2025 Grammy Awards Nominations: Who Should, Could and Will Win

Riley Watkins

Music Journalist

It’s that time of year again! “For what? Thanksgiving? Christmas?” I hear you asking. Tis finally the season for award shows! 

In the rapidly shifting landscape of how we consume media, award shows have seemed to become lost in the mix. I believe this is especially the case with the Grammy’s, as they are not as vital to the success of artists anymore.  

It is easier than ever for musicians to produce and release their music independently, meaning that an artist can find success within their niche without getting nominated. To elaborate, compare the significance of different awards. In movie trailers the big-time actors featured will have the title “Academy Award Winner” next to their name. That statement holds weight and draws people into the theater. Winning an Oscar is much more vital to an actor’s success than a Grammy is to a musician. 

So, if Grammy’s don’t matter, who cares about who’s nominated anymore? For some reason, I do! Despite the academy, in my opinion, consistently making the incorrect choices, favoring artists that know how to mooch up to them and blatantly ignoring certain international categories when it comes to screen time, I can’t help but watch in terror every year to see who wins.  

No matter how upsetting it is to see who wins and loses, it’s a form of entertainment that I’ve grown quite fond of. Here are my thoughts on some of the nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards. 

Album of The Year 

Sometimes the obvious answer also happens to be the correct one. I don’t remember the last time an album had a chokehold on American culture quite like BRAT did this summer. Not only is BRAT vastly influential, it is also the most interesting and experimental album of this bunch. 

It’s exciting to see the academy give André 3000 some credit for his jazz excursion New Blue Sun, and I did really like HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, COWBOY CARTER and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. I wouldn’t be surprised if they give the award to COWBOY CARTER to make amends with Beyoncé for her losing to Harry Styles in 2022. Unfortunately, they’ll probably just throw it to Taylor Swift (again). 

Song of the Year 

It’s important to establish what exactly the difference is between “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year”. While the former is for the actual composition and songwriting itself, the latter is more so about the complete package taking into account the production and performance. 

I’m totally biased towards Kendrick Lamar, and any award that he’s nominated for is one that I want to see him win. Other than that, I think this category has some tracks with really solid songwriting. “Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish are both ridiculously catchy, but “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan with lyrics like “You’d have to stop the world just to stop the feeling” is my pick. 

Best New Artist 

As nice as it would be to see this award go to Doechii, who impressed with her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, or Khruangbin, this is kind of a two-horse race, right? I don’t see any possible future where this award is won by anyone other than Carpenter or Roan. 

Looking at the recent recipients of this award, it tends to go to the female pop star who released the most hits of the year (Olivia Rodrigo in 2022, Billie Eilish in 2020 and Dua Lipa in 2019). Despite the dominating success of Carpenter’s hits “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” I personally thought Short n’ Sweet left much to be desired. That’s why I would give this award to Roan who has been releasing earworm after earworm and really exploded onto the scene with “Good Luck, Babe!” 

Best Alternative Music Album 

While it’s great to see Clairo get some recognition for Charm, a delightfully relaxing album, I would love to see this award go to What Now by Brittany Howard. Whether it be the punchy drums in “Patience”, the haunting vocals on “To Be Still” or the meditative chimes on “Earth Sign”, this album is filled to the brim with career-defining moments for the already prolific Howard.  

All the albums nominated in this category are quite good, but I will say Vampire Weekend’s Only God Was Above Us is my pick for the biggest snub of this year’s Grammys. The fact that their previous effort Father of the Bride garnered two nominations including “Album of the Year”, but their newest album received zero totally baffles me.  

Best Rap Album 

I am immensely disappointed by the nominations for this category. While seeing Doechii get nominated for Alligator Bites Never Heal was a pleasant surprise, the rest of the albums nominated left much to be desired. 

I don’t even think J. Cole wanted to get nominated for Might Delete Later; Cole deleted the most popular song on the album from all streaming services after realizing the battle between Kendrick and Drake had nothing to do with him.  

What’s most disappointing is the albums that could’ve been nominated instead. ScHoolboy Q, JPEGMAFIA, Anderson. Paak, MAVI, Denzel Curry and Vince Staples all released fantastic records this year that would’ve been awesome to see get a nod from the academy. Despite all this, I’m rooting for Doechii. 

Overall, the Grammy nominations for this year were about the same as they are every year. Of course there were some obvious selections, some shocking snubs and some artists who annually get love from the academy. The predictable nature of award shows is a part of the reason as to why I think their viewership has been on a steady decline since the turn of the century. When it is obvious who’s going to get nominated, and more importantly who’s going to win, what’s the point in tuning in? 

Regardless, I will be there in front of the television on the night of February 2, 2025.