O
VER THE PAST DECADE, THE
Grammys have drawn criticism for
rewarding blockbusters by crowd-
pleasing pop stars over more urgent,
hip-hop-rooted works in its major
categories: Taylor Swift over Kendrick Lamar,
Adele over Beyoncé, Bruno Mars over Lamar again.
But in 2019, the Big Four winners (album of
the year, song of the year, record of the year and
best new artist) finally looked like a group every-
one could agree on. Country singer-songwriter
Kacey Musgraves’ modestly successful but highly
acclaimed Golden Hour won album of the year;
Childish Gambino’s incendiary chart-topper “This
Is America” became the first-ever hip-hop winner
for both song and record of the year. The only con-
ventional-pop winner in the major categories was
rising talent Dua Lipa, who won best new artist in a
field of relatively unestablished names.
In fact, blockbuster pop was almost entirely
absent from last year’s Big Four. Though newly
expanded categories (from five nominee slots in
each to eight) allowed for a wider pool — leading
to unexpected nods for Americana favorite Brandi
Carlile and R&B polymath H.E.R. — many of the
year’s most noteworthy pop stars, including Ariana
Grande, Camila Cabello and Swift, were relegated
to the genre categories.
Will that carry over to 2020, following a year in
which capital-P Pop had something of a comeback
— thanks to juggernaut sets from the likes of the
Jonas Brothers, Grande and Swift, as well as break-
through stars like Billie Eilish and Khalid? And,
following its first wins in record and song of the
year, will hip-hop continue its long-awaited Gram-
my takeover — despite a year with surprisingly few
chart-busting releases from established superstars
and new acts alike? Perhaps most importantly: Will
the Grammys continue its streak of choosing win-
ners many of its loudest critics find acceptable?
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
POP MAY WELL RULE SUPREME AMONG
the frontrunners this year. Only six months after
her Sweetener return, Grande drew rave reviews
and some of the year’s best sales numbers for
Thank U, Next. Swift also saw something of a per-
ception bounce back after the divisive reputation
with strong initial reactions to her Lover, while
the Jonas Brothers enjoyed the mega-comeback
no one saw coming with Happiness Begins. And
don’t forget about Lady Gaga, whose best-selling
A Star Is Born soundtrack with Bradley Cooper just
squeezed into this year’s eligibility period.
While last year’s nominees tended toward rap
superstars and acclaimed singer-songwriters,
there are few obvious choices from either of those
pools this year, though Maren Morris’ slow-burn-
ing GIRL could sneak in from the latter group.
But a couple of 2010s stars who have long merged
pop/hip-hop sounds with cult-singer-songwriter
tendencies could see their first best-album nods
this year: Lana Del Rey and Tyler, the Creator, for
the well-received Norman Fucking Rockwell and
IGOR, respectively.
Newly minted, genre-blurring superstars
Eilish and Khalid could factor in as well, for their
respective Billboard 200-topping sets When We
All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and Free Spirit.
And though none of the Knowles sisters’ albums
this year was among their most obviously accessi-
ble works, they may still make their presence felt
with Solange’s deeply personal When I Get Home
and Beyoncé’s expansive The Gift (the musical
companion to her Lion King film role) or explosive
Homecoming: The Live Album.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
THE SUB-DRINKING-AGE CROWD COULD
reign here. Lil Nas X’s viral, genre-splicing “Old
Town Road” — the biggest breakout of 2019 and
the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit
of all time — has a solid chance (record of the
year is awarded to a song’s performers, pro-
ducers, engineers and mixers, while song of
the year rewards only the writers); so does the
record that finally replaced it at No. 1, Eilish’s
spooky alt-pop banger “Bad Guy.” Khalid’s “Talk”
marked the pop/R&B star’s first true four-quad-
rant solo smash, and Shawn Mendes’ exultant
“If I Can’t Have You” — and steamy Cabello duet
“Señorita” — also look likely.
THE BIG FOUR’S BIG POP MOMENT
The inaugural year of expanded categories brought much-needed
recognition to hip-hop stars and critical faves. Will Ariana, Camila
and Taylor return to reign this time around?
BY ANDREW UNTERBERGER
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140 BILLBOARD • SEPTEMBER 21, 2019 PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ISRAEL G. VARGAS
From left: Del Rey,
Khalid, Swift,
Grande, Eilish, Coo-
per and Lady Gaga,
and Lil Nas X.