LOS ANGELES — At April’s Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, the big winner was Jon Batiste, a jazz-funk bandleader with a plum TV gig and critical acclaim but almost zero chart presence prior to the ceremony.
On Feb. 5, 2023, it will be music’s reigning A-listers vying for the top trophies.
Superstars Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles, Adele and Lizzo were all nominated for album, song and record of the year for the 65th Grammy Awards, as announced Tuesday by the Recording Academy. Long-standing Grammy favorites Mary J. Blige (a nine-time winner and 37-time nominee) and Brandi Carlile (six wins, 24 nominations) were both nominated for record and album of the year, and 2022’s top-selling artist, Bad Bunny, received an album of the year nomination. Even Taylor Swift, whose “Midnights” isn’t eligible until next cycle, grabbed a song of the year nomination for her 10-minute rerecording of “All Too Well.” Ratings for televised awards shows may be at an all-time low, but with a night filled by performances from some of pop music’s biggest draws, executives at the Recording Academy and its network TV partner CBS have reason for optimism.
While Beyoncé and Adele were expected to lead the pack, there are a handful of notable surprises and a few pointed snubs. Here are some that caught our eye:
1. No more drama; many more nominations.
R&B great Blige has enjoyed a long and storied career, and the Grammys have rewarded her with nine trophies, from her first in 1996 to her most recent in 2009. But her six nominations this year will likely catch even hardcore Mary fans off-guard.