GRAMMYAWARDS
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GTELO/SHUNTERSTOCK.Record Of The Year
Ingmar Carlson, Jon Castelli, ENGINEERS/MDisclosure, Denis KosiakPRODUCERS“Talk”KhalidIXERS
Josh Denis Kosiak, Guy Lawrence, MASTERING ENGINEERDeguzman, John Kercy, Michael RomeroRight Hand/RCADale BeckerLABEL
In three years, Khalid has grown from promising R&B teen artist to one of the most bankable pres-ences in top 40 radio. Nominated for best new artist two years ago, the now 21-year-old makes his
return to the Big Four with “Talk,” a crossover smash in 2019. The sensual midtempo single marked a departure in sound for Disclo-sure, the dance-heavy electronic duo that co-produced the track
with Denis Kosiak. Msong doubled down on Khalid’s falsetto-heavy approach ahead of his sophomore album, “Talk” climbed to No. 3 on the Hot 100 and became a cornerstone eanwhile, the Free Spirit.
of Khalid’s international arena tour in support of Wsongwriter is hoping to secure his first Grammy win this year.ith this nomination, the singer-Free Spirit in 2019.
Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray CyrusAndrew “VoxGod” Bolooki, YoungKioAndrew “VoxGod” Bolooki, Cinco“Old Town Road”ENGINEERS/MPRODUCERSIXERS
As remarkable as its run atop the MASTERING ENGINEEREric LaggColumbiaLABEL
Hot 100 was in 2019 — 19 weeks at No. 1, three more than any song in the chart’s 61-year history — the story of how “Old Town Road” came to exist at all is just as stag-gering: Dutch producer YoungKio
uploaded a beat that sampled Nine Inch Nails’ “34 Ghosts IV” to an online store and recent college dropout Lil Nas X purchased it for $30. The country-fried rap concept was paired with the production, and
history was set into motion. After Lil Nas X’s solo version of “Old Town Road” began finding favor on TikTok, Billy Ray Cyrus joined in on a remix, which helped the song hit No. 1 and remain there for
months. The three nominations for “Old Town Road” represent Cyrus’ first Grammy noms in 25 years; the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer was up for best new artist in 1993.Chris Galland, Manny Marroquin, ENGINEERS/M“Truth Hurts”Ricky Reed, TelePRODUCERSLizzo IXERS
MASTERING ENGINEERNice Life/AtlanticEthan ShumakerChris GehringerLABEL
WSeptember 2017, “Truth Hurts” did not chart on the Hot 100, as Lizzo struggled to find a single to help her soulful pop-rap break through to the mainstream. Two hen it was first released in
years later, sparked by a TikTok meme and a synch in the Netflix romantic comedy “Truth Hurts” single. The ultra-catchy kiss-off climbed to the top of the Hot 100 proved to be that Someone Great,
for seven nonconsecutive weeks, tying Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” for the longest No. 1 run for a rap song by a female artist. “Truth Hurts” was co-produced by Ricky Reed, who also helmed Lizzo’s other top 10
hit, “Good As Hell.” Reed, who also worked with MMothers), is nominated for producer of the year, non-classical.aren Morris this year (among aggie Rogers andPost Malone & Swae LeeLouis Bell, Manny MarroquinENGINEERS/MLouis Bell, Carter Lang“Sunflower”PRODUCERSIXERS
Originally released as a single from MASTERING ENGINEERMike BozziRepublicLABEL
ing pop song with a hook provided flower” became a crossover hit in Myear for Post Mwhat pthe 2018 animated film an: Into the Spider-Verseroved to be another massive alone. A shimmer-Spider-, “Sun-
by Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee, “Sunflower” reached the top of the Hot 100 in January, becoming Post Mserved as another solo achieve-ment for Lee, who co-wrote alone’s third career No. 1. It also
Beyoncé’s 2017 song-of-the-year nominee “Formation,” and made an uncredited contribution to Travis Scott’s No. 1 smash “Sicko Min 2018. Nearly a year after it fea-tured in Spider-Man, “Sunflower” ode”
was included on Post Mthird album, in September. The rapper has per-formed the song several times with Lee, who was the opening artist on Post Malone’s latest arena tour.Hollywood’s Bleedingalone’s ,64 BILLBOARD • DECEMBER 7, 2019