Who will win vs. who should win

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

After the 64th annual Grammy Awards were delayed from January until this Sunday, April 3 — when they will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas (airing at 8 p.m. ET on CBS with host Trevor Noah) — some of these nominees feel as if they came out last decade instead of last year.

Indeed, the nominations were announced in November, and the release cutoff for nominees to be eligible was way back in September. Which explains why Adele isn’t even nominated for her smash single “Easy on Me” or her blockbuster album “30.”

But that certainly opens up the field for the rest of the contenders. And really, there are no clear favorites in the top categories, which should make for a few surprises when the envelopes are at long last opened.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are up for five Grammys for their album “Love for Sale.”
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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

Will win: Bennett and Gaga. There’s no way the Recording Academy is not going to pay a Big 4 salute to the legendary Bennett, who, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease at 95, will be watching from his New York City home while Gaga reps for both of them at the Grammys. And while they’ve also got a shot at winning Album of the Year, with no clear favorite in this category, they’ve got an even better chance here.

Should win: Silk Sonic. In terms of pure musicianship, straight-up soul and the smoothest of sexiness, “Leave the Door Open” was untouchable.

Jon Batiste
Jon Batiste leads with 11 nominations at this year’s Grammys.
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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

Will win, should win: Batiste. Leading with 11 nominations for the kind of prestige project that Grammy voters feel good about acknowledging, Batiste is hard to beat. And with the pop vote likely to split between Bieber, Eilish and Rodrigo, his chances improve. His biggest threat is a sentimental sweep for Bennett and Gaga. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he is a well-liked musician’s musician who has played the game perfectly in his Grammy campaign.

Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo in nominated for all of the Big 4 categories at his year’s Grammys.
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Song of the Year

“Bad Habits” — Ed Sheeran

“A Beautiful Noise” — Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile

“Drivers License” — Olivia Rodrigo

“Fight for You” — H.E.R.

“Happier Than Ever” — Billie Eilish

“Kiss Me More” — Doja Cat Featuring SZA

“Leave the Door Open” — Silk Sonic

“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” — Lil Nas X

“Peaches” — Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

“Right on Time” — Brandi Carlile

Will win: Rodrigo. She may not quite be this year’s Billie Eilish, but she’s close enough.

Should win: Billie Eilish is still Billish Eilish, and her shape-shifting song is quite frankly on another level from Rodrigo’s.

Finneas
Billie Eilish’s producer-brother Finneas is up for Best New Artist.
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Best New Artist

Arooj Aftab

Jimmie Allen

Baby Keem

Finneas

Glass Animals

Japanese Breakfast

The Kid Laroi

Arlo Parks

Olivia Rodrigo

Saweetie

Will win, should win: Rodrigo. It was her year — no one else is even close. But although he has yet to make his real breakthrough as an artist, Eilish’s producer-brother Finneas is the true all-around talent here.

Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish deserves more Grammy love for her sophomore album “Happier Than Ever.”
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Best Pop Vocal Album

“Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe),” Justin Bieber

“Planet Her (Deluxe),” Doja Cat

“Happier Than Ever,” Billie Eilish

“Positions,” Ariana Grande

“Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo

Will win: Rodrigo. Voters will feel as if they’ve awarded Eilish enough already. And there’s no other real competition here.

Should win: Eilish. Tina said it, folks: Sometimes the best is simply the best.

Chris Cornell
The late Chris Cornell deserves some posthumous props for Best Rock Album.
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Best Rock Album

“Power Up,” AC/DC

“Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A,” Black Pumas

“No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1,” Chris Cornell

“Medicine at Midnight,” Foo Fighters

“McCartney III,” Paul McCartney

Will win: McCartney. If the voting had been within the last week, it would be the Foos all the way after the sudden death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. But otherwise, there’s no way to compete with the living Beatles legend.

Should win: Cornell. Because five years after his death, his posthumous album reminded us that he possessed one of the best rock voices ever.

Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak
Silk Sonic’s Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak made the most soulful of superduos.
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Best R&B Performance

“Lost You,” Snoh Aalegra

“Peaches,” Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

“Damage,” H.E.R.

“Leave the Door Open,” Silk Sonic

“Pick Up Your Feelings,” Jazmine Sullivan

Will win: Silk Sonic. Leave the floor open for this retro-soul superduo.

Should win: Sullivan. It’s a tough call with Silk Sonic, but how does this R&B diva not have a single Grammy yet after 15 nominations?

Best Rap Performance

“Family Ties” — Baby Keem ft. Kendrick Lamar

“Up” — Cardi B

“My . Life” — J. Cole ft. 21 Savage & Morray

“Thot Sh**” — Megan Thee Stallion

Will win, should win: Cardi B. She ratcheted up anticipation for her long-awaited sophomore album even more with “Up.”

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