Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Brandi Carlile top 2019 Grammy nominees list; female artists make comeback
Rapper Kendrick Lamar accepts the award for best rap album for "Damn" at the 60th annual Grammy Awards in Manhattan on Jan. 28. Credit: AP / Invision / Matt Sayles
Kendrick Lamar could follow his Pulitzer Prize win with some Grammys, as the rapper behind the “Black Panther” soundtrack landed eight nominations, including nods in all three of the top categories, in a year filled with snubs and surprises.
It’s no surprise that Lamar will face off a lot with commercial juggernaut Drake, who received seven nominations, including in all three top categories. Drake’s “God’s Plan” will take on Lamar and SZA’s “All the Stars” in both song of the year and record of the year categories, while his “Scorpion” album takes on the “Black Panther” soundtrack for album of the year. However, singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile’s appearance in all three top categories, for her song “The Joke” and album “By the Way, I Forgive You” was unexpected, as was her status as the most-nominated female artist, with her six nods.
However, the absence of Taylor Swift, who has already won album of the year twice in her career, and Ariana Grande, whose “Sweetener” has been a critical and commercial success, from the categories was even more shocking, especially because The Recording Academy expanded the top categories from five nominees to eight this year. Swift’s “Reputation” managed only a best pop vocal album nomination, where it will go up against “Sweetener” and albums from Camila Cabello, Kelly Clarkson, Shawn Mendes and Pink. Grande also received a nomination for “God Is a Woman” in the best pop solo performance category.
The best new artist category was also filled with surprises, especially since Cardi B, who secured five nominations, was ruled ineligible for the category because of nominations she received before her debut was released. Nominations went to pop singers Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, and Jorja Smith, country singers Luke Combs and Margo Price and rockers Greta Van Fleet.
Several Long Island artists landed nominations as well. Oceanside native Scott Harris received a song of the year nomination for co-writing Shawn Mendes’ hit “In My Blood.” Floral Park native John Williams is up for two awards for his “John Williams at The Movies” album, for best engineered album and best classical compendium, where he will compete with Lynbrook native Jeffrey Biegel, nominated as part of the London Symphony Orchestra on Kenneth Fuchs’ “Piano Concerto, ‘Spiritualist’.” Farmingdale native Tim Kubart’s “Building Blocks” will be up for best children’s album, an award he won in 2016. Valley Stream’s Shaggy landed a best reggae album nomination for “44/876” his collaboration with Sting. East Hampton’s Laurie Anderson received a best chamber music/small ensemble performance nomination for “Landfall,” her collaboration with the Kronos Quartet about superstorm Sandy.
The Grammys will be handed out on Feb. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
2019 Grammy nominees list: Top categories
A list of nominees in the top categories at the 61th annual Grammy Awards, announced Friday by The Recording Academy.
— Album of the year: “Invasion of Privacy,” Cardi B; “By the Way, I Forgive You,” Brandi Carlile; “Scorpion,” Drake; “H.E.R.,”H.E.R.; “Beerbongs & Bentleys,” Post Malone; “Dirty Computer,” Janelle Monae; “Golden Hour,” Kacey Musgraves; “Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By,” Kendrick Lamar.
— Record of the year: “I Like It,” Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin; “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile; “This Is America,” Childish Gambino; “God’s Plan,” Drake; “Shallow,” Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper; “All the Stars,” Kendrick Lamar and SZA; “Rockstar,” Post Malone and 21 Savage; “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey.
— Song of the year (songwriter’s award): “Boo’d Up,” Ella Mai, DJ Mustard, Larrance Dopson and Joelle James; “In My Blood,” Shawn Mendes, Teddy Geiger, Scott Harris and Geoffrey Warburton; “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth; “This Is America,” Childish Gambino and Ludwig Goransson; “God’s Plan,” Drake, Noah “40” Shebib, Boi-1Da, Daveon Jackson, Brock Korsan and Ron LaTour; “Shallow,” Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt; “All the Stars,” Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Al Shuckburgh, Mark Spears and Anthony Tiffith; “The Middle,” Zedd, Grey, Sarah Aarons, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson and Marcus Lomax.
— Best new artist: Chloe x Halle; Luke Combs; Greta Van Fleet; H.E.R.; Dua Lipa; Margo Price; Bebe Rexha; Jorja Smith.
— Best pop solo performance: “Colors,” Beck; “Havana (Live),” Camila Cabello; “God Is A Woman,” Ariana Grande; “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?),” Lady Gaga; “Better Now,” Post Malone.
— Best pop duo/group performance: “Fall In Line,” Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato; “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” Backstreet Boys; “’S Wonderful,” Tony Bennett and Diana Krall; “Shallow,” Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper; “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 and Cardi B; “Say Something,” Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton; “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey.
— Best pop vocal album: “Camila,” Camila Cabello; “Meaning of Life,” Kelly Clarkson; “Sweetener,” Ariana Grande; “Shawn Mendes,” Shawn Mendes; “Beautiful Trauma,” Pink; “Reputation,” Taylor Swift.
— Best traditional pop vocal album: “Love Is Here to Stay,” Tony Bennett and Diana Krall; “My Way,” Willie Nelson; “Nat “King” Cole & Me,” Gregory Porter; “Standards (Deluxe),” Seal; “The Music...The Mem’ries...The Magic!,” Barbra Streisand.
— Best dance/electronic album: “Singularity,” Jon Hopkins; “Woman Worldwide,” Justice; “Treehouse,” Sofi Tukker; “Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides,” SOPHIE; “Lune Rouge,” TOKiMONSTA.
— Best rock album: “Rainier Fog,” Alice In Chains; “Mania,” Fall Out Boy; “Prequelle,” Ghost; “From the Fires,” Greta Van Fleet; “Pacific Daydream,” Weezer.
— Best alternative music album: “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino,” Arctic Monkeys; “Colors,” Beck; “Utopia,” Bjork; “American Utopia,” David Byrne; “Masseduction,” St. Vincent.
— Best urban contemporary album: “Everything Is Love,” The Carters (Beyoncé and Jay-Z); “The Kids Are Alright,” Chloe x Halle; “Chris Dave and the Drumhedz,” Chris Dave And The Drumhedz; “War & Leisure,” Miguel; “Ventriloquism,” Meshell Ndegeocello.
— Best R&B album: “Sex & Cigarettes,” Toni Braxton; “Good Thing,” Leon Bridges; “Honestly,” Lalah Hathaway; “H.E.R.,” H.E.R.; “Gumbo Unplugged (Live),” PJ Morton.
— Best rap album: “Invasion of Privacy,” Cardi B; “Swimming,” Mac Miller; “Victory Lap,” Nipsey Hussle; “Daytona,” Pusha T; “Astroworld,” Travis Scott.
— Best country album: “Unapologetically,” Kelsea Ballerini; “Port Saint Joe,” Brothers Osborne; “Girl Going Nowhere,” Ashley McBryde; “Golden Hour,” Kacey Musgraves; “From A Room: Volume 2,” Chris Stapleton.
— Best jazz vocal album: “My Mood Is You,” Freddy Cole; “The Questions,” Kurt Elling; “The Subject Tonight Is Love,” Kate McGarry With Keith Ganz and Gary Versace; “If You Really Want,” Raul Midon With The Metropole Orkest Conducted By Vince Mendoza; “The Window,” Cecile McLorin Salvant.
— Best jazz instrumental album: “Diamond Cut,” Tia Fuller; “Live In Europe,” Fred Hersch Trio; “Seymour Reads The Constitution!,” Brad Mehldau Trio; “Still Dreaming,” Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade; “Emanon,” The Wayne Shorter Quartet.
— Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: “Call Me By Your Name”; “Deadpool 2”; “The Greatest Showman”; “Lady Bird”; “Stranger Things.”
— Producer of the year, nonclassical: Boi-1da; Larry Klein; Linda Perry; Kanye West; Pharrell Williams.
— Best music video: “Apes--t,” The Carters; “This Is America,” Childish Gambino; “I’m Not Racist,” Joyner Lucas; “PYNK,” Janelle Monae; “MUMBO JUMBO,” Tierra Whack.
— Best music film: “Life In 12 Bars,” Eric Clapton; “Whitney,” (Whitney Houston); “Quincy,” Quincy Jones; “Itzhak,” Itzhak Perlman; “The King,” (Elvis Presley).
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