December 21, 2024
Grammy Picks & Predictions

Awards season is just around the corner, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t itching to find out who will win. 2021 has been a year filled with knockout music, making it extremely difficult to predict who will win each category, and even harder to choose who you want to win. Regardless, Hills West Media has risen to the challenge. Here are two of our writers’ picks and predictions for the 2022 Grammys.

Record of the Year Nominations:

  • 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

(S) Pick: I Get A Kick Out Of You – Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga;

Prediction: drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo

(R) Pick: Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X;

Prediction: Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic

Album of the Year Nominations:

  • We Are – Jon Batiste
  • Love For Sale – Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
  • Justice – Justin Bieber
  • Planet Her – 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

(S) Pick: Montero – Lil Nas X;

Prediction: Evermore – Taylor Swift

(R) Pick: Donda – Kanye West;

Prediction: Evermore – Taylor Swift

Song of the Year Nominations:

  • 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 & Giveon)
  • Right On Time – Brandi Carlile

(S) Pick: drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo;

Prediction: drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo

(R) Pick: Montero (Call Me By Your Name) – Lil Nas X

Prediction: Kiss Me More – Doja Cat (featuring SZA)

Best New Artist Nominations:

  • Arooj Aftab
  • Jimmie Allen
  • Baby Keem
  • FINNEAS
  • Glass Animals
  • Japanese Breakfast
  • The Kid LAROI
  • Arlo Parks
  • Olivia Rodrigo
  • Saweetie

(S) Pick: Glass Animals;

Prediction: Olivia Rodrigo

(R) Pick: FINNEAS;

Prediction: Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Solo Performance Nominations:

  • Anyone – Justin Bieber
  • Right On Time – Brandi Carlile
  • Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish
  • Positions – Ariana Grande
  • drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo

(S) Pick: drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo;

Prediction: Positions – Ariana Grande

(R) Pick: drivers license – Olivia Rodrigo;

Prediction: Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance Nominations:

  • I Get A Kick Out Of You – Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
  • Lonely – Justin Bieber & Benny Blanco
  • Butter – BTS
  • Higher Power – Coldplay
  • Kiss Me More – Doja Cat (featuring SZA)

(S) Pick: I Get A Kick Out Of You – Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga;

Prediction: Kiss Me More – Doja Cat (featuring SZA)

(R) Pick: Kiss Me More – Doja Cat (featuring SZA);

Prediction: Higher Power – Coldplay

Best R&B Performance Nominations:

  • Lost You – Snoh Aalegra
  • Peaches – Justin Bieber (featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon)
  • Damage – H.E.R.
  • Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic
  • Pick Up Your Feelings – Jazmine Sullivan

(S) Pick: Damage – H.E.R.;

Prediction: Leave The Door Open – Silk Sonic

(R) Pick: Lost You – Snoh Aalegra;

Prediction: Peaches – Justin Bieber (featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon)

Best Rap Album Nominations:

  • The Off-Season – J. Cole
  • King’s Disease II – Nas
  • Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, The Creator
  • Donda – Kanye West

(S) Pick: Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, The Creator;

Prediction: Donda – Kanye West

(R) Pick: Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, The Creator;

Prediction: Donda – Kanye West

Best Melodic Rap Performance Nominations:

  • p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l – 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 & Ty Dolla $ign)
  • Hurricane – Kanye West (featuring The Weeknd & Lil Baby)

(S) Pick: Wusyaname – Tyler, The Creator (featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign);

Prediction: Industry Baby – Lil Nas X (featuring Jack Harlow)

(R) Pick: Wusyaname – Tyler, The Creator (featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again & Ty Dolla $ign);

Prediction: Hurricane – Kanye West (featuring The Weeknd & Lil Baby)

Best Rock Song Nominations:

  • All My Favorite Songs – Weezer
  • The Bandit – Kings Of Leon
  • Distance – Mammoth WVH
  • Find My Way – Paul McCartney
  • Waiting On A War – Foo Fighters

(S) Pick: The Bandit – Kings Of Leon;

Prediction: All My Favorite Songs – Weezer

(R) Pick: All My Favorite Songs – Weezer;

Prediction: Waiting On A War – Foo Fighters

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical Nominations:

  • Jack Antonoff
    • Chemtrails Over The Country Club – Lana Del Rey
    • Daddy’s Home – St. Vincent
    • Gold Rush – Taylor Swift
    • Sling – Clairo
    • Solar Power – Lorde
    • Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night – Bleachers
  • Rogét Chahayed
    • //aguardiente Y Limón %ᵕ‿‿ᵕ% – Kali Uchis
    • Ain’t S*** – Doja Cat
    • Beautiful – Shelley FKA DRAM
    • Blueberry Eyes – MAX (featuring SUGA of BTS)
    • Fire In The Sky – Anderson .Paak
    • Kiss Me More – Doja Cat (featuring SZA)
    • Lazy Susan – 21 Savage with Rich Brian (featuring Warren Hue & Masimwei)
    • NITROUS – Joji
    • Vibez – ZAYN
  • Mike Elizondo
    • Glow On – Turnstile
    • Good Day – Twenty One Pilots
    • Life By Misadventure – Rag’n’Bone Man
    • Mercy – Jonas Brothers
    • Mulberry Street – Twenty One Pilots
    • Obviously – Lake Street Dive
    • Repeat – Grace Vanderwaal
    • Taking The Heat – Joy Oladokun
  • Hit-Boy
    • Judas And The Black Messiah: The Inspired Album
    • King’s Disease II – Nas
  • Ricky Reed
    • //aguardiente y limón%ᵕ‿‿ᵕ% – Kali Uchis
    • Can’t Let You Go – Terrace Martin (featuring Nick Grant)
    • Damn Bean – John-Robert
    • Don’t Go Yet – Camila Cabello
    • Gold-Diggers Sound – Leon Bridges
    • Piece Of You – Shawn Mendes
    • Pushing Away – Junior Mesa
    • Rumors – Lizzo (featuring Cardi B)
    • Sing – Jon Batiste

(S) Pick: Rogét Chahayed;

Prediction: Jack Antonoff

(R) Pick: Rogét Chahayed;

Prediction: Jack Antonoff