Sophia Michaels
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Adele will all vie for multiple prizes at the 65th Grammy Awards, taking place on Feb. 5, 2023.
Beyoncé led all nominees this year, earning nine for her celebrated album, Renaissance. Lamar’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers helped him earn eight nominations, while Adele and Brandi Carlile tied with seven for their records, 30 and In These Silent Days, respectively.
All four of those artists, and their aforementioned albums, are up for Album of the Year, alongside ABBA’s comeback record Voyage, Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous, Coldplays’ Music of the Spheres, Lizzo’s Special, Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, and Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti. The nod for Bad Bunny is particularly significant as it marks the first time an album from the Latin music field has ever been nominated for Album of the Year.
Beyoncé, Adele, Lamar, and Carlile are also up for Record of the Year for “Break My Soul,” “Easy on Me,” “The Heart Part 5,” and “You and Me on the Rock” (featuring Lucius), respectively. The rest of that category includes ABBA’s “Don’t Shut Me Down,” Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous,” Doja Cat’s “Woman,” Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” Lizzo’s “About Damn Time,” and Styles’ “As It Was.”
And rounding out the big three categories, Song of the Year boasts “Break My Soul,” “Easy on Me,” “The Heart Part 5,” “As It Was,” “About Damn Time,” and “Bad Habit,” alongside Gayle’s TikTok hit “Abcdefu,” DJ Khaled’s monster posse cut “God Did,” Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That,” and Taylor Swift’s indomitable “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).”
As for the final major category — Best New Artist — there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut favorite like Olivia Rodrigo last year (in fact, none of this year’s nominees are up for one of the other big three prizes). There’s also an interesting mix of genuinely new artists, but also some that have been around for a few years but may finally be “new” to Grammy voters: Anitta, Omar Apollo, Latto, Wet Leg, DOMi and JD Beck, Muni Long, Samara Joy, Molly Tuttle, Tobe Nwigwe, and 2021 Eurovision winners Måneskin.
While the big categories at the 2023 Grammys are stacked with heavy pop hitters, it seems inevitable that the narrative around next year’s show will distill down to Beyoncé and Adele. While Beyoncé is the most decorated female artist in Grammy history, she’s only won a major category once (Song of the Year for “Single Ladies”) and feels especially overdue for an Album of the Year award. Her last big chance to win Album, Song, or Record of the Year was in 2017 with Lemonade and “Formation” — but Adele ended up sweeping all three with 25 and “Hello.” (Adele even seemed put off by it all, spending a chunk of her Album of the Year victory speech raving about Lemonade.)
Even if Beyoncé doesn’t earn one of the major prizes this year, she’s still on course to make more Grammys history. Renaissance and “Break My Soul” offer up her first chance at taking home a prize in the Dance/Electronic categories. And if she wins four of the nine awards she’s up for, she’ll top Hungarian conductor Georg Solti to become the most decorated Grammy winner of all time.
Beyond the big narrative, however, the 65th Grammy nominations offer plenty to chew on. Bad Bunny’s historic Album of the Year nomination was accompanied by a look for Best Pop Solo Performance for “Moscow Mule,” as well as a Best Música Urbana Album for Un Verano Sin Ti. Mary J. Blige’s six nominations mark her first since 2015 and her first as a solo artist since she won Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2009 for Growing Pains. And last year’s Best R&B Album and Performance winner, Jazmine Sullivan, will be back for more, picking up nominations for Best R&B Performance and Song for “Hurt Me So Good,” as well as Best Traditional R&B Performance for “’Round Midnight” with Adam Blackstone.
In the pop categories, heavyweights like Lizzo and Styles will be up against the likes of Doja Cat, Camila Cabello, and Sam Smith and Kim Petras. ABBA — who scored a surprise nomination last year — will have another shot at finally winning their first Grammy with looks in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Pop Vocal Album categories. Meanwhile, over in country, Miranda Lamber, Maren Morris, Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, and Willie Nelson will all compete for multiple prizes.
Drake — despite his pointed efforts to effectively boycott the Grammys by not submitting his work for consideration — is still up for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song thanks to collaborations with Jack Harlow (“Churchill Downs”) and Future (“Wait For U,” also featuring Tems). Gunna and Young Thug, who are both in prison while awaiting trial on alleged RICO Act violations, earned Best Rap Song and Performance nominations for their hit collaboration with Future, “Pushin P.” And Latto picked up a Best Melodic Rap Performance look for “Big Energy” to go along with her Best New Artist nod.
In the rock categories, the Grammys fell back on some old habits, nominating only men, except Carlile, whose “Broken Horses” was nominated for Best Rock Song and Performance. While those categories were largely dominated by old standbys like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck, the Black Keys, and Ozzy Osbourne, indie rock torchbearers Spoon and the War on Drugs each earned nominations. Even more impressive, though, British post-punks Idles secured Best Rock Performance and Album nominations for “Crawl” and Crawler, and Baltimore hardcore heroes Turnstile were nominated for Best Rock Song (“Blackout”) and Performance (“Holiday”), as well as Best Metal Performance (also “Blackout”).
Things were a bit more intriguing in the world of alternative music, where the Best Alternative Music Album award will be accompanied by a new prize this year, Best Alternative Music Performance. Big Thief, Wet Leg, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs all received nominations in both categories, while Björk picked up a Best Alternative Music Album nod for Fossora, marking her 16th Grammy nomination (she still has yet to win).
There were some other questionable nominee decisions buried deep in the genre categories as well. Arcade Fire — which was recently rocked by a string of sexual misconduct allegations against frontman Win Butler (who has denied them) — earned a Best Alternative Music Album nod for We. And Louis C.K., who has admitted to sexual misconduct with multiple women, is up for Best Comedy Album for the second straight year after winning the category last year. His fellow nominee this time around is Dave Chappelle, who has been embroiled in a prolonged controversy over his jokes about trans people, several of which appear in the special he was nominated for, The Closer.
Record of the Year
ABBA – “Don’t Shut Me Down
Adele – “Easy on Me”
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Mary J. Blige – “Good Morning Gorgeous”
Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius – “You and Me on the Rock”
Doja Cat – “Woman”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Album of the Year
ABBA – Voyage
Adele – 30
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
Lizzo – Special
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
Song of the Year
Gayle – “Abcdefu”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Adele – “Easy On Me”
DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy – “God Did”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Bonnie Raitt – “Just Like That”
Best New Artist
Anitta
Omar Apollo
DOMi and JD Beck
Muni Long
Samara Joy
Latto
Måneskin
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg
Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele – “Easy on Me”
Bad Bunny – “Moscow Mule”
Doja Cat – “ Woman”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
ABBA – “Don’t Shut Me Down”
Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheehan – “Bam Bam”
Coldplay and BTS – “My Universe”
Post Malone and Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)”
Sam Smith and Kim Petras – “Unholy”
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Michael Bublé – Higher
Kelly Clarkson – When Christmas Comes Around
Norah Jones – I Dream of Christmas (Extended)
Pentatonix – Evergreen
Diana Ross – Thank You
Best Pop Vocal Album
ABBA – VoyageAdele – 30
Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
Lizzo – Special
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Bonobo – “Rosewood”
Diplo and Miguel – “Don’t Forget My Love”
David Guetta and Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)”
Kaytranada featuring H.E.R. – “Intimidated”
Rüfüs Du Soul – “On My Knees”
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Bonobo – Fragments
Diplo – Diplo
Odesza – The Last Goodbye
Rüfüs Du Soul – Surrender
Best Rock Performance
Bryan Adams – “So Happy It Hurts”
Beck – “Old Man”
The Black Keys – “Wild Child”
Brandi Carlile – “Broken Horses”
Idles – “Crawl!”
Ozzy Osbourne featuring Jeff Beck – “Patient Number 9”
Turnstile – “Holiday”
Best Metal Performance
Ghost – “Call Me Little Sunshine”
Megadeth – “We’ll Be Back”
Muse – “Kill or Be Killed”
Ozzy Osbourne featuring Tony Iommi – “Degradation Rules”
Turnstile – “Blackout”
Best Rock Song
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer”
Turnstile – “Blackout”
Brandi Carlile – “Broken Horses”
The War on Drugs – “Harmonia’s Dream”
Ozzy Osbourne featuring Jeff Beck – “Patient Number 9”
Best Rock Album
The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie
Elvis Costello and the Imposters – The Boy Named If
Idles – Crawler
Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout
Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9
Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
Best Alternative Music Performance
Arctic Monkeys – “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball”
Big Thief – “Certainty”
Florence and the Machine – “King”
Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs featuring Perfume Genius – “Spitting Off the Edge of the World”
Best Alternative Music Album
Arcade Fire – WE
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
Björk – Fossora
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down
Best R&B Performance
Beyoncé – “Virgo’s Groove”
Mary J. Blige featuring Anderson . Paak – “Here With Me”
Muni Long – “Hrs and Hrs”
Lucky Daye – “Over”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Hurt Me So Good”
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Snow Aalegra – “Do 4 Love”
Babyface featuring Ella Mai – “Keeps on Fallin’”
Beyoncé – “Plastic Off the Sofa”
Adam Blackstone featuring Jazmine Sullivan – “Round Midnight”
Mary J. Blige – “Good Morning Gorgeous”
Best R&B Song
Beyoncé – “Cuff It”
Mary J. Blige – “Good Morning Gorgeous”
Muni Long – “Hrs and Hrs”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Hurt Me So Good”
PJ Morton – “Please Don’t Walk Away”
Best Progressive R&B Album
Cory Henry – Operation Funk
Steve Lacy – Gemini Rights
Terrace Martin – Drones
Moonchild – Starfruit
Tank and the Bangas – Red Balloon
Best R&B Album
Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe)
Robert Glasper – Black Radio III
Lucky Daye – Candydrip
PJ Morton – Watch the Sun
Best Rap Performance
DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy – “God Did”
Doja Cat – “Vegas”
Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug – “Pushin P”
Hitkidd and GloRilla – “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Best Melodic Rap Performance
DJ Khaled featuring Future and SZA – “Beautiful”
Future featuring Drake and Tems – “Wait for U”
Jack Harlow – “First Class”
Kendrick Lamar featuring Blxst and Amanda Reifer – “Die Hard”
Latto – “Big Energy (Live)”
Best Rap Song
Jack Harlow featuring Drake – “Churchill Downs”
DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend and Fridayy – “God Did”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug – “Pushin P”
Future featuring Drake and Tems – “Wait for U”
Best Rap Album
DJ Khaled – God Did
Future – I Never Liked You
Jack Harlow – Come Home the Kids Miss You
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers
Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
Best Country Solo Performance
Kelsea Ballerini – “Heartfelt”
Zach Bryan – “Something in the Orange”
Miranda Lambert – “In His Arms”
Maren Morris – “Circles Around This Town”
Willie Nelson – “Live Forever”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Ingrid Andress and Sam Hunt – “Wishful Drinking”
Brothers Osborne – “Midnight Rider’s Prayer”
Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert – “Outrunnin’ Your Memory”
Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton – “Does He Love You – Revisited”
Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde – “Never Wanted to Be That Girl”
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – “Going Where the Lonely Go”
Best Country Song
Maren Morris – “Circles Around This Town”
Luke Combs – “Doin’ This”
Taylor Swift – “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version)”
Miranda Lambert – “If I Was a Cowboy”
Willie Nelson – “I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die”
Cody Johnson – “’Til You Can’t”
Best Country Album
Luke Combs – Growin’ Up
Miranda Lambert – Palomino
Ashley McBryde – Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville
Maren Morris – Humble Quest
Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time
Best Latin Pop Album
Christina Aguilera – Aguilera
Rubén Blades and Boca Livre – Pasieros
Camilo – De Adentro Pa Afuera
Fonseca – Viajante
Sebastián Yatra – Dharma+
Best Música Urbana Album
Rauw Alejandro – Trap Cake, Vol. 2
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Daddy Yankee – Legendaddy
Farruko – La 167
Maluma – The Love and Sex Tape
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Cimafunk – El Alimento
Jorge Drexler – Tinta y Tiempo
Mon Laferte – 1940 Carmen
Gaby Moreno – Alegoría
Fito Paez – Los Años Salvajes
Rosalía – Motomami
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Chiquis – Abeja Reina
Natalia Lafourcade – Un Canto por México – El Musical
Los Tigres Del Norte – La Reunión (Deluxe)
Christian Nodal – EP #1 Forajido
Marco Antonio Solís – Qué Ganas de Verte (Deluxe)
Best Tropical Latin Album
Marc Anthony – Pa’lla Voy
La Santa Cecilia – Quiero Verte Feliz
Víctor Manuelle – Lado A Lado B
Tito Nieves – Legendario
Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Imágenes Latinas
Carlos Vives – Cumbiana II
Best American Roots Performance
Bill Anderson featuring Dolly Parton – “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” (Bluegrass Version)
Madison Cunningham – “Life According to Raechel”
Fantastic Negrito – “Oh Betty”
Aaron Neville With the Dirty Dozen Brass Band – “Stompin’ Ground”
Aoife O’Donovan and Allison Russell – “Prodigal Daughter”
Best Americana Performance
Eric Alexandra’s – “Silver Moon [A Tribute to Michael Nesmith]”
Asleep at the Wheel featuring Lyle Lovett – “There You Go Again”
Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Black Violin – “The Message”
Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius – “You and Me on the Rock”
Bonnie Raitt – “Made Up Mind”
Best American Roots Song
Anaïs Mitchell – “Bright Star”
Sheryl Crow – “Forever”
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – “High and Lonesome”
Bonnie Raitt – “Just Like That”
Aoife O’Donovan and Allison Russell – “Prodigal Daughter”
Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius – “You and Me on the Rock”
Best Americana Album
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Dr. John – Things Happen That Way
Keb’ Mo’ – Good to Be…
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raise the Roof
Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That
Best Bluegrass Album
The Infamous Stringdusters – Toward the Fray
The Del McCoury Band – Almost Proud
Peter Rowan – Calling You From My Mountain
Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – Crooked Tree
Yonder Mountain String Band – Get Yourself Outside
Best Traditional Blues Album
Gov’t Mule – Heavy Load Blues
Buddy Guy – The Blues Don’t Lie
Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder – Get On Board
John Mayall – The Sun Is Shining Down
Charlie Musselwhite – Mississippi Son
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Shamekia Copeland – Done Come Too Far
Eric Gales – Crown
Ben Harper – Bloodline Maintenance
North Mississippi Allstars – Set Sail
Edgar Winter – Brother Johnny
Best Folk Album
Judy Collins – Spellbound
Madison Cunningham – Revealer
Janis Ian – The Light at the End of the Line
Aofie O’Donovan – Age of Apathy
Punch Brothers – Hell on Church Street
Best Reggae Music
Kabaka Pyramid – The Kalling
Koffee – Gifted
Sean Paul – Scorcha
Protoje – Third Time’s the Charm
Shaggy – Com Fly Wid Mi
Best Global Music Performance
Arooj Aftab and Anoushka Shankar – “Udhero Na”
Matt B and Eddy Kenzo – “Gimme Love”
Burna Boy – “Last Last”
Rocky Dawuni featuring Blvk H3ro – “Neva Bow Down”
Wouter Kellerman, Zaken Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode – “Bayethe”
Best Global Music Album
Berklee Indian Ensemble – Shuruaat
Burna Boy – Love, Damini
Angélique Kidjo and Ibrahim Maalouf – Queen of Sheba
Anoushka Shankar, Metropole Orkest and Jules Buckley featuring Manu Delago – Between Us… (Live)
Masa Takumi – Sakura
Best Comedy Album
Dave Chappelle – The Closer
Jim Gaffigan – Comedy Monster
Randy Rainbow – A Little Brains, A Little Talent
Louis C.K. – Sorry
Patton Oswalt – We All Scream
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Jamie Foxx – Act Like You Got Some Sense
Mel Brooks – All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World
Viola Davis – Finding Me
Questlove – Music is History
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Beyoncé – “Be Alive” (from King Richard)
Taylor Swift – “Carolina” (from Where the Crawdads Sing)
Lady Gaga – “Hold My Hand” (from Top Gun: Maverick)
Jessy Wilson featuring Angélique Kidjo – “Keep Rising (The Woman King)” (from The Woman King)
4*Town (Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell) – “Nobody Like U” (from Turning Red)
Lin-Manuel Miranda – “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (from Encanto)
Best Music Video
Adele – “Easy on Me”
BTS – “Yet to Come”
Doja Cat – “Woman”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well: The Short Film”
Best Music Film
Adele One Night Only – Adele
Our World – Justin Bieber
Billie Eilish Live at the O2 – Billie Eilish
Motomami (Rosalía Tiktok Live Performance) – Rosalía
Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story – Various Artists
A Band A Brotherhood A Barn – Neil Young and Crazy Horse
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Boi-1da
Dahi
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen
Nija Charles
Tobias Jesso, Jr.
The-Dream
Laura Veltz
