Here's 15 hot takes on who should win a Grammy... and who most likely will.
1. Song of the Year
Who should win: "This is America" - Childish Gambino
Who will win: "This is America" - Childish Gambino
Yep, Childish Gambino deserves pretty much every nomination he's getting for this song, and I truly believe that the relevance of "This is America" is something that can't be ignored. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if they threw it to Drake or Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, just because... well... historically, they haven't been the most accurate in choosing a piece that defined the year. But with seemingly every news article of 2018 being about gun violence, racism, and many other horror stories seeded in systemic violence, it would be an absolute shame if they didn't pick "This is America". While "Boo'd Up" and "All the Stars" are perfectly good songs, song of the year is awarded based on songwriting - and Childish Gambino's lyricism absolutely nailed 2018's political landscape.
2. Record of the Year
Who should win: "This is America" - Childish Gambino
Who will win: "I Like It" - Cardi B
Once again, I firmly believe "This is America" deserves every win it can get. However, the Grammy's were under a lot of fire last year for having few female winners. Although she's problematic (re: homophobic and transphobic comments), giving Record of the Year to Cardi B, an unapologetic black woman, doesn't seem like an unreasonable plan to win back their supporters. And she isn't the only one delivering on this record - "I Like It" is a very well produced track. It would make sense for her to win this.
3. Album of the Year
Who should win: Dirty Computer - Janelle Monae
Who will win: By the Way, I Forgive You - Brandi Carlile
Janelle Monae really came through with a fantastic album this year. Dirty Computer is smart, sexy, and just... so good. Please listen to it if you haven't. Unfortunately, I think the commentary on technology and female empowerment in her album might not resonate with some of the older voting members, instead choosing to go with Brandi Carlile's album, which still had some high points, but is ultimately the safer choice.
4. Best New Artist
Who should win: Dua Lipa
Who will win: Dua Lipa
While I do enjoy and respect H.E.R as an artist, the last couple years have been pretty dynamic for Dua Lipa. Her music video for "New Rules" is currently sitting at well over a billion views on YouTube, and I honestly can't remember the last time I stepped into a Forever 21 without hearing "Hotter Than Hell". (P.S. she did a brilliant cover of Etta James' classic "I'd Rather Go Blind" a couple years ago which I highly recommend.)
5. Best Pop Solo Performance
Who should win: "God is a Woman" - Ariana Grande
Who will win: "God is a Woman" - Ariana Grande
This is Ariana Grande's world, and we're all just living in it. At least that's how it felt last year, when she released chart-topping single after single. While Lady Gaga's vocals on "Joanne" were stunning (and the only other nominee in this category worthy of even being there), Grande's vocal performance on "God is a Woman" are basically the industry's blueprint of the kind of voice that makes it.
6. Best Pop Vocal Album
Who should win: Sweetener - Ariana Grande
Who will win: Sweetener - Ariana Grande
While Shawn Mendes is certainly talented in his own right, with charm and a humble beginnings to match, I think Grande's album deserves this win the most. After all, this is the first time we've really seen her music branch out of the typical pop tropes she built her fanbase with after Victorious, with production by Pharrell Williams really helping to showcase her talent. I will honestly be shocked ifSweetener doesn't win.
7. Best Rap Performance
Who should win: "Sicko Mode" - Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee
Who will win: "Sicko Mode" - Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee
First of all, shout out to Anderson .Paak and Kendrick Lamar for "Bubblin" and "King's Dead", respectively. Both are awesome tracks and I would not be upset if either won. However, "Sicko Mode" was so influential that its popularity literally became a meme. Is it overplayed at this point? Yes. But for good reason. Travis Scott and Drake did a really great job on this song, and I have a feeling the beat changes are going to influence a lot of hip-hop tracks going into 2019 and beyond.
8. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Who should win: "This is America" - Childish Gambino
Who will win: "Rockstar" - Post Malone ft. 21 Savage
I'm sure you're well aware of my opinions on "This is America" at this point, but I think "Rockstar" will take home this win. For one, it was incredibly popular (a quality it seems the Grammy's are known to base their decisions off of), and it is a good track. The song is seemingly so genre bending to the voting members it even managed to get a pop vocal performance nomination. And I have to give it to both Post Malone and 21 Savage, they both sound cool on this track. I mean, not as great as Childish Gambino, but... tHaT's My OpInIoN!
9. Best Rap Song
Who should win: "Sicko Mode" - Travis Scott, Drake, Big Hawk & Swae Lee
Who will win: "God's Plan" - Drake
It's no secret that I'm not Drake's biggest fan. But I doubt that "Sicko Mode" will take away two wins, and again, "God's Plan" was incredibly popular. Best Rap Song is also less about the performance and more about the songwriting in general, and I think the catchiness of "I only love my bed and my momma, I'm sorry" will ultimately get him the win.
10. Best Rap Album
Who should win: Astroworld - Travis Scott
Who will win: Swimming - Mac Miller
First of all, I should disclose that Daytonadidn't resonate with me as much as it did with the critics, but if it does win I won't be disappointed because Pusha T does display a lot of talent on the record. I personally felt pretty much every track on Astroworld was a banger. You can literally play "Coffee Bean" at a party and despite its slower BPM no one's getting mad. Objectively (I guess this contradicts my previous "personally" but whatever), it's the best album. But with that being said, I think they will give Mac Miller a posthumous award, and he does deserve it in his own right. Mac Miller was an amazing artist, not to mention incredibly aware of the space he was in and loved by all members of the hip-hop community.
11. Best RnB Performance
Who should win: "Best Part" - Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R.
Who will win: "Best Part" - Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R.
Absolutely gorgeous song. "Best Part" deserves this because both Caesar's and H.E.R.'s performances are beautiful, and it will win because I think it was genuinely loved by everyone. If you don't have "Best Part" in your baby making playlist... it's not too late.
12. Best RnB Song
Who should win: "Boo'd Up" - Ella Mai
Who will win: "Boo'd Up" - Ella Mai
I contemplated the possibility of Miguel winning this category, and while it could definitely happen I don't think it will. Nor should it, because Ella Mai truly brought it on "Boo'd Up". Yes, to most of our ears it's just another overplayed song at this point. But "Boo'd Up" even got a remix from Nicki Minaj, and I think it's safe to say that DJ Mustard's production skills combined with Mai's songwriting and vocals have earned her this award.
13. Best Rock Performance
Who should win: "When Bad Does Good" - Chris Cornell
Who will win: "When Bad Does Good" - Chris Cornell
I did love the Arctic Monkeys song, I really did (their latest album, not so much). But Cornell's performance on "When Bad Does Good" demonstrates excellent range, and he left behind a great legacy in rock music that should be honored in this category.
14. Best Electronic Album
Who should win: Oil of Every Pearl's Uninsides - SOPHIE
Who will win: Lune Rouge - TOKiMONSTA
I'm actually quite invested in this category, and even if you aren't an avid electronic/dance music listener, you should be too. If you don't know who SOPHIE is, she's an incredible artist/producer/audio engineer (Fun Fact: every sound you hear on her tracks in engineered by SOPHIE herself), and was the producer behind Vince Staples' "Yeah Right", Madonna's "B*tch I'm Madonna", and a plethora of Charli XCX tracks, to name a few. But the work she did on her latest LP, Oil of Every Pearl's Uninsides, was groundbreaking, and if she wins, (I believe) she'll be the first trans person to win a Grammy. However, I'm not sure if the voting members are going to appreciate her album - there are moments that I can imagine would be incredibly difficult for many people to listen to. TOKiMONSTA is a talented musician in her own right, which would be yet another safe bet. Nevertheless, I can't end this listicle without saying one thing: SOPHIE FTW.
15. Best Alternative Album
Who should win: Utopia - Bjork
Who will win: Either Colors - Beck or Masseduction - St. Vincent
If Bjork doesn't win this category, I'm actually going to scream. But she's been snubbed 15 times before, and I won't be surprised if she doesn't win an award for Utopia, despite how lush the instrumentation and songwriting was. My final prediction is that they are again going to play it safe and give it to Beck or St. Vincent, both artists whom the industry loves.
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