WATCH: Blue Ivy freestyles on Jay-Z '4:44' bonus track
By JASON NATHANSON and LESLEY MESSER
Jay-Z leads the pack of this year's Grammy nominations with eight, the Recording Academy announced today.
Following closely are Kendrick Lamar with seven and Bruno Mars with six, plus Childish Gambino, Khalid and SZA, who each nabbed five.
“I’m inspired by this year’s nominees and the incredible talent each possesses,” academy president and CEO Neil Portnow said. “Their recordings are a true testament to how creatively alive and meaningful our music industry has become. Each nominee uses their craft to inspire, uplift, and tell stories of our world through their artistry. They provide a vibrant soundtrack that represents the highest level of excellence and continues to impact and reflect our culture.”
The Grammy Awards will take place Jan. 28 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Album of the year
- "Awaken, My Love!" — Childish Gambino
- "4:44" — Jay-Z
- "DAMN." — Kendrick Lamar
- "Melodrama" — Lorde
- "24K Magic" — Bruno Mars
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Musician Bruno Mars performs onstage during Rock in Rio USA at the MGM Resorts Festival Grounds, May 16, 2015 in Las Vegas.
Record of the year
- “Redbone” — Childish Gambino
- “Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
- "The Story Of O.J." — Jay-Z
- “HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
- “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars
Song of the year
- “Despacito” — Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)
- “4:44” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)
- “Issues” — Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter, songwriters (Julia Michaels)
- “1-800-273-8255” — Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury, Khalid Robinson, songwriters (Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid)
- “That's What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Alessia Cara, performs at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater , Nov. 19, 2017, in Los Angeles.
Best new artist
- Alessia Cara
- Khalid
- Lil Uzi Vert
- Julia Michaels
- SZA
Best pop solo performance
- “Love So Soft” — Kelly Clarkson
- “Praying” — Kesha
- “Million Reasons” — Lady Gaga
- “What About Us” — P!nk
- “Shape Of You” — Ed Sheeran
Best dance-electric album
- "Migration" — Bonobo
- "3-D The Catalogue" — Kraftwerk
- "Mura Masa" — Mura Masa
- "A Moment Apart" — Odesza
- "What Now" — Sylvan Esso
Best rock performance
- “You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen
- “The Promise” — Chris Cornell
- “Run” — Foo Fighters
- “No Good” — Kaleo
- “Go To War” — Nothing More
Best urban contemporary album
- "Free 6lack" — 6lack
- "Awaken, My Love!" — Childish Gambino
- "American Teen" — Khalid
- "Ctrl" — SZA
- "Starboy" — The Weeknd
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Clara Lionel Foundation
Kendrick Lamar performs onstage at Rihanna's 3rd Annual Diamond Ball Benefiting The Clara Lionel Foundation, Sept. 14, 2017 in New York City.
Best rap album
- "4:44" — Jay-Z
- "DAMN." — Kendrick Lamar
- "Culture" — Migos
- "Laila's Wisdom" — Rapsody
- "Flower Boy" — Tyler, The Creator
Best country album
- "Cosmic Hallelujah" — Kenny Chesney
- "Heart Break" — Lady Antebellum
- "The Breaker" — Little Big Town
- Life Changes" — Thomas Rhett
- "rom A Room: Volume 1" — Chris Stapleton
Best jazz vocal album
- "The Journey" — The Baylor Project
- "A Social Call" — Jazzmeia Horn
- "Bad Ass And Blind" — Raul Midón
- "Porter Plays Porter" — Randy Porter Trio With Nancy King
- "Dreams And Daggers" — Cécile McLorin Salvant
Best gospel album
- "Crossover" — Travis Greene
- "Bigger Than Me" — Le'Andria
- "Close" — Marvin Sapp
- "Sunday Song" — Anita Wilson
- "Let Them Fall In Love" — Cece Winans
Best contemporary Christian music album
- "Rise" — Danny Gokey
- "Echoes" (Deluxe Edition) — Matt Maher
- "Lifer" — MercyMe
- "Hills And Valleys" — Tauren Wells
- "Chain Breaker" — Zach Williams
Best Latin album
- "Lo Único Constante" — Alex Cuba
- "Mis Planes Son Amarte" — Juanes
- "Amar Y Vivir En Vivo Desde La Cuidad De México," 2017 — La Santa Cecilia
- "Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos)" — Natalia Lafourcade
- "El Dorado" — Shakira
Best Americana album
- "Southern Blood" — Gregg Allman
- "Shine On Rainy Day" — Brent Cobb
- "Beast Epic" — Iron & Wine
- "The Nashville Sound" — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
- "Brand New Day" — The Mavericks
Producer of the year, nonclassical
- Calvin Harris
- No I.D.
- Greg Kurstin
- Blake Mills
- The Stereotypes
Best song written for visual media
- “City Of Stars” — Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, songwriters (Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone), Track from La La Land
- “How Far I'll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli'i Cravalho), Track from Moana: The Songs
- “I Don't Wanna Live Forever” (Fifty Shades Darker) — Jack Antonoff, Sam Dew & Taylor Swift, songwriters (ZAYN & Taylor Swift), Track from Fifty Shades Darker
- “Never Give Up” — Sia Furler & Gregg Kurstin, songwriters (Sia), Track from Lion
- “Stand Up For Something” — Common & Diane Warren, songwriters (Andra Day Featuring Common), Track from Marshall