The nominations for the 56th annual Grammy Awards are in, and the biggest news is a snub: Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience was completely overlooked in the Album of the Year category. Both of Timberlake’s previous solo efforts had snagged nominations in the category, and Grammy prognosticators from USA Today to Billboard had considered JT a lock. Worse, while Timberlake snagged an impressive seven nominations overall — behind only Jay Z, who led with nine — he failed to make the cut in the song or record of the year categories. With no Timberlake in the album category, Grammy voters made room for Daft Punk, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and, in a bit of a shocker, Sara Bareilles. For best new artist, Kacey Musgraves was the only female artist nominated; she’s up against the aforementioned Lamar and Macklemore & Lewis, plus Brits Ed Sheeran and James Blake. Overall, in addition to Jay Z and Timberlake, other artists tallying more than five nominations include Lamar, Macklemore & Lewis and Pharrell Lewis (seven each) and Drake (five). Below, a list of nominations in major categories. The Grammys, which cover material released from October 1, 2012 through September 30, will air January 26 on CBS.
Album of the Year
The Blessed Unrest — Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Red — Taylor Swift
Record of the Year
“Get Lucky” — Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams
“Radioactive” — Imagine Dragons
“Royals” — Lorde
“Locked Out Of Heaven” — Bruno Mars
“Blurred Lines” — Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
Song of the Year
“Just Give Me A Reason” — Jeff Bhasker, Pink, and Nate Ruess, songwriters (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
“Locked Out Of Heaven” — Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
“Roar” — Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry, and Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
“Royals” — Joel Little and Ella Yelich-O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
“Same Love” — Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert, and Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring
Mary Lambert)
Best New Artist
James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Kacey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran
Best Pop Vocal Album
Paradise — Lana Del Ray
Pure Heroine — Lorde
Unorthodox Jukebox — Bruno Mars
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke
The 20/20 Experience: The Complete Experience — Justin Timberlake
Best Rap Album
Nothing Was The Same — Drake
Magna Carta…Holy Grail — Jay Z
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Yeezus — Kanye West
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Brave” — Sara Bareilles
“Royals” — Lorde
“When I Was Your Man” — Bruno Mars
“Roar” — Katy Perry
“Mirrors” — Justin Timberlake
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Get Lucky” — Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
“Just Give Me a Reason” — Pink featuring Nate Ruess
“Stay” — Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko
“Blurred Lines” — Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
“Suit & Tie” — Justin Timberlake and Jay Z
Best Rock Performance
“Always Alright” — Alabama Shakes
“The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” — David Bowie
“Radioactive” — Imagine Dragons
“Kashmir” (Live) — Led Zeppelin
“My God Is the Sun” — Queens Of The Stone Age
“I’m Shakin’” — Jack White
Best Rap Performance
“Started From the Bottom” — Drake
“Berzerk” — Eminem
“Tom Ford” — Jay Z
“Swimming Pools (Drank)” — Kendrick Lamar
“Thrift Shop” — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
Best R&B Performance
“Love And War” — Tamar Braxton
“Best Of Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Nakamarra” — Hiatus Kaiyote featuring Q-Tip
“How Many Drinks?” — Miguel featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Something” — Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway
Best Rock Album
13 — Black Sabbath
The Next Day — David Bowie
Mechanical Bull — Kings Of Leon
Celebration Day — Led Zeppelin
…Like Clockwork — Queens Of The Stone Age
Psychedelic Pill — Neil Young with Crazy Horse
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Settle — Disclosure
18 Months — Calvin Harris
Atmosphere — Kaskade
A Color Map Of The Sun — Pretty Lights
Best Alternative Music Album
The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love — Neko Case
Trouble Will Find Me — The National
Hesitation Marks — Nine Inch Nails
Lonerism — Tame Impala
Modern Vampires Of The City — Vampire Weekend
Best Country Album
Night Train — Jason Aldean
Two Lanes Of Freedom — Tim McGraw
Same Trailer Different Park — Kacey Musgraves
Based On A True Story — Blake Shelton
Red — Taylor Swift
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Love And War — Tamar Braxton
Side Effects Of You — Fantasia
One: In The Chamber — Salaam Remi
Unapologetic — Rihanna
New York: A Love Story — Mack Wilds
Best R&B Album
R&B Divas — Faith Evans
Girl On Fire — Alicia Keys
Love In The Future — John Legend
Better — Chrisette Michele
Three Kings — TGT
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Power Trip” — J.Cole featuring Miguel
“Part II” (On The Run) — Jay Z featuring Beyoncé
“Holy Grail” — Jay Z featuring Justin Timberlake
“Now Or Never” — Kendrick Lamar featuring Mary J. Blige
“Remember You” — Wiz Khalifa featuring The Weeknd
Best Country Solo Performance
“I Drive Your Truck” — Lee Brice
“I Want Crazy” — Hunter Hayes
“Mama’s Broken Heart” — Miranda Lambert
“Wagon Wheel” — Darius Rucker
“Mine Would Be You” — Blake Shelton
Song Written for Visual Media
“Atlas” — Coldplay
“Silver Lining” — Jessie J
“Skyfall” — Adele
“We Both Know” — Colbie Caillat featuring Gavin DeGraw
“Young and Beautiful” — Lana Del Ray
“You’ve Got Time” — Regina Spektor
Best Comedy Album
Calm Down Gurrl — Kathy Griffin
I’m Here To Help — Craig Ferguson
A Little Unprofessional — Ron White
Live — Tig Notaro
That’s What I’m Talkin’ About — Bob Saget
Best Spoken Word
America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren’t — Stephen Colbert
Carrie and Me — Carol Burnett
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls — David Sedaris
Still Foolin’ ‘Em — Billy Crystal
The Storm King — Pete Seeger
