A songwriter’s award, the Grammy for Song of the Year is one of music’s most prestigious awards. This year, a group of 10 lucky songs will be vying for the highest honour, with one of them taking home the golden gramophone. But in a year with so much music, both new kids on the block and Grammy-certified darlings, who makes the difference?
There are five songs that are very obvious locks. Adele“Easy On Me” was another hit for the Grammy juggernaut and will easily get a nomination, especially after winning that category for both “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello” (she is actually the only female author -composer to have won twice). Another locked Briton is Harry Styleswhose “As It Was” is the biggest eligible song this year after spending 15 weeks at number one and more time in the top three than any song in history.
Likewise, it is difficult to imagine programming without Beyonce, which will compete with his hit “Break My Soul”; a nomination for Bey would be her fifth here, making her the first or second most nominated female artist here depending on how the rest of the lineup shakes out (more on that in a sec).
Last but not least, the other two locks here are Lizzo“About fucking time” and Steve Lacy“Bad Habit” by , which are also among the most successful songs of the year. These five songs are not only acclaimed, but are the number one hits that defined the year, and also have good placement in the first letters of the alphabetical list. It will be a shock if one of them is missing.
The remaining five points are where it gets tricky. A good bet is to go with any potential Album of the Year nominees who might drop by here. Taylor Swift is the most nominated female singer-songwriter in category history with five nominations, and will likely extend her record – and tie the overall record – with her acclaimed “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”; the version entered is specifically the short film version, which has more newer lyrics, making it eligible.
Another very possible candidate is Brandi Carlile. Her song “You and Me on the Rock” would mark her fifth nomination in five years, a hugely impressive feat that would make her the second or first most nominated artist in the category’s history, again depending on whether Swift enter or not. Finally, it might be wise to provide Kendrick Lamar to appear here for “The Heart Part 5”. Even if it wasn’t a big pop hit like his last nominated song, “All The Stars,” it was still a big moment in hip-hop and Lamar’s darling status will certainly help.
Some newer artists are also on the lookout. joji“Glimpse of Us” may be the piano ballad of the year for the new generation, and the alternative singer-songwriter may have racked up a lot of goodwill and hype after his viral hits “Slow Dancing in the Dark” and “Yeah Right.” Joji could be joined by another Best New Artist hopeful Zach Bryan, who enjoyed great success with “Something in the Orange”. While country songs can be a little harder to sell in the general arena, the song was a huge streaming hit in the US and continues to climb the charts, not even doing much on country radio. It also helps that Bryan, like many of his country peers who have been nominated, can sound a lot more “serious” and Grammy-friendly than your typical hit country song.
Maybe it’s just the opposite Jack Harlow, whose “First Class” is one of the funniest songs of the year. If panels were still a thing, this song would undoubtedly be relegated to record of the year. However, a wider vote could help a song that, while not lyrically impressive, is probably one of voters’ favorite bops. Another big novelty this year was gayle with his hit “abcdefu”. The song is certainly a little juvenile, but it’s right above the ballot and easy for voters to see and perhaps name. Plus, it helps that the songwriters seem to take it seriously; he was recently honored at the Nashville Songwriters’ Awards.
And speaking of juvenile, the question remains whether voters will embrace “Encanto” or not. On the one hand, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was a big hit, and Lin Manuel Miranda is definitely one of the most celebrated songwriters of the 21st century, so perhaps this is a great way to pay homage to him and the success of the film. However, the song is very much aimed at younger audiences, and voters might be more enthusiastic about “serious” adult songs. It also doesn’t help that he’s at the bottom of the ballot, so maybe a lot of voters might even forget to look for him.
Finally, keep a few household names close to your predictions. Billie Eilish is a Grammy favorite, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see her viral “TV” being recognized here. Another former candidate is Lady Gaga, whose “Hold My Hand” is the typical power ballad the Grammys love. Conversely, there is the pop phenomenon Doja Cat, who might have some love for her Afrobeats-influenced “Woman.” Finally, we know that songs that top the ballot can sometimes be surprise nominees, so pay attention to the imagine Dragons and JID“Enemy”, Dove Cameron“Boyfriend” Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran“Bam Bam” or Walker Hayes“AA” to enter.
My latest predictions: “abcdefu” (Gayle); “About Fucking Time” (Lizzo); “All Too Good (10 Minute Version) (The Short)” (Taylor Swift); “As It Was” (Harry Styles)”; “Bad Habit” (Steve Lacy); “Break My Soul” (Beyoncé); “Easy On Me” (Adele); “A Glimpse of Us” (Joji); “The heart, part 5” (Kendrick Lamar); “You and me on the rock” (Brandi Carlile).
Make your Gold Derby predictions now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone or Android (Google Play) devices to compete against legions of other fans as well as our experts and editors for the highest prediction accuracy scores. Check out our latest betting champions. Can you then top our estimated rankings? Always remember to keep your predictions up to date as they impact our latest racetrack odds, which record executives and music stars are terrified of. Don’t miss the fun. Have your say and share your opinions on our famous forums where thousands of showbiz leaders hide out every day to keep up with the latest awards. Everyone wants to know: what do you think? Who do you predict and why?
A songwriter’s award, the Grammy for Song of the Year is one of music’s most prestigious awards. This year, a group of 10 lucky songs will be vying for the highest honour, with one of them taking home the golden gramophone. But in a year with so much music, both new kids on the block and Grammy-certified darlings, who makes the difference?
There are five songs that are very obvious locks. Adele“Easy On Me” was another hit for the Grammy juggernaut and will easily get a nomination, especially after winning that category for both “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello” (she is actually the only female author -composer to have won twice). Another locked Briton is Harry Styleswhose “As It Was” is the biggest eligible song this year after spending 15 weeks at number one and more time in the top three than any song in history.
Likewise, it is difficult to imagine programming without Beyonce, which will compete with his hit “Break My Soul”; a nomination for Bey would be her fifth here, making her the first or second most nominated female artist here depending on how the rest of the lineup shakes out (more on that in a sec).
Last but not least, the other two locks here are Lizzo“About fucking time” and Steve Lacy“Bad Habit” by , which are also among the most successful songs of the year. These five songs are not only acclaimed, but are the number one hits that defined the year, and also have good placement in the first letters of the alphabetical list. It will be a shock if one of them is missing.
The remaining five points are where it gets tricky. A good bet is to go with any potential Album of the Year nominees who might drop by here. Taylor Swift is the most nominated female singer-songwriter in category history with five nominations, and will likely extend her record – and tie the overall record – with her acclaimed “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”; the version entered is specifically the short film version, which has more newer lyrics, making it eligible.
Another very possible candidate is Brandi Carlile. Her song “You and Me on the Rock” would mark her fifth nomination in five years, a hugely impressive feat that would make her the second or first most nominated artist in the category’s history, again depending on whether Swift enter or not. Finally, it might be wise to provide Kendrick Lamar to appear here for “The Heart Part 5”. Even if it wasn’t a big pop hit like his last nominated song, “All The Stars,” it was still a big moment in hip-hop and Lamar’s darling status will certainly help.
Some newer artists are also on the lookout. joji“Glimpse of Us” may be the piano ballad of the year for the new generation, and the alternative singer-songwriter may have racked up a lot of goodwill and hype after his viral hits “Slow Dancing in the Dark” and “Yeah Right.” Joji could be joined by another Best New Artist hopeful Zach Bryan, who enjoyed great success with “Something in the Orange”. While country songs can be a little harder to sell in the general arena, the song was a huge streaming hit in the US and continues to climb the charts, not even doing much on country radio. It also helps that Bryan, like many of his country peers who have been nominated, can sound a lot more “serious” and Grammy-friendly than your typical hit country song.
Maybe it’s just the opposite Jack Harlow, whose “First Class” is one of the funniest songs of the year. If panels were still a thing, this song would undoubtedly be relegated to record of the year. However, a wider vote could help a song that, while not lyrically impressive, is probably one of voters’ favorite bops. Another big novelty this year was gayle with his hit “abcdefu”. The song is certainly a little juvenile, but it’s right above the ballot and easy for voters to see and perhaps name. Plus, it helps that the songwriters seem to take it seriously; he was recently honored at the Nashville Songwriters’ Awards.
And speaking of juvenile, the question remains whether voters will embrace “Encanto” or not. On the one hand, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was a big hit, and Lin Manuel Miranda is definitely one of the most celebrated songwriters of the 21st century, so perhaps this is a great way to pay homage to him and the success of the film. However, the song is very much aimed at younger audiences, and voters might be more enthusiastic about “serious” adult songs. It also doesn’t help that he’s at the bottom of the ballot, so maybe a lot of voters might even forget to look for him.
Finally, keep a few household names close to your predictions. Billie Eilish is a Grammy favorite, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see her viral “TV” being recognized here. Another former candidate is Lady Gaga, whose “Hold My Hand” is the typical power ballad the Grammys love. Conversely, there is the pop phenomenon Doja Cat, who might have some love for her Afrobeats-influenced “Woman.” Finally, we know that songs that top the ballot can sometimes be surprise nominees, so pay attention to the imagine Dragons and JID“Enemy”, Dove Cameron“Boyfriend” Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran“Bam Bam” or Walker Hayes“AA” to enter.
My latest predictions: “abcdefu” (Gayle); “About Fucking Time” (Lizzo); “All Too Good (10 Minute Version) (The Short)” (Taylor Swift); “As It Was” (Harry Styles)”; “Bad Habit” (Steve Lacy); “Break My Soul” (Beyoncé); “Easy On Me” (Adele); “A Glimpse of Us” (Joji); “The heart, part 5” (Kendrick Lamar); “You and me on the rock” (Brandi Carlile).
Make your Gold Derby predictions now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone or Android (Google Play) devices to compete against legions of other fans as well as our experts and editors for the highest prediction accuracy scores. Check out our latest betting champions. Can you then top our estimated rankings? Always remember to keep your predictions up to date as they impact our latest racetrack odds, which record executives and music stars are terrified of. Don’t miss the fun. Have your say and share your opinions on our famous forums where thousands of showbiz leaders hide out every day to keep up with the latest awards. Everyone wants to know: what do you think? Who do you predict and why?