2019 Grammy Nominations: Reactions and Thoughts

Hey guys! The 61st Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 10, 2019. All the nominations were released earlier this month and I know people have already done their reactions. But I didn't have time, so I figured I'd do them now. Basically I'm going to go through a handful of the awards and just give my thoughts regarding what was nominated, who I think should win, and who I think could win. I'm not going through all of them because I don't know a lot of these artists or songs/albums. So I'm just going to go through the ones where I know the majority of the nominations, which are the ones most people care about. So with that, I guess we can start.



~ Record Of The Year:

• Cardi B/Bad Bunny/J Balvin – I Like It
• Brandi Carlile – The Joke
• Childish Gambino – This Is America
• Drake – God's Plan
• Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow
• Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
• Post Malone/21 Savage – Rockstar
• Zedd/Maren Morris/Grey – The Middle

Thoughts: Have we always had this many nominations for this award? This is certainly an interesting list. I do not know who Brandi Carlile is. Of course songs like I Like It and God's Plan got nominated. This Is America and The Middle getting nominated do not surprise me. Neither does Rockstar. I would prefer if none of those won personally. I don't hate any of them except The Middle. But I don't think any of these are worthy of winning Grammys. The last two songs are here representing different movies as All The Stars represents Black Panther and Shallow represents A Star Is Born. Personally I think one of those two should win. For Record of the Year, I think All The Stars slightly edges out Shallow, so I think this award should go to Kendrick and SZA.

Deciding who I think will win is a lot tougher. I think All The Stars has a great chance of winning just because of what Black Panther stands for and the social message. But I could totally see the award going to I Like It or This Is America. But I'm gonna say my final guess is All The Stars.

~ Album Of The Year:

• Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy
• Brandi Carlile – By The Way, I Forgive You
• Drake – Scorpion
• H.E.R. – H.E.R.
• Post Malone – Beerbongs & Bentleys
• Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer
• Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour
• Kendrick Lamar/Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album

Thoughts: Once again, I do not know who Brandi Carlile is. I also don't know who H.E.R. is although I probably should. I can't really speak much about this award because I have not listened to these albums in full. So I won't give what I think should win because I don't think that'd be very fair.

Regarding who I think could win, I can see this going to Cardi B, although I know Dirty Computer and Golden Hour received critical acclaim. But let's face it, the Grammys is becoming a popularity contest. So it'll probably go to Invasion Of Privacy.

~ Song Of The Year:

• Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
• Ella Mai – Boo'd Up
• Drake – God's Plan
• Shawn Mendes – In My Blood
• Brandi Carlile – The Joke
• Zedd/Maren Morris/Grey – The Middle
• Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow
• Childish Gambino – This Is America

Thoughts: 6 of these were also nominated for Record of the Year. I've always kind of assumed that Song of the Year had more to do with the songwriting, hence why the songwriters are always credited. Boo'd Up and God's Plan I don't think have any chance of winning. I can't really see This Is America winning either. They could be annoying and give this to The Middle even though there's nothing interesting about the songwriting. I'm really impressed that In My Blood got nominated. That's a very great song and it deserves this nomination. And of course All The Stars and Shallow are back. Personally, I would love see Shawn Mendes win this, although I'd be equally as happy if it went to Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for Shallow.

Regarding who I think will win, I have a good feeling that it'll go to Shallow, especially if it doesn't end up winning Record of the Year. That's my guess and I don't really think there's much competition because we are living in an interesting time if God's Plan wins Song of the Year.

~ Best New Artist:

• Chloe x Halle
• Luke Combs
• Greta Van Fleet
• H.E.R.
• Dua Lipa
• Margo Price
• Bebe Rexha
• Jorja Smith

Thoughts: I'm gonna be straight up and say I only know four of these nominees. I've heard some pretty bad things about Greta Van Fleet and I can't see them winning anyway. Dua Lipa and Bebe Rexha are nominated even though they're not that new. As far as who I think should win goes, my favorite from this list is Bebe Rexha and I get that she's not new. But I'm just going to go with her anyway.

I'm pretty damn sure Dua Lipa is going to win. I really don't think there's much competition looking at this list.

~ Best Pop Solo Performance:

• Beck – Colors
• Camila Cabello – Havana (Live)
• Ariana Grande – God Is A Woman
• Lady Gaga – Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?)
• Post Malone – Better Now

Thoughts: I love how Beck is to pop for the alternative categories. So Colors is here under Pop Solo Performance. I also have no idea why the live version of Havana is nominated. I know that the original is a collaboration, but then maybe don't nominate it? It's not necessary to have this song nominated. I would love to see Lady Gaga win this for Joanne. That was a really nice song.

I think the award will go to Post Malone or even Ariana Grande. Maybe they'll be weird and give it to the live version of Havana. I don't really know about this one.

~ Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

• Christina Aguilera/Demi Lovato – Fall In Line
• Backstreet Boys – Don't Go Breaking My Heart
• Tony Bennett/Diana Krall – S Wonderful
• Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow
• Maroon 5/Cardi B – Girls Like You
• Justin Timberlake/Chris Stapleton – Say Something
• Zedd/Maren Morris/Grey – The Middle

Thoughts: Can we stop nominating The Middle for awards??? I'm impressed that some of these got nominated. Fall In Line deserved to be a hit because it's a powerful song by two female artists with incredible voices. Don't Go Breaking My Heart is a great song that deserved more than it got. Of course there had to be at least one award where Girls Like You got nominated. But hey, Say Something is here! That one was severely underrated. So personally, I want Say Something to win, although I'd also be cool with Shallow or even Fall In Line.

I'm guessing they're going to give it to Shallow. Although I can unfortunately see it going to The Middle.

~ Best Pop Vocal Album:

• Camila Cabello – Camila
• Kelly Clarkson – Meaning Of Life
• Ariana Grande – Sweetener
• Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
• P!nk – Beautiful Trauma
• Taylor Swift – Reputation

Thoughts: It feels like Meaning Of Life has been around for so long, yet it got nominated because I guess it wasn't eligible for the 2018 Grammys. Reputation and Camila doesn't surprise me. Sweetener doesn't surprise me either. I'm impressed by Shawn Mendes' self-titled and Beautiful Trauma getting nominated. I think those are the better two here. So my vote goes to Shawn Mendes because I actually enjoyed that album quite a bit.

My guess is that they will give this to Camila Cabello, although I can totally see it going to Taylor Swift. Anything else though, I would consider shocking. I feel like it'll come down between those two. Maybe they'll pleasantly surprise me and give it to Shawn, but I doubt it.

~ Best Rap Performance:

• Cardi B – Be Careful
• Drake – Nice For What
• Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake – King's Dead
• Anderson .Paak – Bubblin
• Travis Scott/Drake/Swae Lee/Big Hawk – Sicko Mode

Thoughts: Be Careful is one of Cardi B's worst songs, and of course it gets nominated. Personally, I think Best Rap Performance should go to Nice For What by Drake, although I'd be cool with King's Dead and Sicko Mode.

I was originally going to say that they'll probably give it to Drake. But I think I'll change my guess and say they might give it to King's Dead for reasons related to Black Panther. I can see Nice For What winning, but for some reason I feel like they'll go with King's Dead.

~ Best Rap/Sung Performance:

• Christina Aguilera/Goldlink – Like I Do
• 6lack/J. Cole – Pretty Little Fears
• Childish Gambino – This Is America
• Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
• Post Malone/21 Savage – Rockstar

Thoughts: I'm not familiar with the first two nominees. But I think it's obvious which one I think should win and that is All The Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA. The competition is pretty weak.

I'm pretty sure the award will go to All The Stars, but they could possibly give it to This Is America.

~ Best Rap Song:

• Drake – God's Plan
• Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake – King's Dead
• Eminem/Joyner Lucas – Lucky You
• Travis Scott/Drake/Swae Lee/Big Hawk – Sicko Mode
• Jay Rock – Win

Thoughts: I'm familiar with four of these five. My favorite of these is probably either Lucky You or Sicko Mode. So I'm going to go ahead and say I think the award should go to Lucky You by Eminem and Joyner Lucas. That's my pick.

I think it'll end up going to God's Plan by Drake just because of how massive it was this past year.

~ Best Rap Album:

• Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy
• Mac Miller – Swimming
• Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap
• Pusha T – Daytona
• Travis Scott – Astroworld

Thoughts: I don't have much to say about this one. I think the award should go to Astroworld, although I don't feel too strongly about it.

I'm guessing they'll give it to Cardi B, although I wouldn't be surprised if it went to Mac Miller just because he's no longer with us. It's kind of sad because I feel like that's the only reason Swimming got nominated.

~ Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:

• Call Me By Your Name soundtrack
• Deadpool 2 soundtrack
• The Greatest Showman soundtrack
• Lady Bird soundtrack
• Stranger Things soundtrack

Thoughts: I honestly don't think I should be reviewing this one because I don't really know what qualifies as a good soundtrack for visual media. I think Call Me By Your Name (which is a fantastic movie) had a great soundtrack. I don't ever listen to the songs in my free time, but I think they fit in really well with the movie and the storyline. I have not seen Deadpool 2, but I am familiar with it and the soundtrack has some good songs including the Céline Dion one. I love the soundtrack for The Greatest Showman. I haven't seen the movie but it looks really good. I'm not familiar with Lady Bird. The Stranger Things soundtrack is pretty good despite me never actually getting into the show. I tried but I just couldn't get into it. So I guess my vote goes to either Call Me By Your Name or The Greatest Showman, probably the latter.

I'm pretty sure we all know that The Greatest Showman will win. I'll be shocked if it doesn't.

~ Best Song Written For Visual Media:

• Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
• Sufjan Stevens – Mystery Of Love
• Miguel/Natalia Lafourcade – Remember Me
• Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow
• Keala Settle/The Greatest Showman Ensemble – This Is Me

Thoughts: I'm not surprised that All The Stars and Shallow are nominated here. Mystery Of Love is from Call Me By Your Name and it's a very beautiful song and a great fit for the movie. Remember Me is from Coco and it's a good song, but I don't particularly care for it. This Is Me is a great song in my opinion, but I just loved The Greatest Showman soundtrack in general. But I'm actually going to give my vote to Mystery Of Love because I think that is a beautifully-written song. I might be biased since I loved Call Me By Your Name. But yeah. That's what I think should win, although I know it won't.

I have a strong feeling this award will go to Shallow, if not then This Is Me. But Shallow just seems like a good fit for this award.



IN SUMMARY:


~ Record Of The Year
What I think should win: Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
What I think could win: Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars


~ Album Of The Year
What I think should win: N/A
What I think could win: Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy


~ Song Of The Year
What I think should win: Shawn Mendes – In My Blood
What I think could win: Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow


~ Best New Artist
Who I think should win: Bebe Rexha
Who I think could win: Dua Lipa


~ Best Pop Solo Performance
What I think should win: Lady Gaga – Joanne (Where Do You Think You're Goin'?)
What I think could win: Tough, but knowing the Grammys, probably Camila Cabello – Havana (Live)


~ Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
What I think should win: Justin Timberlake/Chris Stapleton – Say Something
What I think could win: Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow


~ Best Pop Vocal Album
What I think should win: Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes
What I think could win: Camila Cabello – Camila


~ Best Rap Performance
What I think should win: Drake – Nice For What
What I think could win: Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, James Blake – King's Dead


~ Best Rap/Sung Performance
What I think should win: Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars
What I think could win: Kendrick Lamar, SZA – All The Stars


~ Best Rap Song
What I think should win: Eminem/Joyner Lucas – Lucky You
What I think could win: Drake – God's Plan


~ Best Rap Album
What I think should win: Travis Scott – Astroworld
What I think could win: Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy


~ Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
What I think should win: The Greatest Showman soundtrack
What I think could win: The Greatest Showman soundtrack


~ Best Song Written For Visual Media
What I think should win: Sufjan Stevens – Mystery Of Love
What I think could win: Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper – Shallow



Like I said in the beginning, I did not go through all of the awards. I just went through the ones where I knew the majority of the nominees because a lot of these awards have nominees that I have never heard of. But anyway, those are my thoughts. My predictions for what could win are probably not very accurate, which is fine. We'll see what happens. So yeah. That's all I have for you guys today. I hope you enjoyed!