The Grammy nominations for 2025 have been announced, and they offer a compelling snapshot of the current music landscape. While some expected names are present, there are also notable surprises and shifts in genre representation, making this year’s selection particularly noteworthy. This article delves into the key nominations across the General Field, Country & American Roots categories, and beyond, highlighting the trends and potential talking points emerging from this year’s Grammy selections.
GENERAL FIELD
The General Field categories showcase a diverse range of artists and genres, reflecting the evolving tastes of Grammy voters.
Record of the Year
- The Beatles, “Now and then”
- Beyoncé, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”
- Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
- Charli XCX, “360”
- Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
- Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
- Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”
- Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, “Fortnight”
Album of the Year
- Andre 3000, New Blue Sun
- Beyoncé, COWBOY CARTER
- Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet
- Charli XCX, BRAT
- Jacob Collier, Djesse Vol. 4
- Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Chappell Roan, Chappell Roan The Rise & Fall of a Midwest Princess
- Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department
Song of the Year
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams
- “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell
- “Die With a Smile” – Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars & Andrew Watt
- “Fortnight” – Jack Antonoff, Austin Post & Taylor Swift
- “Good Luck, Babe!” – Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, Daniel Nigro & Justin Tranter
- “Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Please Please Please” – Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter
- “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq
Best New Artist
- Benson Boone
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Doechii
- Khruangbin
- RAYE
- Chappell Roan
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
The nominations in the General Field reflect a blend of established superstars and rising talents. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Billie Eilish all secured nominations as anticipated, solidifying their positions in the pop music sphere. Charli XCX’s inclusion can be seen as exceeding expectations, while the absence of names like Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and Dua Lipa in some categories is notable.
Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “COWBOY CARTER” album receive multiple Grammy nominations, showcasing country music influence.
The influence of country music on the mainstream is evident in the General Field. Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER album earning an Album of the Year nomination, and “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” being recognized in both Record and Song of the Year categories, underscores this trend. Shaboozey’s presence in the Best New Artist category, along with a nomination for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” in Song of the Year, highlights the broadening reach of country-infused sounds. While the Song of the Year nomination for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” might raise eyebrows regarding its compositional depth compared to other nominees, Shaboozey’s overall recognition in the General Field is a significant achievement, especially given discussions around genre boundaries. His Best New Artist nomination could be crucial for maintaining and growing his commercial success.
The Best New Artist category features Shaboozey as the sole representative from the country genre. Industry predictions anticipated nominations for artists like Sierra Ferrell or The Red Clay Strays, and some might find Khruangbin’s nomination surprising given their debut album was released nine years prior. Megan Moroney’s absence from this category, despite some media predictions, suggests a different perspective from the Recording Academy regarding newer artists breaking through.
Carin León’s collaborations recognized through nominations in Songwriter of the Year category.
Producer and Songwriter of the Year
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
- Alissia
- Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II (Koe Wetzel’s “Bar Song”)
- Ian Fitchuk (Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well, Beyonce’s “AMEN,” Maggie Rogers’ Don’t Forget Me, Leon Bridges’ “Peaceful Place”)
- Mustard
- Daniel Nigro
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
- Jessi Alexander (Luke Combs, Dustin Lynch featuring Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Conner Smith feat. Hailey Whitters)
- Amy Allen (Leon Bridges, Koe Wetzel)
- Edgar Barrera (Carin Leon)
- Jessie Jo Dillon (Megan Moroney, Post Malone, Morgan Wallen, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini)
- RAYE (Beyoncé)
The Producer of the Year category includes Ian Fitchuk, recognized for his work on Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well and Beyoncé’s “AMEN,” among other projects. The nomination of Deeper Well for Best Engineered Album also hints at strong industry recognition for the album’s technical production.
In the Songwriter of the Year category, all five nominees have contributed to songs within or related to the country genre. Edgar Barrera’s work with Carin Leon, and RAYE’s contribution to Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER track “RIVERDANCE,” highlight the genre’s pervasive influence. Jessi Alexander and Jessie Jo Dillon are established songwriters in Nashville, further emphasizing the country music songwriting community’s presence.
Kacey Musgraves’ album “Deeper Well” gains recognition in Country and American Roots categories.
COUNTRY & AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD
The Country & American Roots categories showcase a diverse range of talent within these genres.
Best Country Solo Performance
- Beyoncé, “16 CARRIAGES”
- Jelly Roll, “I Am Not Okay”
- Kacey Musgraves, “The Architect”
- Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
- Chris Stapleton, “It Takes a Woman”
Best Country Duo / Group Performance
- Kelsea Ballerini feat. Noah Kahan, “Cowboys Cry Too”
- Beyoncé feat. Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted”
- Brothers Osborne, “Break Mine”
- Dan + Shay, “Bigger Houses”
- Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”
Best Country Song
- “The Architect” – Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams
- “I Am Not Okay” – Casey Brown, Jason DeFord, Ashley Gorley & Taylor Phillips
- “I Had Some Help” – Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen & Chandler Paul Walters
- “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq
Best Country Album
- Beyoncé, COWBOY CARTER
- Post Malone, F-1 Trillion
- Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
- Chris Stapleton, Higher
- Lainey Wilson, Whirlwind
This year marks a turning point for Morgan Wallen, receiving his first Grammy nominations as an artist for his collaboration with Post Malone. While questions remain about individual recognition for Wallen in the future, these nominations alongside Post Malone, a highly nominated artist this year, are significant. Some may argue for other artists deserving these spots, such as Kane Brown and Marshmello’s “Miles On It.”
Beyoncé’s nominations across all four Country categories she entered are a dominant storyline. This widespread recognition is likely to fuel further discussions around genre boundaries and authenticity, particularly as COWBOY CARTER challenges traditional genre expectations. While “Alligator Tears,” a track from COWBOY CARTER, was not submitted, the recognition of three different tracks from the album across categories is notable. Luke Bryan’s absence from the Country nominations is also worth mentioning.
The nominations in the Country categories are generally sensible. Kacey Musgraves’ “The Architect” is a clear standout, and Jelly Roll’s prominence in the genre is undeniable. Dan + Shay’s nomination might be considered a more conventional choice in a competitive field, but their history as past winners in this category cannot be ignored. While opinions on Post Malone, Lainey Wilson, and Kacey Musgraves’ albums vary, their nominations are within the expected range for these categories.
Sierra Ferrell receives multiple nominations in American Roots categories, highlighting rising talent.
Best American Roots Performance
- Shemekia Copeland, “Blame it On Eve”
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds feat. Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo, Taj Mahal, & Mick Fleetwood, “Nothing in Rambling”
- Sierra Ferrell, “Lighthouse”
- Rhiannon Giddens, “The Ballad of Sally Anne”
Best Americana Performance
- Beyoncé, “YA YA”
- Madison Cunningham, “Subtitles”
- Madi Diaz feat. Kacey Musgraves, “Don’t Do Me Good”
- Sierra Ferrell, “American Dreaming”
- Sarah Jarosz, “Runaway Train”
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, “Empty Trainload of Sky”
Best American Roots Song
- “Ahead of the Game” – Mark Knopfler
- “All in Good Time” – Sam Beam
- “All My Friends” – Aoife O’Donovan
- “American Dreaming” – Sierra Ferrell & Melody Walker
- “Blame it On Eve” – John Hahn & Will Kimbrough
Best Americana Album
- T Bone Burnett, The Other Side
- Charley Crockett, $10 Cowboy
- Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers
- Sarah Jarosz, Polaroid Lovers
- Maggie Rose, No One Gets Out Alive
- Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood
Best Bluegrass Album
- Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, I Built a World
- The Del McCoury Band, Songs of Love & Life
- Sister Sadie, No Fear
- Billy Strings, Live, Vol. 1
- Tony Trischka, Earl Jam
- Dan Tyminski, Live From the Ryman
Best Traditional Blues Album
- Cedric Burnside, Hill Country Love
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Struck Down
- Sue Foley, One Guitar Woman
- Little Feat, Sam’s Place
- The Taj Mahal Sextet, Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa
Best Contemporary Blues Album
- Joe Bonamassa, Blues Deluxe Vol. 2
- Shemekia Copeland, Blame it on Eve
- Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour, Friendlytown
- Ruthie Foster, Mileage
- Antonio Veraga, The Fury
Best Folk Album
- American Patchwork Quartet, American Patchwork Quartet
- Madi Diaz, Weird Faith
- Adrianne Lenker, Bright Future
- Aoife O’Donovan, All My Friends
- Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Woodland
The American Roots categories feature strong and inspired choices. Shemekia Copeland’s album is clearly resonating with voters, as are multiple nominations for Sierra Ferrell, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, and Aoife O’Donovan. While Madison Cunningham’s continued recognition might be debated, the overall strength of the performance categories is evident.
While COWBOY CARTER could be argued as fitting within the Americana genre, the nominated albums for Best Americana Album are compelling in their own right. Maggie Rose’s No One Gets Out Alive is a particularly noteworthy nomination. Nominations for Ruthie Foster, Cedric Burnside, and Adrianne Lenker are also welcome surprises. Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam stands out in the Bluegrass category, even among respected nominees like Del McCoury Band and Billy Strings.
Other Stray Nominations…
- “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” Luke Combs, for Best Song Written for Visual Media
- The Avett Brothers and Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, for Best Recording Package
- Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well for Best Engineered Album
- Béla Fleck’s and Chick Corea’s “Remembrance” for Best Instrumental Composition
- Béla Fleck’s “Rhapsody in Blue(Grass)” for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Capella
- Béla Fleck’s Rhapsody in Blue in Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
- Beyoncé’s “BODYGUARD” in Best Pop Solo Performance
- Beyoncé’s and Post Malone’s “LEVII’S JEANS” in Best Pop Duo / Group Performance
- Shaboozey’s and David Guetta’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy) [Remix]” in Best Remixed Recording
- Beyoncé’s, Linda Martell’s, and Shaboozey’s “SPAGHETTI” in Best Melodic Rap Performance
- Dolly Parton’s Behind the Seams for Best Narration.
Bela Fleck’s Rhapsody in Blue project is clearly favored by Grammy voters, securing nominations in instrumental categories. Linda Martell’s potential Grammy win is also a significant and positive prospect.
In a final observation, the Grammy voters’ decision not to nominate Dolly Parton in the Rock field for her Rockstar project is seen as a correct judgment, prioritizing genre appropriateness. However, Dolly Parton did receive a nomination in the Best Narration category, showcasing her continued recognition across different areas.
The 2025 Grammy nominations present a diverse and intriguing selection, sparking conversations about genre evolution, artist recognition, and the ever-changing landscape of the music industry.
