As the year begins so too does the mass of awards shows, a whole host of ceremonies that continue throughout much of the year. Amongst all of the various ceremonies celebrating the arts, four stand out above the others, these being the Academy Awards for film, the Emmys for TV, the Tonys for theatrical works and the Grammys for music. With the nominations for the Grammys announced, we at Musicroom felt it would be well worth it to tell you about the nominees ahead of the ceremony on January 26, 2020 along with providing links to the official matching folios below!
Lizzo – Cuz I Love You
Lizzo, or Melissa Viviane Jefferson, brought out her third studio album in April 2019. Across the 33-minute run-time of the standard issue of the album, the singer’s dynamic sound, developed across the previous two albums and various extended plays and mixtapes, is brought to the fore and explored through various genre romps across the record. From the bold opening line “I’m crying… cuz I love you!” through to the pulsing 80’s-inspired nostalgia of ‘Juice’, to the doo-wop-ish arpeggiated tones of ‘Jerome’ and so on. Lizzo struck quite the chord with this breakthrough album, reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as on Billboard’s list of the 50 Best Albums of 2019. Notably, Lizzo has been nominated for a total of 8 awards this year, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for her song ‘Truth Hurts’.
PVG
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
We recently included this album in our Best of 2019 blog post, and for good reason. Eilish has gone from strength to strength since the release of her EP, Don’t Smile at Me (hyperlink PVG), in 2017 when the singer was just 15. In the few years since, the singer has shifted her image and sound to one more at home within the realms of experimentation and nightmares, evidenced by her haunting ‘Bury a Friend’ and subdued ‘Bad Guy’, the latter going on to place top in Billboard’s 100 Best Songs of 2019. Eilish has been nominated for multiple awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for her song ‘Bad Guy’.
PVG – Easy Piano
Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (taken from the extended play 7)
Lil Nas X quite literally exploded into the music industry when he released the song ‘Old Town Road’ in December 2018. Released with a music video made up of footage from the video game Red Dead Redemption 2, released just two months prior, Nas was able to build a large following from both gamers and the general public, especially true upon its re-issue with Billy Ray Cyrus featuring for the sung portions of the track. Riding the wave of this massive success, and setting a record for the fastest an artist has achieved a diamond record, the rapper released his debut EP 7, which is also nominated for Album of the Year, the hit single is nominated for Record of the Year.
PVG
Ariana Grande – thank u, next
The follow-up to her 2018 effort, Sweetener, Grande’s latest album was recorded that same year and greeted with similar fanfare from fans and critics alike. Songs such as ‘Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored’ and ‘7 Rings’, the latter going on to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, only served to cement her status as one of today’s leading pop stars. The album itself was borne out of a troubled time in Grande’s life and served as a cathartic experience for the singer. The singer has been nominated for multiple awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for ‘7 Rings’.
PVG
Taylor Swift – Lover
Taylor Swift’s seventh studio album was described by the singer as “a love letter to love itself”, and from the sound of the title track it’s hard to disagree. The album incorporates all the sounds the singer has experimented with across her career, from country to rock to synth-pop and so on, forming a new yet subtly familiar sound. The album was met with critical praise, with the three singles reaching the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 as well as being placed at number 3 on Billboard’s Best Albums of 2019. Lover Best Pop Vocal Album, with the title track nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
PVG – Piano
Lewis Capaldi – Someone You Loved
Another artist included on our Best of 2019 blog, Lewis Capaldi’s public image and his music appear at odds – on one side of the coin he’s outrageously witty and a natural comedian, on the other he’s heartbroken and making you cry. Despite the sadness associated with Capaldi’s sound, it’s clear that people love it and want even more. ‘Someone You Loved’ went on to enjoy 3 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and is now nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys.
Single – Album
The Lion King – Hans Zimmer & Beyoncé
Disney’s remake of The Lion King featured a star-studded cast, including such actors as Chiwetel Ejiofor and Seth Rogen, with artists Childish Gambino and the reigning queen of pop Beyoncé in the feature roles of Simba and Nala. Beyoncé wrote a brand new song in conjunction with the film’s release, ‘Spirit’, an anthemic pop-gospel ballad that Hans Zimmer himself showered with praise, demanding its inclusion in the finished film. The song charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 6 on the US Hot R&B Songs chart and is nominated for both Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media. The score itself is nominated for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, along with Avengers: Endgame and Game of Thrones: Season 8.
Soundtrack: PVG – Easy Piano – Ukulele
Spirit: PVG