Grammys 2025 Predictions
The Grammys are brat...maybe.
Here are my 2025 Grammys predictions:
(credit: Recording Academy)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
New Blue Sun - André 3000
COWBOY CARTER - Beyoncé (will win, should win)
Short n' Sweet - Sabrina Carpenter
BRAT - Charli xcx
Djesse Vol. 4 - Jacob Collier
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish
The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT - Taylor Swift
It’s so long overdue for Beyoncé to finally win album of the year. Is Cowboy Carter her best album? No. But it is a great album. Other strong contenders are Billie Eilish for HIT ME HARD AND SOFT (I’m not an Eilish fan but this is a really good album. I just don’t think it’s unique enough to win AOTY.) Charli xcx’s BRAT also has a strong chance. (I’ve been a fan for over a decade, and I never thought I would say she’s a frontrunner for AOTY. I love the album, but not sure it would be my pick for AOTY.) My actual favorite album of the year is Short n' Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter, but I think she has a better chance in other categories. THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT had the most commercial success of the nominees by far. But Swift won last year for Midnights. I don’t expect a repeat win. Something funny that could happen is all of the big pop stars (Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and Chappell Roan) could split many of the votes and one of the less-talked-about nominees (André 3000 or Jacob Collier) could sneak out a win.
(credit: Beyoncé, Netflix)
RECORD OF THE YEAR
“Now And Then” - The Beatles
“TEXAS HOLD 'EM” - Beyoncé
“Espresso” - Sabrina Carpenter (should win)
“360” - Charli xcx
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” - Billie Eilish
“Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar (will win, also sorta should win)
“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan
“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift & Post Malone
Record of the year will likely come down to “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar and “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. Both are great. The biggest question will be if the academy is willing to give the award to a song that accuses another artist of being a pedophile. If Billie Eilish wins record of the year, she’ll join Paul Simon and Bruno Mars as the only three-time winners of the category. It could happen. To me, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” is actually her song most deserving of the honor.
(credit: Kendrick Lamar, YouTube)
SONG OF THE YEAR
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” - Shaboozey
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” - Billie Eilish (will win, should win)
“Die With A Smile” - Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
“Fortnight” - Taylor Swift & Post Malone
“Good Luck, Babe!” - Chappell Roan
“Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar
“Please Please Please” - Sabrina Carpenter
“TEXAS HOLD 'EM” - Beyoncé
I think Billie Eilish basically has song of the year secured for BOAF. “Not Like Us” is probably the only competition. But BOAF will likely win. “Fortnight” is Taylor Swift’s record eighth nomination in the category. It’s an injustice that she has never won the award considering she is the generation’s greatest songwriter. (SOTY is an award for songwriting.) But I don’t think “Fortnight” will do it.
BEST NEW ARTIST
Benson Boone
Sabrina Carpenter (should win)
Doechii
Khruangbin
RAYE
Chappell Roan (will win)
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
Like SOTY, I feel very confident in my pick that Chappell Roan will win. She had a great year and definitely deserves it. However, I’m so SICK of the discourse surrounding Sabrina Carpenter’s nomination for best new artist. If she’s eligible for the award, then she’s eligible for the award. End of story.
Here is how the Academy describes the award: “This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.”
The final round of voting is supposed to be the time to pick the winner among those who are nominated. The final round of voting is NOT the time to second-guess whether or not a nominee should be eligible for the award. However, I fear that enough voters will hold Carpenter’s longer career against her and instead hand the win to Chappell Roan.
OTHER PREDICTIONS
(This is who I *think* will win.)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL: Dan Nigro
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL: Amy Allen
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE: “Espresso” - Sabrina Carpenter
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE: “Die With A Smile” - Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM: HIT ME HARD AND SOFT - Billie Eilish
BEST TRADITIONAL POP ALBUM: Visions - Norah Jones
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC RECORDING: “leavemealone” - Fred Again.. & Baby Keem
BEST DANCE POP RECORDING: “Von dutch” - Charli xcx
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM: BRAT - Charli xcx
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE: “Now And Then” - The Beatles
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE: “Saturn” - SZA
BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE: “Make Me Forget” - Muni Long
BEST R&B SONG: “Saturn” - SZA
BEST R&B ALBUM: . Revenge - Muni Long
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE: “Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar
BEST MELODIC RAP PERFORMANCE: “SPAGHETTII” - Beyoncé, Linda Martell & Shaboozey
BEST RAP SONG: “Not Like Us” - Kendrick Lamar
BEST RAP ALBUM: We Don't Trust You - Future & Metro Boomin
BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE: “16 CARRIAGES” - Beyoncé
BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE: “II MOST WANTED” - Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus
BEST COUNTRY SONG: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” - Shaboozey
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM: COWBOY CARTER - Beyoncé
BEST LATIN POP ALBUM: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran - Shakira
BEST MÚSICA URBANA ALBUM: nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana - Bad Bunny
BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM: Hell’s Kitchen - Alicia Keys
BEST AUDIO BOOK, NARRATION, AND STORYTELLING RECORDING: Last Sundays In Plains: A Centennial Celebration - Jimmy Carter
BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA: Twisters: The Album
BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA: Challengers - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA: “Can't Catch Me Now” - Olivia Rodrigo
BEST MUSIC VIDEO: “Fortnight” - Taylor Swift & Post Malone
Here is the complete nominations list. I don’t feel well-informed enough to make a guess for the other categories.
What’s your take?