GRAMMY HIGHLIGHTS
Here is a look at some of the major categories. Check out the full list at Grammy.com.
Album of the year
“Morning Phase,” Beck
“Beyoncé,” Beyoncé
“X,” Ed Sheeran
“In the Lonely Hour,” Sam Smith
“Girl,” Pharrell Williams
Best new artist
Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Brandy Clark
Haim
Sam Smith
Record of the year
“Fancy,” Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
“Chandelier,” Sia
“Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith
“Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift
“All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor
Song of the year
“Chandelier,” Sia
“All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor
“Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift
“Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith
“Take Me to Church,” Hozier
It looks as if it’s indeed Sam Smith’s world this year.
The sensitive British crooner earned six Grammy nominations including album of the year for his breakthrough studio debut, “In the Lonely Hour.”
Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé also earned top status this year, garnering six nods each as well.
Iggy Azalea, Beck, Eric Church, engineer Tom Coyne, Drake, Gordon Goodwin, Jay Z, Miranda Lambert, Sia, Usher, and Jack White earned four nominations each.
This year’s nominations were announced throughout the day and night on Friday.
Beyoncé is up for best R&B performance and best R&B song for “Drunk in Love,” among her accolades, while Azalea, whose tutelage from T.I. during her time in Atlanta jumpstarted her career, landed in categories including best new artist and best rap album for “The New Classic.”
Many other familiar Atlanta — and Georgia — names will compete this year as well.
Soul-R&B superstar Usher, who plays Philips Arena on Tuesday, will compete with himself in the best R&B performance lineup for his work with Chris Brown and Rick Ross on “New Flame” and on his own “Good Kisser.” Both songs are also up for best R&B song.
Hard rock maestros Mastodon picked up a nod in the best metal performance category. Their song “High Road” from “Once More ‘Round the Sun” will battle Anthrax, Motorhead, Slipknot and Tenacious D for the win.
Lecrae, who moved to Atlanta from Texas several years ago, continues his impressive straddling of rap and Christian music with a nod for “All I Need Is You” in the best rap performance lineup. His competition includes Stone Mountain native Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) with “3005,” as well as Eminem (“Rap God”), Drake (“0 to 100/The Catch Up”) and Kendrick Lamar (“I”).
Childish Gambino scored a best rap album nomination for “Because the Internet,” while Lecrae is also nominated as a featured guest on Erica Campbell’s “Help” in the best gospel performance category.
Canton’s Francesca Battistelli landed in best contemporary Christian music performance/song with “Write Your Story,” where she will be up against Atlanta transplant Crowder (“Come as You Are”), Lecrae (“Messengers” featuring For King & Country), MercyMe and Needtobreathe.
Battistelli’s “If We’re Honest” is up for best contemporary Christian music album.
In the country categories, the Band Perry and Little Big Town, both with Georgia ties, landed in the best country duo/group performance category for “Gentle on My Mind” and “Day Drinking,” respectively.
Gregg Allman returns to the nominations list with his version of the Allman Brothers classic “Statesboro Blues” with Taj Mahal. They’ll compete for best American roots performance.
Atlanta’s classical performers received some notice as well, as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra scored two nominations, for best orchestral performance and best engineered classical album.
Others with local ties who landed on the Grammy nominations list include Lance Ledbetter and Michael Graves, Mali Music, Susan Archie, Jamal Jones, Lil Jon, Dierks Bentley, Terius “The Dream” Nash, Leslie Brathwaite, James Chambers, Malissa Hunter, Maurice “Verse” Simmons and President Jimmy Carter, who is nominated in best spoken word album for “A Call to Action.”
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will air live Feb. 8 on CBS.
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