They are no doubt grateful for the nominations they received, but also likely surprised and perhaps stung by the ones that eluded them.
Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff attend the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021 in Los Angeles.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“Some you win, some you lose.” There is much wisdom in this old saying.
Many artists probably had mixed feelings as they perused the list of nominations for the 67th annual Grammy Awards since they were announced on Friday. They are undoubtedly grateful for the nominations they received, but they were surprised and perhaps even stung by the ones that eluded them.
The best example this year might be Jack Antonoff. The super-producer is up for a nomination for producer of the year, non-classical – a category he's won the past three years in a row.
Antonoff could turn for comfort and understanding to his top partner, Taylor Swift, who knows a thing or two about the highs and lows of awards shows, but Swift has her own mixed feelings to process this year. (We'll explain.)
This happens in all awards. Selena Gomez was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2022 and 2023 as an executive producer of Only murders in the buildingbut it passed during those two years for the recognition of the outstanding lead actress in a comedy series. Thus, he experienced pleasure and disappointment at the same time. (Thankfully, she was nominated in both categories this year.)
Barbra Streisand won the Academy Award for Best Director for her 1991 film The Prince of Tidesbut was nominated for best picture as one of the film's producers. And she experienced that feeling of “thanks, but…”
Here are eight artists who may have had some mixed feelings about this year's Grammy nominations.
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Taylor Swift
Why she should be happy: She is nominated in each of the three major categories (album, record and song of the year) for the fourth time in her career.
Why it might not be: Taylor Swift/The Eras tour it was handed a nod for Best Film Music. It's the highest-grossing concert film ever from the highest-grossing concert tour ever, so its omission here is notable. Another disappointment: “Fortnight,” her Hot 100-topping collaboration with Post Malone, was voted best pop/duet performance. (Swift is nominated in this category as the featured artist on friend Gracie Abrams' “we.”) Those omissions are why she has “just” six nominations this year, well behind friendly Grammy rival Beyoncé, which arrested 11.
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Jack Antonoff
Why he should be happy: It has five nominations, including two for album of the year and song of the year. He is the only producer recognized for two album of the year nominees, Taylor Swift Department of Tormented Poets and Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet.
Why it might not be: Somehow he wasn't even nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, an award he had won for the past three years in a row. He was vying to become the first person to win four years in a row. If he had an off year that would be one thing, but his streak ended in a year when he was still clearly at his commercial and creative peak. Go figure. It's the first time in six years that he hasn't even been nominated for non-classical producer of the year.
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Ariana Grande
Why she should be happy: Her album eternal sunshine was nominated for Best Pop Vocal album, tying her with Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift for the most nominations (six) in the category's history. He has two other nominations.
Why it might not be: The lovely “We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” snagged a nod for Best Pop Solo Performance. Grande has been nominated in this category four times in the past. Grande also wasn't nominated in any of the Big Four categories — after nearly 12 years as a pop star, she has yet to earn just two Big Four nods: record of the year for “7 Rings” and album of the year for Thanks, Next both in 2020.
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Benson Boone
Why he should be happy: He's up for Best New Artist. That nod could be his ticket to a Grammy telecast performance.
Why it might not be: That was his only nod. His haunting “Beautiful Things” earned nods for record and song of the year and best pop solo performance. He was considered a strong contender in all three categories. His debut album Fireworks & Rollerblades it was also handed a nod for Best Pop Vocal album.
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Enter
Why he should be happy: His album Back home is up for Best R&B album.
Why it might not be: That was his only nod. He was passed over for Best R&B Performance, where he had two entries to consider – “Risk It All” (featuring HER) and “Ruin” (featuring Pheelz). In the wake of his Super Bowl halftime performance, some thought he might have a shot at an album of the year, like 2022 halftime performers Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige did after that show. It didn't happen.
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Shaboozey
Why he should be happy: It has five nominations, including song of the year and best new artist.
Why it might not be: “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 weeks, was not nominated for record of the year. The only other single to log 17 or more weeks at No. 1 – “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus – was nominated in this category. “Old Town Road,” which logged 19 weeks at the top in 2019, lost in the category to Billie Eilish's “Bad Guy” — the record that knocked it out of the top spot.
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Morgan Wallen
Why he should be happy: After four years of stardom, he finally earned his first Grammy nomination – two of them in fact.
Why it might not be: Both nods are for his featured role on Post Malone's “I Had Some Help.” He has yet to be nominated for a record where he was the lead artist. His solo hit “Lies Lies Lies” was voted Best Country Solo Performance. Maybe she'll experience that Grammy breakthrough next year.
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The Rolling Stones
Why they should be happy: Of the band Hackney Diamonds is nominated for Best Rock album. The Stones were the first winners in this category when it was introduced in 1995 for Voodoo Lounge.
Why it might not be: This was the band's only nomination. “Sweet Sounds of Heaven” (featuring Lady Gaga) was voted Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. The album, produced by Grammy Award winner Andrew Watt, was nominated for album of the year. The Stones' only nod to a Big Four category came when their 1978 album Some girls nominated for album of the year. The Stones have been criminally underrated by the Grammys over the years (three wins, 13 nominations). They should take solace in the lyrics of their own 1969 classic: “You can't always get what you want/ But if you try sometimes, well, you just might find/ You'll get what you need.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/2025-grammy-nominations-artists-with-mixed-feelings-snubs/
