GRAMMY CHEW: RUMINATING ON THE BIG 4 NOMS

This time out, Grammy accomplished its most important task: It rewarded some of the most essential artists and recordings of the last year in the top categories.

As is always the case—because Grammys Gonna Grammy™—there were some questionable omissions and a few typically left-field choices. But, by our reckoning, the top 2025 noms were about 80% on the money.

As we had insisted just prior to the announcement, our “locks” for the Big 4 represented the creators and creations that, had they been ignored, would have represented a dereliction of duty by the Academy: Chappell, Sabrina, Bey, Billie, Tay, Gaga, Kendrick, Benson, Teddy, Shaboozey. We also singled out Charli xcx as meriting consideration. These were the champions of a great year.

All of the above were recognized, most of them in multiple categories, and two appeared in all four (that would be Chappell and Sabrina—a first for a single label, in case you didn’t get Island’s 17 press releases).

Benson, Teddy and Shaboozey, the other three on our list who were BNA-eligible, all got rookie noms. As for the remaining nominees, one could certainly make a strong case for U.K. siren RAYE, a powerhouse who scored a big hit and won a record-breaking six gongs at the BRITS, and Doechii, a uniquely compelling hip-hop presence whose bona fides are further established in her Rap-category noms.

The other BNA contender is Khruangbin, a hipster-beloved trio from Texas (named after the Thai word for “airplane,” since we know you were wondering) that purveys a quirky, global stew of surf, psychedelia and grooves. And there you have your left-field Grammy muso pick.

While we’re on the latter subject, we should note two other nominees in Album: musician’s musician Jacob Collier and Outkast co-founder André 3000. Collier, a protégé of the late, great Quincy Jones, is a Grammy darling who’s earned Big 4 consideration in the past. André, meanwhile, took a detour from hip-hop to make a placid, new-agey set of instrumental flute music, New Blue Sun. (Outkast, we hasten to note, was the last rap act to win AOTY, in 2004.)

We know this spa-friendly excursion has more than a few admirers, and we have no quibble whatsoever with its other nom, for Best Alternative Jazz Album. But Album of the Year? Over, say, Chris Stapleton or Future & Metro Boomin or the Twisters ST or Kacey Musgraves or Eminem’s smash? This is Grammy going so far into left field that it ends up in the bleachers.

There were no appalling snubs, but there were omissions. Benson Boone flew to BNA “prominence” on the wings of soaring pop-rock gem “Beautiful Things,” one of the very biggest songs of the year—if not the biggest—and yet that gigantic smash did not garner a single, solitary nom. Um, WTF? In a similar vein, Hozier’s “Too Sweet,” a slinky, impeccably crafted earworm that was also a DSP chartbuster, came up empty.

It would’ve been a simple matter to add these two undeniable songs to SOTY or ROTY or both—the Academy has permitted itself to stretch the Big 4 categories to 10 aspirants before. Or is it true that, as some have ventured, they were kept out because they might win, and certain backroom interests were invested in a different outcome?

Kindred speculation surrounds Jack Antonoff, who had a sensational year and shares in multiple noms as a co-creator—yet was kept off the Producer of the Year shortlist. Given Antonoff’s multiple past wins in the category, did Grammy just want to give the hardware to someone else this year?

It was likewise disappointing to see zero acknowledgement of Tommy Richman’s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY.” We also happen to think The Red Clay Strays—one of the most exciting rock bands to come along in ages—merited a BNA spot and genre love. It feels like the Strays, who were anointed Emerging Act of the Year at September's Americana Awards, are on the verge of a real breakthrough, however, so they’ll get their flowers eventually.

Such quibbles aside, it’s good to see the Big 4 reflect the zeitgeist—for the most part. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re late for flute practice.