Nominations for the 61st Grammys were presented last Wednesday, Dec. 5. Every year, the Grammy Awards is the most watched and, therefore, most coveted of musical award shows.

Unfortunately, their choices for the most prestigious awards are consistently criticized. While this cynicism towards the show is nothing new, making up for lack of diversity by pandering has not helped any big name award show. The Grammys is no exception. With Frank Ocean’s boycott of the event last year and Beyonce’s “Lemonade” getting snubbed for Best Album of the Year, the Grammys has a lot to make up for. Drake and Kendrick Lamar took on the most nominations individually, while women are more nominated than ever. Still, it is hard to tell based on their selections whether they can really turn their track record around this time.

SONG OF THE YEAR:

• “All The Stars,” Kendrick Lamar, SZA
• “Boo’d Up,” Ella Mai
• “God’s Plan,” Drake
• “In My Blood,” Shawn Mendes
• “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile
• “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey
• “Shallow,” Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper
• “This is America,” Childish Gambino

Of all the categories of the night, I am most hopeful for this one. Note that the Song of the Year is different from the Record of The Year, which focuses on production elements; this award is specifically about the songwriting work put into a track. The lyrical content of the songs chosen ranges from poetically progressive to provocatively simple. In terms of subject matter, the list also taps into topics of institutional racism, gender parities and overcoming anxiety.

My pick is “This is America” for its harsh, clever look at race relations in America.

BEST NEW ARTIST:

• Chloe x Halle
• Luke Combs
• Greta Van Fleet
• H.E.R.
• Dua Lipa
• Margo Price
• Bebe Rexha
• Jorja Smith

To be clear, the Grammy concept of “new artist” is different from the more common one. A majority of these artists have been releasing content for a while. Notably, Bebe Rexha has been in a slew of hit singles, as a feature act or featuring another artist. The guidelines are complicated, but the most clarifying distinction is that the artist must produce the album that solidifies their musical presence.

From the list, there are standouts in the U.K.-natives Dua Lipa and Jorja Smith, as well as Chloe x Halle, Beyonce protégés. However, my pick has to be H.E.R. for the jump from anonymity to an R&B force to reckon with over the course of a year.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

• “Invasion of Privacy,” Cardi B
• “By The Way, I Forgive You,” Brandi Carlile
• “Scorpion,” Drake
• “H.E.R.,” H.E.R.
• “beerbongs & bentleys,” Post Malone
• “Dirty Computer,” Janelle Monáe
• “Golden Hour,” Kacey Musgraves
• “Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By,” Various Artists

The category is filled with some class acts, and others that are frankly confusing. It is also full of new faces to the Grammy-verse: Carlile, H.E.R. and Cardi B. To compare Cardi B’s debut album to Monáe’s decade-long triumph of intertwined work is slightly insulting. In fact, the two albums that do not truly seem to meet the title of Album of The Year come from the two most nominated acts of the night: Cardi B and Post Malone. While it is great to see the Recording Academy recognize the influence of hip-hop and rap on modern music listeners, the albums are “inconsistent as a whole.”

My pick is “Dirty Computer” for its lyricism and genre-bursting design.

Of course, the Recording Academy is a select group of music professionals and one can never be too certain which way they will vote. Perhaps, my selections are too idealistic for the regularly problematic judges.

Whatever happens, the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019 are certainly going to be an interesting musical spectacle.

For more of the 84 Grammy Award categories, click here: 2019 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominations List