Beyoncé and Adele could go head-to-head for album of the yr in a repeat of 2017 as contenders like Unhealthy Bunny, Kendrick Lamar and Brandi Carlile attempt for high awards on the 2023 present.
Again in 2017, although Grammy voters expressed their love of Beyoncé’s Lemonade with an album of the yr nomination, it was Adele’s grand album 25 that gained the last word honor. It offered 10 million copies inside a yr within the U.S. alone (unprecedentedly promoting 3.38 million items in its first week) — in a local weather the place hitting 1 million was heroic. “Hi there,” certainly!
That storyline may very well be repeated on the 2023 Grammys, the place Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Adele’s 30 once more will go head-to-head for album of the yr.
However there are different heavyweights able to disrupt the evening: Like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar could lastly win his first high album trophy due to the success of his fifth launch, Mr. Morale & The Huge Steppers. Unhealthy Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti is the preferred album of 2022, to not point out the primary Latin challenge to be nominated for the highest Grammy within the present’s 65-year historical past — and a win for him may cement Latin music’s domination of popular culture.
Many people have resided at Harry’s Home in the course of the previous yr as we watched the previous One Path singer change into pop’s licensed “It” boy together with his Mick Jagger-style stage presence and addictive, ear-candy melodies. Different huge Grammy contenders for high awards are Lizzo, Brandi Carlile, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and Taylor Swift. Right here, THR takes a take a look at the key gamers, from probably the most to least variety of nominations, who're competing for album of the yr and different classes on the 2023 Grammys.
BEYONCÉ
2023 NOMINATIONS 9
CAREER NOMINATIONS 88
GRAMMY WINS 28
Beyoncé has gained just one high Grammy thus far — tune of the yr for “Single Girls (Put a Ring on It).” And if she doesn’t win one of many huge three (album, tune or report of the yr) on the 2023 Grammys, she’ll nonetheless stroll away from the present making historical past if she wins three out of 9 nominations. Then she’ll tie the report for many Grammy wins of all time, set by late Hungarian-British conductor Georg Solti, who died in 1997 and gained 31 honors. One or two of these three could come within the dance class, for greatest dance/electronica album (Renaissance) and greatest dance/electronica recording (“Break My Soul”). And with bids within the R&B classes, Beyoncé is all however set to change into the queen of the Grammys.
KENDRICK LAMAR
2023 NOMINATIONS 8
CAREER NOMINATIONS 47
GRAMMY WINS 14
Rap’s had a foul historical past at successful the large classes on the Grammys. It was solely in 2019 when the style lastly prevailed and gained the Grammys for report and tune of the yr due to Infantile Gambino’s “This Is America.” And solely two rap-based acts have gained album of the yr: Lauryn Hill and OutKast. If there’s a rapper who's subsequent to win the large honor, it’s Lamar. One factor we all know for certain: Lamar will, not less than, sweep the rap classes.
ADELE
2023 NOMINATIONS 7
CAREER NOMINATIONS 25
GRAMMY WINS 15
Regardless of main competitors, there was no likelihood Adele was dropping the large three Grammys in 2012 with 21 and “Rolling within the Deep” and in 2017 with 25 and “Hi there.” However occasions have modified, and voters gained’t go straightforward on the songstress this go-round. Whereas 30 was critically acclaimed and “Simple on Me” topped the Billboard Scorching 100 chart, the album and tune didn’t make massive sufficient splashes to ensure wins. The place Adele almost definitely will add to her gramophone assortment: greatest music movie for Adele: One Evening Solely, which gained all 5 Emmys it was nominated for.
BRANDI CARLILE
2023 NOMINATIONS 7
CAREER NOMINATIONS 24
GRAMMY WINS 6
Carlile has change into a important darling on the Grammys, incomes a number of nominations for the previous 5 consecutive years — not just for her personal music however for her work as a producer and songwriter for others and her nation music supergroup, The Highwomen. And this yr she has reached new heights: Together with nominations within the nation and American roots fields, she scored her first-ever nominations in rock (greatest rock tune and greatest rock efficiency for “Damaged Horses”). And if voters from the nation, rock, Americana, folks and bluegrass genres align, Carlile’s In These Silent Days may be a loud winner, particularly for album of the yr.
HARRY STYLES
2023 NOMINATIONS 6
CAREER NOMINATIONS 9
GRAMMY WINS 1
Nobody has had fairly the yr Kinds has. He launched a number of high 10 hits, and “As It Was” practically set a report for many weeks at No. 1. Harry’s Home dominated on streaming companies and the pop charts. And his electrifying stay exhibits have change into a must-see, even for those who weren’t a giant fan earlier than going. He already has gained one Grammy — greatest pop solo efficiency for “Watermelon Sugar” — however he’s lastly competing for the large three for the primary time, and he has an opportunity to be the subsequent Brit to dominate America’s greatest music present.
MARY J. BLIGE
2023 NOMINATIONS 6
CAREER NOMINATIONS 37
GRAMMY WINS 9
The final time one in all Blige’s albums competed on the Grammys was on the 2009 present. So it was a pleasant shock when the Recording Academy introduced that Good Morning Beautiful was up for six honors this yr. Nevertheless it’s not surprising — the two-time Oscar nominee is, certainly, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. And he or she has some particular helpers working as secret weapons — H.E.R. and Anderson .Paak, up to date stars whom Grammy voters love. H.E.R. co-wrote and co-produced Blige’s title monitor, whereas .Paak contributed to a number of songs on the album, together with “Right here With Me,” which is nominated for greatest R&B efficiency.
LIZZO
2023 NOMINATIONS 5
CAREER NOMINATIONS 13
GRAMMY WINS 3
It’s about rattling time Lizzo wins one other Grammy, if voters have their method. She was the highest nominee on the 2020 present together with her major-label debut album and the ever-present hit “Reality Hurts,” which gained greatest pop solo efficiency. She’s again once more with the TikTok-approved jam “About Rattling Time,” and the success of the tune helped her album Particular rating nominations for album of the yr and greatest pop vocal album.
JAY-Z
2023 NOMINATIONS 5
CAREER NOMINATIONS 88
GRAMMY WINS 24
Jay-Z held the report for many Grammy nominations of all time — till his spouse flipped the script this yr. Renaissance helped Beyoncé attain 88 nominations, and funnily sufficient, Jay-Z’s 5 nominations this yr match the feat. And what’s even sweeter? Two of Jay-Z’s nominations are for his contributions to Beyoncé’s album. His different three are for his visitor verse on DJ Khaled’s “God Did,” which is up for tune of the yr, greatest rap efficiency and greatest rap tune.
TAYLOR SWIFT
2023 NOMINATIONS 4
CAREER NOMINATIONS 46
GRAMMY WINS 11
Taylor Swift’s newest album, Midnights, will qualify for the Grammys in 2024, however she nonetheless has an opportunity to personal the present in 2023. She may attain one in all her targets and win her first-ever tune of the yr honor — an award reserved for writers — with the rerelease of her 2012 tune “All Too Properly.” The quick movie created for the tune, which Swift directed and is being pushed for Oscar competition, earned a Grammy nomination for greatest music video. Her different bids embody greatest nation tune (“I Guess You Assume About Me”) and greatest tune written from visible media (“Carolina”).
BAD BUNNY
2023 NOMINATIONS 3
CAREER NOMINATIONS 9
GRAMMY WINS 2
Unhealthy Bunny shockingly earned solely three Grammy noms after launching the yr’s greatest album and monster hits like “Tití Me Preguntó” and “Me Porto Bonito” (with Chencho Corleone). Neither earned tune nor report of the yr nods, one thing the Recording Academy must reply for. And whereas there isn’t a class for Latin songs on the Grammys — solely Latin albums — the state of affairs raises a query: Did Unhealthy Bunny’s staff try and submit him to the rap or world music classes however get kicked to a different style? He did obtain one nomination in pop: greatest pop solo efficiency for “Moscow Mule.” However with the yr he had, Unhealthy Bunny’s music ought to have been celebrated throughout a number of classes and genres.
This story first appeared within the Dec. 16 challenge of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.