The Grammy Awards occurred on Sunday, February 2 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time, with a multitude of artists including Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter being nominated for awards for their music in the past year.
This year has seen a notable increase in interest for the Grammys especially as last year had the most streams on music platforms. It can be tough to try to predict who will win each category, but there are front runners in each race. These were our predictions before the actual ceremony.
Album of the Year
Broadcaster’s Pick: “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” by Taylor Swift
Actual Winner: “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé
The battle for Album of the Year seems to be the one most are talking about. The award is one of the most coveted awards at the Grammys which Swift has previously won four times, a record among all artists. Her 2024 Album was announced when she won the same award for “Midnights” at the 2024 Grammys, so we could be seeing a full circle moment if she wins. Her album was also the most streamed album on Spotify last year contributing to her being Spotify’s most streamed artist.
However, there is a huge possibility that Swift will not win the award again. As much as winning the Album of the Year four times previously is an advantage, it also could work against her. Another huge name in the race is Beyoncé, who holds the record for the most Grammys won, but has never won Album of the Year. There’s a big chance that this could be Beyoncé’s year despite the fact that “Cowboy Carter” was not in Spotify’s Top 10 most streamed albums globally or in the US.
Record of the Year
Broadcaster’s Pick: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Actual Winner: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
This was definitely Carpenter’s best year when it comes to her music’s success. This is her first year being nominated for the prestigious ceremony, and a huge part comes from her breakout single. When Spotify announced its most streamed songs of the year, Espresso was the most streamed with over 1.6 billion streams, globally. The song was also the most streamed song in the United States. According to Gold Derby, a media corporation made up of expert journalists from major news sites that predicts outcomes of major award shows like the Oscars and Grammys, has “Espresso” at the top of the odds. “Espresso’s commercial success gives it a large chance of winning the award. The only thing that could stop it from winning is the level of other records in the category. The category also includes major names like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Billie Eilish. There is a chance the award may go to somebody who has been nominated previously and has more experience among the Recording Academy.
Song of the Year
Broadcaster’s Pick: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish
Actual Winner: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
The difference between Record of the Year and Song of the Year comes to how the Academy distinguishes them. According to Syracuse, Record of the Year focuses more on the production and engineering of the record whereas Song of the Year distinguishes the writing and lyrics of the song. Eilish has achieved incredible success at the Grammy, having won nine awards after thirty two nominations. She has also won Song of the Year twice for “Bad Guy” in 2019 and “What Was I Made For” last year. Her hit “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” has gained almost 2 billion streams on Spotify since its release, with her hit album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” gathering over 5.5 billion streams. The song’s lyrics and writing notably give it a solid job of winning the award. Eilish has also won the award previously and had even won all four major awards, Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, at her first Grammys. She is tied for 19th of most Grammys won all time after only five years of being nominated. She is also the youngest artist to win Album of the Year and Record of the Year. If Eilish wins Song of the Year once again, she will hold the record for most Song of the Year wins.
Best New Artist
Broadcaster’s Pick: Chappell Roan
Actual Winner: Chappell Roan
One major reason the Grammys have so much attention this year is the battle for Best New Artist. The two biggest names in the mix are Sabrina Carpenter and “overnight sensation”, Chappell Roan. Roan blew up with her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”, an album that perfectly captures her struggles and successes as a queer woman from the midwest. Her songs also had a huge impact on TikTok with hits like “Hot to Go” and “Pink Pony Club” appealing to a large audience. Roan holds six nominations for her first ever Grammys, being one of only two artists to be nominated for Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, the other being Carpenter. Chappell Roan’s major hit in 2024 was “Good Luck Babe!”, being the fifth most viral song globally and the sixth most streamed in the United States. She also held the fifth most streamed album in the United States in 2024. The main reason Roan is ahead of Carpenter is the question of whether Carpenter is a new artist. “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” is Roan’s debut album whereas Carpenter released her sixth album in contrast. The Academy is more likely to give the award to an artist who is truly new to the industry instead of Carpenter who has been in the industry for almost a decade.
