[UPDATE 1/19/22]: The 64th annual Grammy Awards will take place on April 3rd, 2022 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, the Recording Academy announced. Music’s governing body earlier this month postponed the Grammys from January 31st at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA amidst surging COVID-19 cases. For more information, head here.
[11/23/21]: The Recording Academy has announced its full list of nominations for the 2022 Grammy Awards, set to air on Monday, January 31st on CBS and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
Our tastes in music here at Live For Live Music often do not overlap with the mainstream fare featured at the annual awards show, but the list of 2022 Grammy nominees does include plenty of acts we love—even in the “Big Four” categories.
The Record of the Year contest features a crowded field of decorated nominees including Brandi Carlile (“Right On Time“), who took home five nods; Silk Sonic (“Leave The Door Open“), who nabbed four nominations; and Jon Batiste (“Freedom“), who led all nominees with 11 total nods. Of note, all of Silk Sonic’s nominations came from single “Leave The Door Open”, as the Anderson .Paak/Bruno Mars super-duo’s debut LP did not arrive until after the eligibility period had ended.
The Album of the Year race also includes Batiste (WE ARE) as well as H.E.R. (Back of My Mind), Billie Eilish (Happier Than Ever), Olivia Rodrigo (Sour), Taylor Swift (Evermore), Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (Love For Sale), Justin Bieber (Justice – Triple Chucks Deluxe), Doja Cat (Planet Her), and Kanye West (Donda).
In the Song of the Year category, which honors songwriters, the creative alliances behind H.E.R.’s “Fight For You“; Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open”; Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” ft. SZA; Ed Sheeran‘s “Bad Habits“; and Brandi Carlile’s “Right On Time” all got nods.
The Best New Artist field also presents an eclectic mix of artists including Pakistani composer Arooj Aftab; country singer Jimmie Allen; rapper Baby Keem, who found success on a Best Rap Performance-nominated single with his cousin, Kendrick Lamar; hitmaker FINNEAS, who recently stepped out on his own after earning a stable of Grammys for his work with his sister, Billie Eilish; British indie-rockers Glass Animals; Michelle Zauner-lead indie outfit Japanese Breakfast; young Australian singer The Kid LAROI; British singer-songwriter-poet Arlo Parks; Disney Channel kid-turned-pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo; and platinum-selling rapper Saweetie.
Related: Women Dominate Across Genres At 2021 Grammy Awards [Recap]
Categories like Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album feature favorites like Norah Jones, Ledisi, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, while Mark Lettieri, known for his work in bands like Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers, got a nod in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album field.
In the Rock categories (Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance), the 2022 Grammy nominees range from AC/DC to Black Pumas to Deftones to Foo Fighters to Paul McCartney, and even the late Chris Cornell (for his posthumous No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1 covers compilation). In the “Best Alternative Music Album” category, St. Vincent also got a well-deserved nomination for Daddy’s Home.
In the R&B categories (Best R&B Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album), Silk Sonic, H.E.R., Jon Batiste, Leon Bridges, Lucky Daye ft. YEBBA, Jazmine Sullivan, and more got nominations. The “Best Progressive R&B Album” category also includes nods to some of our favorites, including Cory Henry (Something To Say); Hiatus Kaiyote (Mood Valiant); Lucky Daye (Table For Two); and Dinner Party: Dessert, from the collaborative unit of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington.
The Best Country Solo Performance features nominations for Jason Isbell (Johnny Cash’s “All I Do Is Drive“) and Chris Stapleton (“You Should Probably Leave”), while Sturgill Simpson picked up a nod for Best Country Album (The Ballad of Dood & Juanita).
In the Roots and Americana categories, we have nominations for a broad swath of L4LM favorites including Jon Batiste, Billy Strings, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Béla Fleck, Yola, Jackson Browne, Los Lobos, and Brandy Clark & Brandi Carlile. Carlile’s own solo projects, however, were not nominated in the Americana category but rather in the Pop category, much to her chagrin.
The field for Best Bluegrass Album is led by returning 2021 winner Billy Strings (Renewal) alongside Béla Fleck (My Bluegrass Heart), The Infamous Stringdusters (A Tribute To Bill Monroe), Sturgill Simpson (Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1: Butcher Shoppe Sessions), and Rhonda Vincent (Music Is What I See).
Blues Traveler also got a nod in the Best Traditional Blues Album category for Traveler’s Blues, and the Best Contemporary Blues Album category features the likes of The Black Keys (Delta Kream), Joe Bonamassa (Royal Tea), Shemekia Copeland (Uncivil War), and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram (662).
Check out the full list of 2022 Grammy Award nominees here.
2022 Grammy Nominations – Official Announcement Stream