2020 Grammy Awards Predictions
The 62nd Grammy Awards are fast approaching, and it’s time for one last wave of predictions over who will win big tonight — and more importantly, who deserves it most.
Written by Annie Lyons
Photos courtesy of Kenneth Cappello, Theo Warg via Getty Images, and Camila Falquez for Teen Vogue
The 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony takes place tonight, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. CT on CBS. But with dwindling viewership, especially among younger demographics, and recent instances of popular artists rejecting the institution, this is shaping up to be another year of questioning the Grammys’ supposed relevance. At the very least, we can look forward to a good night on Twitter.
With new allegations of corruption and sexual assault and renewed critiques of a predominantly white and male Recording Academy who’s out of touch, it’ll be interesting to see what impact — if any — that such controversies will have on tonight’s show.
But the prestigious appeal of the Grammy Awards still holds weight, and the nominated artists themselves are worthy of celebration.
Pop sensation Lizzo leads the nominations with eight total, with Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X following close behind with six honors each. Both Eilish and Lizzo have nominations in all four of the main categories, with Eilish becoming the youngest artist ever to achieve the feat. All three artists have songs that dominated pop culture in 2019: Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” and Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts.” Despite their vastly different sounds, the three all represent the face of a new pop that celebrates non-conformity.
But while we’re betting these three win big tonight, it wouldn’t be surprising to see underdogs like alternative queen Lana Del Rey and indie darlings Bon Iver and Vampire Weekend take home the gold.
Read on for Afterglow’s predictions in the most highly anticipated categories: Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, and Song Of The Year.
Album Of The Year
Nominations:
I, I — Bon Iver
Norman F----ing Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
Thank U, Next — Ariana Grande
I Used to Know Her — H.E.R.
7 — Lil Nas X
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Father of the Bride — Vampire Weekend
Who should win: Norman F---ing Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
Who will win: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish will likely be recognized for her genre-defying When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? The full-length debut showcases both her self-aware edge and a precocious vulnerability amidst a varied and DIY sound. And whether you love or hate her quirkier production choices — the intro track is simply Eilish taking out her Invisalign retainer — the result is a refreshing album decidedly breaking the mold of established pop.
While it’s entering tonight as a probable underdog, there’s a welcome chance that the Academy won’t discount Lana Del Rey’s career-defining masterpiece and critical favorite, Norman F---king Rockwell! With profound lyricism that details her disillusionment with the American dream and picks apart her prior relationship fantasies, NFR! shows Del Rey reaching her peak form after becoming one of pop’s most influential artists of the 2010s despite initially ruthless criticism. The album’s production pays homage to 1970s classics while still sounding modern and inventive. And you really can’t find a better album opening line than: “G-ddamn, man child / You f---ed me so good that I almost said, ‘I love you.’”
Best New Artist
Nominations:
Black Pumas
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía
Tank and the Bangas
Yola
Who should win: Lizzo
Who will win: Billie Eilish
The Best New Artist category is evaluated based on “the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist,” according to the official guidelines — meaning the award is defined on when an artist releases their breakthrough album, not necessarily their first album.
2019 was admittedly a big year for Billie Eilish, but she arguably had her breakout moment years ago when she first went viral in 2016 with the release of her shining, synth-laden “Ocean Eyes.” This initial success was followed up by another well-received EP in 2017, dont smile at me, and gained Eilish further traction with younger audiences. But for the out-of-touch Academy voting members who are miles behind Gen Z music taste and just recently discovered Eilish’s brand of dark goth pop, she’s a likely choice to win.
But if 2019 raised Eilish’s already existing star, it catapulted Lizzo’s straight into the Milky Way. While Lizzo has also been steadily gaining popularity over the past few years, 2019 cemented her status as pop’s It™ girl as she became borderline inescapable. The release of her debut album, Cuz I Love You (Deluxe), imbued new life into previously released hits like “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell,” and her new material proved just as compelling. On Cuz I Love You (Deluxe), Lizzo embraces her star power and powerful vocal range with ease as she synthesizes pop, R&B, and rap into catchy anthems focused on celebrating self-worth.
To top it off, she was recently honored as TIME’s 2019 Entertainer Of The Year. And watching her career take off was a sheer joy. Armed with her trusty flute, Lizzo brought contagious energy to every performance, championed body positivity in spite of the vicious vitriol of her detractors, and did it all with authenticity, confidence, and style.
Record Of The Year
Nominations:
"Hey, Ma" — Bon Iver
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish
"7 Rings" — Ariana Grande
"Hard Place" — H.E.R.
"Talk" — Khalid
"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
"Truth Hurts" — Lizzo
"Sunflower" — Post Malone and Swae Lee
Who should win: “Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Who will win: “Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” was arguably the song of 2019. After first climbing up the charts as a TikTok sensation, the country trap song went nuclear following the controversy over its removal from the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart under the premise that it wasn’t a ‘true’ country song. Country star Billy Ray Cyrus jumped to Lil Nas’ defense, the pair released a remix, and — three remixes later — the rest is history. In July 2019, “Old Town Road” achieved a record-breaking 19 weeks in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s success is only made more impressive considering its humble origins: Lil Nas paid just $50 to first record the song. And it’s a legitimate banger dressed up with cowboy swagger and an infectiously catchy hook.
It would be a deserving and delightful win, and Lil Nas X is easy to root for. He’s a charismatic performer but still down-to-earth, as he uses his Twitter to open up about mental health and share jokes poking fun at himself about the seemingly endless stream of “Old Town Road” remixes. A Grammy win for the track would be the perfect way to give a middle finger up to the homophobic and racist attitudes he faces as he represents a new face in both hip hop and country music. Now, all we can hope for is the next inevitable “Old Town Road” remix.
Song Of The Year
Nominations:
Always Remember Us This Way" — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey and Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Bad Guy" — Billie Eilish O'Connell and Finneas O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
"Bring My Flowers Now" — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
"Hard Place" — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris. H.E.R. and Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
"Lover" — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
"Norman F---ing Rockwell" — Jack Antonoff and Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
"Someone You Loved" — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn and Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
"Truth Hurts" — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson and Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)
Who should win: “Bad Guy”
Who will win: “Truth Hurts”
With its ASMR-esque verses, hushed dancehall production, and unexpected dubstep beat switch, it’s hard to imagine Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” getting significant mainstream radio play even just five years ago. But with its playfully taunting lyrics and equal parts fun and rebellious nature, “Bad Guy” made big waves last year and was the song to finally break the chart hold of “Old Town Road.” While the song is arguably not even Eilish’s best, it showcases her talent for turning weird, offbeat songs into catchy hits. She’s earned herself a deserved reputation as the future of pop, and “Bad Guy” would be a welcome win — duh!
Song Of The Year differs from the similar Record Of The Year award by celebrating a song’s composition and songwriters rather than recognizing a specific recording of that song by a team of artists, producers, and engineers. So, it’s also a fitting way to honor the powerhouse writing duo comprised of Eilish and her older brother and collaborator, Finneas, considering that the pair wrote When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? together in its entirety.
However, with Eilish seemingly poised to win big tonight, the Academy will likely want to give Team Lizzo a nod in a main category, so it seems likely that “Truth Hurts” comes out on top instead. Despite being first released in 2017, “Truth Hurts” was eligible for its nomination since it meets the award’s criteria of a song “achieving prominence during the eligibility year.” It’s a powerful song with instantly memorable lyrics that universally resonates with anyone needing a confidence boost.
To find out if Afterglow’s predictions come true, watch the 62nd Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. CT on CBS. Afterglow will be doing live recaps of the show, so be sure to check in with us for updates!