2022 Grammy Nomination Highlights for the Roots Music Fan

The Grammy buzz this year has been more of a hiss.

First, Kacey Musgraves’ new album, star-crossed, was booted out of consideration for the country categories, assigned instead to pop (though one of its songs, “Camera Roll,” has received a nomination in a country category). Then Brandi Carlile’s song “Right on Time” was likewise deemed pop, instead of the American Roots genre her music has previously landed in. Which maybe worked out fine? The song received a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance as well as Record of the Year. (The song’s album, In These Silent Days, won’t be eligible for consideration until the next Grammy season because of its October release date.)

Outside the roots music purview but also making outraged headlines was the decision to rule the album of songs from Bo Burnham’s Netflix special Inside ineligible as a Comedy Album. But the special itself did get a nomination for Best Music Film (as did Questlove’s Summer of Soul).

Trainwrecky as the whole thing is this time around, and maybe has been for a while, we know we won’t be able to fully look away from the Grammys. So here’s a look at the roots-music nominees announced today for the 64 annual Grammy Awards. You can see the full list here. The Grammy Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on CBS and streaming service Paramount+ on Jan. 31, and will stream live online at grammy.com and The Recording Academy’s YouTube channel.

Best Americana Album

Downhill From Everywhere, Jackson Browne
Leftover Feelings, John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band
Native Sons, Los Lobos
Outside Child, Allison Russell
Stand For Myself, Yola

Best American Roots Song

“Avalon,” Rhiannon Giddens, Justin Robinson, and Francesco Turrisi, songwriters (Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi)
“Call Me a Fool,” Valerie June, songwriter (Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas)
“Cry,” Jon Batiste and Steve McEwan, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Diamond Studded Shoes,” Dan Auerbach, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Lee Tasjan and Yola, songwriters (Yola)
“Nightflyer,” Jeremy Lindsay and Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)

Best American Roots Performance

“Cry,” Jon Batiste
“Love and Regret,” Billy Strings
“I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” The Blind Boys of Alabama and Béla Fleck
“Same Devil,” Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile
“Nightflyer,” Allison Russell

Best Bluegrass Album

Renewal, Billy Strings
My Bluegrass Heart, Béla Fleck
A Tribute to Bill Monroe, The Infamous Stringdusters
Cuttin’ Grass – Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions), Sturgill Simpson
Music Is What I See, Rhonda Vincent

Best Traditional Blues Album

100 Years of Blues, Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite
Traveler’s Blues, Blues Traveler
I Be Trying, Cedric Burnside
Be Ready When I Call You, Guy Davis
Take Me Back, Kim Wilson

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Delta Kream, The Black Keys featuring Eric Deaton and Kenny Brown
Royal Tea, Joe Bonamassa
Uncivil War, Shemekia Copeland
Fire It Up, Steve Cropper
662, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Best Folk Album

One Night Lonely [Live], Mary Chapin Carpenter
Long Violent History, Tyler Childers
Wednesday (Extended Edition), Madison Cunningham
They’re Calling Me Home, Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi
Blue Heron Suite, Sarah Jarosz

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Live in New Orleans!, Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul
Bloodstains & Teardrops, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
My People, Cha Wa
Corey Ledet Zydeco, Corey Ledet Zydeco
Kau Ka Pe’a, Kalani Pe’a

Best Roots Gospel Album

Alone With My Faith, Harry Connick, Jr.
That’s Gospel, Brother, Gaither Vocal Band
Keeping On, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound
Songs for the Times, The Isaacs
My Savior, Carrie Underwood

Best Country Solo Performance

“Forever After All,” Luke Combs
“Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton
“All I Do Is Drive,” Jason Isbell
“Camera Roll,” Kacey Musgraves
“You Should Probably Leave,” Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“If I Didn’t Love You,” Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
“Younger Me,” Brothers Osborne
“Glad You Exist,” Dan + Shay
“Chasing After You,” Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” Elle King and Miranda Lambert

Best Country Song

“Better Than We Found It,” Jessie Jo Dillon, Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Camera Roll,” Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves and Daniel Tashian, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“Cold,” Dave Cobb, J.T. Cure, Derek Mixon and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
“Country Again,” Zach Crowell, Ashley Gorley and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Thomas Rhett)
“Fancy Like,” Cameron Bartolini, Walker Hayes, Josh Jenkins and Shane Stevens, songwriters (Walker Hayes)
“Remember Her Name,” Mickey Guyton, Blake Hubbard, Jarrod Ingram and Parker Welling, songwriters (Mickey Guyton)

Best Country Album

Skeletons, Brothers Osborne
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
The Marfa Tapes, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram
The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, Sturgill Simpson
Starting Over, Chris Stapleton

Best Music Film

Inside, (Bo Burnham); Bo Burnham, video director; Josh Senior, video producer
David Byrne’s American Utopia, (David Byrne); Spike Lee, video director; David Byrne and Spike Lee, video producers
Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, (Billie Eilish); Patrick Osborne and Robert Rodriguez, video directors
Music, Money, Madness … Jimi Hendrix in Maui, (Jimi Hendrix); John McDermott, video director; Janie Hendrix, John McDermott and George Scott, video producers
Summer of Soul, (Various Artists); Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, video director; David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent and Joseph Patel, video producers.

Here are a few other roots music nominations of interest:

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: That’s Life, by Willie Nelson, and A Holly Dolly Christmas, from Dolly Parton 

Best Musical Theater Album: “Girl from the North Country,” Simon Hale, Conor McPherson and Dean Sharenow, producers (Bob Dylan, composer and lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)

Best Instrumental Composition: “Beautiful is Black,” Brandee Younger, composer

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: “All Things Must Pass: 50th Anniversary Edition,” Darren Evans, Dhani Harrison, and Olivia Harrison, art directors (George Harrison)

And here, for your reference, are the nominees for the awards’ biggest categories:

Record of the Year

I Still Have Faith in You,” ABBA
“Freedom,” Jon Batiste
“I Get a Kick Out of You,” Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
“Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
“Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile
“Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat Featuring SZA
“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X
“Drivers License,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic

Album of the Year

We Are, Jon Batiste
Love for Sale, Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Back of My Mind, H.E.R.
Montero, Lil Nas X
Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore, Taylor Swift
Donda, Kanye West

Song of the Year

“Bad Habits,” Fred Gibson, Johnny McDaid, and Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)
“A Beautiful Noise,” Ruby Amanfu, Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Alicia Keys, Hillary Lindsey, Lori Mckenna, Linda Perry, and Hailey Whitters, songwriters (Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile)
“Drivers License,” Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“Fight for You,” Dernst Emile Ii, H.E.R., and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Kiss Me More,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini, Lukasz Gottwald, Carter Lang, Gerard A. Powell Ii, Solána Rowe, and David Sprecher, songwriters (Doja Cat Featuring Sza)
“Leave the Door Open,” Brandon Anderson, Christopher Brody Brown, Dernst Emile Ii, and Bruno Mars, songwriters (Silk Sonic)
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Denzel Baptiste, David Biral, Omer Fedi, Montero Hill, and Roy Lenzo, songwriters (Lil Nas X)
“Peaches,” Louis Bell, Justin Bieber, Giveon Dezmann Evans, Bernard Harvey, Felisha “Fury” King, Matthew Sean Leon, Luis Manuel Martinez Jr., Aaron Simmonds, Ashton Simmonds, Andrew Wotman, and Keavan Yazdani, songwriters (Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon)
“Right on Time,” Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth, and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)

Best New Artist

Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie