Who will take home a Grammy Sunday night? Here are our predictions

Taylor Swift accepts award onstage during The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage) (Kevin Mazur, 2016 Kevin Mazur)

Just like everything that’s been going on this past year, the Grammys will certainly look different when they air Sunday evening.

Award shows during the COVID-19 pandemic have been a bummer. While it’s good that these celebrities are not gathering and they’re instead doing it on Zoom, it’s just not the same as a regular awards show.

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The Grammys are going to be socially distanced, but there will be live performances, many of them apparently taking place outside. It will probably feel like a mini music festival, and hopefully a sign that things are starting to go back to normal.

So, before music’s biggest night, let’s break down some of the categories, examine the nominees and predict who should win a Grammy, and ultimately, who will win.


Album of the Year

Chilombo, Jhené Aiko

Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition), Black Pumas

Everyday Life, Coldplay

Djesse Vol. 3, Jacob Collier

Women in Music Pt. III, Haim

Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa

Hollywood’s Bleeding, Post Malone

folklore, Taylor Swift

The night is going to come down to many face-to-face showdowns between Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift. Swift is looking for her third Album of the Year win, while Lipa is looking to cement herself as pop’s newest star.

There is a chance that Lipa and Swift could split the pop vote, which would make way for a clear win for Haim, the trio of sisters who put out one of the best albums in 2020. Given how obsessed the Grammys were last year with Billie Eilish and rewarding new talent, we have a feeling Lipa is going to edge out Swift on this one.

Who should win: Haim

Who will win: Dua Lipa


Record of the Year

”Black Parade,” Beyoncé

“Colors,” Black Pumas

”Rockstar,” DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch

”Say So,” Doja Cat

”everything i wanted,” Billie Eilish

”Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa

”Circles,” Post Malone

”Savage,” Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé

This is one category that Swift isn’t nominated in, so it feels like it could be a clean win for Dua Lipa, who had one of the best pop songs of last year with “Don’t Start Now.” Doja Cat, Billie Eilish or Post Malone could be a surprise spoiler, but if anyone should beat Lipa, it should be Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé. You couldn’t scroll on TikTok for more than 30 seconds without hearing “Savage.”

Who should win: Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé

Who will win: Dua Lipa


Song of the Year

“Black Parade,” Beyoncé

”The Box,” Roddy Ricch

”cardigan,” Taylor Swift

”Circles,” Post Malone

”Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa

”everything i wanted,” Billie Eilish

”I Can’t Breathe,” H.E.R.

”If the World Was Ending,” JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels

Song of the Year is a songwriters award, so it’s about the lyrics and less about the production and sound of the song.

Again, this will likely come down to Taylor Swift vs. Dua Lipa. While you cannot deny that “Don’t Start Now” is an instant earworm, the writing on “cardigan,” as well as the entire album “folklore,” is some of Swift’s most honest and best work.

Who should win: Taylor Swift

Who will win: Taylor Swift


Best New Artist

Ingrid Andress

Phoebe Bridgers

Noah Cyrus

Chika

D Smoke

Doja Cat

Kaytranada

Megan Thee Stallion

Best New Artist never makes any sense because more than half the time, the nominees are on their second album until the Grammys finally take notice. It was the case with Lizzo last year and Phoebe Bridgers this year.

This really isn’t much of a contest. While Bridgers would make a fine winner, this award belongs to Megan Thee Stallion; 2020 was her year, and she deserves it.

Who should win: Megan Thee Stallion

Who will win: Megan Thee Stallion


Best Pop Solo Performance

”Yummy,” Justin Bieber

”Say So,” Doja Cat

”everything i wanted,” Billie Eilish

”Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa

”Watermelon Sugar,” Harry Styles

”cardigan,” Taylor Swift

The inclusion of Justin Bieber on this nomination list continues to confuse, but regardless, he doesn’t have a chance of winning. This will come down to Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa again. While “cardigan” is a great song, it’s not the most “pop” out of the bunch, and there’s no denying that “Don’t Start Now” was one of the best pop songs of 2020.

Who should win: Dua Lipa

Who will win: Dua Lipa


Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

”Un Dia (One Day),” J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy

”Intentions,” Justin Bieber featuring Quavo

”Dynamite,” BTS

”Rain on Me,” Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

”exile,” Taylor Swift featuring Bon Iver

This might be the only Grammy that Taylor Swift picks up this year. The Grammys love Bon Iver (remember when he beat Nicki Minaj for Best New Artist?) and Taylor deserves at least one Grammy for “folklore.” However, the best pop song out of this bunch is undoubtedly “Rain On Me,” and it’s been a minute since Lady Gaga has won a Grammy. Gaga and Ariana Grande’s vocals deserve!

Who should win: Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

Who will win: Taylor Swift and Bon Iver


Best Pop Vocal Album

Changes, Justin Bieber

Chromatica, Lady Gaga

Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa

Fine Line, Harry Styles

folklore, Taylor Swift

This night belongs to Dua Lipa and there is no way she is going to lose this one. However, it would be exciting to see Lady Gaga or Taylor Swift swoop in with the steal, right? The transition of “Chromatica II” to “911″ on Gaga’s album deserves its own Grammy award.

Who should win: Lady Gaga

Who will win: Dua Lipa


Best Rock Performance

”The Steps,” Haim

”Stay High,” Brittany Howard

”Not,” Big Thief

“Shameika,” Fiona Apple

”Kyoto,” Phoebe Bridgers

”Daylight,” Grace Potter

The Best Rock Performance category with all women nominated? No, this isn’t a fever dream, it’s progress and it’s awesome.

Fiona Apple’s “Shameika” may be the most critically acclaimed, but it’s not the most “rock” from her album “Fetch the Bolt Cutters.” If we’re going by “rock,” then the award should go to Haim. It’d be a shame if they didn’t win a single Grammy for their amazing album that came out last year, and Apple has a chance at winning a Grammy in other categories.

Who should win: Haim

Who will win: Haim


Best Alternative Music Album

Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Fiona Apple

Hyperspace, Beck

Punisher, Phoebe Bridgers

Jaime, Brittany Howard

The Slow Rush, Tame Impala

This is Fiona Apple’s award to lose. Critics everywhere agreed that Apple’s “Fetch the Bolt Cutters” was the best album of the year, and it’s honestly a travesty that she didn’t get a nomination for Album of the Year. The other albums up for this award are also incredible, but give Apple the Grammy so she can smash it!

Who should win: Fiona Apple

Who will win: Fiona Apple


Best R&B Performance

”Lightning & Thunder,” Jhené Aiko featuring John Legend

”Black Parade,” Beyoncé

”All I Need,” Jacob Collier featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla $ign

“Goat Head,” Brittany Howard

”See Me,” Emily King

Brittany Howard deserves everything. Her first solo record away from her band, Alabama Shakes, is wonderful. She seriously has one of the best voices in music right now. At the same time, this award is going to Beyoncé. She will go on to slay yet again.

Who should win: Brittany Howard

Who will win: Beyoncé


Best Rap Performance

”Deep Reverence,” Big Sean featuring Nipsey Hussle

”BOP,” DaBaby

”Whats Poppin,” Jack Harlow

”The Bigger Picture,” Lil Baby

”Savage,” Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé

“Dior,” Pop Smoke

Give Megan Thee Stallion all the awards!

Who should win: Megan Thee Stallion

Who will win: Megan Thee Stallion


Best Country Song

”Bluebird,” Miranda Lambert

”The Bones,” Maren Morris

”Crowded Table,” the Highwomen

”More Hearts Than Mine,” Ingrid Andress

”Some People Do,” Old Dominion

Honestly, this award could go to Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris or the Highwomen. If the Highwomen win, that will mean that Morris wins because she’s a member of the super group, so her odds are looking pretty good. Since Morris’ “The Bones” was a hit, it may go to her.

Who should win: The Highwomen

Who will win: Maren Morris

Best Country Album

Nightfall, Little Big Town

Wildcard, Miranda Lambert

Never Will, Ashley McBryde

Lady Like, Ingrid Andress

Your Life Is Like a Record, Brandy Clark

These are all great country albums, but Miranda Lambert deserves to win with this one. Lambert’s albums are all really great, really, but with “Wildcard,” we finally got to see Lambert living her best life in her post-divorced world. Give the current queen of country her due.

Who should win: Miranda Lambert

Who will win: Miranda Lambert


Do you agree with our picks? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to watch the Grammys on Sunday evening.


About the Author
Jack Roskopp headshot

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.

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