Grammy nominations: Beyonce leads with nine, followed by Rihanna, Drake and Kanye West
The 2017 Grammy nominations were announced Tuesday morning and, as expected, Beyonce leads everyone with nine nominations on the heels of her hit “Lemonade” album. Rihanna, Drake and Kanye West are close behind with eight nods each.
The Grammy Awards will air live on Sunday, Feb. 12, and are hosted by James Corden.
Album of the year
“25,” Adele
“Lemonade,” Beyonce
“Purpose,” Justin Bieber
“Views,” Drake
“A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” Sturgill Simpson
IMMEDIATE REACTION: As soon as “25” and “Lemonade” were released, everyone knew they would go head-to-head in the show’s biggest category – though it’s still unclear who will walk away with the prize. Bieber had so many hits off of “Purpose” that it would have been surprising if he didn’t get a nod in this category, even though his odds of winning are fairly slim. Drake and Sturgill Simpson were on more than a few prediction lists, though they got in over the late David Bowie’s “Rockstar,” considered a likely contender.
Record of the year
“Formation,” Beyonce
“Hello,” Adele
“7 Years,” Lukas Graham
“Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake
“Stressed Out,” Twenty One Pilots
IMMEDIATE REACTION: “Formation” was such a smash (complete with that performance at the Super Bowl) that this is likely Beyonce’s category to lose. Otherwise, the nominees aren’t too shocking as all of the songs were big hits. Many thought Justin Timberlake’s inescapable “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” could make an appearance here, but it wound up in the “best song written for visual media” category, since it’s from the “Trolls” soundtrack.
Song of the year
“Formation,” Beyonce
“Hello,” Adele
“I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” Mike Posner
“Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber
“7 Years,” Lukas Graham
IMMEDIATE REACTION: Although Adele will probably walk away with this one, which took the world by storm when it was released last fall, don’t count out “Love Yourself” for this songwriter award – academy voters really like Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote this one with the Biebs. Mike Posner’s “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” is the shocker here, beating out predicted choices such as Bowie’s “Lazarus” and Sia’s “Cheap Thrills.”
Best new artist
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance the Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson .Paak
IMMEDIATE REACTION: A big category for country music with Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini making the cut. Morris was a safe bet thanks to a hit debut single and lots of critical praise, but Ballerini’s inclusion is a bit of a surprise, though she’s been on a solid rise for the last two years. After his acclaimed album “Coloring Book,” Chance the Rapper was also a lock, along with the Chainsmokers, thanks to their smash single “Closer.” Some critics predicted Anderson .Paak (known as a “genre-stretching R&B singer-rapper-drummer-producer”), yet he was less of a sure thing in this unpredictable category.
Best pop vocal album “25,” Adele “Purpose,” Justin Bieber “Dangerous Woman,” Ariana Grande “Confident,” Demi Lovato “This Is Acting,” Sia
Best pop solo performance “Hello,” Adele “Hold Up,” Beyonce “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber “Piece By Piece” (Idol Version), Kelly Clarkson “Dangerous Woman,” Ariana Grande
Best pop duo/group performance “Closer,” The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey “7 Years,” Lukas Graham “Work,” Rihanna Featuring Drake “Cheap Thrills,” Sia feat. Sean Paul “Stressed Out,” Twenty One Pilots
Best rap album “Coloring Book,” Chance The Rapper “And The Anonymous Nobody,” De La Soul “Major Key,” DJ Khaled “Views,” Drake “Blank Face LP,” ScHoolboy Q “The Life Of Pablo,” Kanye West
Best rap song “All The Way Up,” Joseph Cartagena, Edward Davadi, Shandel Green, Karim Kharbouch, Andre Christopher Lyon, Reminisce Mackie & Marcello Valenzano, songwriters (Fat Joe & Remy Ma feat. French Montana & Infared) “Famous,” Chancelor Bennett, Ross Birchard, Ernest Brown, Andrew Dawson, Kasseem Dean, Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Kejuan Muchita, Patrick Reynolds, Kanye West & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West feat. Rihanna) “Hotline Bling,” Aubrey Graham & Paul Jefferies, songwriters (Drake) “No Problem,” Chancelor Bennett, Dwayne Carter & Tauheed Epps, songwriters (Chance The Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz) “Ultralight Beam,” Chancelor Bennett, Kasseem Dean, Mike Dean, Kirk Franklin, Noah Goldstein, Samuel Griesemer, Terius Nash, Jerome Potter, Kelly Price, Nico “Donnie Trumpet” Segal, Derek Watkins, Kanye West & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West feat. Chance The Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & The-Dream)
Best rap/sung performance “Freedom,” Beyonce feat. Kendrick Lamar “Hotline Bling,” Drake “Broccoli,” D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty “Ultralight Beam,” Kanye West feat. Chance The Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & The-Dream “Famous,” Kanye West Featuring Rihanna
Best rap performance “No Problem,” Chance The Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz “Panda,” Desiigner “Pop Style,” Drake Featuring The Throne “All The Way Up,” Fat Joe & Remy Ma feat. French Montana & Infared “That Part,” ScHoolboy Q Featuring Kanye West
Best rock album “California,” Blink-182 “Tell Me I’m Pretty,” Cage The Elephant “Magma,” Gojira “Death Of A Bachelor,” Panic! At The Disco “Weezer,” Weezer
Best rock song “Blackstar,” David Bowie, songwriter (David Bowie) “Burn The Witch,” Radiohead, songwriters (Radiohead) “Hardwired,” James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich, songwriters (Metallica) “Heathens,” Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots) “My Name Is Human,” Rich Meyer, Ryan Meyer & Johnny Stevens, songwriters (Highly Suspect)
Best rock performance “Joe” (Live From Austin City Limits), Alabama Shakes “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” Beyonce feat. Jack White “Blackstar,” David Bowie “The Sound Of Silence (Live On Conan),” Disturbed “Heathens,” Twenty One Pilots
Best R&B album “In My Mind,” BJ The Chicago Kid “Lalah Hathaway Live,” Lalah Hathaway “Velvet Portraits,” Terrace Martin “Healing Season,” Mint Condition “Smoove Jones,” Mya
Best R&B song “Come See Me,” J. Brathwaite, Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters (PartyNextDoor Featuring Drake) “Exchange,” Michael Hernandez & Bryson Tiller, songwriters (Bryson Tiller) “Kiss It Better,” Jeff Bhasker, Robyn Fenty, John-Nathan Glass & Natalia Noemi, songwriters (Rihanna) “Lake By The Ocean,” Hod David & Musze, songwriters (Maxwell) “Luv,” Magnus August Hxiberg, Benjamin Levin & Daystar Peterson, songwriters (Tory Lanez)
Best R&B performance “Turnin’ Me Up,” BJ The Chicago Kid “Permission,” Ro James “I Do,” Musiq Soulchild “Needed Me,” Rihanna “Cranes In The Sky,” Solange
Best alternative music album “22, A Million,” Bon Iver “Blackstar,” David Bowie “The Hope Six Demolition Project,” PJ Harvey “Post Pop Depression,” Iggy Pop “A Moon Shaped Pool,” Radiohead
Best country album “Big Day In A Small Town,” Brandy Clark “Full Circle,” Loretta Lynn “Hero,” Maren Morris “A Sailor’s Guide To Earth,” Sturgill Simpson “Ripcord,” Keith Urban
Best country song “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Clint Lagerberg, Hillary Lindsey & Steven Lee Olsen, songwriters (Keith Urban) “Die A Happy Man,” Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett & Joe Spargur, songwriters (Thomas Rhett) “Humble And Kind,” Lori McKenna, songwriter (Tim McGraw) “My Church,” busbee & Maren Morris, songwriters (Maren Morris) “Vice,” Miranda Lambert, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
Best country solo performance “Love Can Go To Hell,” Brandy Clark “Vice,” Miranda Lambert “My Church,” Maren Morris “Church Bells,” Carrie Underwood “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Keith Urban
Best country duo/group performance “Different For Girls,” Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King “21 Summer,” Brothers Osborne “Setting The World On Fire,” Kenny Chesney & P!nk “Jolene,” Pentatonix feat. Dolly Parton “Think Of You,” Chris Young with Cassadee Pope
Best music video “Formation,” Beyonce “River,” Leon Bridges “Up & Up,” Coldplay “Gosh,” Jamie XX “Upside Down & Inside Out,” OK Go
For the complete list of 84 categories, visit the Grammys website: http://www.grammy.com/nominees