Record of the Year
Lyrics
Best New Artist
Duos
Not Okay
100
Meant to suggest that similar souls find each other, the queen of whispered anxieties and teenage angst sings about a bond that transcends the ordinary, a connection so deep it demands they stick together until the bitter end.
"Birds of a Feather" by Billie Eilish
100
Apple Records calls it "the last Beatles song," as it's the last recording all four members contributed to. In 2022, using advanced technology and a curatorial touch, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr completed the track.
"Now and then
I miss you
Oh, now and then
I want you __ __ ____ ___ __
Always to return to me"
"to be there for me"
"Now and Then" by the Beatles
100
This singer from Monroe, Washington first gained public attention on season 19 of American Idol in 2021, but he decided to withdraw from the competition just after winning a place in the Top 24 and to focus instead on his career.
The artist said he couldn't sleep one night and, feeling restless, descended to his living room where he had placed his grandmother's old piano.
The lyrics were inspired by a relationship he had just gotten into. "For the first time in my life, I felt like I was extremely out of control of the way this relationship would turn out,"
"Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone
100
Two fellow Texans duet on this "Cowboy Carter" album cut, celebrating the ultimate Americana uniform. Levi Strauss & Co. must have done a jig after hearing the song – after the song's release their stock price shot up 20% faster than a runaway longhorn! They even went and changed their name on social media to "Levii's" for a bit of fun.
"LEVII'S JEANS" by Beyonce & Post Malone
100
This is an ethereal track that finds "CTRL" singer disillusioned with life's mundane and repetitive patterns. It's an ennui so severe, she wants to escape her earthly existence and head for 🪐
The Saturn Return is an astrological phenomenon that occurs approximately every 29.5 years when the planet Saturn returns to the same position in the sky it occupied at the time of your birth. This period is often seen as a significant turning point in a person's life, marked by challenges, growth, and self-discovery.
"Saturn" by SZA
200
"I needed to write a song about a common situationship within queer relationships - where someone is struggling with coming to terms with themselves. It's a song about wishing well to someone who is avoidant of their true feelings," says this artist about her breakup anthem with a twist.
"Good Luck, Babe!" by Chappel Roan
200
"There's a patch of sunlight in my room
On the carpet where I held you for a moment in June
There was something so sweet about it, never been so unguarded
And it made me fall for you
There's a ___ that ____ ___ __ __ _____,
In the garden, where I held you for a moment in the gloom
There was something so sweet about it, I'm holding onto this moment
'Cause it made me fall for you
Made me fall for you"
"tree that looks up at the moon"
"Never Gonna Be Alone" by Jacob Collier & Lizzy McAlpine (& John Mayer)
200
"Teddy" refers to a nickname from Dimsdale's childhood, referencing his size.
"Swims" is an acronym for ‘someone who isn’t me sometimes’. It represents the fact he sees his music as a collective. “For the longest time, I didn’t want to be a solo artist because I thought I’d have to be alone. A friend told me I could still have a band; that’s something I didn’t realize I could have.”
🧸🏊
"Lose Control" by Teddy Swims
200
"Tortured Poets Society" songwriter duets with songwriter of "The Secret of Us" for this mournful indie-pop postmortem on a love affair gone south. Both singers are like lovelorn detectives piecing together the fragments of their union. They grapple with a potent mix of regret and longing, questioning if their exes miss their relationship like they do.
From April to August 2023, Abrams served as the opening act for select dates on the North American leg of the Eras Tour.
"Us" by Gracie Abrams & Taylor Swift
200
The emotionally raw ballad opens with just acoustic guitar and his voice confessing his struggles with his demons. But there's a message of solidarity too. The chorus acknowledges the shared experience of battling depression and anxiety, offering a lifeline to those feeling alone.
“It’s not a linear path or cure-all, and in the case of addiction, it’s an active choice each moment and still a back and forth,” 🪼 🧻 says. “In those moments where you’re saying or feeling ‘I am not okay,’ it’s that push and pull of that moment we wanted to capture.”
"I Am Not Okay" by Jelly Roll
300
Inspiration for the song struck in when Carpenter was on tour in France and visited a cafe that served espresso. From there, the song began to take shape. "This was one of those times in my life where it was just like, I just thought I was the s--t in the moment. And I think you don't always feel that way, so you kind of have to capture those moments that you do because that's how you find those little..."
"Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter
300
"One, two, three, four
Ooh-wee-ooh (ah)
Ooh-wee-ooh
So sweet
I give you kisses in the backseat
I whisper secrets in the backbeat
You make me cry, you make me happy, happy (happy)
Leave my lipstick on the cigarette
Just toss it, and you stomp it out, out
Inhalin' whiskey when you kiss my neck
We've been hurtin', but it's happy hour, oh, hour
Oh, oh, oh
They couldn't have me
And they never will
And sometimes I hold you closer
Just to know you're real
____ __ __ ______
Davis in my bones
Sometimes I take a day off just to turn you on
On, on, oh"
"Wheels in the gravel"
"BODYGUARD" by Beyonce
300
This country singer's stage name comes from his real name, Collins Obinna Chibueze, which was mispronounced and misspelled in high school. The Igbo name Chibueze translates to "God is King".
His music has a hip-hop background, but his later songs have more of a folk-pop sound with acoustic guitar. He first received national buzz when he appeared on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album.
This track is countrified reworking of J-Kwon's hip-hop party anthem "Tipsy" from 2004, one of his favorites growing up.
"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey
300
“The Boy Is Mine” takes its title and inspiration from the 1998 single of the same name, which was made famous by singers Brandy and Monica. The original hit has the two singers fighting over the same man, but Grande’s version alters the conceit to be about a messy love triangle in which she plays the other woman who will do whatever it takes to have this boy all to herself.
"Boy is Mine" by Brandy & Ariana Grande
300
In this introspective track, Aiko’s voice gracefully flows over a delicate drum pattern, acoustic guitar plucks, and warm synthesizer tones, creating a soundscape that is both soothing and reflective. As the song progresses, Aiko delves into a moment of contemplation before the chorus, where she reflects on the positive impact someone has had on her life. She expresses gratitude, believing that her patience and grace, even in difficult times, have brought her blessings.
"guidance" by Jhene Aiko
400
"'Not ____ __' is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent," the rapper shared. "Now, if you identify with the man that I represent?... this man has morals, he has values, he believes in something, he stands on something. He's not pandering."
"He's a man who can recognize his mistakes and not be afraid to share the mistakes and can dig deep down into fear-based ideologies or experiences to be able to express them without feeling like he's less of a man," he continued.
He elaborated further, saying, "This is a man who acknowledges his mistakes and isn't afraid to talk about them. He's able to confront fear-based ideologies or experiences and express them openly, without feeling less of a man."
"Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar
400
Because I remember
The hardest are the times I don't forget
Neverender
And all I was about to be
'Cause I remember
Neverender
And all I was about to promise
The time is upon us, I should've been honest
The pain in my heart, I remember the sharpest
It broke like a promise,___ _____ __ _______
And now I'll go on"
"I've fallen the hardest"
Neverender" by Justice & Tame Impala
400
Growing up in Tampa, Florida, this artist knew she was passionate about the arts from an early age. It led her to join Howard W. Blake School of the Arts in the ninth grade. “I didn’t know how to read music yet, but they accepted me because I had a strong voice. I was never really in class. I would just be in the practice rooms playing piano, going over classical choir songs, dancing. I did everything but be in class.” She planned to become a professional choral singer until one of her friends gave her the idea to start producing and releasing her own music online.
"NISSAN ALTIMA" by Doechii
400
The collaboration was the first time the two pop titans have worked together. It all began when Silk Sonic singer, tinkering away in his studio on some new material, decided to extend an invitation to "Joker: Folie à Deux" actress. "___ and I have a lot of mutual respect for each other," she explained. "We'd been talking about collaborating for a while. I was wrapping up my own album in Malibu when, after a long day, he called me over to his studio to listen to something he'd been working on."
She arrived around midnight, that magical hour when creativity either collapses in a heap or soars into the stratosphere. When she heard what the "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" singer had been cooking up, she was blown away. "We stayed up all night," she said, "and finished writing and recording the song."
"Die with a Smile" by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
400
Growing up in small-town West Virginia, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist left home in her early 20s to journey across the country with a troupe of nomadic musicians, playing everywhere from truck stops to alleyways to freight-train boxcars speeding down the railroad tracks. After years of living in her van and busking on the streets of New Orleans and Seattle, she moved to Nashville and soon landed a deal with Rounder Records on the strength of her magnetic live show. In this resilient rallying cry for self-care, she succeeds in diagnosing the ills of an entire generation.
"American Dreamin" by Sierra Ferrell
500
This retro synth-pop track is a celebration of self-confidence, internet culture, and owning your success on the world stage. The pop star describes her sixth album, Brat, as "kind of bitchy and gossipy and hardcore."
"360" by Charli XCX
500
It was all a dream
Just a new girl on the scene
Got your face on magazines
How it feel? It's killing me
But do you care to see?
Plenty fire in my eyes
Just the way I like to be
Will I stay, will I leave?
I could figure out myself
When I'm distant in my world
I could hold on to the past
And be absolutely mad
But I let go of my sins
_____ ______ __ __ ______
If you know where I'll find it
I would take a limousine
"just searching for my wings"
"Burning" by Tems
500
Taking influence from 1960’s Thai funk, this musical trio from Houston, Texas – literally translating to “Engine Fly” in Thai – is steeped in the bass heavy, psychedelic sound of their inspiration, Tarantino soundtracks and surf-rock cool.
This about the ninth day in May is a contemplative and evocative song that explores themes of nostalgia, longing, and the passage of time, inviting listeners to reflect on their own memories and dreams.
"May Ninth" by Khruangbin
500
The opening track on her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. It's an '80s-inspired downtempo electropop tune where the songwriter joins forces with "Congratulations" rapper and singer.
The title comes from Old English and literally means "14 nights."
"Fortnight" by Taylor Swift & Post Malone
500
This 🪤🐘 song has personal connection to singer songwriter Matt Shultz's recent struggles.“It’s no secret that I had a medical crisis,” Matt Shultz says, “I’m fully recovered. It definitely left a scar, but it’s one that can be walked away from.” He discovered that for the previous three years or so he’d been having a bad reaction to a set of prescribed medications, leading to episodes of psychosis.
"I definitely went through a really difficult time where I was prescribed a medication and unknowingly went into psychosis — it can happen, it's a terrible thing if it does — but I'm a living miracle right now, so that's probably the biggest reason why we chose that as the title track," Matt said.
“It’s shocking how night and day the difference is from being on whatever medication is causing psychosis and being off of it,” he says. “As I got off the medication, I went back to my normal self. And that was very odd because it was like having your life hijacked by another person.”
"Neon Pill" by Cage the Elephant