — “Kiss Me More” Feat. SZA
Record Of The Year is awarded to artists whose finished song made a huge cultural impact — and this year’s list includes a number of deserving names. Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” is the likely winner, seeing as the song dominated pop culture for months on end. But Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA is more than worthy of the award. The track is one of the most straightforward pop songs that both Doja Cat and SZA have ever made, and it definitely worked to their benefit. Not only is it playful, snappy, and captivating, but it offers a space for the two singers’ impressive vocals to shine through.
Best New Artist
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie
Who will win: Olivia Rodrigo
Who should win: Olivia Rodrigo
One of the great aspects of the Best New Artist category is that it’s a career highlight just to be nominated. This year has some incredible honorable mentions, like Japanese Breakfast, whose third studio album Jubilee was a masterpiece, or Arlo Parks, whose debut LP Collapsed In Sunbeams was pure poetry. But this year, the award will likely go to the deserving artist Olivia Rodrigo. With her debut album Sour, Rodrigo managed to go from Disney Channel actor to one of today’s biggest names in music over the course of just a few months. The album put her name on the map and earned her the title of certified pop star.
Song Of The Year
Ed Sheeran — “Bad Habits”
Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile — “A Beautiful Noise”
Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
HER — “Fight For You”
Billie Eilish — “Happier Than Ever”
Doja Cat — “Kiss Me More” Feat. SZA
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
Lil Nas X — “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Justin Bieber — “Peaches” Feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Brandi Carlile — “Right On Time”
Who will win: Olivia Rodrigo — “Drivers License”
Who should win: Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”
The Song Of The Year category, which oftentimes gets confused with Record Of The Year, awards those involved in the actual writing process of a track (which sometimes doesn’t include the artist). Olivia Rodrigo’s debut single “Drivers License” became a ubiquitous feature of pop culture shortly after its release and is likely to take home the trophy. It even got its own SNL-dedicated sketch. But the real winner in 2021 was the debut single “Leave The Door Open” by Silk Sonic, the duo of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars. Inspired by the soul greats like Bootsy Collins and James Brown, “Leave The Door Open” is sensual, dreamy, and one of the most sonically interesting tracks in this category.
Album Of The Year
Jon Batiste — We Are
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga — Love For Sale
Justin Bieber — Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
Doja Cat — Planet Her (Deluxe)
Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever
HER — Back Of My Mind
Lil Nas X — Montero
Olivia Rodrigo — Sour
Taylor Swift — Evermore
Kanye West — Donda
Who will win: Billie Eilish — Happier Than Ever
Who should win: Olivia Rodrigo — Sour
The Album Of The Year category is perhaps the most coveted award at the Grammys. This year, there were ten different nominees to choose from. While music lovers and critics alike may have a clear winner in mind, the Recording Academy oftentimes chooses to throw a curveball in this category, like when Beck beat out both Beyonce and Ed Sheeran in 2015. But this year, it’s likely that the award will go to Billie Eilish. The Recording Academy is clearly fond of Eilish, seeing as she holds seven wins and 17 nominations in the two years she’s submitted her music. But the award truly deserves to go to Olivia Rodrigo, whose debut album Sour was an exceptionally strong effort from a new artist. Everything about Sour is a hit — from its genre-fluid, catchy tracks to its on-point elevated schoolgirl aesthetic. All generations of music lovers can relate to the songs on Sour, making it without a doubt the album of 2021.
The 2022 Grammys airs April 3 at 8:30 pm EST. Find out how to watch it here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Performing At The 2022 Grammys Are Billie Eilish, BTS, Lil Nas X, And Others
Slowly but surely, this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony is starting to come together. At the top of the year, the event was postponed, and not long after that, organizers revealed the show would be taking place on April 3 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, not its original venue, Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Now, we’re getting an idea of who’s going to be there: The Recording Academy and CBS revealed some of this year’s performers, a list that so far includes BTS, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, and Brothers Osbourne.
*Officially* pressing play on our first round of #GRAMMYs performers!
Be sure to watch the #GRAMMYs LIVE, April 3 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on CBS!
We’re going on the record to say we are PUMPED. pic.twitter.com/WQtJmb3Jay
— CBS (@CBS) March 15, 2022
Those artists have a storied history with the Grammys. Eilish, for instance, won all four major awards at the 2020 show and had a major presence the next year, winning Record Of The Year for “Everything I Wanted,” which she also performed. As for BTS, this is their second year both being nominated for a Grammy and performing at the ceremony. Rodrigo had a huge Grammy year in 2021 as she was nominated for a whopping seven awards, which she called “probably the most meaningful” of her dreams that came true that year.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.