Victoria Trieu
The Grammy nominations of 2021 have been officially announced, recognizing the talents of the music industry this past year. As the 63rd annual awards show is approaching, the media has been expressing its criticism and praise for the chosen nominees.
Leading the Grammys, Beyoncé holds nine nominations recognizing her record, “Black Parade” in the major categories, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Other leading nominees, each with six nods, include Roddy Ricch, Dua Lipa, and Taylor Swift. Folklore is being heavily appreciated this year as five of Swift’s nominations surround the album.
Along with Beyoncé’s “Black Parade”, other nominees for Song of the Year include “The Box,” “Cardigan,” “Circles,” “Don’t Start Now,” “Everything I Wanted,” “I Can’t Breathe,” and “If the World Was Ending.” Regarding the R&B categories, some nominees include Chloe X Halle, Thundercat, and John Legend. Justin Bieber’s exclusion from this category with his album, “Changes”, created some controversy as it was instead nominated for Pop Album of the year which the artist felt was inaccurate.
“Changes was and is an R&B album […] For this not to be put in that category feels weird considering from the chords to the melodies to the vocal style all the way down to the hip hop drums that were chosen it is undeniably, unmistakably an R&B Album!” Beiber said on Instagram.
There have been controversial snubs this year regarding the nomination categories as well. The Weeknd’s album, After Hours, reached the largest streaming week within the R&B genre and did not receive any recognition, creating an outcry on social media. Many artists spoke in his defense, including Charlie Puth, Tinashe, Akon, and entertainment manager Scooter Braun. One of the album’s singles, “Blinding Lights,” spent four weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 and broke a record on Hot 100’s top 10. Many fans were disappointed and confused with his absence from the Grammy categories.
“The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…” The Weeknd said on Twitter.
Although the Grammys’ integrity is constantly disputed, it continues to hold a large and influential platform. Many of the nominated artists are to be appreciated, celebrated, and honored by recognizing the achievements of the music industry. The Grammys will be aired March 14, 2021.
