The 66th Grammy Awards nominations dropped like a musical bombshell, and Nashville creators are standing tall among the elite. Jelly Roll, the crowned Best New Artist at the recent CMA Awards, and The War and Treaty, are redefining the term “Music City” with their inclusion in the most coveted all-genre categories.
But hold on to your cowboy hats; there’s a catch. The 66th Grammys, set to air live on CBS on February 4, might be skipping some of Nashville’s critically acclaimed names in the major categories. Don’t expect to see Brandy Clark, Lainey Wilson, or Chris Stapleton vying for Album, Record, Song, or Producer of the Year outside of their designated genre lanes.
Nevertheless, it’s time for a hoot and holler because there’s still plenty of reasons to pop the champagne. Let’s break down the categories where Nashville’s finest will be locking horns with other musical titans, all chosen by the discerning members of the Recording Academy.
Best New Artist:
Gracie Abrams
Fred again..
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan
Victoria Monét
The War And Treaty
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical:
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shane McAnally
Theron Thomas
Justin Tranter
Best Country Solo Performance:
“In Your Love” – Tyler Childers
“Buried” – Brandy Clark
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs
“The Last Thing On My Mind” – Dolly Parton
“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“High Note” – Dierks Bentley featuring Billy Strings
“Nobody’s Nobody” – Brothers Osborne
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves
“Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold)” – Vince Gill & Paul Franklin
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce featuring Chris Stapleton
Best Country Album:
“Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” — Kelsea Ballerini
“Brothers Osborne” — Brothers Osborne
“Zach Bryan” — Zach Bryan
“Rustin’ in the Rain” — Tyler Childers
“Bell Bottom Country”— Lainey Wilson
Best Country Song:
Brandy Clark – “Buried”
Chris Stapleton – “White Horse”
Morgan Wallen – “Last Night”
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves – “I Remember Everything”
Best Americana Album:
“Brandy Clark” — Brandy Clark
“The Chicago Sessions” — Rodney Crowell
“You’re the One” — Rhiannon Giddens
“Weathervanes” — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
“The Returner”— Allison Russell
Best Americana Performance:
Blind Boys of Alabama – “Friendship”
Tyler Childers – “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
Brandy Clark ft. Brandi Carlile – “Dear Insecurity”
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “King of Oklahoma”
Allison Russell – “The Returner”
Best American Roots Song
The War and Treaty – “Blank Page”
Billy Strings ft. Willie Nelson – “California Sober”
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “Cast Iron Skillet”
Brandy Clark ft. Brandi Carlile – “Dear Insecurity”
Allison Russell – “The Returner”
Best Bluegrass Album
Sam Bush – “Radio John: Songs of John Hartford”
Michael Cleveland – “Lovin’ of the Game”
Mighty Poplar – “Mighty Poplar”
Willie Nelson – “Bluegrass”
Billy Strings – “Me/And/Dad”
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – “City of Gold”
Best Musical Theater Album
Kimberly Akimbo
Parade
Shucked (Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally wrote these songs)
Some Like It Hot
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Folk Album
Dom Flemons – Traveling Wildfire
The Milk Carton Kids – I Only See the Moon
Joni Mitchell – Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live]
Nickel Creek – Celebrants
Old Crow Medicine Show – Jubilee
Paul Simon – Psalms
Rufus Wainwright – Folkocracy
Best Music Video
The Beatles – I’m Only Sleeping
Tyler Childers – In Your Love
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For
Kendrick Lamar – Count Me Out
Troye Sivan – Rush
Best Immersive Audio Album
Alicia Keys – The Diary of Alicia Keys
Bear McCreary – God of War Ragnarok
George Strait – Blue Clear Sky
Madison Beer – Silence Between Songs
Ryan Ylyate – Act 3 (Immersive Edition)
The Grammys promise to be a wild ride, and Music City’s best are ready to take the stage.
So, buckle up, Nashville. It’s time to turn up the volume and cheer for our hometown heroes as they strut their stuff at the 66th Grammy Awards. Y’all don’t want to miss this! 🎸🎤
