BMI Congratulates its 2020 GRAMMY Award Nominees

Posted in News on November 21, 2019
(L-R): Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Tanya Tucker
(L-R): Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Tanya Tucker

BMI is once again very proud to congratulate its many affiliates nominated for recognition by the Recording Academy at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, scheduled to be held on January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Nominations for the music industry’s most prestigious accolades were announced on Wednesday, November 20. For their exceptional work in creating this past year’s most celebrated music, several BMI songwriters and composers have earned the eligibility to take home coveted GRAMMY gold.

Breakout singer/songwriter Lizzo is poised to go home with the most trophies – including the top four categories – having received nods for Best Pop Solo Performance, Record of The Year and Song of The Year for “Truth Hurts,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Jerome,” Best R&B Performance for “Exactly How I Feel,” Best Urban Contemporary Album and Album of The Year of Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) and Best New Artist. Smash hitmaker Lil Nas X comes in with six nominations for Best Rap/Sung Performance for “Panini,” Album of The Year for 7, Best New Artist and Record of The Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video for “Old Town Road.” 

Rapper J. Cole is also poised to collect multiple GRAMMY Awards, having been nominated for Best Rap Performance for “Middle Child,” Best Rap/Sung Performance for “The London” and Best Rap Song for “A Lot.” As one half of Dreamville, Cole is also eligible for Best Rap Album for Revenge of the Dreamers III and Best Rap Performance “Down Bad.”

Country legend Tanya Tucker received four nods, namely Song of The Year, Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “Bring My Flowers Now,” and Best Country Album for While I’m Livin’. Austin’s Gary Clark Jr. is also up for four GRAMMYs, specifically Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song and Best Music Video for “This Land” and Best Contemporary Blues Album for This Land. New Orleans R&B singer/songwriter Lucky Daye earned four nods for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for “Roll Some Mo,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Real Games” and Best R&B Album for Painted, matched by British singer/songwriter Yola (PRS) who earned nominations for Best New Artist, Best American Roots Performance and Best American Roots Song for “Faraway Look” and Best Americana Album for Walk Through Fire

Other BMI songwriters to receive multiple nominations include Billy Ray Cyrus (Record of The Year, Best Pop/Duo Performance, Best Music Video), Lady Gaga (Song of The Year, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, Best Song Written for Visual Media), Christian McBride (Best Improvised Jazz Solo, Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Best Instrumental Composition), Taylor Swift (Song of The Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album) and the late Nipsey Hussle (Best Rap Performance, Best Rap/Sung Performance, Best Rap Song). BMI songwriters Post Malone, Swae Lee, Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Shay Mooney, Kirk Franklin, Dolly Parton and Rosalia (SGAE) all received two nominations each.    BMI affiliates also distinguished themselves in the major four categories with Maggie Rogers, Tank and The Bangas, and Black Pumas all scoring nods for Best New Artist. In the running for Record of The Year alongside Lizzo, Lil Nas X and Post Malone & Swae Lee is Khalid for “Talk.” 

BMI is very proud of its affiliates’ great accomplishments across the musical spectrum.  Congratulations to all and good luck!

Here is a list of BMI’s nominees  

Record of the Year

“7 rings” 
Ariana Grande*
Michael Foster, producer

“Hard Place”
H.E.R.*
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, producer; Derek Keota, engineer/mixer

“Talk”
Khalid
John Kercy, engineer/mixer

“Old Town Road” 
Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
YoungKio, producer

“bad guy” 
Billie Eilish*
Rob Kinelski, engineer/mixer

“Truth Hurts” 
Lizzo
Ricky Reed, producer

“Hey, Ma” 
Bon Iver*
Brad Cook, producer

“Sunflower”
Post Malone and Swae Lee
Carter Lang, producer

  

Album of the Year

i,i Bon Iver* Brad Cook, producer, songwriter

Norman F****** Rockwell! Lana Del Rey* Jack Antonoff, producer, engineer/mixer, songwriter

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Billie Eilish*
Rob Kinelski, engineer/mixer

thank u, next
Ariana Grande*
Tayla Parx, songwriter

I Used To Know Her
H.E.R.*
Sam Ashworth, Jeff “Gitty” Gittelman, songwriters

7
Lil Nas X
Montero Lamar Hill, songwriter

Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)
Lizzo
Ricky Reed, producer; Eric Frederic & Melissa Jefferson, songwriters

  

Song of the Year

“Always Remember Us This Way” 
Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

“Bring My Flowers Now” 
Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)

“Hard Place”
Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.*)

“Lover” 
Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)

“Norman F****** Rockwell” 
Jack Antonoff, songwriter (Lana Del Rey*)

“Someone You Loved” 
Tom Barnes (PRS & Sam Roman (PRS), songwriters (Lewis Capaldi*)

“Truth Hurts” 
Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)

  

Best New Artist

Black Pumas
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Maggie Rogers
Rosalía (SGAE)
Tank & The Bangas
Yola (PRS)

  

Best Pop Solo Performance

“Truth Hurts” 
Lizzo

“You Need To Calm Down” 
Taylor Swift

  

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“Boyfriend” 
Ariana Grande* & Social House

“Sucker” 
Jonas Brothers

“Old Town Road” 
Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

“Sunflower” 
Post Malone & Swae Lee

“Señorita” 
Shawn Mendes (SOCAN) & Camila Cabello

  

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

A Legendary Christmas
John Legend

  

Best Pop Vocal Album

No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (PRS)

Lover
Taylor Swift

  

Best Dance Recording

“Linked” 
Bonobo
Simon Green, producer, mixer

“Piece Of Your Heart” 
Meduza* featuring Goodboys*
Luca De Gregorio, producer, mixer

“Underwater” 
Rüfüs Du Sol*
Jason Evigan, producers

“Midnight Hour” 
Skrillex* & Boys Noize* featuring Ty Dolla $ign

  

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music!
Mark Guiliana

Elevate
Lettuce

  

Best Rock Performance

“Pretty Waste” 
Bones UK

“This Land” 
Gary Clark Jr.

“History Repeats” 
Brittany Howard

“Woman” 
Karen O & Danger Mouse*

“Too Bad” 
Rival Sons

  

Best Metal Performance

“Humanicide” 
Death Angel

“Unleashed” 
Killswitch Engage

  

Best Rock Song

“History Repeats” 
Brittany Howard, songwriter (Brittany Howard)

“This Land” 
Gary Clark Jr., songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)

  

Best Rock Album

Social Cues 
Cage The Elephant

In the End 
The Cranberries (IMRO)

Feral Roots
Rival Sons

  

Best R&B Performance

“Love Again” 
Daniel Caesar (SOCAN) and Brandy

“Could’ve Been” 
H.E.R.* feat. Bryson Tiller

“Exactly How I Feel” 
Lizzo

“Come Home” 
Anderson .Paak 

“Roll Some Mo” 
Lucky Daye

  

Best Traditional R&B Performance

“Jerome” 
Lizzo

“Real Games” 
Lucky Daye

  

Best R&B Song

“Could’ve Been” 
Dernst Emile II, songwriter (H.E.R.* featuring Bryson Tiller)

“No Guidance” 
Chris Brown, Tyler James Bryant, Nija Charles & Teddy Walton, songwriters (Chris Brown)

“Roll Some Mo” 
David Brown, Dernst Emile Ii & Peter Lee Johnson, songwriters (Lucky Daye)

  

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Apollo XXI
Steve Lacy

Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)
Lizzo

Overload
Georgia Anne Muldrow

Best R&B Album
Painted
Lucky Daye

Ella Mai
Ella Mai

Ventura
Anderson .Paak

  

Best Rap Performance

“Middle Child” 
J. Cole

“Down Bad” 
Dreamville featuring J.I.D, J. Cole & Earthgang

“Racks In The Middle” 
Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy

  

Best Rap/Sung Performance

“Higher” 
DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend

“Drip Too Hard” 
Lil Baby* & Gunna

“Panini” 
Lil Nas X

“Ballin” 
Mustard* featuring Roddy Ricch

“The London” 
Young Thug featuring J. Cole 

  

Best Rap Song

“Bad Idea” 
Chancelor Bennett, Cordae Dunston, songwriters (YBN Cordae feat. Chance The Rapper)

“Gold Roses” 
Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, William Leonard Roberts II, Joshua Quinton Scruggs, songwriters (Rick Ross)

“A Lot” 
Jermaine Cole & Anthony White, songwriters (21 Savage* feat. J. Cole)

“Racks In The Middle” 
Ermias Asghedom, Chauncey Hollis, Jr. & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Nipsey Hussle feat. Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy)

“Suge” 
Pooh Beatz, songwriter (DaBaby*)

  

Best Rap Album

Revenge of the Dreamers 3
Dreamville

IGOR
Tyler, The Creator

The Lost Boy
YBN Cordae

  

Best Country Solo Performance

“All Your’n” Tyler Childers

“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” 
Ashley Mcbryde

“Ride Me Back Home” 
Willie Nelson

“God’s Country” 
Blake Shelton

“Bring My Flowers Now” 
Tanya Tucker

  

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“Brand New Man” 
Brooks & Dunn with Luke Combs

“Speechless” 
Dan + Shay

“The Daughters” 
Little Big Town

“Common” 
Maren Morris featuring Brandi Carlile

  

Best Country Song

“Bring My Flowers Now” 
Brandie Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)

“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” 
Ashley McBryde, songwriter (Ashley McBryde)

“It All Comes Out In The Wash” 
Miranda Lambert, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

“Some Of It” 
Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde & Bobby Pinson, songwriters (Eric Church)

“Speechless” 
Shay Mooney & Laura Veltz, songwriters (Dan + Shay)

  

Best Country Album

Desperate Man 
Eric Church 

Interstate Gospel 
Pistol Annies 

Center Point Road
Thomas Rhett 

While I’m Livin’ 
Tanya Tucker

  

Best New Age Album

Fairy Dreams 
David Arkenstone

Wings Peter Kater

  

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

“Elsewhere” 
Melissa Aldana, soloist 

“Sozinho” 
Randy Brecker, soloist 

“Tomorrow Is The Question” 
Julian Lage, soloist 

“Sightseeing” 
Christian McBride, soloist

  

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Thirsty Ghost
Sara Gazarek

Love & Liberation
Jazzmeia Horn

Alone Together
Catherine Russell

Screenplay
The Tierney Sutton Band

  

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

In The Key Of The Universe 
Joey DeFrancesco

Christian McBride’s New Jawn
Christian McBride

Finding Gabriel
Brad Mehldau

Come What May
Joshua Redman Quartet

  

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Hiding Out
Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra
 
The Omni-American Book Club
Brian Lynch Big Band

  

Best Latin Jazz Album

Antidote
Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band

Carib
David Sánchez

Sonero: The Music Of Ismael Rivera
Miguel Zenón

  

Best Gospel Performance/Song

“Love Theory” 
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin, songwriter

“Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus” 
Gloria Gaynor* featuring Yolanda Adams
Chris Stevens, songwriter

“See The Light” 
Travis Greene

“Speak The Name” 
Koryn Hawthorne featuring Natalie Grant

“This Is A Move (Live)” 
Tasha Cobbs Leonard* 
Tony Brown & Nate Moore, songwriters

  

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

“Only Jesus” 
Casting Crowns*
Mark Hall & Bernie Herms, songwriters

“God Only Knows” 
For KING & COUNTRY & Dolly Parton 
Josh Kerr & Luke Smallbone, songwriters

“Haven’t Seen It Yet” 
Danny Gokey
Danny Gokey & Ethan Hulse, songwriters

“God’s Not Done With You (Single Version)” 
Tauren Wells

“Rescue Story” 
Zach Williams
Ethan Hulse, Andrew Ripp, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters

  

Best Gospel Album

Long Live Love
Kirk Franklin

Goshen 
Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers

Tunnel Vision
Gene Moore

Settle Here
William Murphy

Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album
CeCe Winans

  

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Burn The Ships
For KING & COUNTRY

Haven’t Seen It Yet
Danny Gokey

The Elements
Tobymac

Holy Roar
Chris Tomlin

  

Best Roots Gospel Album

Deeper Roots: Where The Bluegrass Grows
Steven Curtis Chapman

Deeper Oceans
Joseph Habedank

His Name Is Jesus
Tim Menzies

  

Best Latin Pop Album

Vida
Luis Fonsi

  

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

Oasis J Balvin

Indestructible
Flor De Toloache

Almadura
iLe

El Mal Querer 
Rosalia (SGAE)

  

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (including Tejano)

Percepción
Intocable

20 Aniversario
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea

Poco A Poco
La Energia Norteña   

Best Tropical Latin Album

Tiempo Al Tiempo
Luis Enrique* + C4 Trio

Candela
Vicente García

Literal
Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

A Journey Through Cuban Music
Aymée Nuviola

  

Best American Roots Performance

“Father Mountain” 
Calexico And Iron & Wine 

“I’m On My Way” 
Rhiannon Giddens

“Call My Name” 
I’m With Her  

“Faraway Look” 
Yola (PRS)

  

Best American Roots Song

“Call My Name” 
Sarah Jarosz, songwriter (I’m With Her) 

“Faraway Look” 
Dan Auerbach, Yola Carter (PRS) & Pat McLaughlin, songwriters (Yola) 

“I Don’t Wanna Ride The Rails No More” 
Vince Gill, songwriter (Vince Gill)

  

Best Americana Album

Years to Burn
Calexico And Iron & Wine 

Oklahoma Keb’ Mo’ 

Walk Through Fire Yola (PRS)

  

Best Bluegrass Album

Tall Fiddler
Michael Cleveland 

Live in Prague, Czech Republic Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver 

Toil, Tears & Trouble
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys 

Royal Traveller
Missy Raines 

If You Can’t Stand The Heat
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

  

Best Traditional Blues Album

Kingfish
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram 

Tall, Dark & Handsome Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men 

Sitting On Top Of The Blues
Bobby Rush 

Baby, Please Come Home
Jimmie Vaughan

  

Best Contemporary Blues Album

This Land
Gary Clark Jr. 

Venom & Faith Larkin Poe 

Brighter Days Robert Randolph & The Family Band 

Keep On Southern Avenue

  

Best Folk Album
Front Porch
Joy Williams

  

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Good Time Ranky Tanky 

Recorded Live at the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Rebirth Brass Band

  

Best Reggae Album

Rapture Koffee 

The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie vs. Roots Radics
Sly & Robbie (PRS) & Roots Radics

  

Best Children’s Album

I Love Rainy Days
Daniel Tashian

  

Best Spoken Word Album

Mr. Know-It-All
John Waters 

Sekou Andrews & the String Theory
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

  

Best Comedy Album
Right Now
Aziz Ansari 

Best Musical Theater Album

Hadestown Todd Sickafoose, producer (Original Broadway Cast)

  

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

The Lion King: The Songs
(Various Artists)

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Various Artists)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse
(Various Artists)

A Star Is Born
(Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)

  

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Avengers: Endgame
Alan Silvestri, composer 

Chernobyl

Hildur Guðnadóttir, composer 

Game of Thrones: Season 8
Ramin Djawadi, composer

  

Best Song Written for Visual Media

“Girl in the Movies” from Dumplin’
Dolly Parton & Linda Perry; songwriters (Dolly Parton)  

“I’ll Never Love Again (Film Version)” from A Star is Born
Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga & Aaron Raitiere; songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper)

  

Best Instrumental Composition
“Begin Again” 
Fred Hersch; composer (Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band) 

“Crucible for Crisis” 
Brian Lynch; composer (Brian Lynch Big Band) 

“Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” 
John Williams; composer (John Williams) 

“Walkin’ Funny” 
Christian McBride; composer (Christian McBride)

  

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

“Blue Skies” 
Kris Bowers; arranger (Kris Bowers) 

“Hedwig’s Theme” 
John Williams; arranger (Anne-Sophie Mutter & John Williams) 

“La Novena” 
Emilio Solla; arranger (Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra)

  

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“Jolene,” Geoff Keezer; arranger (Sara Gazarek) 

Best Recording Package

Anónimas & Resilientes
Manuel García-Orozco, art director (Voces Del Bullerengue)

  

Best Album Notes

Stax ‘68: A Memphis Story
Steve Greenberg, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album

Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990
Yosuke Kitazawa, compilation producer (Various Artists)

  

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Ella Mai
Chris “Shaggy” Ascher & David Pizzimenti, engineers (Ella Mai) 

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Rob Kinelski, engineers (Billie Eilish *)

  

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach

Ricky Reed

  

Best Remixed Recording

“Mother’s Daughter (Wuki Remix)” 
Wuki, remixer (Miley Cyrus) 

“Swim (Ford. Remix)” 
Luc Bradford, remixer (Mild Minds)

  

Best Immersive Audio Album

The Savior
Michael Marquart, immersive audio producer (A Bad Think)

  

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Freedom & Faith
PUBLIQuartet

  

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

Higdon: Harp Concerto
Yolanda Kondonassis (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)

  

Best Music Video

“This Land”  Gary Clark Jr. 
(Gary Clark Jr.) 

“Old Town Road (Official Movie)”  Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus (Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus)

  

Best Music Film

Birth of the Cool, Stanley Nelson, video director; Nicole London, video producer (Miles Davis) 

* Not affiliated with BMI

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