Killer Mike has had too amazing of a career for preoccupations of humility, and he knows how special his art is. Moreover, he recently spoke to HipHopDX at the ONE Music Fest about his new album MICHAEL and about how it’s the rap album of the year. Of course, the Grammys certainly agree to some extent, as they nominated the project for the Best Rap Album category alongside Her Loss, UTOPIA, King’s Disease 3, and HEROES & VILLAINS. However, the Dungeon Family MC saw past the competition and identified how his album is thematically unlike much of what we see in the genre today. That distinction is indicative of its introspection, quality of craft, and richness of perspective that he does a great job of conveying.
“If you’re a Black man and you heard MICHAEL, you’ve heard your own experience in this life,” Killer Mike expressed on Saturday (December 23). “It’s songs on there that talk about the love and solidarity of women, from your mother to your aunts to your wife. It’s songs on there that, for the first time, celebrate the junkie, and not the person that has them addicted.
MICHAEL Is The Rap Album Of The Year, Killer Mike Defends
“I don’t say that lightly, when I say, ‘album of the year,’” Killer Mike continued. “This album pushed the emotions of masculinity past where rap had prior. It acknowledges women– Black women– that evolved me in a different way. It acknowledges addiction in a radically different way. So when I say that, I don’t say that lightly. And I don’t say that to play. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t say it. If you’re a Black man, a working class man, or the women who love them, you should lay your ears on [MICHAEL].”
Mike Thanks HipHopDX
In addition, the Run The Jewels member also thanked HipHopDX for crowning the LP the Album of the Year. More than just boast about the project’s quality, it’s heartening to see him celebrate it with others as he should, and to see others celebrate his work in kind. Furthermore, with over twenty years in the game, Mike deserves nothing less. For more news and the latest updates on Killer Mike, check back in with HNHH.
The hype surrounding the 2023 Grammy Awards has been building since the nominees were first announced last November. In the months since then, celebrities have been busy plotting the perfect outfit, speculating about potential winners, and finally attending the Los Angeles ceremony last night. It was an undeniably star-studded evening, and while there were lots of major music moments, fans feel as though some snubbing took place as well.
For hip-hop lovers, one of the night’s biggest prizes is Rap Album of the Year. On this year’s list of contenders were DJ Khaled, Pusha T, Future, Kendrick Lamar, and surprisingly, Jack Harlow’s sophomore effort. Ultimately, the Compton-born lyricist came out on top for his work on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Additionally, he took home trophies for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance as well.
Of course, the biggest winner of the night was Beyoncé. She made history while winning four of the nine categories that found her nominated, including Dance/Electronic Album, Traditional R&B Performance, R&B Song, and Dance Recording. The mother of three was also up for Album of the Year, though that was given to Harry Styles for his third studio album.
Scroll further for the full list of winners at the 2023 Grammy Awards. Afterward, visit the comment section and let us know which artists you think were snubbed this year. Additionally, you can view the ceremony’s annual “In Memoriam” segment here.
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)
Best New Artist
Anitta Domi & JD Beck Latto Måneskin Molly Tuttle Muni Long Omar Apollo Samara Joy Tobe Nwigwe Wet Leg
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”
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 & 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) (The Short Film)”
Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele — “Easy on Me” Bad Bunny — “Moscow Mule” Doja Cat — “Woman” Harry Styles — “As It Was” Lizzo — “About Damn Time” Steve Lacy — “Bad Habit”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
ABBA — “Don’t Shut Me Down” Camila Cabello Featuring Ed Sheeran — “Bam Bam” Coldplay & BTS — “My Universe” Post Malone & Doja Cat — “I Like You (A Happier Song)” Sam Smith & Kim Petras — “Unholy”
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Diana Ross — Thank You Kelly Clarkson — When Christmas Comes Around… Michael Bublé — Higher Norah Jones — I Dream of Christmas (Extended) Pentatonix — Evergreen
Best Pop Vocal Album
ABBA — Voyage Adele — 30 Coldplay — Music of the Spheres Harry Styles — Harry’s House Lizzo — Special
Best Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy — “God Did” Doja Cat — “Vegas” Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug — “Pushin P” Hitkidd & Glorilla — “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Best Melodic Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Future & SZA — “Beautiful” Future Featuring Drake & Tems — “Wait for U” Jack Harlow — “First Class” Kendrick Lamar Featuring Blxst & Amanda Reifer — “Die Hard” Latto — “Big Energy (Live)”
Best Rap Song
DJ Khaled — “God Did” Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy Future Featuring Drake & Tems — “Wait for U” Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug — “Pushin P” Jack Harlow Featuring Drake — “Churchill Downs” Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Best Rap Album
DJ Khaled — God Did Future — I Never Liked You Jack Harlow — Come Home The Kids Miss You Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Pusha T — It’s Almost Dry
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Beyoncé — “Break My Soul” Bonobo — “Rosewood” David Guetta & Bebe Rexha — “I’m Good (Blue)” Diplo & Miguel — “Don’t Forget My Love” Kaytranada Featuring H.E.R. — “Intimidated” Rüfüs Du Sol — “On My Knees”
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Beyoncé — RENAISSANCE Bonobo — Fragments Diplo — Diplo Odesza — The Last Goodbye Rüfüs Du Sol — Surrender
Best Instrumental Composition
Danilo Pérez Featuring The Global Messengers — “Fronteras (Borders) Suite: Al-Musafir Blues” Geoffrey Keezer — “Refuge” Miguel Zenón, José Antonio Zayas Cabán, Ryan Smith & Casey Rafn — “El País Invisible” Tasha Warren & Dave Eggar — “African Tales” Tasha Warren & Dave Eggar — “Snapshots”
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Armand Hutton Featuring Terrell Hunt & Just 6 — “As Days Go By (An Arrangement of the Family Matters Theme Song)” Danny Elfman — “Main Titles” Kings Return — “How Deep Is Your Love” Magnus Lindgren, John Beasley & The SWR Big Band Featuring Martin Auer — “Scrapple From the Apple” Remy Le Boeuf — “Minnesota, WI”
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
Becca Stevens & Attacca Quartet — “2 + 2 = 5 (Arr. Nathan Schram)” Cécile McLorin Salvant — “Optimistic Voices / No Love Dying” Christine McVie — “Songbird (Orchestral Version)” Jacob Collier Featuring Lizzy McAlpine & John Mayer — “Never Gonna Be Alone” Louis Cole — “Let It Happen”
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen Laura Veltz Nija Charles The-Dream Tobias Jesso Jr.
Best Latin Pop Album
Camilo — De Adentro Pa Afuera Christina Aguilera — Aguilera Fonseca — Viajante Rubén Blades & Boca Livre — Pasieros Sebastián Yatra — Dharma +
Best Música Urbana Album
Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti Daddy Yankee — Legendaddy Farruko — La 167 Maluma — The Love & Sex Tape Rauw Alejandro — Trap Cake, Vol. 2
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Cimafunk — El Alimento Fito Paez — Los Años Salvajes Gaby Moreno — Alegoría Jorge Drexler — Tinta y Tiempo Mon Laferte — 1940 Carmen Rosalía — Motomami
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Chiquis — Abeja Reina Christian Nodal — EP #1 Forajido Marco Antonio Solís — Qué Ganas de Verte (Deluxe) Natalia Lafourcade — Un Canto por México — El Musical Los Tigres del Norte — La Reunión (Deluxe)
Best Tropical Latin Album
Carlos Vives — Cumbiana II Marc Anthony — Pa’lla Voy La Santa Cecilia — Quiero Verte Feliz Spanish Harlem Orchestra — Imágenes Latinas Tito Nieves — Legendario
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Various Artists — Elvis Various Artists — Encanto Various Artists — Stranger Things: Soundtrack From the Netflix Series, Season 4 Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga & Hans Zimmer — Top Gun: Maverick Various Artists — West Side Story
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)
Germaine Franco — Encanto Hans Zimmer — No Time to Die Jonny Greenwood — The Power of the Dog Michael Giacchino — The Batman Nicholas Britell — Succession: Season 3
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Austin Wintory — Aliens: Fireteam Elite Bear McCreary — Call of Duty: Vanguard Christopher Tin — Old World Richard Jacques — Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Stephanie Economou — Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Beyoncé — “Be Alive” Carolina Gaitán, La Gaita, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto, Cast — “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Jessy Wilson Featuring Angélique Kidjo — “Keep Rising (The Woman King)” Lady Gaga — “Hold My Hand” Taylor Swift — “Carolina” 4*Town, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O’Connell, Josh Levi, Topher Ngo & Grayson Villanueva — “Nobody Like U”
Best Comedy Album
Dave Chappelle — “The Closer” Jim Gaffigan — “Comedy Monster” Louis C.K. — “Sorry” Patton Oswalt — “We All Scream” Randy Rainbow — “A Little Brains, a Little Talent”
Best R&B Performance
Beyoncé — “Virgo’s Groove” Jazmine Sullivan — “Hurt Me So Good” Lucky Daye — “Over” Mary J. Blige Featuring Anderson .Paak — “Here With Me” Muni Long — “Hrs & Hrs”
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Adam Blackstone Featuring Jazmine Sullivan — “’Round Midnight” Babyface Featuring Ella Mai — “Keeps on Fallin’” Beyoncé — “Plastic Off the Sofa” Mary J. Blige — “Good Morning Gorgeous” Snoh Aalegra — “Do 4 Love”
Best R&B Song
Beyoncé — “Cuff It” Jazmine Sullivan — “Hurt Me So Good” Mary J. Blige — “Good Morning Gorgeous” Muni Long — “Hrs & Hrs” PJ Morton — “Please Don’t Walk Away”
Best Progressive R&B Album
Cory Henry — Operation Funk Moonchild — Starfuit Steve Lacy — Gemini Rights Tank and the Bangas — Red Balloon Terrace Martin — Drones
Best R&B Album
Chris Brown — Breezy (Deluxe) Lucky Daye — Candy Drip Mary J. Blige — Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) PJ Morton — Watch the Sun Robert Glasper — Black Radio III
Best Music Video
Adele — “Easy on Me” BTS — “Yet to Come” Doja Cat — “Woman” Harry Styles — “As It Was” Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5” Taylor Swift — “All Too Well: The Short Film”
Best Music Film
Adele — Adele One Night Only Billie Eilish — Billie Eilish Live at the O2 Justin Bieber — Our World Neil Young & Crazy Horse — A Band a Brotherhood a Barn Rosalía — Motomami (Rosalía TikTok Live Performance) Various Artists — Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story
Best Alternative Music Performance
Arctic Monkeys — “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” Big Thief — “Certainty” Florence and the Machine — “King” Wet Leg — “Chaise Longue” Yeah Yeah Yeahs Featuring Perfume Genius — “Spitting Off the Edge of the World”
Best Alternative Music Album
Arcade Fire — We Big Thief — Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You Björk — Fossora Wet Leg — Wet Leg Yeah Yeah Yeahs — Cool It Down
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Cheryl B. Engelhardt — The Passenger Madi Das, Dave Stringer & Bhakti Without Borders — Mantra Americana Mystic Mirror — White Sun Paul Avgerinos — Joy Will Ackerman — Positano Songs
Best Children’s Music Album
Alphabet Rockers — The Movement Divinity Roxx — Ready Set Go! Justin Roberts — Space Cadet Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band — Los Fabulosos Wendy and DB — Into the Little Blue House
Best Recording Package
Fann — Telos Soporus — Divers Spiritualized — Everything Was Beautiful Tamsui-Kavalan Chinese Orchestra — Beginningless Beginning Underoath — Voyeurist
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Black Pumas — Black Pumas (Collector’s Edition Box Set) Danny Elfman — Big Mess The Grateful Dead — In and Out of the Garden: Madison Square Garden ’81, ’82, ’83 They Might Be Giants — Book Various Artists — Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined
Best Album Notes
Andy Irvine & Paul Brady — Andy Irvine / Paul Brady Astor Piazzolla — The American Clavé Recordings Doc Watson — Life’s Work: A Retrospective Harry Partch — Harry Partch, 1942 Wilco — Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)
Best Historical Album
Blondie — Against the Odds: 1974 — 1982 Doc Watson — Life’s Work: A Retrospective Freestyle Fellowship — To Whom It May Concern… Glenn Gould — The Goldberg Variations: The Complete Unreleased 1981 Studio Sessions Wilco — Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition)
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Ambrose Akinmusire — “Rounds (Live)” Gerald Albright — “Keep Holding On” John Beasley — “Cherokee/Koko” Marcus Baylor — “Call of the Drum” Melissa Aldana — “Falling” Wayne Shorter & Leo Genovese — “Endangered Species”
Best Jazz Vocal Album
The Baylor Project — The Evening : Live at Apparatus Carmen Lundy — Fade to Black Cécile McLorin Salvant — Ghost Song The Manhattan Transfer & The WDR Funkhausorchester — Fifty Samara Joy — Linger Awhile
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride & Brian Blade — LongGone Peter Erskine Trio — Live in Italy Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton & Matthew Stevens — New Standards, Vol. 1 Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Leo Genovese & Esperanza Spalding — Live at the Detroit Jazz Festival Yellowjackets — Parallel Motion
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
John Beasley, Magnus Lindgren & SWR Big Band — Bird Lives Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows — Architecture of Storms Ron Carter & The Jazzaar Festival Big Band Directed by Christian Jacob — Remembering Bob Freedman Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Ronnie Cuber & WDR Big Band Conducted by Michael Abene — Center Stage Steven Feifke, Bijon Watson & Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra — Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra
Best Latin Jazz Album
Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Featuring The Congra Patria Son Jarocho Collective — Fandango at the Wall in New York Arturo Sandoval — Rhythm & Soul Danilo Pérez Featuring The Global Messengers — Crisálida Flora Purim — If You Will Miguel Zenón — Música de las Américas
Best Reggae Album
Kabaka Pyramid — The Kalling Koffee — Gifted Protoje — Third Time’s the Charm Sean Paul — Scorcha Shaggy — Com Fly Wid Mi
Angélique Kidjo & Ibrahim Maalouf — Queen of Sheba Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest & Jules Buckley Featuring Manu Delago — Between Us… (Live) Berklee Indian Ensemble — Shuruaat Burna Boy — Love, Damini Masa Takumi — Sakura
Best American Roots Performance
Aaron Neville & The Dirty Dozen Brass Band — “Stompin’ Ground” Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell — “Prodigal Daughter” Bill Anderson Featuring Dolly Parton — “Someday It’ll All Make Sense (Bluegrass Version)” Fantastic Negrito — “Oh Betty” Madison Cunningham — “Life According to Raechel”
Best Americana Performance
Asleep at the Wheel Featuring Lyle Lovett — “There You Go Again” Blind Boys of Alabama Featuring Black Violin — “The Message” Bonnie Raitt — “Made Up Mind” Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius — “You and Me on the Rock” Eric Alexandrakis — “Silver Moon [A Tribute to Michael Nesmith]”
Best American Roots Song
Anaïs Mitchell — “Bright Star” Aoife O’Donovan & Allison Russell — “Prodigal Daughter” Bonnie Raitt — “Just Like That” Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius — “You and Me on the Rock” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — “High and Lonesome” Sheryl Crow — “Forever”
Best Americana Album
Bonnie Raitt — Just Like That… Brandi Carlile — In These Silent Days Dr. John — Things Happen That Way Keb’ Mo’ — Good to Be… Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — Raise the Roof
Best Bluegrass Album
The Del McCoury Band — Almost Proud The Infamous Stringdusters — Toward the Fray Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway — Crooked Tree Peter Rowan — Calling You From My Mountain Yonder Mountain String Band — Get Yourself Outside
Best Traditional Blues Album
Buddy Guy — The Blues Don’t Lie Charlie Musselwhite — Mississippi Son Gov’t Mule — Heavy Load Blues John Mayall — The Sun Is Shining Down Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder — Get on Board
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Ben Harper — Bloodline Maintenance Edgar Winter — Brother Johnny Eric Gales — Crown North Mississippi Allstars — Set Sail Shemekia Copeland — Done Come Too Far
Best Folk Album
Aoife O’Donovan — Age of Apathy Janis Ian — The Light at the End of the Line Judy Collins — Spellbound Madison Cunningham — Revealer Punch Brothers — Hell on Church Street
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Halau Hula Keali’i o Nalani — Halau Hula Keali’i o Nalani (Live at the Getty Center) Natalie Ai Kamauu — Natalie Noelani Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas — Lucky Man Ranky Tanky — Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Sean Ardoin & Kreole Rock and Soul Featuring The Golden Band From Tigerland — Full Circle
Best Orchestral Performance
Berlin Philharmonic & John Williams — “John Williams: The Berlin Concert” Los Angeles Philharmonic & Gustavo Dudamel — “Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 7-9” New York Youth Symphony — “Works by Florence Price, Jessie Montgomery, Valerie Coleman” Various Artists — “Sila: The Breath of the World” Wild Up & Christopher Rountree — “Stay on It”
Best Opera Recording
Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus — Anthony Davis: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & The Metropolitan Opera Chorus — Blanchard: Fire Shut Up in My Bones The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & The Metropolitan Opera Chorus — Eurydice
Best Choral Performance
The Crossing — “Born” English Baroque Soloists & Monteverdi Choir — “J.S. Bach: St. John Passion, BWV 245” The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, The Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Ailyn Pérez, Michelle DeYoung, Matthew Polenzani & Eric Owens — “Verdi’s Requiem: The Met Remembers 9/11”
Daniil Trifonov — “Bach: The Art of Life” Hilary Hahn — “Abels: Isolation Variation” Mak Grgić — “A Night in Upper Town — The Music of Zoran Krajacic” Mitsuko Uchida — “Beethoven: Diabelli Variations” Time for Three, The Philadelphia Orchestra & Xian Zhang — “Letters for the Future”
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Il Pomo d’Oro — Eden Nicholas Phan, Brooklyn Rider, The Knights & Eric Jacobsen — Stranger — Works for Tenor by Nico Muhly Renée Fleming & Yannick Nézet-Séguin — Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene Sasha Cooke & Kirill Kuzmin — How Do I Find You Will Liverman, Paul Sánchez & J’Nai Bridges — Shawn E. Okpebholo: Lord, How Come Me Here?
Best Classical Compendium
Christopher Tin, Voces8, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Barnaby Smith — The Lost Birds Kitt Wakeley — An Adoption Story The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Yannick Nézet-Séguin — A Concert for Ukraine Seunghee Lee, JP Jofre & London Symphony Orchestra — Aspire
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Andris Nelsons & Gewandhausorchester — Gubaidulina: The Wrath of God Carlos Simon, MK Zulu, Marco Pavé & Hub New Music — Simon: Requiem for the Enslaved Ian Rosenbaum & Dover Quartet — Akiho: Ligneous Suite Jack Quartet — Bermel: Intonations Time for Three, The Philadelphia Orchestra & Xian Zhang — Puts: Contact
Best Country Solo Performance
Kelsea Ballerini — “Heartfirst” Maren Morris — “Circles Around This Town” Miranda Lambert — “In His Arms” Willie Nelson — “Live Forever” Zach Bryan — “Something in the Orange”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Brothers Osborne — “Midnight Rider’s Prayer” Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde — “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” Ingrid Andress & Sam Hunt — “Wishful Drinking” Luke Combs & Miranda Lambert — “Outrunnin’ Your Memory” Reba McEntire & Dolly Parton — “Does He Love You (Revisited)” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss — “Gonig Where the Lonely Go”
Best Country Song
Cody Johnson — ’Til You Can’t” Luke Combs — “Doin’ This” Maren Morris — “Circles Around This Town” Miranda Lambert — “If I Was a Cowboy” Taylor Swift — “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” Willie Nelson — “I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die”
Best Country Album
Ashley McBryde — Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville Luke Combs — Growin’ Up Maren Morris — Humble Quest Miranda Lambert — Palomino Willie Nelson — A Beautiful Time
Best Rock Performance
Beck — “Old Man” The Black Keys — “Wild Child” Brandi Carlile — “Broken Horses” Bryan Adams — “So Happy It Hurts” Idles — “Crawl!” Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Jeff Beck — “Patient Number 9” Turnstile — “Holiday”
Best Metal Performance
Ghost — “Call Me Little Sunshine” Megadeth — “We’ll Be Back” Muse — “Kill or Be Killed” Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Tony Iommi — “Degradation Rules” Turnstile — “Blackout”
Best Rock Song
Brandi Carlile — “Broken Horses” Ozzy Osbourne Featuring Jeff Beck — “Patient Number 9” Red Hot Chili Peppers — “Black Summer” Turnstile — “Blackout” The War on Drugs — “Harmonia’s Dream”
Best Rock Album
The Black Keys — Dropout Boogie Elvis Costello & The Imposters — The Boy Named If Idles — Crawler Machine Gun Kelly — Mainstream Sellout Ozzy Osbourne — Patient Number 9 Spoon — Lucifer on the Sofa
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Brad Mehldau — Jacob’s Ladder Domi & JD Beck — Not Tight Grant Geissman — Blooz Jeff Coffin — Between Dreaming and Joy Snarky Puppy — Empire Central
Best Gospel Performance/Song
Doe — “When I Pray” Erica Campbell — “Positive” Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin — “Kingdom” PJ Morton Featuring Zacardi Cortez, Gene Moore, Samoht, Tim Rogers & Darrel Walls — “The Better Benediction” Tye Tribbett — Get Up”
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Chris Tomlin — “Holy Forever” Crowder & Dante Bowe Featuring Maverick City Music — “God Really Loves Us (Radio Version)” Doe — “So Good” For King & Country & Hillary Scott — “For God Is With Us” Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin — “Fear Is Not My Future” Phil Wickham — “Hymn of Heaven (Radio Version)”
Best Gospel Album
Doe — Clarity Maranda Curtis — Die to Live Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin — Kingdom Book One (Deluxe) Ricky Dillard — Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live) Tye Tribbett — All Things New
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Anne Wilson — My Jesus Chris Tomlin — Always Elevation Worship — Lion Maverick City Music — Breathe TobyMac — Life After Death
Best Roots Gospel Album
Gaither Vocal Band — Let’s Just Praise the Lord Karen Peck & New River — 2:22 Keith & Kristyn Getty — Confessio — Irish American Roots Tennessee State University — The Urban Hymnal Willie Nelson — The Willie Nelson Family
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Baynk — Adolescence Father John Misty — Chloë and the Next 20th Century Harry Styles — Harry’s House Robert Glasper — Black Radio III Wet Leg — Wet Leg
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Boi-1da Dahi Dan Auerbach Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II Jack Antonoff
Best Remixed Recording
Beyoncé — “Break My Soul (Terry Hunter Remix)” Ellie Goulding — “Easy Lover (Four Tet Remix)” The Knocks & Dragonette — “Slow Song (Paul Woolford Remix)” Lizzo — “About Damn Time (Purple Disco Machine Remix)” Wet Leg — “Too Late Now (Soulwax Remix)”
Best Immersive Audio Album
Anita Brevik, Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondheimsolistene — Tuvayhun — Beatitudes for a Wounded World The Chainsmokers — Memories…Do Not Open Christina Aguilera — Aguilera Jane Ira Bloom — Picturing the Invisible: Focus 1 Stewart Copeland & Ricky Kej — Divine Tides
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Anita Brevik, Nidarosdomens Jentekor & Trondheimsolistene — Tuvayhun — Beatitudes for a Wounded World Anne-Sophie Mutter, Boston Symphony Orchestra & John Williams — Williams: Violin Concerto No. 2 & Selected Film Themes Edwin Outwater & Chicago Symphony Orchestra — Mason Bates: Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra & Manfred Honeck — Beethoven & Stucky: Orchestral Works Third Coast Percussion — Perspectives
Producer of the Year, Classical
Christoph Franke Elaine Martone James Ginsburg Jonathan Allen Judith Sherman
Best Musical Theater Album
Original Broadway Cast — A Strange Loop New Broadway Cast — Caroline, or Change Into the Woods 2022 Broadway Cast — Into the Woods (2022 Broadway Cast Recording) Original Broadway Cast — MJ the Musical Mr. Saturday Night Original Cast — Mr. Saturday Night Original Broadway Cast — Six: Live on Opening Night
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Jamie Foxx — Act Like You Got Some Sense Lin-Manuel Miranda — Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World Mel Brooks — All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business Questlove — Music Is History Viola Davis — Finding Me
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
Amanda Gorman — Call Us What We Carry: Poems Amir Sulaiman — You Will Be Someone’s Ancestor. Act Accordingly Ethelbert Miller — Black Men Are Precious J. Ivy — The Poet Who Sat by the Door Malcolm-Jamal Warner — Hiding in Plain View
Last year, many of the biggest artists in the industry blessed the Hip-Hop community with amazing projects. From J.I.D.’s The Forever Story to Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry, fans were eating all throughout 2022. However, one album has been in every single “album of the year” debate: Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
Obviously, K. Dot’s latest full-length topped HNHH’s ranking of the top 40 Hip-Hop albums of 2022. In addition to HNHH, Complex highlighted Mr. Morale as the album of the year. Furthermore, Billboard, Guardian, and NME also featured the record in the top five spots of their year-end rankings. Needless to say, Kendrick’s most recent project has received a lot of love from critics. Now, new data shows that fans liked it just as much as music journalists did.
Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers performed exceptionally on Spotify
As Jay-Z rapped on The Blueprint 3’s “Reminder,” “Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.”
Thus, although fans can debate critics’ reviews of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, they cannot refute the album’s streaming performance. According to a recent update from Chart Data, Kendrick Lamar’s latest record has performed exceptionally well on Spotify. In fact, the source for music industry statistics has confirmed that Mr. Morale garnered more streams than any other rap album last year.
“.@kendricklamar’s ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’ was the #1 most streamed rap album of 2022 on Spotify,” Chart Data tweeted on January 1, 2023.
Alas, this will likely not be the last accolade that Kendrick’s latest body of work receives. Next month, K. Dot will be competing in eight categories at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Naturally, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album. More surprisingly, “The Heart Part 5” nabbed five nominations all on its own, including Song and Record of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Song and Performance. Lastly, the Blxst and Amanda Reifer-assisted Mr. Morale album cut “Die Hard” will compete for Best Melodic Rap Performance.
Keep it locked to HNHH for more updates on Kendrick Lamar and his lauded fifth studio album.