Beyoncé led nominations for the 2021 Grammy Awards on Tuesday with nine nods, followed by Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift and rapper Roddy Ricch, who got six apiece.
Dublin rock band Fontaines DC received a best rock album nomination for A Hero’s Death, which was released this summer to critical acclaim.
"Swaying between the two states, A Hero's Death progressively calms down, by turn meditative, volatile and benevolent," wrote Tony Clayton-Lea in his review of the album in July 2020.
Swift and British singer Dua Lipa will compete for the top prize – album of the year – along with R&B singer Post Malone, British band Coldplay, female band Haim, avant-garde British artist Jacob Collier, American soul band Black Pumas and American alternative R&B singer Jhene Aiko.
Fontaines DC will compete in the best rock album category against The Strokes, Grace Porter, Sturgill Simpson and Michael Kiwanuka, who won the Mercury Prize this year.
The biggest shutout was Canadian singer The Weeknd, who had been widely expected to rack up several nominations for his critically acclaimed, commercially successful album After Hours.
Bob Dylan was also a no-show despite the acclaim for his first album of new music in eight years, Rough and Rowdy Ways.
K-pop sensation BTS got a nod for their single Dynamite in the best pop group performance field but were left out of the top three categories.
The Grammys, the highest honours in the music industry, will be handed out at a ceremony in Los Angeles on January 31st hosted by Trevor Noah.
Beyoncé’s nominations came mostly from her song Black Parade, which celebrated Black culture and activism and was released during a summer of nationwide protests over systemic racism and police killings of Black people in the United States.
Black Parade will compete in the song and record of the year categories, along with Dua Lipa’s pop hit Don’t Start Now. Swift’s coronavirus lockdown album Folklore is up for album of the year while her single Cardigan was among the song of the year categories.
The best new artist field included rappers Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat, as well as alternative artist Phoebe Bridgers.
Last year’s big Grammy winner, 18-year-old Billie Eilish, nabbed four nods this time, mostly for her ballad Everything I Wanted.
The Recording Academy, whose members select the nominees and vote on the winners, in June announced tighter rules regarding potential conflicts of interest after claims that the selection process was open to rigging.
Under the rule, members of the committees that nominate artists for the Grammys must declare in advance whether they have any financial, family or other ties to artists being considered. – Reuters
Grammys 2021: Full list of nominations
Record of the Year
Black Parade, Beyoncé
Colors, Black Pumas
Rockstar, DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
Say So, Doja Cat
Everything I Wanted, Billie Eilish
Don't Start Now, Dua Lipa
Circles, Post Malone
Savage, Megan Thee Stallion
Album of the Year
Chilombo, Jhené Aiko
Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition), Black Pumas
Everyday Life, Coldplay
Djesse Vol. 3, Jacob Collier
Women in Music Pt. III, Haim
Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa
Hollywood's Bleeding, Post Malone
Folklore, Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
Black Parade, Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim Kaydence Krysiuk and Rickie Caso Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
The Box, Samuel Gloade and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
Cardigan, Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
Circles, Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post and Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)
Don’t Start Now, Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa and Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
Everything I Wanted, Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
I Can’t Breathe, Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
If the World Was Ending, Julia Michaels and JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels)
Best New Artist
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
Best Pop Solo Performance
Yummy, Justin Bieber
Say So, Doja Cat
Everything I Wanted, Billie Eilish
Don't Start Now, Dua Lipa
Watermelon Sugar, Harry Styles
Cardigan, Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Un Dia (One Day), J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy
Intentions, Justin Bieber featuring Quavo
Dynamite, BTS
Rain on Me, Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
Exile, Taylor Swift featuring Bon Iver
Best Pop Vocal Album
Changes, Justin Bieber
Chromatica, Lady Gaga
Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa
Fine Line, Harry Styles
Folklore, Taylor Swift
Best Rock Performance
Shameika, Fiona Apple
Not, Big Thief
Kyoto, Phoebe Bridgers
The Steps, Haim
Stay High, Brittany Howard
Daylight, Grace Potter
Best Rock Album
A Hero's Death, Fontaines DC
Kiwanuka, Michael Kiwanuka
Daylight, Grace Potter
Sound & Fury, Sturgill Simpson
The New Abnormal, The Strokes
Best Alternative Music Album
Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Fiona Apple
Hyperspace, Beck
Punisher, Phoebe Bridgers
Jamie, Brittany Howard
The Slow Rush, Tame Impala
Best R&B Performance
Lightning & Thunder, Jhené Aiko featuring John Legend
Black Parade, Beyoncé
All I Need, Jacob Collier featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla Sign
Goat Head, Brittany Howard
See Me, Emily King
Best R&B Song
Better Than I Imagine, Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello and Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello)
Black Parade, Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim Kaydence Krysiuk and Rickie Caso Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
Collide, Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar and Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 and Earthgang)
Do It, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Mone´t, Scott Storch and Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
Slow Down, Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson and Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley and H.E.R.)
Best Progressive R&B Album
Chilombo, Jhené Aiko
Ungodly Hour, Chloe X Halle
Free Nationals, Free Nationals
Yo Feelings, Robert Glasper
It Is What It Is, Thundercat
Best Rap Performance
Deep Reverence, Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle
Bop, DaBaby
What's Poppin, Jack Harlow
The Bigger Picture, Lil Baby
Savage, Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
Dior, Pop Smoke
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Rockstar, DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
Laugh Now, Cry Later, Drake featuring Lil Durk
Lockdown, Anderson .Paak
The Box, Roddy Ricch
Highest in the Room, Travis Scott
Best Rap Song
The Bigger Picture, Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew and Rai'shaun Williams, songwriters (Lil Baby)
The Box, Samuel Gloade and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
Laugh Now, Cry Later, Durk Banks, Roge´t Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour and Ryan Martinez, songwriters (Drake featuring Lil Durk)
Rockstar, Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch)
Savage, Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe and Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé)
Best Rap Album
Black Habits, D Smoke
Alfredo, Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist
A Written Testimony, Jay Electronica
King's Disease, Nas
The Allegory, Royce Da 5'9
Best Country Solo Performance
Stick That in Your Country Song, Eric Church
Who You Thought I Was, Brandy Clark
When My Amy Prays, Vince Gill
Black Like Me, Mickey Guyton
Bluebird, Miranda Lambert
Best Country Song
Bluebird, Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby and Miranda Lambert, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
The Bones, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
Crowded Table, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna, songwriters (The Highwomen)
More Hearts Than Mine, Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland, songwriters (Ingrid Andress)
Some People Do, Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Matthew Ramsey and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Old Dominion)
Best Country Album
Lady Like, Ingrid Andress
Your Life Is a Record, Brandy Clark
Wildcard, Miranda Lambert
Nightfall, Little Big Town
Never Will, Ashley McBryde
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
YHLQMDLG, Bad Bunny
Por Primera Vez, Camilo
Mesa Para Dos, Kany Garci´a
Pausa, Ricky Martin
3:33, Debi Nova
Best American Roots Performance
Colors, Black Pumas
Deep in Love, Bonny Light Horseman
Short and Sweet, Brittany Howard
I'll Be Gone, Norah Jones and Mavis Staples
I Remember Everything, John Prine
Best Global Music Album
Fu Chronicles, Antibalas
Twice as Tall, Burna Boy
Agora, Bebel Gilberto
Love Letters, Anoushka Shankar
Amadjar, Tinariwen
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Dave Cobb
Flying Lotus
Andrew Watt
Best Music Film
Beastie Boys Story, Beastie Boys
Black Is King, Beyoncé
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme, Freestyle Love Supreme
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, Linda Ronstadt
That Little Ol' Band From Texas, ZZ Top
