Music's biggest night — the 59th GRAMMY Awards — will be held live this Sunday, February 12th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California! CBS's "Late Late Show" host, James Corden, will host for the first time this year. The 3-hour live broadcast will feature performances by some of the biggest and brightest stars in music — Adele, Beyoncé, Chance the Rapper, Little Big Town, John Legend, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Sturgill Simpson and more. Music's biggest night with also be full of superstar collaborations between 4-time GRAMMY nominee this year — Maren Morris and Alicia Keys, Anderson .Paak and A Tribe Called Quest, Best New Artist nominees — Kelsea Ballerini and Lukas Graham, Metallica and Lady Gaga, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, plus The Weeknd with Daft Punk. This year, the Recording Academy will be paying tribute to the late Prince and George Michael, as well as "Stayin' Alive" group Bees Gees with a special performance by GRAMMY nominees Andra Day, Demi Lovato and Tori Kelly.
Aside from all of the all-star performances, the GRAMMYs are best known for giving out music's top honor to artists, songwriters, producers, directors and more in all genres of music. Leading this year's nominees in some of the night's biggest categories are Queen B (Beyoncé), Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West. Here are my predictions for who will take home GRAMMY gold in some of the night's most popular categories this year.
Record of the Year:
"Hello" - Adele - WINNER
"Formation" - Beyoncé
"7 Years" - Lukas Graham
"Work" - Rihanna (featuring Drake)
"Stressed Out" - Twenty One Piltos
Although all of these records were massive worldwide hits, it really comes down to Adele and Beyoncé in this category. "Hello" received all of the radio and chart success this past year while "Formation" has gotten all of the critical and controversial attention. These pop divas will go head-to-head in 3 of the night's biggest categories. Lukas Graham's "7 Years" could make an upset victory if votes were split between Adele and Beyoncé but, I say that voters will give this one to Adele. She won in this category (and the Song of the Year category) back in 2011 with "Rolling in the Deep". You know what they say, history repeats itself.
Album of the Year:
25 - Adele - POTENTIAL WINNER
Lemonade - Beyoncé - POTENTIAL WINNER
Purpose - Justin Bieber
Views - Drake
A Sailor's Guide to Earth - Sturgill Simpson - POTENTIAL WINNER
Album of the Year is probably the night's toughest category. All five of this year's nominees could easily score a much-deserved victory. 25 and Lemonade are the top runners in a lot of people's eyes but, upsets have happened in this category before. Like that time when Beck beat out Beyoncé and Kanye (West) made sure everyone watching knew he didn't approve. Both Adele or Beyoncé could walk away as the winner. But, what if GRAMMY voters were like us and couldn't decided which album deserved the victory more? They may have gone for Bieber or Drake but, both are protesting this year's show so that probably won't happen. Instead, they choose Sturgill Simpson's critically acclaimed A Sailors Guide to Earth. A classic-feel country album winning Album of the Year? That has hardly ever happened but, anything can happen at the GRAMMYs, right?
Song of the Year:
"Formation" - Beyoncé - WINNER
"Hello" - Adele
"I Took a Pill in Ibiza" - Mark Posner
"Love Yourself" - Justin Bieber
"7 Years" - Lukas Graham
Beyoncé is no stranger to the Song of the Year category at the GRAMMYs. Her massive total girl-power anthem - "Sing Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" won back in 2010. Adele has also been nominated in the category twice and won with "Rolling in the Deep" in 2012. Once again, either two could walk away as the winner. "Love Yourself" was a big step for Justin Bieber as both an artist and a songwriter but, I don't see voters giving this one to him since he is protesting their show and confirmed he will not be attending. "7 Years" surely won over some votes with its strong message that connected with people all around the world but, not enough to stop the dominance between Adele and Beyoncé. With that being said, I think Queen B will come out on top with "Formation". The song has such a playful, yet strong feel, and I say the Recording Academy will finally, once again, awarded her one of the night's top honors with this category.
Best New Artist:
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance the Rapper - POTENTIAL WINNER
Maren Morris - WINNER
Anderson .Pakk
Before breaking down who will win in this category, let's talked about a much-deserved artist who seemed to be snubbed from this year's show - Alessia Cara. "Scars to Your Beautiful" has such a powerful message within the song's lyrics, has touched fans all over the world and is still dominating the charts. Not to mention her first two singles, "Here" and "Wild Things" also made such impact. What a miss the GRAMMY voters hit this year. Out of the five nominees in this prestigious category, I'd say Maren Morris walks away as the winner this year. She did score a total of 4 nominations, including Best Country Album for her debut project, Hero. That being said, I think she'll continue to win over the Recording Academy and be the first female country artist to win in this category since Carrie Underwood in 2007. If it's not her to take it, it'll defiantly be Chance the Rapper. Kudos to "Peter Pan" singer - Kelsea Ballerini on scoring a "win" for the females in country music with her nomination alongside Morris.
OTHER PREDICTIONS
Best Pop Solo Performance:
"Hello" - Adele - WINNER
"Hold Up" - Beyoncé
"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 - WINNER
“Work” – Rihanna (featuring Drake)
“Cheap Thrills” – Sia (featuring Sean Paul) – POTENTIAL WINNER
“Stressed Out” – Twenty One Pilots
Best Pop Vocal Album:
25 – Adele - WINNER
Purpose – Justin Bieber
Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande
Confident – Demi Lovato
This is Acting – Sia
Best Rock Performance:
“Joe (Live from Austin City Limits)” – Alabama Shakes
“Don’t Hurt Yourself” – Beyonce (featuring Jack White) – POTENTIAL WINNER
“Blackstar” – David Bowie - WINNER
“The Sound of Silence (Live on Conan)” – Disturbed
“Heathens” – Twenty One Pilots
Best Rock Album
California– Blink-182
Tell Me I’m Pretty – Cage the Elephant
Magma – Gojira - WINNER
Death of a Batchelor – Panic! at the Disco
Weezer – Weezer
Best R&B Performance:
“Turnin’ Me Up” – BJ the Chicago Kid
“Permission” – Ro James
“I Do” – Musiq Soulchild
“Needed Me” – Rihanna - WINNER
“Cranes in the Sky” – Solange
Best Rap Performance:
“No Problem” – Chance the Rapper (featuring Lil’ Wayne and 2 Chainz) – POTENTIAL WINNER
“Panda” – Desiigner
“Pop Style” – Drake (featuring The Throne)
“All the Way Up” - Fat Joe & Remy Ma Featuring French Montana & Infared
“That Part” – ScHoolboy Q (featuring Kanye West) - WINNER
Best Rap/Sung Performance:
“Freedom” – Beyonce (featuring Kendrick Lamar) – WINNER
“Hotline Bling” – Drake
“Broccoli” – D.R.A.M. (featuring Lil Yachty)
“Ultralight Beam” – Kanye West (featuring Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin and The-Dream)
“Famous” – Kanye West
Best Rap Album:
Coloring Book – Chance the Rapper
And the Anonymous Nobody – De La Soul
Major Key – DJ Khaled
Views – Drake - WINNER
Blank Face LP – ScHoolboy Q
The Life of Pablo – Kanye West – POTENTIAL WINNER
Best Country Solo Performance:
“Love Can Go to Hell” – Brandy Clark
“Vice” – Miranda Lambert
“My Church” – Maren Morris - WINNER
“Church Bells” – Carrie Underwood – POTENTIAL WINNER
“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 (featuring Pink)
“Jolene” – Pentatonix (featuting Dolly Parton) - WINNER
“Think of You” – Chris Young (with Cassadee Pope)
Best Country Song:
“Blue Aint Your Color” – Keith Urban
“Die A Happy Man’ – Thomas Rhett
“Humble & Kind” – Tim McGraw - WINNER
“My Church” – Maren Morris
“Vice”- Miranda Lambert
Best Country Album:
Big Day in a Small Town – Brandy Clark
Full Circle – Loretta Lynn
Hero – Maren Morris - WINNER
Ripcord – Keith Urban
A Sailors Guide to Earth – Sturgill Simpson – POTENTIAL WINNER