GRAMMYS 2019: Meet the Nominees for 'Album of the Year'

By: Feb. 07, 2019
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GRAMMYS 2019: Meet the Nominees for 'Album of the Year'

This Sunday, live from STAPLES Center, and hosted by Alicia Keys, is the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards. The event will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.

The most coveted award of the night for many is the "Album of the Year," and this year is the first year that the Recording Academy has nominated eight bodies of work in the album of the year category instead of five as in prior years.

The eight albums nominated include: Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy, Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour, Drake's Scorpion, H.E.R.'s self-titled album H.E.R., Post Malone's Beerbongs & Bentleys, Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer and Black Panther: The Album featuring Kendrick Lamar, SZA and The Weeknd.

Below we take a closer look at each of the nominees!

Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B:

Invasion of Privacy is Cardi B's debut studio album, and it released on April 5, 2018, by Atlantic Records. The album is primarily hip hop with comprises trap, Latin and R&B music. The album features guest appearances by Migos, Chance the Rapper, Kehlani, SZA, 21 Savage, J Balvin, Bad Bunny, and YG. The album debuted atop the US Billboard 200 and has been certified double platinum. It produced five singles: "Bodak Yellow", "Bartier Cardi" featuring 21 Savage, "Be Careful", "I Like It" with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, and "Ring" featuring Kehlani. "

"Bodak Yellow" and "I Like It" both reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which made Cardi the first female rapper to achieve multiple chart-toppers. She became the first female artist to have all tracks from an album certified gold or higher by the RIAA.

By The Way, I Forgive You, Brandi Carlile:

By the Way, I Forgive You is Carlile's sixth studio album and it was released on February 16, 2018. The Americana album was referred to by Rolling Stone referred as a "delicate masterpiece". One of the singles. "The Joke" was named as one of dormer U.S. President Barack Obama favorite songs of 2017.

Another single, "Party of One," was remixed featuring Sam Smith and it was released as the second single on October 17, 2018. A portion of the profits from the song would benefit Children In Conflict, a non-profit that aids children affected by war.

Scorpion, Drake:

Scorpion is Drake's fifth studio album and it was released on June 29, 2018.It is a double album consisting of 25 tracks. Its first disc is mostly hip hop, and the second disc has been described as R&B and pop. The album features guest appearances from Jay-Z and Ty Dolla Sign as well as posthumous appearances from Michael Jackson and Static Major, and additional vocals from artists like PartyNextDoor, Future, Lil Wayne and Nai Palm.

Drake produced the album exclusively with his frequent collaborator Noah "40" Shebib and manager Oliver El-Khatib.

The album has had seven singles: "God's Plan", "Nice for What", "I'm Upset", "Don't Matter to Me", "In My Feelings", "Nonstop" and "Mob Ties". All seven have reached the top twenty on the US Billboard Hot 100, with "God's Plan", "Nice for What" and "In My Feelings" reaching number one.

H.E.R., H.E.R.:

H.E.R. is a compilation album by American singer H.E.R. and it was released on October 20, 2017. The album includes songs from the singer's EPs H.E.R., Vol. 1 (2016), H.E.R., Vol. 2 (2017), and six additional songs.

Gabi Wilson, also known as H.E.R., signed a recording contract with RCA Records at 14 after she performed covers of Alicia Keys songs on the television Maury, Today and The View.

The album won the Album/Mixtape of the Year at the 2018 Soul Train Music Awards.

Beerbongs & Bentleys, Post Malone:

Beerbongs & Bentleys is Post Malone's second studio album and it was released on April 27, 2018. The album features guest appearances from Swae Lee, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla Sign, Nicki Minaj, G-Eazy and YG. The album spawned five singles: "Rockstar", "Candy Paint", "Psycho", "Ball for Me" and "Better Now". Peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 were "Rockstar" and "Psycho."

Beerbongs & Bentleys debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified double Platinum.

Dirty Computer, Janelle Monae:

Dirty Computer is Janelle Monáe's third studio album and it was released on April 27, 2018. The album is the follow-up to her studio albums The ArchAndroid and The Electric Lady and it is her first album not to be a part of Cindi Mayweather's Metropolis narrative.

The concept album has four singles, "Make Me Feel", "Django Jane", and "Pynk", and "I Like That", with the latter's release being accompanied by a 46-minute narrative film project of the same name.

The album peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 200 chart.

Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves:

Golden Hour is Kacey Musgraves fourth studio album and it was released on March 30, 2018. Musgraves co-wrote all 13 tracks and co-produced the album with Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. The only country album nominated for Album of the Year, debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200. The album marks Musgraves' third number one on the Top Country Albums chart. and it also debuted at number one on the Americana/Folk Albums chart.

Golden Hour won Album of the Year at the 52nd Annual Country Music Association Awards

Black Panther: The Album, featuring Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and SZA:

Black Panther: The Album is the soundtrack for the 2018 film Black Panther, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and produced by Marvel Studios. The album consists of an original score composed by Ludwig Göransson and original songs produced by Kendrick Lamar.

Göransson traveled to Africa and went on tour with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal, and recorded performances by Maal and other African musicians for use in the score. Göransson also used recordings of talking drums and a tambin for character themes in the film, while Maal sung an original song for the opening of the score.

Lamar's soundtrack was released as Black Panther: The Album on February 9, 2018. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's guest appearances feature Future, 2 Chainz, Vince Staples, Swae Lee, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Mozzy, SZA, Schoolboy Q, SOB X RBE, Saudi, James Blake, and Jay Rock, among others.



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