The Nominees: Record Of The Year
Harry Styles, long overlooked by the Grammys, found success this year with hit single "As It Was." Will his biggest song to date, his first-ever nomination for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year, earn him enough admirers in the Recording Academy to clinch one or both awards?
We're now just 10 days away from the 2023 Grammys, which means it's time to preview another general category at the ceremony. In case you missed it, here is my breakdown of the Best New Artist field, and of the Song of the Year nominees. Next award up in our pre-Grammys bonanza: Record of the Year!
Just a refresher from our last piece: Record 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 Song 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. That hasn't necessarily held up when considering the last several winners: Adele's "Hello" beat Beyoncé's "Formation" for both awards, despite the latter having unequivocally more impressive production. In 2018, Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" beat out the extremely favored summer smash hit "Despacito." And last year, Silk Sonic's "Leave The Door Open" became the 7th track in the last decade to win both awards, which provided little clarity. So, despite what the award's stated intentions are, voting might simply come down to which one of the big radio hits the voters liked the most. All that being said, here are the nominees, in order from least to most likely to win, according to odds from GoldDerby.com.
"Good Morning Gorgeous" - Mary J. Blige
Odds: 22-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 83rd
Peak Chart Position (R&B/Hip-Hop): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 6/10
Mary J. Blige, the Queen of R&B, was one of the more surprising winners from the Grammy nomination announcement. Her six nominations on the night, which included Album of The Year for Good Morning Gorgeous and this one for its titular single, were bettered only by Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Adele and Brandi Carlile, all nominated for Record of the Year as well. This is a mildly surprising nominee, because despite performing tremendously well on R&B radio specifically, "Good Morning Gorgeous" didn't make too much of an impact on mainstream radio. Its production also isn't particularly noteworthy, using a basic R&B beat and letting Queen Mary's powerhouse vocals do the heavy lifting. Still, this is a very good track on the whole, and the production does include a couple nice touches, such as including the emotive strings but at a quiet volume so as not to over-dramatize an already-emotional song.
"Woman" - Doja Cat
Odds: 18-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 7th
Peak Chart Position (R&B/Hip-Hop): 2nd
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 9/10
This marks the third straight year with a Record of the Year nod for Doja Cat, an artist I have often described as wildly inconsistent. When I say that, I mean that every song I hear of hers either is an absolute banger or makes me turn the channel instantly. There is no in-between. Fortunately, as was the case with "Kiss Me More" and "Say So," her last two ROTY nominees, "Woman" falls into the former category. This is thanks in no small part to the sleek production from Yeti Beats, who complements Doja's vocals expertly with a smooth, up-tempo Afrobeat style. In a year bloated with high-quality nominees, "Woman" is neither the biggest nor the best candidate, and thus a Grammy win would be very surprising. But I can't say it would be altogether undeserved.
"Don't Shut Me Down" - ABBA
Odds: 16-1
Peak Chart Position (General): n/a
Peak Chart Position (Pop/Rock): n/a
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 9/10
Who would have thought that, after never landing a single Grammy nomination in all their years of existence, ABBA would finally see major Grammy recognition in 2022 and 2023? One year after scoring a stunning Record of the Year nod for "I Still Have Faith In You," the kings and queens of 70s pop are back in the category this year for another track off their 2021 album Voyager, "Don't Shut Me Down." Just like their recognition last year, their inclusion in this field was not expected in the least, as "Don't Shut Me Down" didn't chart on the radar stateside at all. Unlike last year, though, it's a wholly deserving recognition; the production on this track is vintage ABBA: bouncy, contagious and catchy. Truth be told, were it a different artist or band, I might consider the production a little hokey, but that's only because it would come across to me as a cheap ABBA knockoff; not the case when it's the O.G.s themselves! I alluded to this with Bonnie Raitt in the Song of the Year preview, and I'll say it again: upsetting a slew of younger, more relevant, largely non-white nominees for a 'career achievement' award for the older vets would be the most Grammys thing ever. And yet... "Don't Shut Me Down" is such a bop that I don't think I could be too angry with an upset victory.
"The Heart Part 5" - Kendrick Lamar
Odds: 15-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 15th
Peak Chart Position (R&B/Hip-Hop): 5th
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 10/10
This marks the first of several double nominees in this list, songs tabbed for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year, and I could not be sadder that of that group, "The Heart Part 5" has the highest odds for success. I suppose I can't be too surprised; "The Heart" was not exactly a radio smash-- far from Kendrick Lamar's biggest --and considering how lyrics-driven it is, it's probably better suited for a Song of the Year victory than Record of the Year. Still, this is a good enough track to warrant both major awards, and the production on it is immaculate. It may seem simple enough to have Kendrick rapping over a Marvin Gaye sample, but the rapper and Dave Free had some genius touches. Drawing the simple piano-and-drum riff to mirror (and not overwhelm) Lamar's verses, timing the crescendo for the chorus, dropping out completely for a moment of silence before his verse from the perspective of the slain Nipsey Hussle, and bringing the drums back in solely to resemble a "heartbeat"... masterful stuff. I said this in the Song of the Year preview: although I'm not getting my hopes up in the least, I think there's a path to victory here for Lamar in the same vein that Childish Gambino's "This Is America" won both Record and Song of the Year in 2019; by simply being undeniably, night-and-day better and more impactful than all other comers.
"You and Me on the Rock" - Brandi Carlile (feat. Lucius)
Odds: 15-1
Peak Chart Position (General): n/a
Peak Chart Position (Alternative): n/a
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 5/10
Brandi Carlile, long revered in folk and Americana circles, has become equally adored by the Grammys late into her career. Having only earned 1 nomination through her first six albums, she's suddenly scored 24 nominations (including this year) and 6 wins in the last four years alone. It's well-deserved recognition, to be sure, but unexpected all the same; and the amount of Grammy clout has, for the third year running now, taken me by surprise. Where the double nod for lead single "Right On Time" last year was a mild surprise, the repeat nomination for "You and Me on the Rock," off the same album, is pretty stunning. The song made little headway on the radio, and while a nice tune, has pretty minimal production value. Carlile, with the accompaniment of indie-pop outfit Lucius, does all the work without much mixing and mastering needed. Again, I won't ever complain about Brandi getting the recognition she deserves, but I have to say a win for this category would be as uninspired as it would be surprising.
"Bad Habit" - Steve Lacy
Odds: 14-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Peak Chart Position (R&B/Hip-Hop): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 7/10
Another double nominee on the night, Steve Lacy's breakthrough hit clocks in with better odds in this race than it holds for Song of the Year. That's not altogether surprising; it was a sensation this last year, reaching #1 in the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the first song ever to simultaneously hold the top spot in the R&B, Hip-Hop, and Rock & Alternative charts. It's a banger, to be sure, and if you read my song of the Year preview, you'll know I find the musical aspect a lot more interesting than the lyrical content. I don't think the production is without its flaws, however; the isolation of his vocals goes on a bit too long and makes the bridge feel needlessly aggressive, and the beatboxing outro stalls the momentum of the track. Still, were it to pull a Grammy night surprise, there are far more offensive winners to me than this one.
"About Damn Time" - Lizzo
Odds: 13-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Peak Chart Position (Pop/Rock): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 10/10
Lizzo's megasmash "About Damn Time" did the same thing "Truth Hurts" did for her in 2019; earn her a place atop the radio charts, and a double nomination for Song and Record of the Year along with a nod for Best Pop Solo Performance. Interestingly enough, although "Truth Hurts" seemed bigger and more omnipresent than "About Damn Time" was, her chances might be better this time around, since she doesn't have to go up against the behemoths of Billie Eilish and Li'l Nas X's record-setting singles. There's also the not-insignificant matter of it just being really freaking good. The production is note-perfect here; although I like Lizzo's voice and cheeky lyricism, that's not why I listen to this song over and over without getting tired of it. No, that's down entirely to the thumping bass, nu-disco beat, and little touches like the jazz flute interludes, likely performed by the artist herself. In a quality crop of nominees, this track has the chops to win it.
"BREAK MY SOUL" - Beyoncé
Odds: 23-2
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Peak Chart Position (R&B/Hip-Hop): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 10/10
Despite becoming the most-awarded female artist, most-awarded singer, and second-most-awarded artist in general in Grammy history two years ago, Beyoncé famously has almost entirely struck out on the "major" awards. Her lone major category win, in 2010 for "Single Ladies," was for Song of the Year. Despite 6 bites of the cherry, she's never taken home Record of the Year. Will #7 be lucky for her? "BREAK MY SOUL" very well might be the one that gets Queen B across that line, something not even "Crazy In Love," nor "Single Ladies," nor "Formation" could do. It was, after all, her first #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit since 2008 ("Irreplaceable," which also was nominated for but lost Record of the Year), an international sensation (topping charts in many other countries, including Australia, Canada and the UK), and a radical departure from much of her previous work. To borrow a reference from the artist herself, The Dream's production on this track was, in a word, flawless. An ode to house music, the dance-pop banger is effortlessly addictive, and the beat perfectly frames both her gorgeous singing vocals and impressive rapping. This, too, would be a deserving winner, and a surprise only because of the Grammys' proclivity to not give her the recognition she deserves.
"As It Was" - Harry Styles
Odds: 11-1
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Peak Chart Position (Pop/Rock): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 9/10
To nobody's surprise, Harry Styles' "As It Was," another single that dominated 2022, landed a double nod for Song and Record of the Year as well. Styles, despite being part of the most successful boy band of the last decade, and then being the biggest solo star from said group, has not seen much Grammy success. One Direction were, shockingly, entirely shut out of the awards their entire tenure, and then Styles' solo debut landed no nominations. His last album, Fine Line, finally scored him 3 nominations in 2021, but only 1 win, for Best Pop Solo ("Watermelon Sugar"). With six nominations on the night, though, and his positioning as the biggest Pop act of 2022, this may finally be his year to break through. What's more, this award in particular likely represents his best bet at a major category victory. "As It Was" was far and away the biggest hit in the last year of all nominee, and although the production itself isn't eye-popping, it's sneaky good. The tag-team of Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson did an expert job of accentuating the 80s-era synth and guitars, and letting Styles' more restrained, melancholy vocals lead the song rather than overpower them with accompaniment. The drum-kick lead-in to the bells in the cathartic outro was also a nice touch.
"Easy On Me" - Adele
Odds: 21-2
Peak Chart Position (General): 1st
Peak Chart Position (Pop/Rock): 1st
Daniel's Production Value Rating: 5/10
If someone is going to stop Styles' or Beyonce's breakthrough moment, though, you have to imagine it will be Adele. The Brit's batting average at the Grammys is insane: 4 studio albums, 25 Grammy nominations (including her 7 from this year), and 15 wins out of her 18 previous nominations. All three of her losses were all the way back in 2009, when "Chasing Pavements" whiffed on Song and Record of the Year, as well as Best Pop Solo, but still earned her Best New Artist. So clearly, the Recording Academy adores every bit as much, if not more than, the general public does. "Easy On Me" is a nice tune, another likable output from one of the most, and broke streaming records with its release in Fall 2021, so there's . To be quite honest, though, its production is not impressive in the least. Longtime collaborator Greg Kurstin doesn't do anything to hamper the track, but all that's there to mix is a simple piano ballad, while Adele's powerful voice takes charge. It plays like a less-impactful version of many of her previous hits. And yet? I'll sign off in a similar fashion that I concluded the Song of the Year preview with: given its thematic similarities to her two previous Record of the Year winners, you can see why it's the presumed frontrunner this year.
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