Jon Batiste might be the Grammy Awards’ biggest surprise: The multi-genre performer and recent Oscar winner made such an impression on voters that he scored the most nominations with 11 on Tuesday.
Batiste earned an album of the year nod for “We Are” along with record of the year with “Freedom,” a feel-good ode to the city of New Orleans. His nominations span several genres including R&B, jazz, American roots music, classical and music video.
Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R. each came away with the second-most nominations with eight by the time the Recording Academy was done announcing its nominees for its Jan. 31 show. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo each had seven nods.
Along with Batiste’s surprise domination, another shock was The Weeknd nabbing three nominations after the pop star claimed he would not allow his label to submit his music. Earlier this year, he angrily slammed the Grammys, calling them “corrupt” after he received zero nominations despite 2020′s biggest single, “Blinding Lights.”
Even though The Weeknd said he would boycott future Grammys, he still became a nominee for his work on album of the year projects, including Doja Cat’s deluxe edition “Planet Her” and West’s “Donda.” His third nomination was for his appearance on West’s single “Hurricane,” which also features Lil Baby.
“What I like is the fact that no one is thinking about what happened before, what was the controversy, what was the noise, or where was this artist making music last year,” said Harvey Mason Jr., the Recording Academy’s CEO. He said voters focused on the “excellence of music” while considering nominees such as Batiste and Kacey Musgraves, whose work also crosses over into different categories.
“The voters are truly evaluating music and not getting caught up in the reputations of any other outside noise or any history of artists,” he said. “With that in mind, I think they’re voting for things that they are acknowledging as excellence.”
Here is a complete list of nominees:
— Album of the year: “We Are,” Jon Batiste; “Love For Sale,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; “Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” Justin Bieber; “Planet Her (Deluxe Edition),” Doja Cat; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish; “Back of My Mind,” H.E.R.; “MONTERO,” Lil Nas X; “Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo; “Evermore,” Taylor Swift; “Donda,” Kanye West.
— Record of the year: “I Still Have Faith in You,” ABBA; “I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; “Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; “Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile; “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat featuring SZA; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish; “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X; “Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo; “Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic.
— Song of the year (songwriter’s award): “Bad Habits,” Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran; “A Beautiful Noise,” Ruby Amanfu, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Alicia Keys, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Linda Perry and Hailey Whitters; “Drivers License,” Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo; “Fight For You,” Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell; “Kiss Me More,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Carter Lang, Gerard A. Powell II, Solána Rowe and David Sprecher; “Leave The Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II and Bruno Mars; “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” Denzel Baptiste, David Biral, Omer Fedi, Montero Hill and Roy Lenzo; “Peaches,” Louis Bell, Justin Bieber, Giveon Dezmann Evans, Bernard Harvey, Felisha “Fury” King, Matthew Sean Leon, Luis Manuel Martinez Jr., Aaron Simmonds, Ashton Simmonds, Andrew Wotman and Keavan Yazdani; “Right On Time,” Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth.
— Best new artist: Arooj Aftab; Jimmie Allen; Baby Keem; Finneas; Glass Animals; Japanese Breakfast; The Kid Laroi; Arlo Parks; Olivia Rodrigo; Saweetie.
— Best pop solo performance: “Anyone,” Justin Bieber; “Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish; “Positions,” Ariana Grande; “Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo.
— Best pop duo/group performance: “I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; “Lonely,” Justin Bieber and benny blanco; “Butter,” BTS; “Higher Power,” Coldplay; “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat featuring SZA.
— Best pop vocal album: “Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” Justin Bieber; “Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish; “Positions,” Ariana Grande; “Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo.
— Best traditional pop vocal album: “Love for Sale,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; “‘Til We Meet Again (Live),” Norah Jones; “A Tori Kelly Christmas,” Tori Kelly; “Ledisi Sings Nina,” Ledisi; “That’s Life,” Willie Nelson; “A Holly Dolly Christmas,” Dolly Parton.
— Best dance/electronic album: “Subconsciously,” Black Coffee; “Fallen Embers,” Illenium; “Music is the Weapon (Reloaded), Major Lazer; “Shockwave,” Marshmello; “Free Love,” Sylvan Esso; “Judgement,” Ten City.
— Best rock album: “Power Up,” AC/DC; “Capitol Cuts – Live from Studio A,” Black Pumas; “No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1,” Chris Cornell; “Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters; “McCartney III,” Paul McCartney.
— Best alternative music album: “Shore,” Fleet Foxes; “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power,” Halsey; “Jubilee,” Japanese Breakfast; “Collapsed In Sunbeams,” Arlo Parks; “Daddy’s Home,” St. Vincent.
— Best progressive R&B album: “New Light,” Eric Bellinger; “Something to Say,” Cory Henry; “Mood Valiant,” Hiatus Kaiyote; “Table for Two,” Lucky Daye; “Dinner Party: Dessert,” Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder and Kamasi Washington; “Studying Abroad: Extended Stay,” Masego.
— Best R&B album: “Temporary Highs in Violet Skies,” Snoh Aalegra; “We Are,” Jon Batiste; “Gold-Diggers Sound,” Leon Bridges; “Back of My Mind,” H.E.R.; “Heaux Tales,” Jazmine Sullivan.
— Best rap album: “The Off-Season,” J. Cole; “Certified Lover Boy,” Drake; “King’s Disease II,” Nas; “Call Me If You Get Lost,” Tyler, the Creator; “Donda,” Kanye West.
— Best country album: “Skeleton,” Brothers Osborne; “Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton; “The Marfa Tapes,” Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram; “The Ballad of Dood and Juanita,” Sturgill Simpson; “Starting Over,” Chris Stapleton.
— Best jazz vocal album: “Generations,” The Baylor Project; “Superblue,” Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter; “Time Traveler,” Nnenna Freelon; “Flor,” Gretchen Parlato; “Songwrights Apothecary Lab,” Esperanza Spalding.
— Best jazz instrumental album: “Jazz Selections: Music From and Inspired by Soul,” Jon Batiste; “Absence,” Terence Blanchard featuring The E Collective and the Turtle Island Quartet; “Skyline,” Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette and Gonzalo Rubalcaba; “Akoustic Band Live,” Chick Corea, John Patitucci and Dave Weckl; “Side-Eye NYC (V1.IV),” Pat Metheny.
— Best gospel album: “Changing Your Story,” Jekalyn Carr; “Royalty: Live at the Ryman,” Tasha Cobbs Leonard; “Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition,” Maverick City Music; “Jonny x Mali: Live in LA,” Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music; “Believe for It,” CeCe Winans.
— Best contemporary Christian music album: “No Stranger,” Natalie Grant; “Feels Like Home Vol. 2,” Israel and New Breed; “The Blessing (Live),” Kari Jobe; “Citizen of Heaven (Live),” Tauren Wells; “Old Church Basement,” Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music.
— Best Latin pop album: “Vértigo,” Pablo Alborán; “Mis Amores,” Paula Arenas; “Hecho a La Antigua,” Ricardo Arjona; “Mis Manos,” Camilo; “Mendó,” Alex Cuba; “Revelación,” Selena Gomez.
— Best Latin urban album: “Afrodisíaco,” Rauw Alejandro; “El Último Tour del Mundo,” Bad Bunny; “Jose,” J Balvin; “KG0516,” Karol G; “Sin Miedo (Del Amor y Otros Demonios),” Kali Uchis.
— Best Latin rock or alternative album: “Deja,” Bomba Estéreo; “Mira Lo Que Me Hiciste Hacer (Deluxe Edition), Diamante Eléctrico; “Origen,” Juanes; “Calambre,” Nathy Peluso; “El Madrileño, C. Tangana; “Sonidos de Karmática Resonancia,” Zoé.
— Best reggae album: “Pamoja,” Etana; “Positive Vibration,” Gramps Morgan, “Live N Livin,” Sean Paul; “Royal,” Jesse Royal; “Beauty in the Silence,” Soja; “10,” Spice.
— Best spoken word album: “Aftermath,” LeVar Burton, “Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation from John Lewis,” Don Cheadle; “Catching Dreams: Live at Fort Knox Chicago,” “8:46,” Dave Chappelle and Amir Sulaiman; “A Promised Land,” Barack Obama.
— Best comedy album: “The Comedy Vaccine,” Lavell Crawford; “Evolution,” Chelsea Handler; “Sincerely Louis CK,” Louis C.K.; “Thanks for Risking Your Life,” Lewis Black; “The Greatest Average American,” Nate Bargatze; “Zero F---s Given,” Kevin Hart.
— Best compilation soundtrack for visual media: “Cruella”; “Dear Evan Hansen”' “In the Heights,” “One Night in Miami…”; “Respect”; “Schmigadoon! Episode 1″; “The United States vs. Billie Holliday.”
— Best score soundtrack for visual media: “Bridgerton,” Kris Bowers; “Dune,” Hans Zimmer; “The Mandalorian: Season 2 – Vol. 2,” Ludwig Göransson; “The Queen’s Gambit,” Carlos Rafael Rivera; “Soul,” Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
— Producer of the year, non-classical: Jack Antonoff; Rogét Chahayed; Mike Elizondo; Hit-Boy; Ricky Reed.
— Best music video: “Shot in the Dark,” AC/DC; “Freedom,” Jon Batiste; “I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga; “Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; “Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish; “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name),” Lil Nas X; “Good 4 U,” Olivia Rodrigo.
— Best music film: “Inside”; “David Byrne’s American Utopia”; “Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles”; “Music, Money, Madness…Jimi Hendrix in Maui”; “Summer of Soul.”
