Grammy nominations 2024: SZA leads female-dominated year

SZA, Phoebe Bridgers, Victoria Monét, and Taylor Swift lead the 2024 Grammy nominations, with Swift potentially making history with her win.

The 66th Grammy awards are shaping up to be a groundbreaking event, with female artists leading the pack in nominations. SZA, Phoebe Bridgers, Victoria Monét, and Taylor Swift are all set to dominate the awards, with SZA securing the most nominations at nine overall for her album SOS and its accompanying songs, spanning across pop, rap, and R&B categories. Despite her previous 14 nominations, SZA has only won one Grammy so far, making her a strong contender this year.

Victoria Monét, Phoebe Bridgers, and mixing engineer Serban Ghenea are also top contenders, each with seven nominations. Monét is also nominated for best new artist, alongside Ice Spice and Jelly Roll. The record of the year category is almost entirely female, with Jon Batiste being the only male nominee in both the song and record of the year categories. Batiste has previously won five key Grammy awards, making him a strong competitor.

Taylor Swift, with six nominations, could potentially make Grammys history by winning album of the year, which would make her the first artist to ever win in that category four times. Olivia Rodrigo, who has previously won three Grammy awards, has scored six nominations for her album GUTS and the song Vampire. The Barbie album has also made a strong showing with 12 nominations, and songs from artists like Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, and Dua Lipa are prominently featured.

This year also sees the addition of three new categories: best African music performance, best alternative jazz album, and best pop dance recording. Notable nominees include Kylie Minogue and Troye Sivan for the best pop dance recording category. Earlier this year, Beyoncé became the most awarded artist in Grammys history, winning four awards at the 65th ceremony and bringing her total to 32. Harry Styles took home album of the year for Harry's House.

In addition to the music categories, nominees from the world of audiobooks, storytelling, and comedy include Meryl Streep, Dave Chappelle, Michelle Obama, and Bernie Sanders. The 66th Grammy awards will take place on 4 February, with the host yet to be announced.

The diverse range of nominees reflects the evolving landscape of music, with artists like Baby Keem ft Kendrick Lamar, Black Thought, Coi Leray, Drake and 21 Savage, and many others making their mark in various categories. The addition of new categories like best African music performance, best alternative jazz album, and best pop dance recording further showcases the Grammys' commitment to recognizing a wide range of musical talents.

As the anticipation for the 66th Grammy awards builds, it's clear that the event will be a celebration of the incredible talent and diversity within the music industry. With female artists leading the way and a diverse range of nominees across various categories, the Grammys are set to be a groundbreaking and unforgettable event.