Final 59th Annual Grammy Awards Predictions

Third time is charm for Beyoncé, who will win the coveted album of the year for Lemonade.  Adele earns nods for Record and Song of the Year with “Hello.”

The 59^th Annual Grammy Awards are just around the corner – February 12, 2017 to be precise. Here at The Musical Hype, we previously released early predictions. Now that the time has come, who will win? Here are our final predictions for the 59^th Annual Grammy Awards. Hint: We like Adele in two big categories and Beyoncé in another.

Record of the Year

Adele, “Hello” (25)

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Lemonade)

Lukas Graham, “7 Years” (Lukas Graham)

Rihanna ft. Drake, “Work”

Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out” (Blurryface)

• Winner: Adele, “Hello”
• Rationale: Adele is a critical darling, and that should be enough to solidify this award.  Beyoncé and her bold “Formation” should get a look here, but likely, Grammy voters won’t follow the single.

Album of the Year

Adele, 25

Beyoncé, Lemonade

Justin Bieber, Purpose

Drake, Views

Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth 

• Winner: Beyoncé, Lemonade
• Rationale: Adele’s 25 is the safer bet, but the problem is that 25 feels too safe. A good album that sold well, 25 doesn’t feel like the best album of the year.  Justin Bieber (Purpose) and Drake (Views) don’t even feel like they have “a dog in this fight.”  Views isn’t worthy enough despite the numbers, while Purpose is a good pop album, but not a great one.  That leaves Sturgill Simpson, who delivers a great album with A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.  Even so, it feels too far-fetched with the juggernauts in this category to pull off such a feat.  This should be Beyoncé’s time, but an Adele victory wouldn’t shock.

Song of the Year

Beyoncé, “Formation” (Lemonade)

Adele, “Hello” (25)

Mike Posner, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”

Justin Bieber, “Love Yourself”

Lukas Graham, “7 Years” (Lukas Graham)

• Winner: Adele, “Hello”
• Rationale: Adele likely sweeps record and song.  “Hello” is best suited to win song.  Here, arguably, its toughest competition should be Lukas Graham.  Justin Bieber lands in this category thanks to the songwriting of critical darling Ed Sheeran, more than the song itself.  “Formation” has a better shot at record.  As for “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” it feels like the odd-ball.

Best New Artist

Kelsea Ballerini

The Chainsmokers

Chance the Rapper

Maren Morris

Anderson .Paak

• Winner: The Chainsmokers
• Rationale: Personally, the pick would be Chance the Rappper or Anderson . Paak.  Maren Morris would even get a nod ahead of The Chainsmokers.  That said, they’ve had numerous hits during the end of 2015 and throughout 2016.  That might be enough.  Still, Chance the Rapper and Anderson . Paak are more multidimensional.

Other Winners

• Best Pop Solo Performance: Adele, “Hello”
• Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Lukas Graham, “7 Years”
• Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Barbra Streisand, Encore
• Best Pop Vocal Album: Adele, 25
• Best Dance Recording: The Chainsmokers ft. Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
• Best Dance/Electronic Album: Flume, Skin  
• Best Rock Performance: David Bowie, “Blackstar”
• Best Rock Song: David Bowie, “Blackstar”
• Best Rock Album: Truly, a toss-up. We’ll stick with Panic! At the Disco, Death of a Bachelor.
• Best Alternative Music Album: David Bowie, Blackstar
  • Note: This should flip places with Death of a Bachelor in the rock category.
• Best R&B Performance:  Solange, “Cranes in the Sky” 
• Best Traditional R&B Performance: Lalah Hathaway, “Angel”
• Best R&B Song: “Kiss It Better” (Rihanna)
• Best Urban Contemporary Album: Beyoncé, Lemonade
• Best R&B Album: Lalah Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway Live
• Best Rap Performance: Drake ft. The Throne, “Pop Style” 
• Best Rap / Sung Performance:  Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar, “Freedom” (Lemonade)
• Best Rap Song: Drake, “Hotline Bling” (Views)
• Best Rap Album: Drake, Views
• Best Country Performance: Maren Morris, “My Church” (Hero)
• Best Country Album: Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
• Best Song Written for Visual Media: Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens” (Suicide Squad)
• Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: David Bowie, Blackstar

Photo Credits: Sony, Columbia