Grammys 2022: Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo Vie for Top Honors

Jon Batiste leads nominees as Recording Academy snubs women artists in all rock categories and nominates Louis C.K. — who’s admitted to sexual misconduct with multiple women — for Best Comedy Album

UPDATE (12/6): The nominations have been updated to reflect Drake’s decision to withdraw his name from the two categories he was nominated in, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album.

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Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo are among the artists who will compete for major awards at the 64th Grammy Awards, taking place on Jan. 31, 2022. 

This year’s nominees were led by Jon Batiste, the jazz musician and Late Show bandleader, who picked up 11 nominations for both his solo album, We Are, and his work on the soundtrack for Pixar’s Soul. Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. tied for the second-most nominations, with eight each, while Eilish and Rodrigo notched seven. Brandi Carlile, Kanye West, and Lil Nas X also picked up multiple nominations.

In the Album of the Year category, Batiste’s We Are will be up against Bieber’s Justice, H.E.R.’s Back of My Mind, Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, Rodrigo’s Sour, Lil Nas X’s Montero, Doja Cat’s Planet Her, Taylor Swift’s Evermore, Kanye West’s Donda, and Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga’s Love for Sale (the pair’s second collaborative LP is the 95-year-old Bennett’s last).

Gaga and Bennett —who scored five nominations in total — also earned a Record of the Year nod for their rendition of the Cole Porter standard “I Get a Kick Out of You.” They’ll compete against Batiste (“Freedom”), Bieber, Daniel Caesar, and Giveon (“Peaches”), Doja Cat and SZA (“Kiss Me More”), ABBA (“I Still Have Faith in You”), Lil Nas X (“Montero”), Eilish (“Happier Than Ever”), Rodrigo (“Drivers License”), Silk Sonic (“Leave the Door Open”), and Brandi Carlile (“Right on Time”).

The Song of the Year category, meanwhile, features Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits,” Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile’s “A Beautiful Noise,” Rodrigo’s “Drivers License,” H.E.R.’s “Fight for You,” Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” Doja Cat and SZA’s “Kiss Me More,” Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Bieber, Caesar, and Giveon’s “Peaches,” and Carlile’s “Right on Time.”

Rodrigo is the likely favorite in the always-intriguing Best New Artist category, although she’ll face competition from 2021’s other breakout pop star, the Kid Laroi, as well as rapper Saweetie, and British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks. Indie darlings Japanese Breakfast and Arooj Aftab also scored Best New Artist nods, as did Baby Keem, Glass Animals, Jimmie Allen, and an artist who already has a few Grammy wins under his belt: Finneas (Eilish’s brother and musical partner released his solo debut this year, although it arrived in October, right after the Grammys’ Sept. 30 cutoff).

With a handful of artists — as always — dominating the major four awards, things did open up a bit more in the genre categories. Ariana Grande and BTS picked up some nominations in the pop categories, while Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, and Kacey Musgraves will all vie for various trophies in the country category. Tyler, the Creator earned a pair of rap nominations, while Jazmine Sullivan picked up three in the R&B categories: Best R&B Performance and Best Song, for “Pick Up Your Feelings,” and Best R&B Album, for Heaux Tales. 

Jay-Z even made some Grammy history this year, squeezing past Quincy Jones to become the most Grammy-nominated artist of all time, bringing his total to 83, with two looks in Best Rap Song (he was featured on DMX’s “Bath Salts” and Kanye West’s “Jail”) and a third for Album of the Year, for his work on Donda. Paul McCartney nearly took that record for himself, but fell short as his total came to 81 with nominations for Best Rock Song (“Find My Way”) and Best Rock Album (McCartney III).

While the Recording Academy has spent the past few years trying to counteract various controversies with efforts to improve the diversity of its voting bloc and Grammy nominees, some questionable old habits returned to the surface in this year’s nominees. Most glaring was in the rock categories: One year after the Best Rock Performance category featured only women, not a single woman artist was nominated in any rock category. Women were also shut out of Best Rap Album, although Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Saweetie will compete for some of the remaining spoils in the other rap categories.

But arguably the Academy’s most stunning decision — one that may prove once and for all that “cancel culture” is absolutely not a thing — came in the Best Comedy Album category, where Louis C.K., who has admitted to sexual misconduct with multiple women, was nominated. 

Album of the Year
We Are — Jon Batiste
Love for Sale —Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Justice — Justin Bieber
Planet Her — Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
Back of My Mind — H.E.R.
Montero — Lil Nas X
Sour — Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore — Taylor Swift
Donda — Kanye West

Record of the Year
“I Still Have Faith in You” — ABBA
“Freedom” — Jon Batiste
“I Get a Kick Out of You” — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“Right on Time” — Brandi Carlile
“Kiss Me More” — Doja Cat feat. SZA
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X
“Drivers License” — Olivia Rodrigo
“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic

Song of the Year
“Bad Habits” — Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid, and Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
“A Beautiful Noise” — Ruby Amanfu, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Alicia Keys, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, Linda Perry, and Hailey Whitters, songwriters (Alicia Keys feat. Brandi Carlile)
“Drivers License” — Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“Fight for You” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R., and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Kiss Me More” — Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Carter Lang, Gerard A. Powell II, Solána Rowe, and David Sprecher, songwriters (Doja Cat feat. SZA)
“Leave the Door Open” — Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Denzel Baptiste, David Biral, Omer Fedi, Montero Hill, and Roy Lenzo, songwriters (Lil Nas X)
“Peaches” — Louis Bell, Justin Bieber, Giveon Dezmann Evans, Bernard Harvey, Felisha “Fury” King, Matthew Sean Leon, Luis Manuel Martinez Jr., Aaron Simmonds, Ashton Simmonds, Andrew Wotman, and Keavan Yazdani, songwriters (Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon)
“Right on Time” – Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)

Best New Artist
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Anyone” — Justin Bieber
“Right on Time” — Brandi Carlile
“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish
“Positions” — Ariana Grande
“Drivers License” — Olivia Rodrigo

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“I Get a Kick Out of You” — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
“Lonely” — Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco
“Butter” — BTS
“Higher Power” — Coldplay
“Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat feat. SZA

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Love for Sale — Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
‘Til Me Meet Again Live — Norah Jones
A Tori Kelly Christmas — Tori Kelly
Ledisi Sings Nina — Ledisi
That’s Life — Willie Nelson
A Holly Dolly Christmas — Dolly Parton

Best Pop Vocal Album
Justice — Justin Bieber
Planet Her —  Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever — Billie Eilish
Positions — Ariana Grande
Sour — Olivia Rodrigo

Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Hero” — Afrojack and David Guetta
“Loom” — Ólafur Arnalds feat. Bonobo
“Before” — James Blake
“Heartbreak” — Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
“You Can Do It” — Caribou
“Alive” — Rüfüs Du Sol
“The Business” — Tiësto

Best Dance/Electronic Album
Subconsciously — Black Coffee
Fallen Embers — Illenium
Music Is the Weapon (Reloaded) — Major Lazer
Shockwave — Marshmello
Free Love — Sylvan Esso
Judgement — Ten City

Best Rock Performance
“Shot in the Dark” — AC/DC
“Know You Better” (Live From Capitol Studio A) — Black Pumas
“Nothing Compares 2 U” — Chris Cornell
“Ohms” — Deftones
“Making a Fire” — Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song
“All My Favorite Things” — Rivers Cuomo, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, and Ilsey Juber, songwriters (Weezer)
“The Bandit” — Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, and Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings of Leon)
“Distance” — Wolfgang Van Halen, songwriter (Mammoth WVH)
“Find My Way” — Paul McCartney, songwriter (Paul McCartney)
“Waiting on a War” — Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)

Best Rock Album
Power Up — AC/DC
Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A — Black Pumas
No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1 — Chris Cornell
Medicine at Midnight — Foo Fighters
McCartney III — Paul McCartney

Best Metal Performance
“Genesis” — Deftones
“The Alien” — Dream Theater
“Amazonia” — Gojira
“Pushing the Tides” — Mastodon
“The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)” — Rob Zombie

Best Alternative Music Album
Shore — Fleet Foxes
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power — Halsey
Jubilee — Japanese Breakfast
Collapsed in Sunbeams — Arlo Parks
Daddy’s Home — St. Vincent

Best R&B Performance
“Lost You” — Snoh Aalegra
“Peaches” — Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
“Damage” — H.E.R.
“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic
“Pick Up Your Feelings” — Jazmine Sullivan

Best Traditional R&B Performance
“I Need You” — Jon Batiste
“Bring It on Home to Me” — BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, and Kenyon Dixon feat. Charlie Bereal
“Born Again” — Leon Bridges feat. Robert Glasper
“Fight for You” — H.E.R.
“How Much Can a Heart Take” — Lucky Daye feat. Yebba

Best R&B Song
“Damage” — Anthony Clemons Jr., Jeff Gitelman, H.E.R., Carl McCormick, and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Good Days” — Jacob Collier, Carter Lang, Carlos Munoz, Solána Rowe, and Christopher Ruelas, songwriters (SZA)
“Heartbreak Anniversary” — Giveon Evans, Maneesh, Sevn Thomas, and Varren Wade, songwriters (Giveon)
“Leave the Door Open” — Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile II, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
“Pick Up Your Feelings” — Denisia “Blue June” Andrews, Audra Mae Butts, Kyle Coleman, Brittany “Chi” Coney, Michael Holmes, and Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Jazmine Sullivan)

Best Progressive R&B Album
New Light — Eric Bellinger
Something to Say — Cory Henry
Mood Valiant — Hiatus Kaiyote
Table for Two — Lucky Daye
Dinner Party: Dessert — Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington
Studying Abroad: Extended Stay — Masego

Best R&B Album
Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies — Snoh Aalegra
We Are — Jon Batiste
Gold-Diggers Sound — Leon Bridges
Back of My Mind — H.E.R.
Heaux Tales — Jazmine Sullivan

Best Rap Performance
“Family Ties” — Baby Keep feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Up” — Cardi B
“My . Life” — J. Cole feat. 21 Savage and Morray
“Thot Shit” — Megan Thee Stallion

Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Pride . Is . the . Devil” — J. Cole feat. Lil Baby
“Need to Know” — Doja Cat
“Industry Baby” — Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow
“Wusyaname” — Tyler, the Creator feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign
“Hurricane” — Kanye West feat. the Weeknd and Lil Baby

Best Rap Song
“Bath Salts” — Shawn Carter, Kasseem Dean, Michael Forno, Nasir Jones, and Earl Simmons, songwriters (DMX feat. Jay-Z and Nas)
“Best Friend” — Amala Zandelie Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Randall Avery Hammers, Diamonté Harper, Asia Smith, Theron Thomas, and Rocco Valdes, songwriters (Saweetie feat. Doja Cat)
“Family Ties” – Roshwita Larisha Bacha, Hykeem Carter, Tobias Dekker, Colin Franken, Jasper Harris, Kendrick Lamar, Ronald Latour, and Dominik Patrzek, songwriters (Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar)
“Jail” — Dwayne Abernathy Jr., Shawn Carter, Raul Cubina, Michael Dean, Charles M. Njapa, Sean Solymar, Kanye West, and Mark Williams, songwriters (Kanye West feat. Jay-Z) (Note: Marilyn Manson, aka Brian Hugh Warner, was originally credited as a songwriter but has since been removed.)
“My . Life” – Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph and Jermaine Cole, songwriters (J. Cole feat. 21 Savage and Morray)

Best Rap Album
The Off-Season — J. Cole
King’s Disease II — Nas
Call Me If You Get Lost — Tyler, the Creator
Donda — Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance
“Forever After All” — Luke Combs
“Remember Her Name” — Mickey Guyton
“All I Do Is Drive” — Jason Isbell
“Camera Roll” — Kacey Musgraves
“You Should Probably Leave” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“If I Didn’t Love You” — Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
“Younger Me” — Brothers Osborne
“Glad You Exist” — Dan and Shay
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” — Elle King and Miranda Lambert

Best Country Song
“Better Than We Found It” — Jessie Jo Dillon, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Camera Roll” — Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, and Daniel Tashian, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“Cold” — Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon, and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
“Country Again” — Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley, and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Thomas Rhett)
“Fancy Like” — Cameron Bartolini, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins, and Shane Stevens, songwriters (Walker Hayes)
“Remember Her Name” — Mickey Guyton, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram, and Parker Welling, songwriters (Mickey Guyton)

Best Country Album
Skeletons — Brothers Osborne
Remember Her Name — Mickey Guyton
The Marfa Tapes — Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram
The Ballad of Dood and Juanita — Sturgill Simpson
Starting Over — Chris Stapleton

Best Latin Pop Album
Vértigo — Pablo Alborán
Mis Amores — Paula Arenas
Hecho a la Antigua — Ricardo Arjona
Mis Manos — Camilo
Mendó — Alex Cuba
Revelación — Selena Gomez

Best Música Urbana Album
Afrodisíaco — Rauw Alejandro
El Último Tour del Mundo — Bad Bunny
Jose — J Balvin
KG0516 — Karol G
Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios) — Kali Uchis

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Deja — Bomba Estéreo
Mira Lo Que Me Hiciste Hacer — Diamante Eléctrico
Origen — Juanes
Calambre — Nathy Peluso
El Madrileño — C. Tangana
Sonidos de Karmática Resonancia — Zoé

Best American Roots Performance
“Cry” — Jon Batiste
“Love and Regret — Billy Strings
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” — The Blind Boys of Alabama and Béla Fleck
“Same Devil” — Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile
“Nightflyer” — Allison Russell

Best American Roots Song
“Avalon” – Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson, and Francesco Turrisi, songwriters (Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi)
“Call Me a Fool” — Valerie June, songwriter (Valerie June feat. Carla Thomas)
“Cry” – Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Diamond Studded Shoes”  — Dan Auerbach, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Yola, songwriters (Yola)
“Nightflyer” — Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best Americana Album
Downhill From Everywhere — Jackson Browne
Leftover Feelings — John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band
Native Sons — Los Lobos
Outside Child — Allison Russell
Stand For Myself — Yola

Best Bluegrass Album
Renewal — Billy Strings
My Bluegrass Heart — Béla Fleck
A Tribute to Bill Monroe — The Infamous Stringdusters
Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions) — Sturgill Simpson
Music Is What I See — Rhonda Vincent

Best Traditional Blues Album
100 Years of Blues — Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
Traveler’s Blues — Blues Traveler
I Be Trying — Cedric Burnside
Be Ready When I Call You — Guy Davis
Take Me Back — Kim Wilson 

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Delta Kream — The Black Keys feat. Eric Deaton and Kenny Brown
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