Jon Batiste might be the Grammys biggest surprise: The multi-genre performer and recent Oscar winner made such an impression on voters that he scored the most nominations with 11 on Tuesday.
Batiste earned an album of the year nod for We Are along with record of the year with Freedom, a feel-good ode to the city of New Orleans. His nominations span several genres including R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video.
Jon Batiste performs during the Global Citizen festival on Sept. 25, 2021 in New York.
AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File
Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. each came away with the second-most nominations with eight by the time the Recording Academy was done announcing its nominees for its Jan. 31 show. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo both had seven nods.
Along with Batiste’s surprise domination, another shock was The Weeknd nabbing three nominations after the pop star claimed he would not allow his label to submit his music. Earlier this year, he angrily slammed the Grammys, calling them “corrupt” after he received zero nominations despite 2020’s biggest single, Blinding Lights.
Even though The Weeknd said he would boycott future Grammys, he still became a nominee for his work on album of the year projects, including Doja Cat’s deluxe edition Planet Her and Kanye West’s Donda. His third nomination was for his appearance on West’s single Hurricane, which also features Lil Baby.
“What I like is the fact that no one is thinking about what happened before, what was the controversy, what was the noise, or where was this artist making music last year,” said Harvey Mason jr., the Recording Academy’s CEO. He said voters focused on the “excellence of music” while considering nominees like Batiste and Kacey Musgraves, whose work also crosses over into different categories.
“The voters are truly evaluating music and not getting caught up in the reputations of any other outside noise or any history of artists,” he continued. “With that in mind, I think they’re voting for things that they are acknowledging as excellence.”
Mason said he was pleased with the new peer-driven voting system after seeing the list of nominees. He instituted the 10-3 initiative — which allows the academy’s more than 11,000 members to vote for up to 10 categories in three genres. All voters can vote for the top four awards.
The new system replaced the anonymous nominations review committee — a group that determined the contenders for key awards. Some claimed committee members favoured projects based on personal relationships and promoted projects they favored and worked on.
Harvey knows the new voting system might not be perfect at first, but he believes the initiative will produce fair results in the long run.
“I know we didn’t get every single one perfect,” Harvey said. “I know there will be some people that feel left out or that we missed a nomination here or there. That makes me sad because I don’t want anybody to have that feeling. But I do feel like we’re heading in the right direction. I’m pleased with the way our voters did the work.”
For the first time, the academy expanded the number of nominees in the general field categories from eight to 10. The change impacts categories such as record, album, song of the year and best new artist.
Harvey said the academy increased slots in the general field categories after seeing an uptick voting participation over the past year along with the acceptance of new membership invitations and a high number of more than 21,730 entries submitted for Grammy consideration.
“We thought the timing was right,” he said. “We saw an opportunity to do what the academy does — which is to highlight music, highlight the industry and highlight excellence in a bigger way. With the change in our voting structure, we don’t have the nomination review committee. This gives our voters an opportunity to have their voice heard, but also gives them a chance to have a bigger pool to draw from when it comes time to that one winner that takes home the Grammy.”
Find a list of the nominees in the major categories, below.
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Album of the Year
We Are, Jon Batiste
Love for Sale, Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Back of My Mind, H.E.R.
Montero, Lil Nas X
Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore, Taylor Swift
Donda, Kanye West
Record of the Year
I Still Have Faith in You, ABBA
Freedom, Jon Batiste
I Get a Kick Out of You, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Peaches, Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Kiss Me More, Doja Cat Featuring SZA
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Montero (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
Drivers License, Olivia Rodrigo
Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Song of the Year
Bad Habits, Ed Sheeran
A Beautiful Noise, Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile
Drivers License, Olivia Rodrigo
Fight for You, H.E.R.
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Kiss Me More, Doja Cat Featuring Sza
Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Montero (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
Peaches, Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Best Pop Vocal Album
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Positions, Ariana Grande
Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Solo Performance
Anyone, Justin Bieber
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Positions, Ariana Grande
Drivers License, Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
I Get a Kick Out of You, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Lonely, Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco
Butter, BTS
Higher Power, Coldplay
Kiss Me More, Doja Cat featuring SZA
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Love for Sale, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
’Til We Meet Again (Live), Norah Jones
A Tori Kelly Christmas, Tori Kelly
Ledisi Sings Nina, Ledisi
That’s Life, Willie Nelson
A Holly Dolly Christmas, Dolly Parton
Best New Artist
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie
Best Rap Performance
Family Ties, Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
Up, Cardi B
My Life, J. Cole featuring 21 Savage and Morray
Way 2 Sexy, Drake featuring Future and Young Thug
Thot S–t, Megan Thee Stallion
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Pride Is the Devil, J. Cole featuring Lil Baby
Need to Know, Doja Cat
Industry Baby, Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow
Wusyaname, Tyler, The Creator featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign
Hurricane, Kanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby
Best Rap Song
Bath Salts, DMX featuring Jay-Z and Nas
Best Friend, Saweetie featuring Doja Cat
Family Ties, Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
Jail, Kanye West featuring Jay-Z
My Life, J. Cole featuring 21 Savage & Morray
Best Rap Album
The Off-Season, J. Cole
Certified Lover Boy, Drake
King’s Disease II, Nas
Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, the Creator
Donda, Kanye West
Best R&B Performance
Lost You, Snoh Aalegra
Peaches, Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Damage, H.E.R.
Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Pick Up Your Feelings, Jazmine Sullivan
Best Traditional R&B Performance
I Need You, Jon Batiste
Bring It on Home to Me, BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton and Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal
Born Again, Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper
Fight for You, H.E.R.
How Much Can a Heart Take, Lucky Daye featuring Yebba
Best R&B Song
Damage, H.E.R.
Good Days, SZA
Heartbreak Anniversary, Giveon
Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Pick Up Your Feelings, Jazmine Sullivan
Best Dance Recording
Hero, Afrojack and David Guetta
Loom, Ólafur Arnalds featuring Bonobo
Before, James Blake
Heartbreak, Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
You Can Do It, Caribou
Alive, Rüfüs Du Sol
The Business, Tiësto
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Subconsciously, Black Coffee
Fallen Embers, Illenium
Music Is the Weapon (Reloaded), Major Lazer
Shockwave, Marshmello
Free Love, Sylvan Esso
Judgement, Ten City
Best Rock Album
Power Up, AC/DC
Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A, Black Pumas
No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1, Chris Cornell
Medicine at Midnight, Foo Fighters
McCartney III, Paul McCartney
Best Rock Song
All My Favorite Songs, Weezer
The Bandit, Kings of Leon
Distance, Mammoth Wvh
Find My Way, Paul McCartney
Waiting on a War, Foo Fighters
Best Rock Performance
Shot in the Dark, AC/DC
Know You Better (Live From Capitol Studio A), Black Pumas
Nothing Compares 2 U, Chris Cornell
Ohms, Deftones
Making a Fire, Foo Fighters
Best Metal Performance
Genesis, Deftones
The Alien, Dream Theater
Amazonia, Gojira
Pushing the Tides, Mastodon
The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition), Rob Zombie
Best Alternative Music Album
Shore, Fleet Foxes
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey
Jubilee, Japanese Breakfast
Collapsed in Sunbeams, Arlo Parks
Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent
Best Country Album
Skeletons, Brothers Osborne
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
The Marfa Tapes, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram
The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, Sturgill Simpson
Starting Over, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Solo Performance
Forever After All, Luke Combs
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
All I Do Is Drive, Jason Isbell
Camera Roll, Kacey Musgraves
You Should Probably Leave, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
If I Didn’t Love You, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
Younger Me, Brothers Osborne
Glad You Exist, Dan + Shay
Chasing After You, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home), Elle King and Miranda Lambert
Best Country Song
Better Than We Found It, Maren Morris
Camera Roll, Kacey Musgraves
Cold, Chris Stapleton
Country Again, Thomas Rhett
Fancy Like, Walker Hayes
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
Best Latin Pop Album
Vértigo, Pablo Alborán
Mis Amores, Paula Arenas
Hecho a la Antigua, Ricardo Arjona
Mis Manos, Camilo
Mendó, Alex Cuba
Revelación, Selena Gomez
Best Comedy Album
The Comedy Vaccine, Lavell Crawford
Evolution, Chelsea Handler
Sincerely Louis C.K., Louis C.K.
Thanks For Risking Your Life, Lewis Black
The Greatest Average American, Nate Bargatze
Zero F–ks Given, Kevin Hart
Best Musical Theatre Album
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, Andrew Lloyd Webber (Original Album Cast)
Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater’s Some Lovers, Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater (World Premiere Cast)
Girl From The North Country, Simon Hale (Original Broadway Cast)
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert, Cameron Mackintosh, Lee Mccutcheon and Stephenmetcalfe (The 2020 Les Misérables Staged Concert Company)
Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots, Daniel C. Levine (World Premiere Cast)
The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, Emily Bear (Barlow & Bear)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Cruella
Dear Evan Hansen
In the Heights
One Night in Miami
Respect
Schmigadoon!
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Bridgerton
Dune
The Mandalorian Season 2
The Queen’s Gambit
Soul
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For a complete list of the 2022 Grammy nominees, visit the official Grammys site.
© 2021 The Canadian Press