2021 Grammy Awards Announced, Beyoncé Leads (R&B Edition)

With music’s biggest night on the horizon, the Recording Academy has announced the nominations for the 63rd annual ceremony. Beyoncé leads the way with nine nominations, while Chloe x Halle and Jhené Aiko earn three nods each. 

Unfortunately, legends and seasoned veterans such as Brandy, Toni Braxton, and Kem were snubbed in all five categories within the R&B field. The Weeknd also was shut out of the 2021 nominations.

As previously reported, Best Progressive R&B Album replaced Best Urban Contemporary Album after spending seven years on the Grammy ticket. The name change happened to reflect “a more accurate definition to describe the merit or characteristics of music compositions or performances themselves within the genre of R&B.”

Hosted by The Daily Show‘s Trevor Noah, the 63rd annual Grammy Awards will broadcast on CBS on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT.

View the partial list of nominations. The full list can be found here. 

Record of the Year
Award to the Artist and to the Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s) and/or Mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s), if other than the artist.

“Black Parade”
Beyoncé
Beyoncé & Derek Dixie, producers; Stuart White, engineer/mixer; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

“Colors”
Black Pumas
Adrian Quesada, producer; Adrian Quesada, engineer/mixer; JJ Golden, mastering engineer

“Rockstar”
DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
SethinTheKitchen, producer; Derek “MixedByAli” Ali, Chris Dennis & Liz Robson, engineers/mixers; Susan Tabor, mastering engineer

“Say So”
Doja Cat
Tyson Trax, producer; Clint Gibbs, engineer/mixer; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

“Everything I Wanted”
Billie Eilish
Finneas O’Connell, producer; Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers/mixers; John Greenham, mastering engineer

“Don’t Start Now”
Dua Lipa
Caroline Ailin & Ian Kirkpatrick, producers; Josh Gudwin, Drew Jurecka & Ian Kirkpatrick, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

“Circles”
Post Malone
Louis Bell, Frank Dukes & Post Malone, producers; Louis Bell & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

“Savage”
Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé
Beyoncé & J. White Did It, producers; Stuart White, engineer/mixer; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

Album of the Year

Award to Artist(s) and to Featured Artist(s), Songwriter(s) of new material, Producer(s), Recording Engineer(s), Mixer(s) and Mastering Engineer(s) credited with at least 33% playing time of the album, if other than Artist.

CHILOMBO
Jhené Aiko
Fisticuffs & Julian-Quán Việt Lê, producers; Fisticuffs, Julian-Quán Việt Lê, Zeke Mishanec, Christian Plata & Gregg Rominiecki, engineers/mixers; Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo, Julian-Quán Việt Lê, Maclean Robinson & Brian Keith Warfield, songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer

BLACK PUMAS (DELUXE EDITION)
Black Pumas
Jon Kaplan & Adrian Quesada, producers; Adrian Quesada, Jacob Sciba, Stuart Sikes & Erik Wofford, engineers/mixers; Eric Burton & Adrian Quesada, songwriters; JJ Golden, mastering engineer

EVERYDAY LIFE
Coldplay
Daniel Green, Bill Rahko & Rik Simpson, producers; Mark “Spike” Stent, engineer/mixer; Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer

DJESSE VOL.3
Jacob Collier
Jacob Collier, producer; Ben Bloomberg & Jacob Collier, engineers/mixers; Jacob Collier, songwriter; Chris Allgood & Emily Lazar, mastering engineers

WOMEN IN MUSIC PT. III
HAIM
Rostam Batmanglij, Danielle Haim & Ariel Rechtshaid, producers; Rostam Batmanglij, Jasmine Chen, John DeBold, Matt DiMona, Tom Elmhirst, Joey Messina-Doerning & Ariel Rechtshaid, engineers/mixers; Rostam Batmanglij, Alana Haim, Danielle Haim, Este Haim & Ariel Rechtshaid, songwriters; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer

FUTURE NOSTALGIA
Dua Lipa
Koz, producer; Josh Gudwin & Cameron Gower Poole, engineers/mixers; Clarence Coffee Jr. & Dua Lipa, songwriters; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer

HOLLYWOOD’S BLEEDING
Post Malone
Louis Bell & Frank Dukes, producers; Louis Bell & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers; Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Austin Post & Billy Walsh, songwriters; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

FOLKLORE
Taylor Swift
Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Jonathan Low & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

Song of the Year
Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.

“Black Parade”
Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)

“The Box”
Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)

‘Cardigan”
Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

“Circles”
Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post & Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)

“Don’t Start Now”
Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa & Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)

“Everything I Wanted”
Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

“I Can’t Breathe”
Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)

“If The World Was Ending”
Julia Michaels & JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe Featuring Julia Michaels)

Best New Artist
This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape.

Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cryus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion

Best Dance Recording
For solo, duo, group or collaborative performances. Vocal or Instrumental. Singles or tracks only.

“On My Mind”
Diplo & SIDEPIECE
Diplo & SIDEPIECE, producers; Luca Pretolesi, mixer

“My High”
Disclosure Featuring Aminé & Slowthai
Guy Lawrence & Howard Lawrence, producers; Guy Lawrence, mixer

“The Difference”
Flume Featuring Toro y Moi
Flume, producer; Eric J Dubowsky, mixer

“Both of Us”
Jayda G
Fred Again.. & Jayda G, producers; Fred Again.. & Jayda G, mixers

“10%”
Kaytranada Featuring Kali Uchis
Kaytranada, producer; Neal H. Pogue, mixer

Best Dance/Electronic Album
For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only.

Arca — Kick I
Baauer — Planet’s Mad
Disclosure — Energy
Kaytranada — Bubba
Madeon — Good Faith

Best R&B Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental R&B recordings.)

Jhené Aiko Featuring John Legend — “Lightning & Thunder”
Beyoncé — “Black Parade”
Jacob Collier Featuring Mahalia & Ty Dolla $ign — “All I Need”
Brittany Howard — “Goat Head”
Emily King — “See Me”

Best Traditional R&B Performance
(For new vocal or instrumental traditional R&B recordings.)

The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor — “Sit on Down”
Chloe X Halle — “Wonder What She Thinks of Me”
Mykal Kilgore — “Let Me Go”
Ledisi — “Anything For You”
Yebba — “Distance”

Best R&B Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.)

“Better Than I Imagine”
Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)

“Black Parade”
Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk & Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)

“Collide”
Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar & Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG)

“Do It”
Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch & Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)

“Slow Down”
Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley & H.E.R.)

Best Progressive R&B Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded progressive vocal tracks derivative of R&B)

Jhené Aiko — Chilombo
Chloe x Halle — Ungodly Hour
Free Nationals — Free Nationals
Robert Glasper — F*** Yo Feelings
Thundercat — It Is What It Is

Best R&B Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new R&B recordings)

Ant Clemons — Happy 2 Be Here
Giveon — Take Time
Luke James — To Feel Love/D
John Legend — Bigger Love
Gregory Porter – All Rise

Best Rap Performance
(For a Rap performance. Singles or Tracks only).

Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle —“Deep Reverence”
DaBaby — “Bop”
Jack Harlow — “What’s Poppin”
Lil Baby —“The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé — “Savage”
Pop Smoke — “Dior”

Best Melodic Rap Performance

Da Baby Featuring Roddy Ricch —“Rockstar”
Drake Featuring Lil Durk — “Laugh Now, Cry Later”
Anderson .Paak — “Lockdown”
Roddy Ricch — “The Box”
Travis Scott — “Highest in the Room”

Best Rap Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. A song is eligible if it was first released or if it first achieved prominence during the Eligibility Year. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)

“The Bigger Picture”
Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew & Rai’shaun Williams, songwriters (Lil Baby)

“The Box”
Samuel Gloade & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)

“Laugh Now, Cry Later”
Durk Banks, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour & Ryan Martinez, songwriters (Drake Featuring Lil Durk)

“Rockstar”
Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV & Rodrick Moore, songwriters (DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch)

“Savage”
Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)

Best Gospel Performance/Song
(This award is given to the artist(s) and songwriter(s) (for new compositions) for the best traditional Christian, roots gospel or contemporary gospel single or track.)

“Wonderful Is Your Name” — Melvin Crispell III

“Release (Live)” —Ricky Dillard Featuring Tiff Joy; David Frazier, songwriter

“Come Together” — Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins Presents: The Good News; Lashawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Lecrae Moore & Jazz Nixon, songwriters

“Won’t Let Go” — Travis Greene; Travis Greene, songwriter

“Movin On” — Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music; Darryl L. Howell, Jonathan Caleb McReynolds, Kortney Jamaal Pollard & Terrell Demetrius Wilson, songwriters

Best Gospel Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded, vocal, traditional or contemporary/R&B gospel music recordings.)

Anthony Brown & group therAPy — 2second Wind: Ready
Myron Butler — My Tribute
Ricky Dillard — Choirmaster
PJ Morton — Gospel According to PJ 
Kierra Sheard — Kierra

Best Reggae Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new reggae recordings.)

Buju Banton — Upside Down 2020
Skip Marley — Higher Place
Maxi Priest — It All Comes Back to Love
Toots & The Maytals — Got to Be Tough
The Wailers — One World

Best Music Film
(For concert/performance films or music documentaries. Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.)

Beastie Boys Story — Beastie Boys
Black Is King — Beyoncé
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme — Freestyle Love Supreme
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound Of My Voice — Linda Ronstadt
That Little Ol’ Band From Texas — ZZ Top

Best Music Video
(Award to the artist, video director, and video producer.)

“Brown Skin Girl”
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Jenn Nkiru, video directors; Lauren Baker, Astrid Edwards, Nathan Scherrer & Erinn Williams, video producers

“Life Is Good”
Future Featuring Drake
Julien Christian Lutz, video director; Harv Glazer, video producer

“Lockdown”
Anderson .Paak
Dave Meyers, video director; Nathan Scherrer, video producer

“Adore You”
Harry Styles
Dave Meyers, video director; Nathan Scherrer, video producer

“Goliath”
Woodkid
Yoann Lemoine, video director