2019 Grammy's Preview

Best Music Video:
"Apes***" - The Carters
"This Is America" - Childish Gambino
"I'm Not Racist" - Joyner Lucas
"Pynk" - Janelle Monae
"Mumbo Jumbo" - Tierra Whack

I'm going with This Is America. The word 'genius' gets thrown around a lot, but "This Is America" as a visual medium was astounding with its symbolism.

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Boi-1da
Larry Klein
Linda Perry
Kanye West
Pharrell Williams

Producing such hits as "Be Careful" and "God's Plan", I'm calling this for Boi-1da.

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media:
Call Me By Your Name
Deadpool 2
The Greatest Showman
Lady Bird
Stranger Things

It was such a selling hit, that I don't see how this doesn't go to The Greatest Showman (as overrated as it was as an actual musical).

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
My Mood Is You - Freddy Cole
The Questions - Kurt Elling
The Subject Tonight Is Love - Kate Mcgarry, Keith Ganz, Gary Versace
If You Really Want - Raul Midon with The Metropole Orkest Conducted by Vince Mendoza
The Window - Cecile McLorin Salvant

Granted, I don't know much about these nominees, but with prior award recognition, I'm going with The Window.

Best Country Album:
Unapologetically - Kelsea Ballerini
Port Saint Joe - Brothers Osbourne
Girl Going Nowhere - Ashley Mcbryde
Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves
From a Room: Volume 2 - Chris Stapleton

This is tough to choose from. As much as I like Chris Stapleton, Golden Hour deserves this win.

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Everything Is Love - The Carters
The Kids Are Alright - Chloe X Halle
Chris Dave and The Drumhedz - Chris Dave and The Drumhedz
War & Leisure - Miguel
Ventriloquism - Meshell Ndegeocello

I think this is down to The Carters and Chloe X Halle, and I'm leaning towards the collaborative effort between Beyonce and Jay-Z, Everything Is Love.

Best Rap Album:
Invasion of Privacy - Cardi B
Swimming - Mac Miller
Victory Lap - Nipsey Hussle
Daytona - Pusha T
Astroworld - Travis Scott

I honestly don't see how Invasion Of Privacy doesn't take this. It was such a top seller and a perfect introduction to Cardi B.

Best R&B Album:
Sex & Cigarettes - Toni Braxton
Good Things - Leon Bridges
Honestly - Lalah Hathaway
H.E.R - H.E.R
Gymbo Unplugged (Live) - PJ Morton

With an "adventurous effort" (Pitchfork Magazine), I'm going with Good Things from Leon Bridges.

Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Singularity - Jon Hopkins
Woman Worldwide - Justice
Treehouse - Sofi Tukker
Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides - Sophie
Lune Rouge - TOKiMONSTA

I'm calling this one for Jon Hopkins' Singularity.

Best Alternative Music Album:
Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino - Arctic Monkeys
Colors - Beck
Utopia - Bjork
American Utopia - David Byrne
Masseducation - St. Vincent

A fairly loaded field here, with Arctic Monkeys, Beck, Bjork and St. Vincent. I think Masseducation takes this one.

Best Rock Album:
Rainier Fog - Alice In Chains
M A N I A - Fall Out Boy
Prequelle - Ghost
From the Fires - Greta Van Fleet
Pacific Daydream - Weezer

I could go the safe route here with Greta Van Fleet, but if I'm being honest....I'm not super impressed with them. Where's the originality? I'm going with hard-rock Ghost's Prequelle.

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

I would love to see my personal favorite Kelly Clarkson take this, but with as big of a year as she had, I'm going with Camila. She really made a name for herself with that effort.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
"Fall In Line" - Christina Aguilera featuring Demi Lovato
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" - Backstreet Boys
" 'S Wonderful" - Tony Bennett & Diana Krall
"Shallow" - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
"Girls Like you" - Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B
"Say Something" - Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton
"The Middle" - Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

A much more deserved soundtrack hit than "The Greatest Showman", this should and hopefully will go to Shallow.

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

Like I said for Pop Vocal Album, this was Camila Cabello's year, I'm going with Havana.

Best New Artist:
Chloe X Halle
Luke Combs
Greta Van Fleet
H.E.R
Dua Lipa
Margo Price
Bebe Rexha
Jorja Smith

I went back and forth between Chloe X Halle, H.E.R and Dua Lipa. I could see any 3 coming away with this, but I'm going with a bit of the safe/mainstream pick and calling it for Dua Lipa.

Song Of The Year:
"All The Stars" - Kendrick Lamar & Sza
"Boo'd Up" - Ella Mai
"God's Plan" - Drake
"In My Blood" - Shawn Mendes
"The Joke" - Brandi Carlile
"The Middle" - Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
"Shallow" - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
"This Is America" - Childish Gambino

A number of ways this could go. I could see "Shallow" being competitive here, but I'm going with my personal favorite, Brandi Carlile's The Joke. Its such a soaring and perfectly written song.

Record Of The Year:
"I Like It" - Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
"The Joke" - Brandi Carlile
"This Is America" - Childish Gambino
"God's Plan" - Drake
"Shallow" - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
"All the Stars" - Kendrick Lamar & Sza
"Rockstar" - Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
"The Middle" - Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey

Given her breakout year, and that it was the song of the summer (IMO), I'm going with I Like It.

Album Of The Year:
Invasion Of Privacy - Cardi B
By the Way, I Forgive You - Brandi Carlile
Scorpion - Drake
H.E.R - H.E.R
Beerbongs & Bentleys - Post Malone
Dirty Computer - Janelle Monae
Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves
Black Panther: The Album, Music from and Inspired By - (Various Artists)

The big award. I could easily see Cardi B cap off a big night taking this Grammy,or Kacey Musgraves rightfully winning, but I just have a feeling about Brandi Carlile's By The Way, I Forgive You. Its a perfect folk-style album, with every track being practically flawless. It seems like a perfectly designed winner.