The GRAMMY Awards, which are regarded as the most prominent and celebrated night in the music industry, have historically been male-dominated. From the success of Charli XCX’s album leading to “Brat” Summer to Chappell Roan’s astounding breakthrough, 2024 was the year for women in music; The Recording Academy seems to agree. This year’s nominations signal that the 2025 GRAMMYs will be ladies’ night, as six of eight nominees for both Song and Record of the Year are women. The 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards are set for less than a month away on February 2nd, so let’s crack down on who is set to take home the biggest awards.Â
Best New Artist
Two female artists are vying to take home Best New Artist—Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. Carpenter took the world by storm with “Espresso” and “Please Please Please”, both singles from her successful summer album “Short n’ Sweet.” Roan’s unique style and sound for her 2024 album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” captured the attention of both critics and fans. However, don’t be surprised if Doechii or Bensone Boone win this award, as both also impacted the music industry in 2024. This award, previously taken home by the likes of Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Olivia Rodrigo, signals the relevance of this award to an artist’s success in the music industry’s future.
Song of the Year
This year’s nominees for Song of the Year present a tight race, one that is forefronted by Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather.” Eilish has won this award twice with “Bad Guy” and “What Was I Made For?”, and would make history as the first artist to win the award in back-to-back years if successful this year. The groundbreaking diss track from Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”, and Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile” are favored to take home the Song of the Year award. Other nominees include Taylor Swift, who has been nominated for Song of the Year eight times yet never won and is nominated for “Fortnight” with Post Malone.Â
Record of the Year
Record of the Year celebrates the hit songs of the year, and out of the nominees, there is one that stands out as a clear favorite: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. “Espresso” was the song in 2024 that I could not seem to escape, and for a good reason. With its playful lyrics and infectious groove, Carpenter’s hit has already been listed on Pitchfork’s 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far. The Record of the Year champs in the last decade have all been top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and other nominees who have accomplished this are Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, and Beyonce.
Album of the Year
Album of the Year is the most prestigious award of the night, and there are several possible outcomes. Beyonce, who has never won the award, is nominated for “Cowboy Carter,” and the odds are looking towards her first win in this category. One dark horse in this race is “Brat” by Charli XCX, who produced hit after hit this summer, including “360,” “Apple,” and “Guess” with Billie Eilish. Other nominees in the running include two former winners, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift for “Hit Me Hard and Soft” and “The Tortured Poets Department”, respectively. Out of these picks, I predict“Hit Me Hard and Soft” or “Brat” will win due to their cultural impact in 2024. Stay tuned to find out on February 2nd!
Make sure you tune in to CBS on Sunday, February 2nd to watch the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. If you don’t already have plans, join us in celebrating this night with GRAMMY U’s Official Telecast at the URBN Annex.