The Nominees: Song Of The Year
Next general category up in our pre-Grammys preview: Song of the Year.
Just a refresher from yesterday: Song of the Year is one of two awards to serve as a prize for a song in a general capacity, rather than a genre field (like Best Pop Performance, or Best Rap Song, etc.). The other, of course, is Record Of The Year. Annually, the inevitable question from reasonable people-- myself included --is, what is the difference between the two? To be honest, I've never really known a good answer, so, from the horse's mouth: "The Record Of The Year category recognizes the artist’s performance as well as the overall contributions of the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) if other than the artist. The Song Of The Year category recognizes the songwriter(s)." Essentially, I think what this is saying is that Record Of The Year is more a trophy for the general production of a song, while Song Of The Year is more about the bare-bones music and lyrics. All that being said, here are the nominees for SOTY, in order from least to most likely to win, according to odds from GoldDerby.com.
"4:44" - Jay-Z
Odds: 50-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 35th
Daniel's Music Ranking: 8/10
Daniel's Lyrics Ranking: 10/10
As is the case with "The Story Of O.J.", nominated for Record Of The Year, it's pleasantly surprising this song grabbed a nomination. This is, undoubtedly, the best track on one of the best albums of the year, so it's more than deserving of its nomination, it's just, you know, the Grammys don't always pick up on that kind of thing. Anyways, Jay's lyricism breaks new ground as an oft-macho rapper's heartfelt and emotional mea culpa to his wife, but also women wronged everywhere. The backing Hannah Williams sample provides the heart-aching female voice this track needs. Even if the Grammys were to genuinely nominate the 5 best songs from every band and artist in the music industry, this track would still stand a good chance of being on the shortlist.
"Issues" - Julia Michaels
Odds: 22-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 11th
Daniel's Music Ranking: 3/10
Daniel's Lyrics Ranking: 7/10
It's not quite the cringe-inducement that last year's 'hit' from Lukas Graham ("7 Years") was, but every year, there's a nominee or two in the Record and/or Song of the Year categories that makes me flee for my noise-cancelling headphones. This year, "Issues" fits the bill. Its nomination isn't too surprising, given its steady presence on the radio in the middle of the year. I feel bad for rooting so strongly against a heartfelt, vulnerable song addressed to a meaningful other, but the unoriginal musical backing, combined with Michaels' voice chatter makes it hard to want this to win out in this major category.
"Despacito" - Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, featuring Justin Bieber
Odds: 5-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Daniel's Music Ranking: 9/10
Daniel's Lyrics Ranking: 5/10
As was stated the other day, the only surprise regarding "Despacito" would be if it didn't win either Song nor Record of the Year. The Latin smash was EVERYWHERE in 2017, and is likely as much of a shoo-in for a Grammy as "Uptown Funk" was in 2015. Song Of The Year might be a little more of an upset than Record Of The Year, as the production is the star here. The lyrics, when translated from Spanish, are not much more than very vivid come-hither. However, its omnipresence, as well as its vivacious Latin musicality, mean this can't be slept on as a contender in this field either.
"That's What I Like" - Bruno Mars
Odds: 9-2
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Daniel's Music Ranking: 8/10
Daniel's Lyrics Ranking: 3/10
One of three or four songs from Bruno's album that ruled the airwaves in 2017, and probably the most melodic of the bunch. So, no surprise that "That's What I Like" made the cut here, and there's a good shot it may take home the award if the Grammys trend towards a more traditional choice. This song is quintessential Bruno: fairly weak lyrics that don't amount to much more than describing how much he'd like to show the object of his affection how much he loves her, but an irresistible tune. And, as is almost always true, Bruno Mars is a performer, end of story; nobody in the game is better at just having fun.
"1-800-273-8255" - Logic, featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid
Odds: 8-11
Peak Chart Position (General): 3rd
Daniel's Music Ranking: 5/10
Daniel's Lyrics Ranking: 5/10
This song is an interesting case. I'm high on the message, not as much the music or the lyrics. What do I mean by that? I find Logic's voice and refrain a bit grating, and the beat nothing special. In fact, the only reason I give it a 5/10 is for Alessia Cara and Khalid's features. In addition, I find the lyrics a bit too simplistic and proclamatory, rather than personal and profound. I think they belie the very serious message they're conveying. That being said, it is a wonderful message, and the song itself has made an impact. I'm guessing that fact will transcend the song's shortcomings in the eyes of voters, and earn it the award.
This field isn't quite as loaded as Record Of The Year, and as a result, I don't expect it to be quite as competitive. Whereas I could foresee any of the nominees in the former finding a way to get the win, I really would only expect "1-800" to garner this one, perhaps with a challenge from Bruno Mars or "Despacito".