On Friday Nov. 8, the Recording Academy announced the nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards It’s been an undeniably huge year for music, from the breakthrough of a whole new cavalcade of pop hotshots such as Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, the online fights of Drake and Kendrick Lamar to the pop culture phenomenon of Charli XCX’s “Brat,” it’s safe to say the music industry has been saturated enough for the year, with new albums from nearly all the industry’s biggest stars.
With nominations locked in, it’s hard not to speculate on which artists will take home the awards. Given the strength of this year’s contenders, from established superstars to promising newcomers, the 2025 Grammys are shaping up to be a defining moment in pop music history. Here are my predictions on who just might come out on top.
The record of the year is one of the main four categories, and there’s often confusion on the distinction between this award and song of the year. To put it simply, the main difference between the two is that Record of the Year recognizes the performance and production of a song, while Song of the Year recognizes the song’s composition. This means this award will go to both the artist and their production team.
Now let’s get to speculating. Swift’s “Fortnight” with Post Malone was a huge deal for Swifties and Post fans alike but made seemingly little noise elsewhere, so a win seems unlikely. “Good Luck Babe!” was a breakthrough hit for newcomer Chappell Roan, so perhaps the Grammy will lean toward celebrating fresh talent this year. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was also massive, though the Grammys often overlook rap and hip-hop in the main categories.
Billie Eilish also poses a significant threat as a Grammy favorite, especially with her record-breaking album and the viral success of her song “Birds of a Feather,” and a record-breaking album. “Birds of a Feather” had a viral moment that was hard to ignore. Ultimately, I think it comes down to two possibilities: Charli XCX, if the Academy wants to embrace something bold and fun, especially with the popularity of “Brat,” or “Birds of a Feather” if they want to stick to their usual guns.
However, this category offers Charli her best chance at winning among the main four, “360″ lend of innovative production, genre-defying sounds and its influence on both pop music and internet culture makes her track a standout contender for this awards season.
Song of the Year is another highly contested category, with each song nominated a hit within its own right. Shaboozey landed himself a nomination with his TikTok hit “Bar Song (Tipsy).” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” was nominated, though perhaps her track “Espresso” would have been a more fitting choice as the former made much less noise than her song of the summer. The usual suspects of Billie Eilish, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are also up for consideration this year.
With that being said, I suspect Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile” will take the win. While their collaboration is certainly a powerhouse, the bigger inclination is Mars’s solid history of Grammy wins, especially his sweep of the 64th Grammys. It does feel like a predictable choice and despite the song’s appeal, I’d love to see a more unexpected pick come out on top this year.
Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe!” comes to mind as a fresh piece of art that might be better deserving of the award. With such an immense year that Roan has had, the song track’s vibrant, 80s-inspired sound channels a nostalgic, Cyndi Lauper-esque energy, giving it an appeal that could secure it a Grammy for Song of the Year.
Best New Artist is likely going to come down between two nominees, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. Both have had huge years in terms of both music and sensationalization. “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck Babe!” were both chart-topping successes on Chappell’s part, and Sabrina earned herself three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Espresso.”
While Sabrina Carpenter certainly made a name for herself this year with both her slot on Taylor Swift Eras Tour and “Espresso” alike, Chappell Roan brings a stronger sense of artistry to the table. Carpenter’s music, though catchy, is often a victim of tropey “it-girl” like lyricism, and employing overused pop-producer Jack Antonoff as the driving producer on her album did nothing to abet those claims of playing it safe.
But while Carpenter leans in on trends, Roan pushes out. With provocative, original and undeniably queer lyrics, Roan is bringing something to the music scene we haven’t seen in a while. This distinctiveness is what, ultimately, I think is going to let Chappell Roan take home a Grammy for Best New Artist.
Out of the main four categories the award that is arguably the most coveted is the last one of the night, “Album of Year.” And 2024 has been quite the year for albums. Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” has sparked some polarizing reactions, yet her unparalleled ability to push boundaries and create makes it a strong contender.
“New Blue Sun” by André 3000 is an interesting nomination. While it’s cool to see an ambient album recognized, other artists are executing this style much more effectively, making it hard to argue that this album truly deserves the nomination much less the actual award. And while Sabrina Carpenter did leave quite an impression on the charts with “Short n’ Sweet,” its blasé nature makes it hard to envision it as the album of the year.
Taylor Swift is unlikely to leave with the award either, due to the negative feedback from winning last year. Charli XCX’s “Brat” has potential, especially after the year of brat summer, but as a club album it faces an uphill battle against more mainstream projects.
However critically, it received a lot of attention for being Charli XCX’s most confident and fully realized album yet. The production is bold, with tracks that balance catchy pop hooks with experimental edges that push the genre forward without alienating mainstream listeners. The album’s emotional depth, paired with Charli’s undeniable party-girl presence, struck a chord with fans and critics alike.
It’s Charli’s first time being nominated in this category, and the album’s success reflects how far she’s come in shaping pop music. Between the critical praise, the cultural relevance and the undeniable impact it’s had, “Brat” stands as one of the most deserving contenders for Album of the Year.
Make sure to tune in Feb. 2 to see which of your favorite artists take home an award.
This story was written by Allison Scherquist. She can be reached at a[email protected].
