Beyoncé Leads Grammy Nominations, The Weeknd Snubbed

The 2021 Grammy Award nominations have been announced, with Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa leading the nominations.

In the lead is Beyoncé with a total of nine nominations overall, including four for protest anthem Black Parade, which was released at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. The nominations mean that Beyoncé has now earned 79 Grammy Award nominations, extending her record as the most-nominated female artist of all time.

Many noticed the seemingly glaring emission from any of the nominations: despite The Weeknd’s album After Hours being one of 2020’s biggest commercial success stories with 1.8 billion streams to date and the single Blinding Lights becoming the longest-running top 10 hit in US chart history, The Weeknd were not nominated in any category.

After the nominees were revealed, The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) Tweeted: “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”

Several US media reports suggested that The Weeknd was left out of the awards after weeks of discussions over a possible appearance at January's Grammys ceremony.

“We understand that the Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated,” Recording Academy chair and interim president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. told Rolling Stone in a statement.

“I was surprised and can empathise with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration.

“We would have loved to have him also perform on the Grammy stage the weekend before [the Super Bowl]. Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists.

“To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process. All Grammy nominees are recognised by the voting body for their excellence, and we congratulate them all.”

Earlier this year, former Recording Academy president Deborah Dugan claimed the voting process was "a boys' club" that was "ripe with corruption," and the Grammys’ treatment of black artists has raised controversy in recent years – being accused for a perceived bias against black artists in the award ceremony’s four big categories.

After the nominations were announced, Nicki Minaj shared her own negative experiences with the Grammys where she also felt snubbed by voters in 2012.

She Tweeted: "Never forget the Grammys didn't give me my best new artist award when I had 7 songs simultaneously charting on Billboard & bigger first week than any female rapper in the last decade — went on to inspire a generation. They gave it to the white man Bon Iver. #PinkFriday."

"I was bullied into staying quiet for 7 years out of fear," she claimed on social media in February 2019.

Bon Iver beat Minajy and other nominees including Skrillex, J. Coleand The Band Perry to win Best New Artist in 2012, despite Minaj’s success.

Full 2021 Nominations List:

Record of the Year:

“Black Parade” – Beyoncé
“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 Beyoncé

Album of the Year:

Chilombo – Jhené 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

Song of the Year:

“Black Parade” – Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“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)

Best New Artist:

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

Best Pop Solo Performance:

“Yummy” – Justin Bieber
“Say So” – Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted” – Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa
“Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles
“Cardigan” – Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:

“UN DIA (ONE DAY)” – J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy
“Intentions” – Justin Bieber Featuring Quavo
“Dynamite” – BTS
“Rain On Me” – Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
“Exile” – Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:

Blue Umbrella – (Burt Bacharach &) Daniel Tashian
True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter – Harry Connick, Jr
American Standard – James Taylor
Unfollow the Rules – Rufus Wainwright
Judy – Renée Zellweger

Best Pop Vocal Album:

Changes – Justin Bieber
Chromatica – Lady Gaga
Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa
Fine Line – Harry Styles
Folklore – Taylor Swift

Best Rock Performance:

“Shameika” – Fiona Apple
“Not” – Big Thief
“Kyoto” – Phoebe Bridgers
“The Steps” – Haim
“Stay High” – Brittany Howard
“Daylight” – Grace Potter

Best Rock Song:

“Kyoto” – Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler & Marshall Vore, songwriters (Phoebe Bridgers)
“Lost In Yesterday” – Kevin Parker, songwriter (Tame Impala)
“Not” – Adrianne Lenker, songwriter (Big Thief)
“Shameika” – Fiona Apple, songwriter (Fiona Apple)
“Stay High” – Brittany Howard, songwriter (Brittany Howard)

Best Rock Album:

A Hero’s Death – Fontaines DC
Kiwanuka – Michael Kiwanuka
Daylight – Grace Potter
Sound & Fury – Sturgill Simpson
The New Abnormal – The Strokes

Best R&B Performance:

“Lightning & Thunder” – Jhené Aiko Featuring John Legend
“Black Parade” – Beyoncé
“All I Need” – Jacob Collier Featuring Mahalia & Ty Dolla $ign
“Goat Head” – Brittany Howard
“See Me” – Emily King

Best Traditional R&B Performance:

“Sit On Down” – The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor
“Wonder What She Thinks of Me” – Chloe X Halle
“Let Me Go” – Mykal Kilgore
“Anything For You” – Ledisi
“Distance” – Yebba

Best R&B Song:

“Better Than I Imagine” – Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)
“Black Parade” – Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim "Kaydence" Krysiuk & Rickie "Caso" Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Collide” – Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG)
“Do It” – Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
“Slow Down” – Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)

Best Progressive R&B Album:

Chilombo – Jhené Aiko
Ungodly Hour – Chloe X Halle
Free Nationals – Free Nationals
F*** Yo Feelings – Robert Glasper
It Is What It Is – Thundercat

Best R&B Album:

Happy 2 Be Here – Ant Clemons
Take Time – Giveon
To Feel Love/D – Luke James
Bigger Love – John Legend
All Rise – Gregory Porter

Best Rap Performance:

“Deep Reverence” – Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle
“Bop” – DaBaby
“What’s Poppin” – Jack Harlow
“The Bigger Picture” – Lil Baby
“Savage” – Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé
“Dior” – Pop Smoke

Best Melodic Rap Performance:

“Rockstar” – DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
“Laugh Now Cry Later” – Drake Featuring Lil Durk
“Lockdown” – Anderson .Paak
“The Box” – Roddy Ricch
“Highest in the Room” – Travis Scott

Best Rap Song:

“The Bigger Picture” – Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew & Rai'shaun Williams, songwriters (Lil Baby)
“The Box” – Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Laugh Now, Cry Later” – Durk Banks, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour & Ryan Martinez, songwriters (Drake Featuring Lil Durk)
“Rockstar” – Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch)
“Savage” – Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)

Best Rap Album:

Black Habits – D Smoke
Alfredo – Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
A Written Testimony – Jay Electronica
King’s Disease – Nas
The Allegory – Royce Da 5’9"