The 2018 Grammy Nominations were announced today.
In the General Categories, country artists were shut out, with multiple nominations going to Childish Gambino, Luis Fonsi, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Bruno Mars.
Top country nominees include Sam Hunt, Jason Isbell, Alison Krauss, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, and Chris Stapleton.
A complete list of nominees can be found here.
General Categories
Album of the Year
- Childish Gambino, Awaken My Love!
- Jay-Z, 4:44
- Kendrick Lamar, DAMN.
- Lorde, Melodrama
- Bruno Mars, 24K Magic
Record of the Year
- Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber, “Despacito”
- Childish Gambino, “Redbone”
- Jay-Z, “The Story of O.J.”
- Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.”
- Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”
Song of the Year
- “Despacito” – Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton
- “4:44” – Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson
- “Issues” – Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter
- “1-800-273-8255” – Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury & Khalid Robinson
- “That’s What I Like” – Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip
Best New Artist
- Alessia Cara
- Khalid
- Lil Uzi Vert
- Julia Michaels
- SZA
Country & Country-Adjacent Categories
Best Country Album
- Kenny Chesney, Cosmic Hallelujah
- Lady Antebellum, Heart Break
- Little Big Town, The Breaker
- Thomas Rhett, Life Changes
- Chris Stapleton, From a Room: Volume 1
Best Country Solo Performance
- Sam Hunt, “Body Like a Back Road”
- Alison Krauss, “Losing You”
- Miranda Lambert, “Tin Man”
- Maren Morris, “I Could Use a Love Song”
- Chris Stapleton, “Either Way”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
- Brothers Osborne, “It Ain’t My Fault”
- Zac Brown Band, “My Old Man”
- Lady Antebellum, “You Look Good”
- Little Big Town, “Better Man”
- Midland, “Drinkin’ Problem”
Best Country Song
- “Better Man” – Taylor Swift
- “Body Like a Back Road” – Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne
- “Broken Halos” – Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton
- “Drinkin’ Problem” – Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne & Mark Wystrach
- “Tin Man” – Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert & Jon Randall
Best Roots Gospel Album
- The Collingsworth Family, The Best of the Collingsworth Family, Volume 1
- Larry Cordle, Give Me Jesus
- Joseph Habedank, Resurrection
- Reba McEntire, Sing it Now: Songs of Faith and Hope
- Karen Peck & New River, Hope for All Nations
Best Americana Album
- Gregg Allman, Southern Blood
- Brent Cobb, Shine On Rainy Day
- Iron & Wine, Beast Epic
- Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, The Nashville Sound
- The Mavericks, Brand New Day
Best American Roots Performance
- Alabama Shakes, “Killer Diller Blues”
- Blind Boys of Alabama, “Let My Brother Live”
- Glen Campbell, “Arkansas Farmboy”
- Leonard Cohen, “Steer Your Way”
- Alison Krauss, “I Never Cared For You”
Best Americana Roots Song
- “Cumberland Gap” – David Rawlings & Gillian Welch
- “I Wish You Well” – Raul Malo & Alan Miller
- “If We Were Vampires” – Jason Isbell
- “It Ain’t Over Yet” – Rodney Crowell
- “My Only True Friend” – Gregg Allman
Best Bluegrass Album
- Michael Cleveland, Fiddler’s Dream
- The Infamous Stringdusters, Laws of Gravity
- Bobby Osborne, Original
- Noam Pikelny, Universal Favorite
- Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, All the Rage: In Concert, Volume One
Looks like it’s going to be another big night for Stapleton.
Yeah, I don’t get the country album nominees at all. Outside of Stapleton, that’s a weak slate. I’m not sure what was eligible…but, you have to think they could have done better selecting the nominees there.
Also, it’s funny to look at solo country performance/song, and see four good/great nominees…and “Body Like a Back Road”.
Windy City would be eligible for album and should have been nominated. The only reason I can think of to exclude it is because it was all covers.
I never watch the Grammy’s but I hope AK gets a win.
Miranda not being in country album list is ridiculous.
Yeah, the Country Album category is definitely weak, especially for the Grammy’s. On a positive note, it’s nice to see Midland get some recognition in a couple other categories. Despite all the controversy about their background, I think they are by far one of the best things going in the mainstream right now.
Pleasant surprises:
“It Ain’t Over Yet” making it in for Best American Roots Song.
Alison Krauss nod for “Losing You.”
The big three general categories acknowledging that hip-hop is the creative center of music right now. Kendrick Lamar was expected, but the nods for Jay-Z, Logic, and Childish Gambino, over easier picks like Ed Sheeran, show that the panels get it right, even if the overall voting population usually doesn’t.
Disappointments:
Americana field was tough this year. My guess is that Krauss submitted her album there instead of for Best Country Album, and Dixie Chicks/Beyonce missed out by choosing the Americana field instead of Country, where the anemic competition for Best Duo/Group probably would’ve gotten them a nomination and then a win.
But no room for Rhiannon Giddens anywhere? Freedom Highway outshines every one of this year’s nominees.
I was also hoping that Jason Isbell would sneak in there for the overall Album of the Year category, which made room for Sturgill Simpson last year. I keep waiting for Isbell to get the Stapleton treatment. Bruno Mars could’ve stepped aside for him.
And it’s been said already, but the Best Country Album lineup is a travesty without Miranda Lambert. It was a bad year for mainstream country, but not so bad that Thomas Rhett and Lady Antebellum should be nominated while Lambert is left on the sidelines.
Alison submitted her album in country, maybe like someone said it was overlooked because it was a covers album