by Car Car Binks // The Feminine Musique
Whether you love it or hate it, the Grammys is considered to be one of the biggest nights in music as the Recording Academy honors some of the best artists, albums, and songs of the past year. The Academy doesn’t always get it right, though, typically ignoring some of the most critically-acclaimed artists and albums each year, something made blindingly clear this year with their snub of the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.”
While we can’t fix the Academy’s tendency to snub what we consider to be some of the most award-worthy artists and albums, we can vote for our personal favorite nominees in each category. Below, you’ll find WUSC’s picks on who we believe should win each of the Grammys’ biggest awards. Tune into the Grammys tonight at 8pm ET to watch the ceremony, and check back later to see if we were right!
Record of the Year
"Black Parade" - Beyoncé
"Colors" - Black Pumas
"Rockstar" - DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
"Say So" - Doja Cat (WUSC’S PICK)
“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 (WUSC’S PICK)
Song of the Year
"Black Parade" - Beyoncé
"The Box" - Roddy Ricch (WUSC’S PICK)
"Cardigan" - Taylor Swift
"Circles" - Post Malone
"Don't Start Now" - Dua Lipa
"Everything I Wanted" - Billie Eilish
"I Can't Breathe" - H.E.R.
"If the World Was Ending" - JP Saxe ft. Julia Michaels
Best New Artist
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
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 (WUSC’S PICK)
"Cardigan" - Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Un Dia (One Day)" - J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, and Tainy
"Intentions" - Justin Bieber ft. Quavo
"Dynamite" - BTS
"Rain on Me" - Lady Gaga and ArianaGrande (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Exile" - Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
Best Pop Vocal Album
"Changes" - Justin Bieber
"Chromatica" - Lady Gaga
"Future Nostalgia" - Dua Lipa
"Fine Line" - Harry Styles (WUSC’S PICK)
"Folklore" - Taylor Swift
Best Dance Recording
"On My Mind" - Diplo and SIDEPIECE
"My High" - Disclosure ft. Aminé and Slowthai
"The Difference" - Flume ft. Toro y Moi (WUSC’S PICK)
"Both of Us" - Jayda G
"10%" - Kaytranada ft. Kali Uchis
Best Dance/Electronic Album
“Kick I" - Arca (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Planet's Mad" - Baauer
"Energy" - Disclosure (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Bubba" - Kaytranada
"Good Faith" - Madeon
Best Rock Performance
"Shameika" - Fiona Apple
"Not" - Big Thief
"Kyoto" - Phoebe Bridgers (WUSC’S PICK)
"The Steps" - Haim
"Stay High" - Brittany Howard
"Daylight" - Grace Potter
Best Metal Performance
"Bum-Rush" - Body Count
"Underneath" - Code Orange
"The In-Between" - In This Moment
"Bloodmoney" - Poppy (WUSC’S PICK)
"Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe) - Live" - Power Trip
Best Rock Song
"Kyoto" - Phoebe Bridgers (WUSC’S PICK)
"Lost In Yesterday" - Kevin Parker
"Not" - Adrienne Lenker
"Shameika" - Fiona Apple
"Stay High" - Brittany Howard
Best Rock Album
"A Hero's Death" - Fontaines D.C.
"Kiwanuka" - Michael Kiwanuka
"Daylight" - Grace Potter
"Sound & Fury" - Sturgill Simpson
"The New Abnormal" - The Strokes (WUSC’S PICK)
Best Alternative Music Album
"Fetch the Bolt Cutters" - Fiona Apple
"Hyperspace" - Beck
"Punisher" - Phoebe Bridgers
"Jaime" - Brittany Howard
"The Slow Rush" - Tame Impala (WUSC’S PICK)
Best R&B Performance
"Lightning & Thunder" - Jhené Aiko ft.John Legend
"Black Parade" - Beyoncé (WUSC’S PICK)
"All I Need" - Jacob Collier ft. Mahaliaand Ty Dolla Sign
"Goat Head" - Brittany Howard
"See Me" - Emily King
Best Traditional R&B Performance
"Sit On Down" - The Baylor Project ft. Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor
"Wonder What She Thinks of Me" - Chloe X Halle (WUSC’S PICK)
"Let Me Go" - Mykal Kilgore
"Anything For You" - Ledisi
"Distance" - Yebba
Best R&B Song
"Better Than I Imagined" - Robert Glasper ft. H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello
"Black Parade" - Beyoncé (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Collide" - Tiana Major9 and Earthgang
"Do It" - Chloe X Halle (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Slow Down" - Skip Marley and H.E.R.
Best Progressive R&B Album
“Chilombo" - Jhené Aiko
"Ungodly Hour" - Chloe X Halle
"Free Nationals" - Free Nationals
"Fuck Yo Feelings" - Robert Glasper
"It Is What It Is" - Thundercat (WUSC’S PICK)
Best R&B Album
"Happy 2 Be Here" - Ant Clemons
"Take Time" - Giveon
"To Feel Love/D" - Luke James
"Bigger Love" - John Legend (WUSC’S PICK)
"All Rise" - Gregory Porter
Best Rap Performance
“Deep Reverence" - Big Sean ft. Nipsey Hussle
"Bop" - DaBaby
"What's Poppin" - Jack Harlow
"The Bigger Picture" - Lil Baby
"Savage" - Megan Thee Stallion ft.Beyoncé (WUSC’S PICK)
"Dior" - Pop Smoke
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Rockstar" - DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
"Laugh Now, Cry Later" - Drake ft. Lil Durk
"Lockdown" - Anderson .Paak (WUSC’S PICK)
"The Box" - Roddy Ricch
"Highest in the Room" - Travis Scott
Best Rap Song
"The Bigger Picture" - Lil Baby
"The Box" - Roddy Ricch
"Laugh Now, Cry Later" - Drake ft. Lil Durk
"Rockstar" - DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch
"Savage" - Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé (WUSC’S PICK)
Best Rap Album
“Black Habits" - D Smoke
"Alfredo" - Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist (WUSC’S PICK)
"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 (WUSC’S PICK)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“All Night" - Brothers Osborne
"10,000 Hours" - Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber
"Ocean" - Lady A (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Sugar Coat" - Little Big Town (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Some People Do" - Old Dominion
Best Country Song
"Bluebird" - Miranda Lambert (WUSC’S PICK)
"The Bones" - Maren Morris
"Crowded Table" - The Highwomen
"More Hearts Than Mine" - Ingrid Andress
"Some People Do" - Old Dominion
Best Country Album
"Lady Like" - Ingrid Andress
"Your Life Is a Record" - Brandy Clark
"Wildcard" - Miranda Lambert (WUSC’S PICK)
"Nightfall" - Little Big Town
"Never Will" - Ashley McBryde
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
"YHLQMDLG" - Bad Bunny" (WUSC’S PICK)
Por Primera Vez" - Camilo
"Mesa Para Dos" - Kany García
"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 (WUSC’S PICK)
"I Remember Everything" - John Prine
Best Global Music Album
“Fu Chronicles" - Antibalas
“Twice as Tall" - Burna Boy (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
"Agora" - Bebel Gilberto
"Love Letters" - Anoushka Shankar
"Amadjar" - Tinariwen (TIED FOR WUSC’S PICK)
Catch the Grammys tonight from 8-1130PM EST. And be sure to tune in to hear Car Car Binks on The Feminine Musique, every Friday from 2-4PM on your all-time, very favorite college radio station, WUSC.