67th Annual Grammy’s Predictions
The 67th Grammy Awards are going to occur on Feb. 2, 2025, with Trevor Noah hosting the event for his fifth consecutive year. The award ceremony, delegated the title of “Music’s Biggest Night,” is well known for its spectacular performances and its sometimes admirable, sometimes strange choices for award recipients. Some special performers this year include Charli xcx, Lainey Wilson, Shakira, Stevie Wonder, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Doechii, & Benson Boone.
Last year’s Grammy winners were mostly mainstream artists, unlike past last two years, where the wins of “Just Like That” by Bonnie Raitt for Song Of The Year in the 65th ceremony and We Are by Jon Batiste for Album Of The Year in the 64th ceremony were slightly more unorthodox picks. The four main categories are very competitive this year; as well as two sideline ones. Who will win these Grammys, and more importantly, who should win?
Record of the Year
Record of the Year is chosen based on the actual production and sound of the song, excluding songwriting and meaning.
“Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Good Luck, Babe!” – Chappell Roan
“Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring. Post Malone
Who Will Win – “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
One thing that makes the track so memorable is its vocals. They’re smooth, but not so smooth you’d think they were made by an AI robot. Her background vocals are quieter in the first part of the track, but later on they become more prominent, adding nice harmony and depth. The 1980s-style synths and the more muted percussion gives the song a tropical vintage vibe, like you’re relaxed, lying at the beach and drinking a Piña Colada. The lyrics are slightly generic compared to other loaded tracks from this album like “Lie to Girls,” “Bed Chem,” and “Juno,” but the production makes it fun to listen to.
Who Should Win – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish
The drums and vocals drive this song forward, as well as other small technical features in the production make this a perfect listen-through. The drums are clean and not overpowering, but also powerful enough to set the beat straight. Eilish plays around with a lot of sounds on this track, layering tambourines, synths, and drums into one big harmonized melody, really adding a layer of depth to the track. The vocals are perfectly tailored to the song; they have tons of reverb and echo making them sound dreamy and calm like the instrumentals. Nothing in the instrumental sticks out like a sore thumb, it just all beautifully coexists. That’s impressive to have a song where nothing is immediately stand-out, but all of it works as one force.
Best New Artist
Best New Artist is chosen from a handful of artists that surged in popularity during the past year. The artist chosen does not have to have debuted in the past year; they just had to gain more mainstream success.
Who Will Win – Chappell Roan
From being relatively unknown to topping the charts, this past year has been an amazing one for Chappell Roan. By combining her fierce persona, enchanting Kate Bush-style vocals, and some midwest charm, Roan is helping to bring some long-awaited spirit back to pop music. Last year, she famously cursed out a very rude photographer at the 2024 MTV Awards, and since then has been fully unapologetic and unfiltered about being her authentic self. She provides a voice for people who feel like they don’t have one and inspires them to find their individuality, even more so through her songs, which range from catchy and danceable all the way to emotional and contemplative.
Who Should Win – Doechii
Doechii is undeniably one of the fiercest names in hip-hop right now, and one that certainly will be for years to come. She first gained attention in 2020, when her song Yucky Blucky Fruitcake blew up on TikTok. Her attitude and musical style can be summed up with one lyric from that song: I never really went with the flow or the trends. Her style is a unique and colorful blend of different eras of hip-hop, taking inspiration from classic influences like Outkast and MF Doom, as well as more modern ones like Nicki Minaj and Tyler, the Creator. She has incredible range and a diverse discography, yet her smooth vocals and unapologetic lyrics bring it all together to make that signature “Doechii” sound: new and fresh, yet classic and catchy.
Song of the Year
Song of the Year is chosen based on the actual songwriting and meaning of the song, excluding production and sound.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish
“Die With A Smile” – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
“Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring. Post Malone
“Good Luck, Babe!” – Chappell Roan
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Please Please Please” – Sabrina Carpenter
Who Will Win – “Fortnight” by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone
Song of the Year focuses on the lyrics of the song, which Taylor nailed on this one. The hook is such a force in itself lyrically. Swift masterfully portrays this relationship that breaks you down and makes you cry yourself to sleep at night, but that is the thing you think about and that keeps you together. The lyric “I love you, it’s ruining my life” shows such duality and such conflicting feelings, but then ties in the lyric ‘I touch you for only a fortnight” show her thoughts and how she was kept together by him. She also ties in so much emotion with the love interest’s new wife and how Taylor wants to “kill her,” showing her overall ties to the man. She also sings the lyric “My husband is cheating, I wanna kill him,” showing the jealousy Taylor has for his ex and their relationship, as he gets to live normally after the breakup.
Who Should Win – “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan
This song has such a deep meaning to it that isn’t found in its intense synths and quick beat. The lyrics tell a completely different story, showing the singer wishing good luck to her ex-love interest, a woman who was unwilling to admit her love and orientation for Chappell. This song is perfectly described in the bridge when she belts, “When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night, with your head in your hands, you’re nothing more than his wife.” Throughout the track, she uses clever metaphors like “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling” to convey just how much this has affected her. The song is bitter; it is filled with themes of betrayal and gut-wrenching one-liners like the ones above that make it all the better.
Album of the Year
Album of the Year is chosen based on the overall quality of an artist’s album as a whole.
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan
The Tortured Poets Department – Taylor Swift
Who Will Win – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish
It’s no secret that the Academy loves Billie Eilish- and for good reason. HIT ME HARD AND SOFT was an instant hit, as Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell exercised much more musical freedom by exploring new genres and songwriting. Eilish is clearly embracing herself more than ever with this album. Each track is unique and personal, as the singer-songwriter brings back some of her signature deep, synthy sound, while taking it up a notch with ambitious vocals and new percussion. The album is full of intricate basslines and beautiful production that brings your full attention to it while listening.
Who Should Win – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan quite literally broke barriers in the music world with Midwest Princess. Throughout the album, she gets deep and personal in sharing her experience as a queer woman, how it feels being “different,” and finding her voice. The album is a rollercoaster- it unapologetically takes you from upbeat and fun to heartbreaking and emotional, all tied together with powerful lyrics that resonate with the listener. Even on tracks that are filled with catchy synths and upbeat riffs, Roan brings incredibly raw emotion in her voice that allows the listener to connect with the album’s themes so much more. The title of the album is a nod to Roan’s Missouri upbringing, and how she found her individuality amidst the crowd of conformity that she was put into.
Nate’s Pick: Best Pop Dance Recording
“Make You Mine” – Madison Beer
“L’AMOUR DE MA VIE [OVER NOW EXTENDED EDIT]” – Billie Eilish
“Got Me Started” – Troye Sivan
Who Will Win – “Von dutch” by Charli xcx
Although Billie Eilish is very loved by the Recording Academy, as shown in her sweep of three of the four main categories during her WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO era, the fact that “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE” is just an “edit” of another song will most likely sway some voters away. Charli xcx, on the other hand, has proved herself to be a 100% dance/electronic superstar with her most recent album BRAT, which “Von dutch” comes off of. The track is a double-edged sword; a deep and relatable meaning, with fun synths with intense and energetic bass. She made being the most popular gossip topic into an empowering experience, and established herself as someone to look out for in the dance pop genre.
Who Should Win – “yes, and?” by Ariana Grande
By making this track, Grande set the bar higher for dance pop music. The song has an extremely catchy chorus, iconic lines in the bridge, and a fun disco groove that makes it all the more enjoyable. The song has lots of fun instrumental details: the powerful but cloudy drums, light and airy piano, perfectly executed whistle-notes as background singing, occasional pauses for suspense, and an in-your-face synth line that make it more enjoyable to listen to. The lyrics are powerful, proving that confidence can overcome hate in such a hateful word. The grooviness of the song makes it a pinnacle for dance pop music.
Adriana’s Pick: Best Metal Performance
“Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” – Gojira, Marina Viotti, & Victor Le Masne
“Crown of Horns” – Judas Priest
“Suffocate” – Knocked Loose featuring Poppy
“Screaming Suicide” – Metallica
Who Will Win – “Screaming Suicide” by Metallica
It’s no surprise that Metallica is returning to the Grammy’s, especially after the success of their recent album 72 Seasons. “Screaming Suicide” is largely regarded to be one of the better tracks off the album, bringing back familiar sounds from some of their other recent albums, while mixing in some cool new vocal stylizations from James Hetfield. The song deals with themes of suicidal thoughts, portraying them as an uncontrollable voice constantly whispering in a person’s ear. It invokes a positive message by reminding the listener that this “voice” isn’t real, and that they are in control. Many are concerned that Metallica will be an automatic win for this category only because they’re “mainstream metal,” and not for any other reason. Regardless, the track’s powerful message and punchy riffs are absolutely to be celebrated.
Who Should Win – “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” by Gojira, Marina Viotti, & Victor Le Masne
Gojira’s debut of “Mea Culpa” at the 2024 Paris Olympics was nothing short of breathtaking. The song is a metal rendition of the French Revolution-era chant, “Ça Ira”. At the Summer 2024 Olympic Games, the quartet performed the song in pouring rain at the iconic Conciergerie in Paris, loaded with dazzling effects such as fireworks, real fire shooting up from the sidelines, and red confetti spewing out of the Conciergerie windows to resemble blood. Gojira’s blending of different metal styles as well as catchy riffs and vocals give the song an incredibly distinctive and fresh metal sound. To tie it all together, the singing of mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti adds a delicate harmony to the heavy, headbanging sound, making the song all the more pleasing to listen to. The performance oozes patriotism and pride for the band’s home country, matching the fighting spirit of the song’s inspiration, the French Revolution.
Overall, this year’s Grammys are as diverse as ever. With plenty of well-known favorites as well as some wildcards, only time can tell who the winners will be. Who do you think will be in the spotlight this year?
Recent Comments