2021 Grammy nominations: BeyoncĂŠ, Taylor Swift lead field; the Weeknd gets shut out

Country artist Mickey Guyton was nominated Tuesday for a Grammy Award.

(William DeShazer / For The Times)

After a year further inflamed by a nationwide reckoning with race, country music artist Mickey Guyton made Grammy Awards history Tuesday when she was nominated for best country solo performance.

The first-time nominee, who was recognized for her autobiographical song “Black Like Me,” became the first Black female solo artist to earn a Grammy nod in a country-music category. It’s a belated honor considering the genre’s debt to the Black banjo tradition and veteran stars such as Charley Pride.

“I am speechless,” Guyton said in a statement Tuesday. “This nomination is a testament to never give up and live your truth. I can’t think of a better song to make history with than ‘Black Like Me’ and I hope that I can continue to help open doors for other women and people who look like me.”

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BTS performing in L.A. in 2018

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

BTS finally landed its first Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper this year, with the effervescent single “Dynamite.”

The seven-piece South Korean pop band — it’s probably not fully accurate to call them K-pop anymore — had one of the two top-selling albums of the year in 2020 (and might have another one in last week’s “Be”), and the disco-driven, English-language “Dynamite” had a strong case for 2021 Grammy record or song of the year nominations.

Even Grammy K-pop’s skeptics had to admit that the bona fides were there: sold-out stadium tours, mainstream radio play beyond streaming, phenomenal album sales (as in physical sales of CDs and downloaded tracks, not just streaming equivalents) and a No. 1 single with zero K-pop bona fides needed to love it. They did get a nod for pop duo/group performance, but that probably won’t sate the faithful.

Will the Grammys ever get a dedicated K-pop category? It’s a perennial complaint in fandom (BTS did get a nomination last year for recording package). But there’s a legitimate case to make that BTS should have had a shot at record and song of the year.

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The Recording Academy unveiled the 2021 Grammy nominees live Tuesday morning, and next year’s lucky contenders wasted no time expressing their excitement and gratitude on social media.

“Black Is King” mastermind Beyoncé leads the nominations with nine — including record and song of the year nods for her Juneteenth single, “Black Parade” — followed by Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Roddy Ricch with six apiece.

In the running for the coveted album of the year prize are Swift’s surprise quarantine collection “Folklore,” Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia,” Jhené Aiko’s “Chilombo,” Black Pumas’ “Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition),” Coldplay’s “Everyday Life,” Jacob Collier’s “Djesse Vol.3,” Haim’s “Women in Music Pt. III” and Post Malone’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding.”

“Woah!” tweeted Aiko, who is also nominated for progressive R&B album and for R&B performance with John Legend. “Thank you [Recording Academy].”

“Savage” rapper Megan Thee Stallion was among the first to react to her multiple nominations with several crying emojis. She’s up for best new artist, along with Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, D Smoke, Doja Cat, Kaytranada, Phoebe Bridgers and Chika, who has already altered her Twitter bio to read, “i’m grammy nominated, don’t touch me.”

And, finally, the Grammy for best nomination reaction (so far), goes to “Dynamite” hitmakers V, Jungkook, RM and Jimin of BTS, who can be seen whooping and cheering as Megan Thee Stallion reads the nominees for pop duo/group performance in a euphoric Twitter video with the unhinged but relatable caption, “Ohmmmmmmyyyyyyyyggghghhhhhhhgggggggggdhdhsjsixudbslsogbdsisgshdbxidjdbdidhdifjfiri.”

See those and more reactions to the 2021 Grammy nominations below, including a message from Grammys host Trevor Noah.

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Here is the list of nominees for the 63rd Grammy Awards. The ceremony will take place Jan. 31, 2021, under COVID-19-related restrictions. Talk show host and comedian Trevor Noah will be this year’s emcee.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

• “Chilombo” — JhenĂŠ Aiko
• “Black Pumas” (Deluxe Edition) — Black Pumas
• “Everyday Life” — Coldplay
• “Djesse Vol. 3” — Jacob Collier
• “Women in Music Pt. III” — Haim
• “Future Nostalgia” — Dua Lipa
• “Hollywood’s Bleeding” — Post Malone
• “Folklore” — Taylor Swift

RECORD OF THE YEAR:

• “Black Parade” — BeyoncĂŠ
• “Colors” — Black Pumas
• “Rockstar” — DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
• “Say So” — Doja Cat
• “Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish
• “Don’t Start Now” — Dua Lipa
• “Circles” — Post Malone
• “Savage” — Megan Thee Stallion featuring BeyoncĂŠ

SONG OF THE YEAR:

• “Black Parade” — Denisia Andrews, BeyoncĂŠ, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (BeyoncĂŠ)
• “The Box” — Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
• “Cardigan” — Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
• “Circles” — Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post & Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)
• “Don’t Start Now” — Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa & Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
• “Everything I Wanted” — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
• “I Can’t Breathe” — Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
• “If the World Was Ending” — Julia Michaels & JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels)

NEW ARTIST:

• Ingrid Andress
• Phoebe Bridgers
• Chika
• Noah Cyrus
• D Smoke
• Doja Cat
• Kaytranada
• Megan Thee Stallion

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Surprises in 2020? Get in line. Given ... everything, should we have expected anything less when it comes to the Grammy Awards? Here are some of the many stumpers in an overwhelming year.

We begin with no nominations for the Weeknd, at all.

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Gustavo Dudamel conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic through Ives’ First Symphony on Feb. 20 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic brought the symphonies of American composer Charles Ives to vivid life this year with performances that Times music critic Mark Swed called “a milestone ... for both the conductor and the startlingly great orchestra.”

On Tuesday the Recording Academy signaled its agreement by rewarding Dudamel and the L.A. Phil’s “Ives: Complete Symphonies” with two Grammy nominations — one for best orchestral performance, and one for best engineered classical album.

In the former category, Dudamel and the L.A. Phil will compete against the San Francisco Symphony (nominated with outgoing Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas conducting Copland’s Third Symphony), Oregon Symphony, Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

A win would secure a third Grammy for Dudamel and the L.A. Phil, which won its first Grammy in 2012 for a recording of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony. The second Grammy came this year for a recording of composer Andrew Norman’s “Sustain.”

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Jacob Collier wins at the 59th Grammy Awards pre-telecast show at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Pop artists like Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber have turned YouTube attention into major Grammy nominations. Jazz artists like Herbie Hancock and Esperanza Spalding have unexpectedly brought home top prizes amidst stiff pop competition.

But the little-known Jacob Collier’s route to a nod for the Grammys’ album of the year is a rare combination of both. He’s a multi-instrumentalist prodigy who won a niche but devoted audience with deftly arranged and charming home videos, which earned him the support of industry titans like Quincy Jones. Now, it’s earned him a shot at the Grammys’ top prize (he’s also nominated for R&B performance; and arrangement, instruments and vocals).

The London-based 26-year-old musician, of British and Chinese descent, is the outlier in the album of the year category dominated by pop staples like Taylor Swift, Post Malone and Dua Lipa. Though he’s achieved plenty of international renown, including a gig at the BBC Proms in 2018 and a popular NPR Tiny Desk show in July, many Grammy watchers are probably learning about his LP “Djesse Vol. 3” for the first time after seeing him in this category.

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The nominations for the 2021 Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday, and L.A.-based rapper D Smoke is among those in the running for best new artist, alongside Ingrid Andress, Phoebe Bridgers, Chika, Noah Cyrus, Doja Cat, Kaytranada and Megan Thee Stallion.

D Smoke’s powerful “Black Habits,” released in February, also earned him a nod in the rap album category where it is up against works by Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist, Jay Electronica, Nas and Royce Da 5’9”.

For those unfamiliar with D Smoke’s rise, here are the essentials.

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Megan Thee Stallion was a surprise guest during Tuesday’s 63rd Grammy Awards nominations announcement, tapped to read a list of nominees across pop, contemporary, instrumental, reggae and global music categories — fields she was not nominated in.

She did a fine job, but it was clear that the “Savage” rapper was a last-minute add-on to the program given the shaky start she got and the papers she was reading off of.

Nevertheless, at the end of her stint, the Recording Academy’s interim president and CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., chimed in to the virtual event to personally congratulate her on being a first-time nominee.

Cue the instantly gif-able look of shock and excitement on the “WAP” rapper’s face.

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Dua Lipa.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The nominations are final for the 63rd Grammy Awards, and among the many questions raised: What happened to the Weeknd? Who is Jacob Collier? And will BeyoncĂŠ attend the Jan. 31 ceremony?

Pop music critic Mikael Wood weighs in on a sometimes inspiring, sometimes bewildering slate of nominees:

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RenĂŠe Zellweger, left, is nominated for her performance as Judy Garland, and Meryl Streep is nominated in the spoken-word category.

(Valerie Macon / AFP/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)

Who needs the Oscars? This year Hollywood actors — namely Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger — have invaded the Grammys.

When the nominations for next year’s ceremony were announced Tuesday morning, Streep got a nod in the spoken-word category for her recording of “Charlotte’s Web,” written by E.B. White. She is up against the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea (yes, really), “Jeopardy!” champ Ken Jennings, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and journalist Ronan Farrow.

“Judy” star Zellweger, meanwhile, was nominated for traditional pop vocal album for her performance as Judy Garland in that 2019 biopic. The two-time Oscar winner is facing off against Burt Bacharach & Daniel Tashian, Harry Connick Jr., James Taylor and Rufus Wainwright.

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Kali Uchis at 2018’s Coachella.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

With so much of live dance music culture — festivals, clubs, after-hours gigs — sidelined this year, it might not be a coincidence that some top dance acts moved away from the blown-out EDM that has won in recent years.

Kaytranada and Kali Uchis’ throwback disco-house hit “10%” and Jayda G’s ‘90s-adoring “Both of Us” each got nods for dance recording.

But at least one went the other way: The Venezuelan experimentalist Arca, who has produced for Bjork and Kanye West, earned a much-deserved nomination for dance/electronic album for her headphone-melting LP “Kick 1.”

Sure, some usual suspects — Diplo, Disclosure and Flume — are in the mix as top contenders. But in a year with maybe less dancing than any in recent memory, it’s no surprise that many of the best acts are looking backward (or deep into the future) to find more exciting times.

Not long after “Jeopardy” champ Ken Jennings announced that he’d be guest hosting the show in the wake of Alex Trebek’s death, Jennings earned his first Grammy nomination — for his work reading Trebek’s memoir, “Alex Trebek: The Answer Is” in the spoken word category.

As always, the category features many non-musical personalities, and with one exception, that remains true this year.

Jennings will be vying against Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea for his memoir “Acid for the Children,” Rachel Maddow reading “Blowout: Corrupted Democracy ...,” Ronan Farrow reading his “Catch and Kill” and Meryl Streep and others reading E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.”

Kanye West

(Associated Press)

Kanye West was nominated for a Grammy, though not in the rap categories he has traditionally dominated.

The rapper and producer (and former presidential candidate) scored a nod for best contemporary Christian music album with “Jesus Is King,” the 2019 LP that grew out of his Sunday Service series.

His competition includes albums by Cody Carnes, Hillsong Young & Free, We the Kingdom and Tauren Wells.

John Prine accepts the artist of the year award during the Americana Honors and Awards show Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

(Mark Zaleski / Associated Press)

John Prine, who died in April at 73 after contracting the novel coronavirus, has landed two nominations for his final studio recording, the song “I Remember Everything.” Across his decades as a crucial American songwriter, Prine managed to gather 11 nominations but only won twice.

In the American roots performance category, Prine will compete against Black Pumas, Bonny Light Horseman, Brittany Howard and Norah Jones & Mavis Staples. In the American roots song category, Prine’s work will face songs recorded by the Secret Sisters, Sierra Hull, Sarah Jarosz, as well as Lucinda Williams and Tom Overby’s politically charged indictment of a narcissistic president, “Man Without a Soul.”

Brandy Clark

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

For the first time in Grammys history, the best country album category is filled with women.

Ingrid Andress’ “Lady Like,” Brandy Clark’s “Your Life Is a Record,” Miranda Lambert’s “Wildcard,” Ashley McBryde’s “Never Will” and “Nightfall” by the group Little Big Town (which is fronted by Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman) are nominated for the award.

It’s a clear statement by the Recording Academy at a moment when female artists have struggled to get their music played on country radio.

Women dominate the best country song category as well, with nods for Lambert’s “Bluebird,” Andress’ “More Hearts Than Mine,” Maren Morris’ “The Bones” and the Highwomen’s “Crowded Table,” along with “Some People Do” by Old Dominion.

Grousing about rap categories being out of touch is old sport at the Grammys. But did anyone expect the nominees this year to be so, well, old?

With nods for Inglewood’s own D Smoke, Freddie Gibbs & the Alchemist, Jay Electronica, Nas and Royce Da 5’9”, this year’s rap album contenders could mostly have been pulled off a hot mp3 blog in 2008.

It’s no shocker that a renowned veteran like Nas or a long-awaited comeback from Jay Electronica might make it in. D Smoke did rise to fame in part because of a Netflix reality show, “Rhythm + Flow,” but his contributions to the family-band talent pool are considerable. Freddie Gibbs and Royce Da 5’9” are solid workman MCs, but taken all together, this is a pretty well-seasoned list for a year where young hip-hop was the soundtrack of a year of street uprisings and dominated streaming.

There’s not a rapper under 35 in the bunch. Surely someone had a body of work in the last year that spoke to current events from at least a less-than-elder-millennial perspective?

The Los Angeles-based jazz pianist John Beasley earned three Grammy nominations across a few quick minutes, and in doing so added to the two nods he’s already accrued. Beasley earned those two for his recordings interpreting the work of Thelonious Monk.

This year he turned the tables with “Monkestra Plays John Beasley,” in the process landing a large jazz ensemble album nomination, where he’ll compete against the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Orrin Evans, Gregg August and John Hollenbeck.

Beasley was also nominated in the arrangement, instrumental or a cappella category for his work with singer Donna Lee, and for arrangement, instruments and vocals for his work with Maria Mendes and Orkest Metropole.

From left to right, Residente, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny perform during the 20th Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on Nov. 14, 2019.

(Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Following ample criticism from those in the Latin music industry, the Latin categories have been amended to better reflect the genres. The previous category of best Latin pop album has been converted to best Latin pop or urban album. The previous category of best Latin rock, alternative urban album is now best Latin rock/alternative album.

Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Tainy are the only Latin artists to break beyond the Latin categories. Their 2020 collaboration with Dua Lipa, “Un Día (One Day),” is nominated for best pop duo/group performance.

Best Latin pop or urban album nominees include Bad Bunny for “YHLQMDLG,” Ricky Martin for “Pausa,” Kany García for “Mesa Para Dos,” Debi Nova for “3:33” and Camilo for “Por Primera Vez.”

In the category of best Latin rock or alternative album, the nominees include Cultura Profética for “Sobrevolando,” Bajofondo for “Aura,” Cami for “Monstruo,” Fito Paez for “La Conquista del Espacio” and Lido Pimienta for “Miss Colombia.”

The nominees for best regional Mexican music album (including Tejano) are Alejandro Fernández for “Hecho en México,” Lupita Infante for “La Serenata,” Natalia Lafourcade for Un Canto por México, Vol. 1,” Mariachi Sol De Mexico De Jose Hernandez for “Bailando Sones y Huapangos con el Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández” and Christian Nodal for “Ayayay!”

For best tropical album, the nominees are José Alberto “El Ruiseñor” for “Mi Tumbao,” Edwin Bonilla for “Infinito,” Jorge Celedon & Sergio Luis for “Sigo Cantando al Amor (Deluxe),” Grupo Niche for “40” and Víctor Manuelle for “Memorias de Navidad.”

Recording Academy chairman and interim President/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is photographed at their headquarters in Santa Monica.

(Mel Melcon/ Los Angeles Times)

Harvey Mason Jr., the Recording Academy’s interim president and CEO, acknowledged that 2020 has been a “very different year” while announcing the 63rd Grammy Awards nominations Tuesday.

Mason kicked off the nominations announcement by addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and racial reckoning gripping the nation. He also commended the artists working through it all as “people with integrity, people with passion and who are committed to music.”

“Our normal world was suddenly transformed not just by a global pandemic but by social unrest,” he said, adding that people turned to music “for solace, inspiration and unity” and “to lift our spirits and continue to sustain us.”

In a Grammys first, the best rock performance category is filled with work by women.

Fiona Apple’s “Shameika,” Phoebe Bridgers’ “Kyoto,” Haim’s “The Steps,” Brittany Howard’s “Stay High,” Grace Potter’s “Daylight” and “Not” by the band Big Thief (which is fronted by Adrianne Lenker) will vie for the prize, which in the past has gone to the likes of Foo Fighters, Jack White and the Black Keys.

Beat producer-composer Flying Lotus at his home.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The Recording Academy got the behind-the-board nominations out of the way first during this morning’s 63rd Grammy Awards curtain-raiser. Focusing on the studio geeks and gearheads who make the sausage, voters celebrated the work of country, rock, hip-hop and pop producers, as well as bass-propelled experimental funk.

Grammy favorite Jack Antonoff, who has earned 13 nominations since 2012, earned another this year for his work with Taylor Swift, Sia, the Chicks and FKA Twigs.

Black Keys co-founder Dan Auerbach has a shelf’s worth of trophies (eight) and twice as many nominations, and earned this year’s for work with artists including outlaw country singer John Anderson and Atlanta singer-rapper Cee Lo Green.

Fellow Nashville resident Dave Cobb, who is six for six when it comes to Grammys, earned another for records he made with the late John Prine, Jason Isbell, the Highwoman and others.

The Los Angeles beat producer Flying Lotus needed only one production credit, on bassist Thundercat’s “It Is What It Is,” to garner his third ever nod.

The sole newcomer on the list? Andrew Watt, whose work under his WATT moniker enabled hits for artists including Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Post Malone and Ozzy Osbourne.

The Recording Academy will announce the nominees for the 63rd Grammy Awards at 9 a.m. Pacific today, unveiling its picks for the top musical acts and recordings released between Sept. 1, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2020.

The announcement will occur during an hour-plus show online at grammy.com and during a portion of the “CBS This Morning” broadcast.

Nominees across 83 categories will be revealed during that time. Interim Recording Academy President and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. will be joined remotely by “CBS This Morning’s” Gayle King and “The Talk” cohost Sharon Osbourne.

Recording artists Pepe Aguilar, Yemi Alade, Nicola Benedetti, Lauren Daigle, Mickey Guyton, Imogen Heap and Dua Lipa will also announce some of the categories.

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Trevor Noah will host the 2021 Grammy Awards.

(Byron Keulemans / EPA)

From host of “The Daily Show” to host of the 63rd Grammy Awards: Trevor Noah has officially been tapped to emcee music’s biggest night.

Hours before the 2021 Grammy nominees are set to be unveiled, the Recording Academy revealed Tuesday morning that Noah will helm next year’s awards ceremony for the first time.

“Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for best pop album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event,” the comedian joked in a statement.

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