The 2025 Grammy nominations are officially IN.
Announced today by the Recording Academy, it’s certainly an interesting group up for awards in the country genre, which noticeably left superstar Morgan Wallen off any of the categories, except for the song he’s a featured artist on with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help,” which is sure to win one of the categories.
Honestly, that caught my attention almost immediately, considering he’s had monster years consistently over the past few years, which have only continued to grow… I mean, the man had the highest-selling country tour of all-time with his One Night At A Time World Tour this year, released a huge, record breaking #1 crossover album with One Thing At A Time and isn’t even nominated for one Grammy?
That’s kind of crazy…
I was happy to see Kacey Musgraves’ “The Architect” nominated for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country song, and I think it should probably win both. I don’t necessarily think it will, but it really was one of the best songs released this year.
In terms of the big best Country Album category, we have two first-time nominees in the country genre with Beyoncé getting one for Cowboy Carter, and Post Malone getting one for his F-1 Trillion album. Additionally, Chris Stapleton was nominated with Higher, Kacey Musgraves was nominated with Deeper Well, and Lainey Wilson was nominated with Whirlwind.
I really liked a few songs on Cowboy Carter, and I thoroughly enjoyed F-1 Trillion, but the country critic in me has a hard time buying into the fact that two artists who are from outside of the genre (and are massive superstars in other genres) should win this category with their first ever country albums. Not to mention, Beyoncé explicitly said that Cowboy Carter was NOT a country album, but then clearly submitted for the country category.
Congratulations 67th #GRAMMYs Best Country Album nominees: @beyonce, @postmalone, @kaceymusgraves, @chrisstapleton, and @laineywilson. Watch live: https://t.co/zovEzgeZPG pic.twitter.com/gDwOIvGXQT
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) November 8, 2024
Considering how much truly great country music was put out this year, even in the mainstream part of the genre, I feel like this list of nominees really missed the mark overall. That’s not to say the artists who were nominated aren’t deserving, but of course I feel like so many really incredible songs and albums were left off, which is just the nature of these shows.
Typically, the Grammys actually are better about nominations and not always going for the top, mainstream acts, in comparison to the CMA and ACM Awards, but I wasn’t impressed this year at all. Between Post Malone, Beyoncé, Shaboozey and even Kacey to a certain extent (she certainly has learned more pop in the past few years), it feel like an overwhelming win for pop music. Even some of the single nods like Kelsea Ballerini and Dan + Shay are more in the pop vein of the country music world.
It’s more and more evident every year that these types of shows matter less and less, so it’s not like any particular artist being left off is the end of the world because most people don’t care or watch anyways, but still… it’s a no from me. Hell, Zach Bryan said he didn’t even submit any material and you could argue that he is more deserving than any of these acts.
See what you think and check them out below:
COUNTRY
Best Country Solo Performance:
Beyoncé – 16 Carriages
Chris Stapleton – It Takes a Woman
Jelly Roll – I Am Not Okay
Kacey Musgraves – The Architect
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus – II Most Wanted
Brothers Osborne – Break Mine
Dan + Shay – Bigger Houses
Kelsea Ballerini & Noah Kahan – Cowboys Cry Too
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help
Best Country Song:
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Jelly Roll – I Am Not Okay
Kacey Musgraves – The Architect
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen – I Had Some Help
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Best Country Album:
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Chris Stapleton – Higher
Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well
Lainey Wilson – Whirlwind
Post Malone – F-1 Trillion
AMERICANA/ROOTS
Featuring nominations for Sierra Ferrell, Beyoncé, Charley Crockett and more.
Best American Roots Performance:
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal & Mick Fleetwood – Nothing in Rambling
Rhiannon Giddens – The Ballad of Sally Anne
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve
Sierra Ferrell – Lighthouse
Best Americana Performance:
Beyoncé – Ya Ya
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Empty Trainload of Sky
Madi Diaz & Kacey Musgraves – Don’t Do Me Good
Madison Cunningham – Subtitles
Sarah Jarosz – Runaway Train
Sierra Ferrell – American Dreaming
Best American Roots Song:
Aoife O’Donovan – All My Friends
Iron & Wine & Fiona Apple – All in Good Time
Mark Knopfler – Ahead of the Game
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve
Sierra Ferrell – American Dreaming
Best Americana Album:
Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy
Maggie Rose – No One Gets Out Alive
Sarah Jarosz – Polaroid Lovers
Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers
T Bone Burnett – The Other Side
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood
Best Bluegrass Album:
Billy Strings – Live Vol. 1
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – I Built a World
Dan Tyminski – Dan Tyminski: Live From the Ryman
The Del McCoury Band – Songs of Love and Life
Sister Sadie – No Fear
Tony Trischka – Earl Jam
ALL-GENRE
Record of the Year:
The Beatles – Now and Then
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Charli XCX – 360
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – Fortnight
Album of the Year:
André 3000 – New Blue Sun
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX – Brat
Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol. 4
Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department
Song of the Year:
Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em
Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!
Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
Sabrina Carpenter – Please Please Please
Shaboozey – A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – Fortnight
Best New Artist:
Benson Boone
Doechii
Chappell Roan
Khruangbin
Raye
Sabrina Carpenter
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
Additionally, country songwriters Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon are both nominated in the Songwriter of the Year category, which is worth noting.
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical:
Amy Allen
Edgar Barrera
Jessi Alexander
Jessie Jo Dillon
Raye
