Courtesy of the Recording Academy / Getty Images
Big names like Beyoncé, Adele, Lizzo, and Kendrick Lamar are in the headlines after today’s announcement of the 2023 Grammy Award nominees, but we know you’re here for the roots music categories — and we’ve got ‘em for you below.
But first a few quick things to know about the 65th annual round of awards from the Recording Academy:
This year’s round of Grammy Awards features five new categories: Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical; Best Alternative Music Performance; Best Americana Performance (heyyyyyy!); Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media; and Best Spoken Word Poetry Album. There’s also a new Special Merit Award for Best Song for Social Change.
The 65th Grammy Awards show will be broadcast Feb. 5, 2023, live from Los Angeles via CBS and streaming on the Paramount+ platform.
Ever wonder how musical projects are nominated and chosen for Grammy Awards? Well … it’s complicated. How about a flowchart?
But lest the orchestra start playing us off stage, let’s get right to the nominees for 2023. (You can find the full list — nominees in all 91 categories — here.)
Best American Roots Performance
“Someday It’ll All Make Sense (Bluegrass Version),” Bill Anderson featuring Dolly Parton
“Life According to Raechel,” Madison Cunningham
“Oh Betty,” Fantastic Negrito
“Stompin’ Ground,” Aaron Neville with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band
“Prodigal Daughter,” Aoife O’Donovan and Allison Russell
Best Americana Performance
“Silver Moon (A Tribute to Michael Nesmith),” Eric Alexandrakis
“There You Go Again,” Asleep at the Wheel featuring Lyle Lovett
“The Message,” Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Black Violin
“You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius
“Made Up Mind,” Bonnie Raitt
Best American Roots Song
“Bright Star,” Anaïs Mitchell, songwriter (Anaïs Mitchell)
“Forever,” Sheryl Crow and Jeff Trott, songwriters (Sheryl Crow)
“High and Lonesome,” T Bone Burnett and Robert Plant, songwriters (Robert Plant and Alison Krauss)
“Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)
“Prodigal Daughter,” Tim O’Brien and Aoife O’Donovan, songwriters (Aoife O’Donovan and Allison Russell)
“You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius)
Best Americana Album
In These Silent Days, Brandi Carlile
Things Happen That Way, Dr. John
Good to Be … , Keb’ Mo’
Raise the Roof, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Just Like That … , Bonnie Raitt
Best Bluegrass Album
Toward the Fray, The Infamous Stringdusters
Almost Proud, The Del McCoury Band
Calling You From My Mountain, Peter Rowan
Crooked Tree, Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway
Get Yourself Outside, Yonder Mountain String Band
Best Traditional Blues Album
Heavy Load Blues, Gov’t Mule
The Blues Don’t Lie, Buddy Guy
Get On Board, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder
The Sun Is Shining Down, John Mayall
Mississippi Son, Charlie Musselwhite
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Done Come Too Far, Shemekia Copeland
Crown, Eric Gales
Bloodline Maintenance, Ben Harper
Set Sail, North Mississippi Allstars
Brother Johnny, Edgar Winter
Best Folk Album
Spellbound, Judy Collins
Revealer, Madison Cunningham
The Light at the End of the Line, Janis Ian
Age of Apathy, Aoife O’Donovan
Hell on Church Street, Punch Brothers
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Full Circle, Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul featuring LSU Golden Band from Tigerland
Natalie Noelani, Natalie Ai Kamauu
Halau Hula Keali’i O Nalani — Live at the Getty Center, Halau Hula Keali’i O Nalani
Lucky Man, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas
Live at the 2022 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Ranky Tanky
OF NOTE FROM OTHER CATEGORIES
— Molly Tuttle is among the nominees in the Best New Artist category.
— Brandi Carlile is nominated in a wide range of categories, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Rock Song, for a total of seven nominations.
— Willie Nelson is nominated for Best Country Album and Best Roots Gospel Album (for two different albums) and performed a nominee for Best Country Song (“I’ll Love You Till the Day I Die,” written by Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapleton, who are the actual nominees in that category). He’s also nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for “Live Forever,” the title track from the recently released tribute to Billy Joe Shaver.
THE BIG ONES
For your reference, here are the nominees in the biggest Grammy categories — Album, Song, and Record of the Year:
Album of the Year
Voyage, ABBA
30, Adele
Un Verano Sin Ti, Bad Bunny
Renaissance, Beyoncé
Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe), Mary J. Blige
In These Silent Days, Brandi Carlile
Music of the Spheres, Coldplay
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Kendrick Lamar
Special, Lizzo
Harry’s House, Harry Styles
Song of the Year
“Abcdefu,” Sara Davis, Gayle and Dave Pittenger, songwriters (Gayle)
“About Damn Time,” Melissa “Lizzo” Jefferson, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin and Theron Makiel Thomas, songwriters (Lizzo)
“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (The Short Film),” Liz Rose and Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“As It Was,” Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon and Harry Styles, songwriters (Harry Styles)
“Bad Habit,” Matthew Castellanos, Brittany Fousheé, Diana Gordon, John Carroll Kirby, and Steve Lacy, songwriters (Steve Lacy)
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé, S. Carter, Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant and Christopher A. Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Easy on Me,” Adele Adkins and Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Adele)
“God Did,” Tarik Azzouz, E. Blackmon, Khaled Khaled, F. LeBlanc, Shawn Carter, John Stephens, Dwayne Carter, William Roberts, and Nicholas Warwar, songwriters (DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy)
“The Heart Part 5,” Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, and Matt Schaeffer, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Just Like That,” Bonnie Raitt, songwriter (Bonnie Raitt)
Record of the Year
“Don’t Shut Me Down,” ABBA
“Easy on Me,” Adele
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“You and Me on the Rock,” Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius
“Woman,” Doja Cat
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“The Heart Part 5,” Kendrick Lamar
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“As It Was,” Harry Styles
Need a refresher of the 2022 Grammy winners in roots music categories? Check out our coverage from last April.
