Shock and surprise is rippling through the music industry following the announcement of the 2019 Grammy Award nominees.

Artists expected to score big – namely Ariana Grande, who released Sweetener this year, Taylor Swift, whose album Reputation was a hit, and Beyonce and Jay-Z who dropped Everything Is Love, missed out on the top categories.

Meanwhile while others cleaned up.

Kendrick Lamar earned the most nominations of anyone with a total of eight; Drake followed close behind with seven, and Brandi Carlile followed behind with six.

Women dominated this years’ nominations; five of the eight nominees for Album of the Year are women, and six of the eight Best New Artist nominees are female.

Childish Gambino is another highly nominated artist, clocking up five nods.

Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift, both expected to be recognized in the top categories, were relegated to Best Pop Vocal Album. Likewise, The Carters earned three nominations, including Best Music Video, but missed out on the ‘big three’.

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held on February 10, 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

And the nominees are …

 

Album of the Year

H.E.R. — H.E.R.

Brandie Carlile — By the Way, I Forgive You

Drake — Scorpion

Various Artists — Black Panther: The Album

Kacey Musgraves — Golden Hour

Post Malone — Beerbongs & Bentleys

Cardi B — Invasion of Privacy

Janelle Monáe — Dirty Computer

 

Record of the Year

Cardi B — I Like It

Brandi Carlile — The Joke

Childish Gambino — This Is America

Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper — Shallow

Drake — God’s Plan

Kendrick Lamar & SZA — All the Stars

Post Malone & 21 Savage — Rock star

Zedd & Maren Morris — The Middle

Song of the Year

Kendrick Lamar & SZA — All the Stars

Ella Mai — Boo’d Up

Drake — God’s Plan

Shawn Mendes — In My Blood

Brandy Carlile — The Joke

Zedd & Maren Morris — The Middle

Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper — Shallow

Childish Gambino — This Is America

Best New Artist

Chloe x Halle

Luke Combs

Greta Van Fleet

H.E.R.

Dua Lipa

Margo Price

Bebe Rexha

Jorja Smith

 

Best R & B Album

Toni Braxton — Sex & Cigarettes

Leon Bridges — Good Thing

Lalah Hathaway — Honestly

H.E.R. — H.E.R.

PJ Morton — Gumbo Unplugged

Best Pop Solo Performance

Colors, Beck

Havana (Live), Camila Cabello

God Is A Woman, Ariana Grande

Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?), Lady Gaga

Better Now, Post Malone.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Fall In Line, Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Backstreet Boys

S Wonderful, Tony Bennett and Diana Krall

Shallow, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Girls Like You, Maroon 5 and Cardi B

Say Something, Justin Timberlake and Chris Stapleton

The Middle, Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey

Best Pop Vocal Album

Camila, Camila Cabello

Meaning of Life, Kelly Clarkson

Sweetener, Ariana Grande

Shawn Mendes, Shawn Mendes

Beautiful Trauma, Pink

Reputation, Taylor Swift

 

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Love Is Here to Stay, Tony Bennett and Diana Krall

My Way, Willie Nelson Nat King Cole & Me, Gregory Porter

Standards (Deluxe), Seal

The Music … The Mem’ries … The Magic!, Barbra Streisand

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Singularity, Jon Hopkins

Woman Worldwide, Justice

Treehouse, Sofi Tukker

Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, SOPHIE

Lune Rouge, TOKiMONSTA

Best Rock Album

Rainier Fog, Alice In Chains

Mania, Fall Out Boy

Prequelle, Ghost

From the Fires, Greta Van Fleet

Pacific Daydream, Weezer

Best Music Video

Apes — t, The Carters

This Is America, Childish Gambino

I’m Not Racist, Joyner Lucas

PYNK, Janelle Monae

MUMBO JUMBO, Tierra Whack.

Best Alternative Music Album

Tranquillity Base Hotel + Casino, Arctic Monkeys

Colors, Beck
Utopia, Bjork

American Utopia, David Byrne

Masseduction, St. Vincent

 

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Everything Is Love, The Carters (Beyonce and Jay-Z)

The Kids Are Alright, Chloe x Halle

Chris Dave and the Drumhedz, Chris Dave And The Drumhedz

War & Leisure, Miguel

Ventriloquism, Meshell Ndegeocello

Best Rap Album

Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B

Swimming, Mac Miller

Victory Lap, Nipsey Hussle

Daytona, Pusha T

Astroworld, Travis Scott

Best Country Album

Unapologetically, Kelsea Ballerini

Port Saint Joe, Brothers Osborne

Girl Going Nowhere, Ashley McBryde

Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves

From A Room: Volume 2, Chris Stapleton

Best Country Solo Performance

Wouldn’t It Be Great, Loretta Lynn

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, Maren Morris

Butterflies, Kacey Musgraves

Millionaire, Chris Stapleton

Parallel Line, Keith Urban

 

Best Jazz Vocal Album

My Mood Is You, Freddy Cole

The Questions, Kurt Elling

The Subject Tonight Is Love, Kate McGarry With Keith Ganz and Gary Versace

If You Really Want, Raul Midon With The Metropole Orkest Conducted By Vince Mendoza The Window, Cecile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Diamond Cut, Tia Fuller

Live In Europe, Fred Hersch Trio

Seymour Reads The Constitution!, Brad Mehldau Trio

Still Dreaming, Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley & Brian Blade

Emanon, The Wayne Shorter Quartet

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

Call Me By Your Name

Deadpool 2

The Greatest Showman

Lady Bird

Stranger Things