GREIN ON GRAMMYS:
LIGHTNING ROUND

This was the third year in a row that Max Martin has received a Song of the Year nomination. The Swedish hit machine was nominated for co-writing Taylor Swift's "Blank Space." He was also nominated in that category last year for co-writing Swift's "Shake It Off" and two years ago for co-writing Katy Perry's "Roar." Martin received his first nom in the category 16 years ago for co-writing Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way." This should make up for the fact that Martin, last year's winner for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, wasn't even nominated in the category this year.

Taylor Swift received her third Song of the Year nom for co-writing "Blank Space." She was also nominated last year for co-writing "Shake It Off" and six years ago for co-writing "You Belong With Me." Only three other female songwriters in Grammy history have amassed three or more Song of the Year noms. Marilyn Bergman leads all female songwriters with four. Carole Bayer Sager and Diane Warren have each had three.

One thing's for sure: There will be a first-time winner in the category of Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Three of the finalists (Jeff Bhasker, Diplo and Larry Klein) have been nominated in this category once before (though they didn't win). Bhasker and Diplo were both nominated in 2012; Klein in 2009. The other two nominees, Dave Cobb and Blake Mills, are first-time nominees. Cobb and Mills are both represented in the Album of the Year race. Cobb co-produced Chris Stapleton's Traveller. Mills co-produced Alabama Shakes' Sound & Color. Bhasker is up for Record of the Year. He co-produced the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars megahit "Uptown Funk!"

Two of the five nominees for Album of the Year have featured artists that will win Grammys if those albums win. Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly gives featured credits to Bilal,George Clinton, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat and Anna Wise. The Weeknd's Beauty Behind the Madness offers featured credits to Lana Del Rey,Labrinth and Ed Sheeran. Two of these featured artists have gotten these "back-door" Album of the Year nominations once before. Snoop Dogg was featured on Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, a finalist five years ago. Sheeran was featured on Taylor Swift's Red, a nominee two years ago.