It’s that time of year again!
Indeed, the air is still buzzing as today brought with it the highly anticipated 2018 Grammy nominations unveiled, per usual, via a special announcement weeks before the actual showing. But, what also comes with the ‘per usual’ announcement are the jaw-dropping surprises, snubs, and all out “shut-outs” that accompany the annual spectacle.
Always a heated debate-starter, the coveted tally saw the likes of chart-toppers Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, The Weeknd and more go without mention in (as some fans argue) the correct categories, while hitmakers Taylor Swift, DJ Khaled, & Future got no mention at all.
Look inside for That Grape Juice‘s take on the year’s biggest surprises & snubs:
Surprise: Urban Artists Dominate 2018 Nomination Tally
Hip Hop & R&B will be out and in full effect at next year’s Grammy ceremony. Thanks to a whopping 8 nominations for Jay Z‘s ‘4:44,’ 7 nods for Kendrick Lamar‘s ‘Damn,’ 6 for Bruno Mars’ ’24K Magic,’ and 5 for SZA & Childish Gambino respectively the nomination tally is not only led by practitioners of Urban genres but also led primarily by artists of color (for the second year in a row).
Snub: Future & Nicki Minaj respectively made history with their 2017 offerings. The former – with his albums, ‘Future’ & ‘Hndrxx’ – became the first artist in Billboard history to achieve back-to-back No.1 debuts on the Billboard 200 in successive weeks and the first artist to ever replace himself at #1. Minaj, with a series of placements on the Hot 100, became the first woman to have at least 80 entries on the tally (and currently leads among all women in history). Elsewhere, DJ Khaled rocked charts with ‘I’m the One’ and ‘Wild Thoughts.’
While their fans celebrated the milestone achievements, the Recording Academy was obviously not impressed as both artists saw their releases omitted from nominations.
P.S. What about J. Cole‘s ‘4 Your Eyez Only’ (released December 2016)?
Surprise: Lorde nabs Album of the Year nod
Snub: The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, & Ed Sheeran Score Minimum Nods
With ‘Starboy’ and ‘Divide’ respectively, The Weeknd & Ed Sheeran both released chart-topping albums that not only scored #1 hits, but also garnered impressive sales and critical acclaim. Unfortunately for them, the acclaim stopped there. Much like fellow chart-topper Lady Gaga – whose last set (‘Joanne‘) also garnered thumbs up from some of the industry’s top critics – the guys didn’t ear much love from the Recording Academy.
All three were shut out of major categories. Gaga & Sheeran’s opuses were limited to Pop categories while The Weeknd, whose offerings often straddle the line of Pop & Urban, was limited to one nomination in the Urban Contemporary category.
Surprise: Alessia Cara, SZA, & Lil Uzi Vert Garner ‘Best New Artist’ Nods
Big shout to SZA for 5 nods right out of the gate!
Snub: Cardi B & Camila Cabello Omitted from Best New Artist
She may have made history with her chart-topping hit, ‘Bodak Yellow,’ but one place Cardi B didn’t see her named penciled was among the year’s best new artists. Never fret, however, she can at least boast mention in two rap categories.
Surprise: Our girl Ledisi honored with 3 nominations!
Snub: No women nominated in Record of the Year category / No White Men in Album of the Year
Not even Taylor Swift, a Grammy darling, was able to score any nods this year in major categories. Her album, ‘Reputation,’ may have missed the deadline, but its lead singles didn’t. She did however land mention in lesser categories.
Reports have it this is the first year since 1999 there were no White men nominated in the ‘Album of the Year’ category.
![Extended Trailer: Prime Video's 'Cruel Intentions' Series [Starring Savannah Lee Smith, Sarah Catherine Hook, & Zac Burgess]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/cruel-intentions-prime-trailer-tv-adaptation-thatgrapejuice-2024-464x260.jpg "Extended Trailer: Prime Video's 'Cruel Intentions' Series [Starring Savannah Lee Smith, Sarah Catherine Hook, & Zac Burgess].")
cardi B needs to give us a second single to at least be considered an artist
They need to correct this post…Cardi is listed as a writer under a pseudonym.
Not a huge country fan but Miranda Lambert should have an album of the year Nom. She sings about her real pain and grown woman problems unlike Taylor
Oh my God yes that’s what I said I love country and I love Miranda Lambert to me she is the queen of country she should have been nominated for Country album of the year album of the year
Yeah was shocked that TWOTW was not not nominated for best country ?♂️
Taylor got 2 nominations for writing. One in the best country song category and one for best song written for a movie
True…but her last two albums featured lead songs that were nominated. Not this time.
Awards are just opinions of others yall forgot?
It is also a ploy to nominated big artists for the last coveted award of the night “Best Album of the Year” to get people to stay tune in the show from the beginning to end.
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Which is why artists like Beyonce will ALWAYS get nominated due to the social media hype and exposure they want.
Yeah. That must also explain why Tinashe will never be nominated. People would just change the channel.
Reports have it this is the first year since 1999 there were no White men nominated in the ‘Album of the Year’ category.
I think The Grammys are now including POC just for the sake of inclusion and not because of their talent, they have been called out for the lack of diversity in the past so this was expected, but there were many male artists/bands that deserved a nomination for AOTY, instead they nominated that annoying white girl, The Grammys don’t make a thing right ??♂️
That annoying white girl. Youre such a stupid soul. Like for the life of me wll you ever stop winding like a girl child. Like hello?!
Lorde has released the SECOND MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED album of 2017. You can check Metacritic where she places at #2 second to Kendric Lamar. On the Year ends list she’s NME’s best album of 2017, 2nd best n Rollings Stones Year End and Consequence of Sound’s list. So aum your confusion with her placement in the category is most puzzling stop bitching for the sake of it and so some reading ingrate.
Jay-Z and the Glover’s album were not very good but yet here they are THEY should be the one’s youre mad at NOT LORDE.
So you care about what Metacritic and NME say, lol, I won’t even bother.
so sis, we shouldn’t care about what industry critics/ authorities say, but we should care about YOU feeling EXTRA SALTY? Overestimating your value in life i see, but go awf racist. The views of NME, BB, RollingStone Consequence > The views of the blonde (who we wish would do the world a service and off his head).
I agree that Jay-Z being there is the uncalled for type of nomination (like when Rihanna has been tehre lol). Not Lorde. The super young girl MAKES good music. Your cup of tea or not, she does.
Music in general has been overwhelming for the last few years, that’s why these nominations are meh.
*underwhelming
Yes that´s true. They could still do a little bit better though and not give in with a couple of awful choices like Despacito.
LORDE SWEETIE, youre doing amazing. Imagine being the current alternative queen a lane carved out be lana del slay but only to best her. I’d be fuming if I was a del Rey stan too. :’)
Sevyn was snubbed for best R&B song with Before I Do.
I can’t care who got snub.
I’m just glad Kendrick got his norminations and he better win AOTY.
I’m very surprise that 3 hip hop albums got AOTY norms tho. It’s progressive but I can’t help but feel it’s only to save face and make up for all the previous times black artist were excluded who deserved to win.
SIS. Lorde is more deserving of AOTY tbh, she single handedly released the most riveting pop album in the last decades, a euphoric pop bliss that literally has more conviction and story telling than anything released this year. The Louvre and Perfect Places alone deserves at least 10 grammys. kendrick was good too, first album by him that i actually enjoyed, but AOTY should def go to Lorde.
I’ll listen to Lorde. I’m not familiar with her work.
I kind of agree. I think Lorde had the better album. Her win would be justified.
I don´t see her winning for some reason though. They already gave her Record of the Year. But Album is like too big for such a young and only in her second album type of awards darling? I don´t know. That´s the reasoning awards go for very often. As of right now, I see Kendrick having a bigger chance. It´s his second big chance now.
Uh….hell no to all of that bs you typed. Lorde is a weido white girl with no real vocal ability, no rhythm, and emo funeral-in-outer space pop music. She’s still riding off the cultural appropriated hit “Royals” from 4 years ago and is clearly an industry plant.
Finally 4 of 5 of the Album of Year nominations are finally people of color with amazing albums and you want the one beatless white girl to win??? Childish Gambino’s and Kendrick’s albums alone will out do anything Lorde will ever do in the future.
I don’t get why it’s a problem that she’s a “weird white girl.” She makes good music, better music than all the artists on that list. Gambino is a black artist but his album is soooo bad and HIS music is weird. Jay-Z’a album was so uninspired and uneventful, his worst album imo. To call lorde an industry plant is stupid af, because she has the sales, accolades and talent to back up her hype.
Hmm vocals are not Lorde´s talent. Her music made by her is.
@JOHNVIDAL Adele was around 22 when she won for 21 (which she made it at 21 of course) and it was only her second album. Lorde is 21 and this is her second album. She’s is in the exact same position. Maybe Kendrick will win but I wouldn’t count Lorde out just because she’s young.
But Adele´s “21” was so tremendous. It´s not exactly the same case.
Yaaaaas Cardi!!! So happy for her nominations!!! Even though Kendrick will win those categories but just to be nominated is a big deal. I’m just bummed out that she didn’t get the Best New Artist nod. Iggy did when she had Fancy and Cardi is so much better and has more potential than Iggy, SMH. Anyway, congrats Cardi and BardiGang
Iggy had already released an Album by then and had more than one hit as a LEAD artist. That’s clearly not the case for Cardi, I’m a Cardi stan btw but you can’t get best new artist off one song sis.
She got some features too though. So does that mean she can be eligible for next year’s new artist?
It’s not a huge shocked Ed Shereen wasn’t nominated as his music is bland and almost blatant rip offs of older and some newer songs by other artist.
Likewise with DR Khaled. Santana already collected his grammy for Maria Maria.
*DJ
Camilla should have gotten a nod for something. And the one direction all released some great stuff, especially Harry Styles.
The Harry Styles first single was very good imo. Could ahve got soemthing. However I suppose they see all those people are not destined to have long careers.
Camilla should have gotten a nod… for what exactly?
… Perhaps for the category: How To Exit A Group Before It’s Time To While Failing To Ride the Latin-Hip/Hop Wave Successfully?
LOL yeah Camila what for? Is she talented at all?
She does a great chipmunk impression
I’m actually only into the performances!!
AOTY nods are all people of color and a female who acknowledges white privilege??
Yeah. I can get with this.
The Grammys are boring though and they get it wrong a lot so I won’t be watching. And R&B needs even more love. R&B helped put hip hop on, hip hop needs to return the favor.
Half of the nominees are bad, and the other half are good. Not one of their best years. Good news is that they have not give in any random release by Taylor or Beyonce (more or less). But I don´t understand how they have considered Jay-Z´s album for such important categories. It´s crazy. Just not deserving. Seeing some of the awful nominees for Song and Record of the year (Despacito are they serios? Did they nominate La Macarena in the 90s? I suppose not. Their standards have gone so low now. Ridiculous. Songs didn´t used to get nominated JUST because they were hits) I consider bad news that Million Reasons didn´t make it to neitehr of thsoe categories. It is truly deserving compared to those other songs. Although at least they have consider it for best pop vocals, which it deserves.
I consider good news that Lorde´s Melodrama is in the big category. It was so highly acclaimed and it´s good to see they have not fogotten it despite her music not connecting with mainstream audiences like her first did. That´s the kind of good stuff that grammys do and that other popularity awards don´t. But yeah, they have been losing so much credibility for letting half of their nods being bad, just popularity. It should be 100% GOOD stuff. It used to be like that and I didn´t see maisntream complaining. People kept an eye on the grammys even if the music was not popular. It used to be great promo for quality music too.
So basically because you don’t like a certain artist or album they shouldn’t be nominated? Talk about self centered!
I don’t like lorde at all but she has her nominations..Cardi B is mediocre at best and she has two nominations.
Most of you who are complaining only listen to certain types of music anyway. 4:44 was a good body of work. Probably his best album since the blueprint 3. You pop girls love to base your judgement off of what you perceive to be great music. You never take into accord that your opinions are often self centered and not everyone thinks like you. Nor do they enjoy the same music. If non singing weird ass Lorde can get a nomination, so can a legend like Jay-Z. Then you’re plugging Gaga’s weakest material as worthy? Smh..
Bish who are you? Aren´t you aware these are of course my opinions? Hilarious.
Million Reasons Gaga´s weakest material? Are u serious? Are u one of those that prefer basic pop music like The Fame, like she did years ago so that she could enter in the industry? Bye girl! I´m not saying Jay-Z is bad. I´m saying 3 nods in the 3 main categories seem way out of touch even for what grammys usually go for. He truly is a grammy darling, same with his wife. Album could be understandable. Song and Record of the year are not. If we follow grammys own logic it is so out of place. Lorde cannot sing. So? Many of these people cannot. But her body of work and music was great.
God, you and S****** are pretensious af! So because you think Jay’s music is ‘terrible’, you deem him not worthy of his noms? Quit living in the 90s where your precious vocal divas were slaying because that time is OVER and I actually lived for them! I think you’re just miffed The likes of Whitney, Mariah and Celine never won as many Grammys. Big deal, those women LEGENDS and nothing will ever take that away from them. How was the Story Of OJ a bad quality song? It speaks to a very real issue concerning the identity crisis many Black people face and it was a well composed Hip Hop track. But I guess that doesn’t matter since you can’t relate and see it as not worthy of recognition. You lift up Lorde as this paragon of talent like very word like she’s some great singer but then make the excuse that her writing is what attracts her acclaim (which is true) but you don’t afford that standard to others.
LOL What are u talking about? I said in this same post a dozen times people who cannot sing like Lorde deserve their nominations. So keep that pbullshit about “my” vocal divas. I didn´t say at any point Jay-Z´s music is terrible either. You have literally embarrassed yourself.
Also I´m one of the biggest supporters of grammys still these days in this site for example. Just try to make sense next time. No, not everybody adores Jay Z or his wife. And no, this many main nominations for him now don´t seem to fit what the grammys usually go for in those two categories I mentioned. You literally had to over react to a comment which was only explaining opinions about music (one of the few times people talk about music in this blog).
I feel like Keke Wyatt’s album “Rated Love” was definitely slept on last year, she should have won a grammy for that album. And faith should have been in this year’s R&B category with “The king and I”
You’re joking right? Both those albums were terrible which actually sucks because I was looking forward to both albums.
Also, Jay-Z getting nod for Album… hmm ok. But for Record and Song of the year… taht truly doesn´t make sense. At all. They normally look for a song that has at least some quality but that also has been a hit.
Great news that Lana del Rey´s fantastic album is nominated for best pop album btw. They don´t seem to like her. So this is a great step.
None of these are shocking… at all.
So happy for Logic and the gang for their song being nominated for such an important record! ❤️❤️
The Grammys are unpredictable at times. They have never just gon off hype and charts, so yes year after year that’s why you see “snubs” as you call it. The voting committee could be really diverse, most of them probably don’t even follow charts
Tamar’s My Man was one of the best vocal performances of the year. No nomination?