Singer-songwriters and producers Nina Blu and J. Xander talk about the Grammy nominations for the ceremony in 2024. They go over the top six biggest prizes of the night and give who they want to win and who they believe will take home the golden trophy.
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Singer-songwriters and producers Nina Blu and J. Xander talk about the Grammy nominations for the ceremony in 2024. They go over the top six biggest prizes of the night and give who they want to win and who they believe will take home the golden trophy.
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Welcome to Playback, the podcast about what's hot and trending in music right now. I am singer songwriter Nina Blu.
J. Xander:And I am singer songwriter producer J Xander.
Nina:J, we've had a lot of news this week regarding Grammy nominations.
J. Xander:A lot of awards, but yeah, that's what I'm most excited to talk about today are the Grammy nominations, I think.
Nina:Oh man. So we're going to talk about just like the top six, I think we settled on, like the six most prolific, I would say.
J. Xander:Yeah, I'm sorry. We're not covering like best new metal progressive nightcore album today, y'all. We just don't have the time to cover every genre, unfortunately.
Nina:Yeah, there are a couple of like new categories this year. We're not gonna go over them. We are just gonna go over like the massive big prizes. So, J, I was thinking we should keep track and keep score and when we do our Grammys episode next year.
J. Xander:Ah, okay.
Nina:We should have a little bet going.
J. Xander:Like who, who was closer?
Nina:Who was, yeah. Whoever loses has to, I don't know, edit that week or something.
J. Xander:Right, okay. Cool.
Nina:Maybe our listeners can help us be a little more creative with a good bet.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:But, um, do you have any, like, starting out any observations about this year's nominees or, like, some snub conversations?
J. Xander:I don't really have any snub conversations, I will just say straight off the bat to the viewers, um, I'm going to be extremely biased towards SZA and Lana this time around, because just, I've always been a huge stan of theirs, and I think it's time. It is high time they re they deserve their flowers, you know?
Nina:Oh, yeah, for sure. And, you know, being nominated is a big enough honor. I think that's a really big deal. There's just so much good music here and so many great artists. I wouldn't really be mad if Anybody won, really and truly. It's just, I think we're just kind of making predictions based off of what we hear and what we know of the Academy.
J. Xander:Yeah, for sure. I like that it's very heavily made up. The nominees are, uh, mostly women this year for like the big prizes.
Nina:Yes.
J. Xander:That's awesome.
Nina:There has been a lot of diversity this year. It's really incredible. Looking forward to seeing some women take, the girlies take home the prize, right?
J. Xander:Yeah, for sure.
Nina:All right, so... a Lot of listeners may not understand the difference between Record of the Year and Song of the Year, both of which we're going to cover, but J, do you want to talk about the difference between these two awards?
J. Xander:Yeah, so Record of the Year really has to do with, like, the overall, everything that went into the song in general, as far as, like, the arrangement, the production, vocal production. All those elements kind of surmise together into one, like, final product. Whereas Song of the Year is just trying to look at the song itself in like a standalone fashion. It's kind of the best way that I can explain it.
Nina:Yes, so Song of the Year is more about the writing and the craft of the song. You can have a really, really simple arrangement. We're going to talk about that. With Record of the Year. You could also have a simple arrangement that's just done in a new or interesting way, in a way that the Academy believes deserves nomination, right?
J. Xander:Right.
Nina:So getting into it, we have Worship, John Batiste, Not Strong Enough, Boy Genius, Flowers, Miley Cyrus. What Was I Made For, Billie Eilish, On My Mama, Victoria Monet, Vampire, Olivia Rodrigo, Antihero, Taylor Swift, and Kill Bill, SZA. J, do you have any initial comments on any of these songs?
J. Xander:Not particularly. We did agree that we would look at the one that we want to win versus we actually think will win as we're discussing these. I will say, I had never heard of... I had heard about Boy Genius, but I didn't really hear about their music at all, and I think that this is a really, really cool sounding song. And it, it, it just... We're on the same page for that. Yeah. Yeah. It really reminds me a lot of, like, it's almost like this is a continuation, or maybe it's somewhat of a homage to the Sheryl Crow song, like, Are You Strong Enough to Be My Man? And for this one, this I think would be the one that I would like to see take it. Who I think will take it is probably gonna be Flowers, only because I think that they're really gonna go for like the retro kind of, oh this is like a new reinvention of a song updated for today's standards. Right. That's just how I feel like they're gonna go.
Nina:So I feel the same way. I would love to see Boy Genius take this. The producer Catherine Marks, I have been a stan of hers for the last like three years. I'm just obsessed. And so I watched this album get made on Instagram, like through their posts and stuff. She posted that she was working with Boy Genius. And so I followed Boy Genius and started listening to their stuff. I would give my left arm to work with Catherine Marks, like, I, I just, in my opinion, she can do no wrong. She's someone that I've really idolized for a long time now, so I feel the same way. I don't think that John Batiste is gonna get it for Worship. He is a Grammy darling. And I have never known of anyone in this industry so beloved, but he like swept the Grammys a few years ago. So I don't think that he's going to get it for this. I think Flowers is a good argument, but my pick for who's going to win is What Was I Made For? Billie Eilish is another Grammy darling. Um, that was a really incredible project. And it's an incredibly poignant song, so I think it they're gonna go with Billie on this one.
J. Xander:I think it's gonna be yeah, I think it's gonna be either Flowers or What Was I Made For. Even though I do like the production on the John Batiste song as well, but I
Nina:It's so cool.
J. Xander:I just think that it's a little bit too jarring in comparison to everything else. Like, at the one minute mark, it's it almost flips into, like, a completely different song. Um, and... We'll talk about another song that does that later, but I don't necessarily know that it does it to great effects personally But yeah, I'm I'm pulling for Boy Genius to to pull the upset.
Nina:That would be like my favorite I guess it wouldn't be an upset because everyone in this category is so you know, like
J. Xander:That's true Yeah.
Nina:This is, I'm looking at all of these songs, I, the only one that I would be like a little annoyed that won would be Vampire. It, just cause like, I don't think it did anything really fascinating or interesting in the record, yeah. But at the same time, like, I love Olivia Rodrigo, I think this song is good, but I don't think it's great though. That's, that's my only beef with it.
J. Xander:Yeah, I would maybe see it being a bigger contender for Song of the Year. We'll talk about that later, but for production, I 100 percent agree with you. I don't necessarily think that it does anything like new and it's, we talked about it, it takes like almost a minute and a half, two minutes before it starts to sound interesting. So for, if you're up for a Record of the Year, I feel like that's a big problem.
Nina:Yeah, one of our good friends joked that it was very Glee piano at the beginning and I've never been able to forget that.
J. Xander:Drag her. That is so accurate. Oh my god.
Nina:No, like, one of our friends made that comment, and I, like, I can't unhear it now. Every time the song comes on, it's almost ruined the song for me.
J. Xander:Finish her. That was crazy. Okay.
Nina:Okay, you ready to get into Song of the Year?
J. Xander:Uh, yes.
Nina:So, this is specifically a songwriter's award. The songs are A& W, which is Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey, Sam Du. Antihero, Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift. Butterfly, John Batiste and Dan Wilson. Dance the Night, Carolyn Allen, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Flowers, Miley Cyrus, Gregory Ald Hine, and Michael Pollak. Kill Bill, Rob Bissell, Carter Lang, Solana Rowe. Vampire, Daniel Nigro, and Olivia Rodrigo, and What Was I Made For, Billie Eilish O'Connell, and Phineas O'Connell. I was really surprised to see A& W be nominated from that whole album, to be honest.
J. Xander:I was too. I assumed it would be something else. I don't know what, but I, I actually am happy that it was, just because I think that this is a very, This is a super interesting song. This is actually my pick to want to win because I think that it captures this really weird feeling that a lot of people have and obviously it's geared towards women but it's just like it You know, I just feel like the dating atmosphere right now is so, so weird to the point where it's like You can be literally going on full on dates with somebody and they don't think that you're dating It's just a situation ship and it's weird and it leaves you feeling like this It leaves you thinking that oh, like all I want to do is have fun. Is it really? And I feel like that's how a lot of people feel. And of course she gets into like. a way darker place than that with this song, which I think should be commended also because, you know, it's risky, it's bold to do something like that. And then the song at like five minute mark, which this is a seven minute long song, which is crazy, but it doesn't, it doesn't feel that way to me. The second half of the song, which a lot of people just refer to as Jimmy, is like something totally different. She takes you from wanting to cry in the club to wanting to twerk in it. It's really weird, but she captures like this weird dichotomy between like being, you know, this American whore in being in this mindset to then kind of embodying this party girl that is almost very reminiscent of like the kind of music that she was putting out in the earlier half of her career, which I think is just, I think it's really brilliant. I think it's smart. I think this is a really creative and interesting and different song. So this is
Nina:something really interesting. Um, Lana Del Rey is a really fascinating character. She's been criticized for this, that, and the other, I think, pretty unfairly, a couple of times. But you touched on something really interesting, and I remember it was like a TED Talk, or a woman speaking, she's a psychologist, and she has this, like, slut theory. All of the Swifty stans are gonna be like, yay! Anyway, um, so, she has a new song called Slut.
J. Xander:Slut exclamation point.
Nina:Exactly. Okay, so it's this theory of like there are two responses to the accusation of slut. Either you completely sequester and you hide away, kind of the way that like Monica Lewinsky did, or you get that accusation and you say, you want a slut? I'll show you a slut. And so women either steer into it, or they completely shelter themselves. There's almost no in between. And so that's what this song reminds me of, is the latter of that. Is, like, the response to the accusation. But you're right, like, dating has been so weird the last couple years, especially since COVID.
J. Xander:It's horrible.
Nina:It's terrible. Like, the streets are just, they're not safe, Lana. You, you got a point. You got a big point here. Jack Antonov, one of our personal favorites, his other nomination is Anti Hero. I don't think Anti Hero is gonna win, um, simply because of the second verse. This is a songwriting award and nobody understands that second verse. I don't, Swifties, I don't care. I don't wanna hear it. I like the song, believe me. I love this song. I listen to it on repeat, but that second verse is just too weird, like I can't, I can't get behind it.
J. Xander:Yeah. Uh, and I'm. To y'all's credit, Swifties, you guys usually do a better job of picking her singles than she does because y'all did that with Cruel Summer, I have to say. Y'all got that up to number one. Um, that's amazing. But yeah, I have to agree. This song just, it, it doesn't do it for me, particularly because I'm like, Taylor, you wrote a better version of this song. Almost a decade ago. And it's called Blank Space. Like you already did that thing where you kind of turn everything back around on you and, you know, play with that. And also I just don't, I think people misuse the word antihero a lot. Like, I don't know anyone that would actually. label Taylor Swift as an antihero. Like when I think of that word, I think of like Walter White, Gregory House. I wouldn't put Taylor Swift in the same category as them. You know what I mean? Like one of these things is not like the other. I can kind of see where she's coming from, but I just don't see it. So that's always bothered me about this song. I mean. I think it may have a better shot at record, but even then, I think it's like a little bit too simple sounding.
Nina:Yeah, and, and I think it works as a simple song, right, but like, it just doesn't give me Record of the Year vibes. It doesn't give me Song of the Year vibes for a number of reasons, um, you're right, it is very similar to Blank Space. Blank Space is more funny, though, I think this one is a little more like raw, um, and so I do
J. Xander:And I think this one is trying to be funny, which is interesting to me.
Nina:It sounds more like someone extremely depressed who's still cracking jokes and like that's all that they have.
J. Xander:Yeah. Yeah. It's like the whole joke is, uh, aren't I so sad all the time? Yeah. And usually that's like not funny. Except to the person.
Nina:What is that like crying clown called? Like what is that?
J. Xander:I'm not sure.
Nina:I'm thinking of like Mr. Cellophane from um,
J. Xander:Chicago.
Nina:Exactly. It gives me that vibe.
J. Xander:Yeah, I can see that.
Nina:It gives me that a little bit. Butterfly is my pick of the song that I really want to win. I love this song. This is Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson. It's um, it's interesting that From the same album, there were two different nominations for Jean Baptiste, that Butterfly was nominated for song, and that he had a different song nominated for record, Worship. That's because most of these overlap a lot of the time, but this is a really simple piano ballad. It's beautiful. It gives me like big Beatles vibes, and it's just a lovely, well written, simple song, and I think it is a testament to the craft of songwriting, and that's why I really want it to win. I don't know, I got emotional listening to it because it did sound like something like my grandmother would have played. My grandmother was a concert pianist. I rebelled and picked up a guitar. But, I got emotional listening to it, and I, I just think it's a really, really lovely song. I, I wish it would win. Um. Dance the night, I don't see winning. Do you?
J. Xander:I don't either. I, um,
Nina:As much as I love the song.
J. Xander:Yeah, I think this one should have went under Record of the Year for, cause, you know, Mark Ronson did an amazing job capturing that era, that decade in here. I really like what you said about Butterfly, by the way, in that, um, you know, this category itself is like really about the song. And I think the reason they're separated that way with like the two songs that he's nominated for is because Worship has a lot more like interesting sounds going on in it that don't necessarily equate to like the piano ballad itself. But yeah, because it is about the song itself. I don't necessarily know that Dance the Night says anything like. Unique or different and it's not trying to it doesn't have to but you know when you're looking at this category as a whole I feel like you kind of have to keep that in mind when you're when you're like judging it
Nina:I think it's a I think it's a brilliant song. I really do but I don't think it's gonna win Flowers is the one that I think is actually gonna win
J. Xander:Okay What makes you say that?
Nina:You know, it's a really good song. It was a big bop this year. It's done super well. It charted forever. We have this like, Viejita in the neighborhood, like little old lady, and I was talking to her.
J. Xander:That means hag for you all that don't speak Spanish.
Nina:Oh my god, no it doesn't!
J. Xander:It means old, old hag woman. Anyway, continue, continue.
Nina:Viejita is like an abuela that you're not related to. For me, viejita is like a sweet little phrase, okay? So we have this like, viejita, and she's asking, um, about like, what's going on and stuff, and, and she asks me about my music, she's very sweet, and she goes, you're gonna think I'm crazy, but my favorite song is Flowers by Miley Cyrus. I was like, you and my 32 year old step brother, like, the song just translates really well, I think, and so I think they're gonna give it Song of the Year, I don't think they're gonna give it Record. Um, but yeah, I think, I think they're gonna honor it with that. It's about time for Miley to win a Grammy too.
J. Xander:It's weird The Grammys are odd in that there's like a lot of legendary artists that have never won one or they have like very few like Mariah Carey. I think only has like two or three Um, I don't think Katy Perry has won a single one yet, and she's been in the industry forever, which is wild
Nina:Which is a freaking sin because I'm sorry Teenage Dream is one of the best pop albums.
J. Xander:Yeah, I'm surprised she hasn't won anything.
Nina:From the 2000s, from the 2010s alone.
J. Xander:Yeah, because those vocal performances, those songs are hard to sing, you know? Yeah. It's like she makes them look pretty easy, you know, but yeah,
Nina:um Kill Bill. I don't think is gonna win I'm actually really confused as to why it's like nominated for song of the year
J. Xander:I think it just was her business
Nina:SZA herself has said that it wasn't her favorite off the album. I get it for a record of the year because it does do some really interesting stuff production wise and arrangement wise but like I I don't know about like song of the year. It does have some really interesting chord patterns to it but again, like Does that a song of the year song make? I don't think so.
J. Xander:No, I, I wish she would have delved deeper into this metaphor of the song itself. But I mean, you know, it's a little too late for that. But it's just like, I feel like it's just, it's just like the one little line from it. I might kill my ex, his new girlfriend's next is like what people are super Like heavily latching on to and I'm like, okay, I get it. It's cute, but it's just like, I don't know I don't think that deserves Song of the Year just personally
Nina:Another song that doesn't dig in enough is Vampire and we've talked about this before like we talked about this in a previous episode we just don't feel like I mean, Vampire, it's such a fun concept, and they just really didn't do enough of it.
J. Xander:Mm hmm.
Nina:And then, like, the give and take lines, the compare and contrast lines aren't perfect. They're a little confusing. Like, they make sense, but it could have been workshopped a little bit more. I don't know. I don't know. It's, it's just not my favorite from her. It's not even my favorite on the G. U. T. S. album.
J. Xander:So no, yeah, I agree.
Nina:I don't think it's gonna win. What Was I Made for is an outlier. This one might win.
J. Xander:This is my choice that will win. I think. Oh, yeah, just because I like that we're opposites on like Flowers in this one. Just because I feel like for me the production on this one is like very simple, but it works to its advantage in that way. And I think that it's also very charmingly makes use of the A A B A form, which is like a very traditional songwriting form that you don't really see as much anymore. But I, I feel like that should be commended that somebody, oh, like, you know, they took that idea and they made it work again in like a modern context. I think that's really cool.
Nina:Yeah, no, I, I mean, I love the song and I think it's really good and I do think it stands a chance of winning song of the year. They're just more likely to award her for record. I don't know why, because she is a really good producer, um, as, as is Finneas. And so, sometimes, I mean, the Academy's just odd. They just, they, they think that way sometimes. Like, I don't know.
J. Xander:Yeah, the Grammys are really interesting in comparison to The Academy Awards, I think, because with the Academy Awards, I feel like they cater towards the most indie, pretentious films, which is why they have no viewership. The general audience has no idea what they're talking about, but the Grammys are, like, they kind of switch back and forth, like, every year, where it's, like, they go back and forth between these indie darlings that they have, and the Taylor Swifts of the industry, like, super big names. I kind of like that about it. You never know what you're gonna get, really.
Nina:Yeah, speaking again of Jon Batiste when he, like, swept the major categories. That was a huge deal for him. There were so many people who didn't know who he was, but, he's been in the industry so long that everybody in the industry knew who he was. He's one of those artists that's probably your favorite artist's favorite artist.
J. Xander:Yes. That's a, that's a good way to explain. Yeah, I, for sure.
Nina:All right. Are you ready to move on to Songwriter of the Year?
J. Xander:Sort of. I'll let you take the reins on this one.
Nina:Okay. So songwriter of the year is looking at someone's published body of work within the, the Grammy year, the annual. And so we have Edgar Barrera. If you don't know who he is, it's probably because you don't listen to Latin music. I was really happy to see this nomination. But I don't think he's gonna win. I think this was a nod to, like, the Latin music community. Which deserves it, because it's been charting like crazy in the U. S. We have Jesse Joe Dillon, Shane McNally, Theron Thomas, and Justin Tranter. So... A really good group. I'm looking at the songs written, and my pick for who I think is gonna win is Justin Tranter. And, and I think that's who I would love to see win as well.
J. Xander:Yeah, I would like to see Justin Tranter win as well, just cause he is a fellow Berklee alumni. But I think... Um, I'm also a big fan of Shane McNally. Um, I think he has a wide range and he also helped co write Space Cowboy and a lot of Kacey Musgraves stuff. I also liked watching him a lot on Songland. He had really good input on that show, I think. So yeah, those are my picks for that.
Nina:Yeah, I think Shane might win simply because of the Chris Stapleton song, We Don't Fight Anymore, and Chris Stapleton is another one beloved by the Academy, um, And so that would kind of be the upset. The others I just don't see winning. Like I respect their body of work, I think it's really good, but it's just not as like comparable commercially.
J. Xander:Yeah. Do you think that there should be more overlap between the people nominated here and the people nominated in Song of the Year? Because I personally do. I'm just wondering like why it is that these people were nominated. Like they have strong bodies of work obviously, but I'm just wondering how they, they came about making this particular list.
Nina:So I'm kind of back and forth on it, um. This is looking at a person's body of work released within a year and I think that is important to award because this isn't about the songs themselves necessarily but it's also about the person whereas like the other award is about the song itself and it's a little more about the artist as well because the artist is the one winning for that. So I like that this is specifically for songwriters, um, but you're right like I, I think some of the writers from all of those songs should be nominated a little bit more. Awards are subjective. I mean, honest to goodness.
J. Xander:Yeah, and I think this is, this kind of speaks to this particular award being newer, because this is only the second time that they've had it. So I think they're still trying to figure out like the right criteria for it, because I don't necessarily think that It seems like they're trying to exclude the artists themselves from it. Well, I don't know if that's what they're doing, but that's what ended up happening anyway. Um, and I'm not sure if I agree with that decision personally, but you know, again, it's still evolving. So we'll see how this category shapes up.
Nina:I'll be interested to see it, um, obviously written for our Berklee bro, but
J. Xander:Yeah, go Justin. We'll see.
Nina:Go Justin. We'll see. We'll see. Moving on to Producer of the Year. I just wanted to, like, touch on this a little bit. This might be something a little more recognizable to the people listening at home. This is specifically a producer's award. Jack Antonov is up again. He's won the last two years. Demille is up, Hitboi, Metro Boomin, and Daniel Nigro. Daniel Nigro, who has worked with both Olivia Rodrigo on G. U. T. S. and on S. O. U. R. And he's also getting a lot of accolade for the Chapel Roan album that was just released. And for that reason, I think Daniel Nigro is going to win this year. I don't think they're going to give it to Jack three years in a row.
J. Xander:I think they will. If I'm being honest with you. Yeah, I mean, I, I think his body of work this year, I, that's both who I want to win and who I did, I think will win. Just because like, Midnight's and, I feel like they're going to want to reward that body of work just because of Taylor's Association somehow, um, and the Lana album. And I, I think it speaks volumes that those two are. Both of them are nominated for album of the year. So yeah, that's that's my guess for that category
Nina:Yeah, you make a good point. I totally see Jack winning three years in a row and if we're not looking at past Grammys We're just looking at this year Jack deserves it this year, too
J. Xander:Otherwise, I would yeah, otherwise I would agree with you Daniel Nigro's work is strong this year as well But
Nina:Yeah, it's really strong so I I don't know. I want Jack Antonoff to win everything. Like, I just, I, I love and adore him, so I think that's my pick for who I want. My pick for who I think is going to win is going to be Daniel. Alright, let's move on to Best New Artist. This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility year releases achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape. The reason why I copied and pasted that into our outline from the Grammy's website is because there are a lot of people who get upset when they're like, Oh, I've known about. Alessia Cara forever. Like, why is she up this year? Like, why is she relevant? And it's not a person's first year as an artist, it's like the first year that they've really like broken through, that they really have some acclaim.
J. Xander:Yeah, like I heard a lot of people say this about Victoria Monet. Because she's been, she's been writing a lot with like Ariana Grande, but you know, this was the first major year for her in music, which by the way is my pick for want and who I, who I think will win. Oh really?
Nina:Okay, so in, the nominees are... Gracie Abrams, Fred again, speaking of dot dot, uh, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, Noah Kahn, Victoria Monet, The War, and Treaty. So, there was some talk about some snubs, both for Pink Pantheress and for Sabrina Carpenter. Um, I don't know who I would... I, I do know who I would kick off this list to put them on, um, I'm not gonna say who, but, you know, like,
J. Xander:Say their name!
Nina:Sabrina Carpenter did have, like, a really big album, she's on tour with Taylor Swift right now, Pink Pantress has had that, like, massive hit with Ice Spice, and so, That one is nominated and the other isn't is just kind of odd to me.
J. Xander:In Ice Spice's defense, she's had like a quite a couple other hits too, like the Barbie soundtrack. Well, Pink Panthress was on that too, but like the, her song wasn't nearly, you know, as big as the Barbie World itself. And then Princess Diana and Karma, the Deli Song. Yeah. The High Spice has had quite a few out there.
Nina:She's had an incredible year.
J. Xander:Yeah. That's another contender, I think.
Nina:I think so. Um, my pick for who I think is gonna win is Gracie Abrams. She was also on tour with Taylor Swift. I think she's got an incredible voice. I think she's really up and coming, um, and I really, really like her for winning. I, I think, I think that's gonna be the pick. My other pick that I think might win might be Jelly Roll, actually.
J. Xander:Yeah, I could see that. That's an odd one. I could
Nina:see that too. The last country artist to win was Zac Brown Band in 2010, so it's been a long time since a country artist won, and I, I don't know, sometimes with things like that, The Recording Academy just kind of like awards someone. Not that Jelly Roll wouldn't deserve it, but yeah.
J. Xander:This is a weird category, honestly.
Nina:It's such a weird category.
J. Xander:Like, I'll never forget the year that they had like, Drake and Justin Bieber and Florence and the Machine nominated, and then a smaller jazz artist named Esperanza Spalding won, and like, no disrespect to her, but it's just like, how can you argue the other three's contributions to music in general. Like this whole category is like, there's somewhat of a like a curse associated with it, right? It's just like once they win. You sometimes just like never hear about them again. So it's kind of scary.
Nina:Well, have you heard of the best actress curse?
J. Xander:This is the equivalent here.
Nina:I want to hear from all of these artists again for sure, even though I feel I would have rather seen some other pop artists up here. But you're right, this is an odd category and people weight it very, very heavily. So I think I think Gracie Abrams is going to win. I would like to see Victoria Monet win. That's, that's my, that's where my heart is. I'd like to see her win, especially for her contribution. She has been writing for a while. Noah Kahn is someone who's had an incredible year but I don't think he's going to win. They just tend to not pick kind of folky artists. Like that. Um, so that would be kind of, it wouldn't be an upset, but it would be kind of out of left field.
J. Xander:Yeah. I'm also a big, I forgot to mention him, but I am a big fan of Fred again also, but it just, I don't feel like EDM gets recognized in like the big categories like this usually, unfortunately. So I just don't picture him winning, but I do really like his stuff.
Nina:No. And like we said, a nomination is. can open so many doors. It's a huge honor in and of itself. So I am happy to see, like, all of these artists get this nomination, but insofar as winning, I, I think Gracie Abrams gonna win it.
J. Xander:Okay.
Nina:All right. Topping off with the big contender, the big award of the night is Album of the Year. J, do you want to talk about what album of the year means?
J. Xander:I think it's just What its name implies. It's just like the strongest body of work, right? I don't know that there's a different way to explain it that you want to talk about, but that's just kind of how I see it. It's just like, which album has the least amount of skips on it? Which one do you want to listen to all the way through?
Nina:Love that. My favorite comment is when people are like a no skips album.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:Heck yes. I'm listening to it. Um, so this is like the, the big contender. This is the one where like the most people get handed out the Grammys. This is where like the crowd comes up on stage. Yeah, it's an award to the artists, the featured artists, songwriters, producers, recording engineers, mixers, mastering engineers, credited with 20 percent or more playing time of the album. So this is like the big prize for everybody who is on the project, and it is a really big deal. It is, I would equivocate this to like, Best Picture.
J. Xander:I was just thinking that. I mean, this is like the best picture of the Grammys, really, if you think about it.
Nina:Yeah, this is, like, this is what we all hold our breath for. So the nominees are World Music Radio, Jon Batiste, The Record, Boy Genius, Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard, Lana Del Rey, The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe, Guts, Olivia Rodrigo, Midnights, Taylor Swift, and SOS SZA.
J. Xander:I'll let you go first.
Nina:Okay, um, who I really want to see win is, is the record Boy Genius. I want to see them win this so badly again because I am so obsessed with Catherine Marks. I don't think that they will though. I think that would be an out of left field moment like I said earlier, like it wouldn't be an upset, but they are kind of like The darlings of the last year, like I, the more I talk to people, people are really big on this record, the record, and it is really good, and it's so interesting
J. Xander:I keep forgetting that the record is called the record, so when you said that I was like, wait, what? Anyway.
Nina:I'm happy that Miley was nominated, I'm really happy that Lana was nominated. I'm super happy that the Age of Pleasure was nominated, Janelle Monáe, because that was almost a no skips album for me. Like, I thought it was really interesting, it was really incredible.
J. Xander:It's fun, yeah.
Nina:Guts, Olivia Rodrigo, I don't think is gonna win this time. As much as I really like that album, I... I don't know. I don't, I don't know if she's going to take home any awards this time, but I wouldn't be upset to see it. Midnight's Taylor Swift, that's who I think is probably going to win. I think, I think they're going to give it to Midnight's. I think just simply because, not for the Midnight's album, but because of the incredible year that Taylor Swift had.
J. Xander:Just her contribution to music in general. Yeah, I think that's, I think that's a really solid argument and, um, I think she's, she's going to walk away with something, right? Um, I see where you're coming from with that. I, so, my pick for want to win, like who I really think this, who I think would like, I would like cry if they won is Lana. Delray just because I think for me this is a no skips album It's like really well made start to finish, but also it's just I don't know It feels like there's artists that have been heavily influenced by Lana that have won a ton of Grammys by now and the fact that she doesn't have one by now is Preposterous to me like it just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Even Billie Eilish who's won Album of the Year and like a lot of the big awards has said, Lana basically raised us and it's true like the their bit first big song was ocean eyes and Phineas literally talks about how he was using Video Games as the reference track while making that song. So I'm just like it's high time that she get you know, the praise that she deserves here But who I think will win it and who I personally think should win it is S. O. S. I think that that is a very strong body of work. And I think it really speaks to the fact that we didn't cover some of the other categories, but a lot of the other songs are nominated for like other individual things as well. Like I think Lowe got something. I think Snooze was nominated for something as well. So it's just, you know. It's a strong, strong album.
Nina:She's been nominated for a couple of things. Oh yeah. And that's my favorite song on the album. It is an extremely strong album. SZA is somebody who also deserves her flowers. Like Yeah. Um, touching back on Lana Del Rey, as you were saying. She is again your favorite artist's favorite artist. Yes. She like John Batiste, like that has been true for so long.
J. Xander:And also, I forgot to mention real quick, I think it speaks volumes with going with your statement that she's on. Three of these albums. Yeah. Three of them. She's on Herself, she's on Midnight, and she's, she's the closer on John Bautista's album.
Nina:Yeah.
J. Xander:That says a lot.
Nina:That's such a good point. I didn't even think about that, but you're right, she is. Um, I completely forgot about that, but no, it's time for her to get flowers. It's also time for SZA. Like, I want to see SZA take so many categories. If she didn't win Album, but she won several of the others that she's nominated for, I think I'd be really happy, but I would love to see her win, because she has continuously just put out an incredible body of work, one after another after another.
J. Xander:Yeah, I mean that really says it all. It's just, it's just like that album for me. I hope, I forget what exactly category it's nominated for, but Low is like my favorite song on that album. So I really hope that she takes home a Grammy for that. It's such a badass song.
Nina:But like, this is a really incredible body of work of all these people who are nominated. Like, I'm looking at this, I really, I would be surprised if a few people won, but I wouldn't be like mad surprised.
J. Xander:Yeah, again, this is, this is one of the few years where I'm just like, this is, these are all good albums. So it's like, yeah, we're being nitpicky here, but it's not like, oh, this person better not win or anything like that. It's just. It's nothing like that. It's just, you know.
Nina:Because you know we'd say it.
J. Xander:Yeah. It's just picking out straws at this point.
Nina:It really is. And it's also kind of fun on years like this because we get to talk about such really good bodies of work. Endless Summer Vacation, I don't think is gonna win. Um, I'm ready for, for Miley to like have a big win like this, but like I listened to the whole album and I don't know.
J. Xander:I, honestly, when it comes to that album, there's maybe one or two songs that I would like to, that I, like, re listen to. Being Flowers and River, probably, and River is mostly for the production of it. Um, but the rest of it is kind of, I'm not going to say a skip, but I don't remember a lot of it. To be honest,
Nina:I don't either.
J. Xander:Yeah, I kind of feel the same way about guts. There's maybe like three songs, like Lacey, um, Get Him Back that I connect to that I like, but the rest of it, I'm like, I don't know that I, I liked her previous work more.
Nina:Yeah, me too. There are some moments on G. U. T. S. that I felt were really pretty genius, and there were some moments where I was like, this is a sophomore album by a 19 year old, right? Like, it just, it wasn't fully developed. Like, there was something undeveloped about it that I actually really loved. Um, because I felt like that just fits where she is in her life right now, but like that does not necessarily mean that like, like that this album should win, even though I think it's a really interesting portrayal of what it's like to be a 19 year old girl.
J. Xander:When I was listening to it, I was for whatever reason, I was thinking this would be like a really, without all the cursing, it would be like a really cool, um, like Disney original channel musical score. You know what I mean? Am I wrong? Am I wrong?
Nina:Back to the glee pianos.
J. Xander:Yep.
Nina:Oh, yikes. Um, but yeah, so Those are all of our big picks. I'm excited to watch the awards. I mean, it's not till February, but I also really want to talk about Red Carpet. I don't know if you're game for that.
J. Xander:Uh, sure.
Nina:I love, I love that. Um, I do, or my sister and I will just be catty and fun and have a good time with it. The Grammys red carpet is often the most fun one because people kind of get a little weird with it. Like with the Academy Awards, the Oscars, I feel like you have to show up looking Oscars, but Grammys?
J. Xander:You can have fun with it.
Nina:It's whatever, man. Have a good time. Yeah.
J. Xander:Yeah. I don't know. Academy Awards are, they're boring to watch. They're so stuffy. I'm sorry.
Nina:They're so stuffy. I'm sorry. And you have to keep coming up with bigger and worse, like, bad things to happen.
J. Xander:I know.
Nina:Just to get people to tune in. Or like, bigger upsets. Like, remember when it was actually Moonlight that won instead of La La Land.
J. Xander:That's just what I was gonna talk about.
Nina:Yeah, And then the Will Smith fiasco.
J. Xander:Yeah, no, all that stuff with La La Land and Moonlight, that had to have been planned, right? Had to. Like, there's no way that they would allow something like that to actually happen.
Nina:That's ridiculous.
J. Xander:But the Grammys has the performances going for it.
Nina:That's true.
J. Xander:Because those are always solid.
Nina:Yeah, and hopefully we can touch on the songs that are nominated for the Oscars because that's a really interesting thing to talk about in the writing of songs specifically for film and sync.
J. Xander:Yeah. That's true.
Nina:So we'll probably touch on that come awards season, but I don't think we should do an Oscars episode. Okay. You ready to wrap it up?
J. Xander:Yes.
Nina:All right. Now for our final segment, our Playback Picks of the Week. J, what have you been listening to this week?
J. Xander:So, obviously, I wanted to be kind of thorough and listen to all the albums, so for me, the one song that I kept coming back to was Life Lesson off the Jon Batiste album, which is the one that features Lana Del Rey. And I really like, not necessarily breakup songs, but this feels more like a moving on song, and it kind of frames... Having to do that in a positive way. Like I'm very used to hearing, Oh, my exes and shit. My exes, you know, all this other stuff. But I feel like, I feel like the only person that that ultimately like hurts is you, you know, because it's like, you're the one that's festering on that. Not, I don't want to turn into one of those dating podcasts. We shouldn't. Be careful, but I just feel like, you're ultimately just like, stewing in that hate, whereas you can maybe look at the positives of everything that happened, and like, what it is that you took away from that. Even if it was a toxic experience, at least you know, like, hey, it wasn't for me, so it's time to be the best version of myself and move on. Which is, I think, what this song is, like, ultimately about, and I like songs like that.
Nina:I do, too. I really enjoy them a lot because I think a lot of times, it's really fun to hate on your ex, like, that's always gonna be fun. But sometimes two really awesome people just don't go together.
J. Xander:Right.
Nina:Making a relationship work is really difficult. I think we've forgotten that as a society. Like, I've so many times have had like couples in my life where I'm friends with both of them, but I hate them together. Like, I just don't think that they work. I think they're both cool separate, but together it's not working. I've seen that a couple of times and I think just acknowledging that it didn't work is really healthy.
J. Xander:Yeah, plus
Nina:So I love moving on songs.
J. Xander:For sure.
Nina:For the same reasons you said too.
J. Xander:Yeah, and also I don't think you want to be known as the person who's always like talking badly about your ex. Because then that makes you look bad, too.
Nina:At some point, it's your picker.
J. Xander:Yeah, at some point, you're just like, move on already. You know, as the, as the friend, um, listening to that, so.
Nina:We have all been that friend.
J. Xander:Yes.
Nina:We have all been that friend.
J. Xander:Yes. For sure.
Nina:Good lord. All right. I went a completely different direction. I went with something new, fresh. Anybody who's been on TikTok has seen this trend. It is the new Jack Harlow song, Lovin on Me. It is so damn catchy.
J. Xander:I haven't, I haven't heard of this song, actually.
Nina:You haven't?
J. Xander:No, not even, I haven't been on TikTok in a while because this was like a crazy. past couple of weeks for me.
Nina:Right, right. But okay,
J. Xander:I do like Jack Harlow though.
Nina:So I love Jack Harlow and um, he, he always hits but it's so catchy. It has such a great like 90s vibe to it. It's really fun to listen to. It's short. It's quick. The hook is good. And yeah, it's not nominated for a Grammy. Yet. But it is like outside of listening for the Grammys episode what I've been listening to this week and what I worked out To it's a great lifting song.
J. Xander:What if it I always feel like the Grammy nominees like they come out so long after a song has been out watch it get nominated next year for something
Nina:Oh, yeah. The, the Beatles song that was just released that was made with AI and with Paul McCartney, the new Beatles song. That's gonna be nominated next year and it's coming out like three weeks after nominations closed. Or, no, it closed a while ago. It closed back in September. Six weeks after. But still, it's gonna feel so old by the time we get to the Grammys. I mean, that's just, that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
J. Xander:I feel like that happens a lot. I'm just like, wait, this is what, I always get confused as to like what year the Grammys are happening at, you know?
Nina:Yeah, because it's an odd, it's like September to September. So it's just, I mean, which it would have to be for the awards to be in February for it to make any sense. But yeah, it's just, it's an odd layout. J, any final thoughts on the Grammys?
J. Xander:I don't think so. But again, I want to reiterate the fact that it's just like, this is not us hating or talking shit about any of these songs. I think that... I actually like all the albums, especially, that are nominated for album of the year. So again, it's just like, how do you, you know, judging
Nina:How do you pick from such a good lineup?
J. Xander:Yeah. Judging art is very subjective. And even though both of us have master's degrees in songwriting and music, right. It's just like at the end of the day, sometimes it boils down to just like, what do, what does this body of work make you feel?
Nina:Yes.
J. Xander:Like, individually. So, this is just our take, our opinion, and, you know, what these bodies of works made us feel.
Nina:Yeah, don't take us too seriously. Um, we're not nominated.
J. Xander:Yet.
Nina:Yet.
J. Xander:Putting it into the universe.
Nina:What a great problem to have.
J. Xander:Yeah.
Nina:To be nominated with your friend. Anyway. Yeah, like you said, judging art is really subjective. I was so pleasantly surprised by all of the nominations this year. I really, you know, I touched on some snubs, but like, they weren't a big, big deal. Um, I, I'm just, I'm so pleased and, and I can't wait to see how it turns out for all of these artists.
J. Xander:You know how, this is random, but like kind of related, but you know how they just introduced the Billboard chart for TikTok? Do you think they should do that for a category with the Grammys?
Nina:Absolutely not.
J. Xander:Best social media hit or something like that?
Nina:Absolutely not. No.
J. Xander:That would be so chaotic and unhinged. Oh my god.
Nina:Oh my god. And then that would also be subjective because the Recording Academy also has like podcasts in their nomination. Like there is simply just like Like vocal pieces, like spoken word pieces that get nominated for Grammys. So like, um, Chrissy, hit him with your car!
J. Xander:Grammy award winner Chrissy for Hit him, hit him with your car.
Nina:He's literally just a guy, hit him with your car.
J. Xander:Can you imagine as she's walking up in like her fancy, I'm sure it's going to be like a pink floral crazy gown and the sound is playing in the background as she's walking up to accept it. Hit him with your car.
Nina:See, I think it should be a VMA award, but I don't know about Grammy's.
J. Xander:No, I want, she should win an Oscar for that speech honestly.
Nina:She should, absolutely. No argument from me. Alright guys, comment with your favorite TikTok sound of the year and maybe, maybe we'll refer that to the Academy. But I think this about wraps it up, J.
J. Xander:Alright.
Nina:Alright guys, go create some good in the world. We'll talk to you next week.
J. Xander:Bye.