On Sunday, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences will hand out the golden gramophone to a wide range artists that produced a wide range of music from October 2013 to September 2014. There will be a lot of performances, including some pretty odd (but potentially amazing) match-ups including Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, McKanye (plus Rihanna), Ed Sheeran and ELO (?!), and Tom Jones and Jessie J, to name just a few. Hosted by LL Cool J.
It’s a battle between Beyoncé and Sam Smith (also nominated for Best New Artist) in the major categories, with worthy nods to Beck, Sia, HAIM, St. Vincent, Ryan Adams, Aphex Twin, Jack White, and Awesome Mix Vol. 1 thrown in.
They may not all be familiar (or our favorites), but it’s Music’s Biggest Night, and we couldn’t help but weigh in.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Beck, Morning Phase
Beyoncé, BEYONCÉ
Ed Sheeran, X
Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour
Pharrell Williams, G I R L
What Should Win: Beck, Morning Phase or Beyoncé, BEYONCÉ
What Will Win: Sam Smith, In The Lonely Hour
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Sam Smith, “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)”
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor, “All About That Bass”
What Should Win: Sam Smith, “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)”
What Will Win: Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
SONG OF THE YEAR
Meghan Trainor, “All About That Bass”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
Sam Smith, “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)”
Hozier, “Take Me to Church”
What Should Win: Hozier, “Take Me to Church” or Sam Smith, “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)”
What Will Win: Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
BEST NEW ARTIST
Iggy Azalea
Bastille
Brandy Clark
HAIM
Sam Smith
What Should Win: Sam Smith
What Will Win: Sam Smith
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams
The Black Keys, Turn Blue
U2, Songs of Innocence
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Hypnotic Eye
Beck, Morning Phase
What Should Win: Ryan Adams, Ryan Adams or Beck, Morning Phase
What Will Win: Beck, Morning Phase
BEST ROCK SONG
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
The Black Keys, “Fever”
Paramore, “Ain’t It Fun”
Beck, “Blue Moon”
Ryan Adams, “Gimme Something Good”
What Should Win: Jack White, “Lazaretto” or Ryan Adams, “Gimme Something Good”
What Will Win: The Black Keys, “Fever”
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
Ryan Adams, “Gimme Something Good”
Arctic Monkeys, “Do I Wanna Know?”
Beck, “Blue Moon”
The Black Keys, “Fever”
Jack White, “Lazaretto”
What Should Win: Anyone
What Will Win: Jack White, “Lazaretto”
BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
Arcade Fire, Reflektor
Alt-J, This Is All Yours
Cage the Elephant, Melophobia
St. Vincent, St. Vincent
Jack White, Lazaretto
What Should Win: St. Vincent, St. Vincent, Jack White, Lazaretto, or Arcade Fire, Reflektor
What Will Win: Alt-J, This Is All Yours
BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
Anthrax, “Neon Knights”
Mastodon, “High Road”
Motörhead, “Heartbreaker”
Slipknot, “The Negative One”
Tenacious D, “The Last in Line”
What Should Win: Mastodon, “High Road” or Tenacious D, “The Last in Line”
What Will Win: Anthrax is still making music?
BEST DANCE / ELECTRONIC ALBUM
Aphex Twin, Syro
Deadmau5, While(1<2)
Little Dragon, Nabuma Rubberband
Röyksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
Mat Zo, Damage Control
What Should Win: Aphex Twin, Syro
What Will Win: Röyksopp & Robyn, Do It Again
BEST DANCE RECORDING
Basement Jaxx, “Never Say Never”
Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne, “Rather Be”
Disclosure featuring Mary J. Blige, “F for You”
Duke Dumont featuring Jax Jones, “I Got You”
Zhu, “Faded”
What Should Win: Disclosure featuring Mary J. Blige, “F for You”
What Will Win: Disclosure featuring Mary J. Blige, “F for You”
BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK
American Hustle
Frozen
Get On Up
Guardians of the Galaxy
Wolf of Wall Street
What Should Win: Guardians of the Galaxy
What Will Win: Guardians of the Galaxy
BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK
Frozen
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gravity
Saving Mr. Banks
What Should Win: Gone Girl, The Grand Budapest Hotel, or Gravity
What Will Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel
BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA
Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island, “Everything Is Awesome!!!”
Ed Sheeran, “I See Fire”
Glen Campbell, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”
Idina Menzel, “Let It Go”
Scarlett Johansson & Joaquin Phoenix, “The Moon Song”
What Should Win: Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island, “Everything Is Awesome!!!” or Scarlett Johansson & Joaquin Phoenix, “The Moon Song”
What Will Win: Idina Menzel, “Let It Go”
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Arcade Fire, “We Exist”
DJ Snake and Lil Jon, “Trun Down for What”
Sia, “Chandelier”
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Woodkid featuring Max Richter, “The Golden Age”
What Should Win: Sia, “Chandelier” or Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
What Will Win: Sia, “Chandelier”
BEST MUSIC FILM
Beyoncé and Jay Z, Beyoncé & Jay Z: On The Run Tour
Coldplay, Ghost Stories
Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill, 20 Feet From Stardom
Metallica, Metallica Through the Never
Pink, The Truth About Love Tour: Live from Melbourne
What Should Win: Beyoncé & Jay Z: On The Run Tour or 20 Feet From Stardom
What Will Win: 20 Feet From Stardom
BEST SPOKEN WORD
James Franco, Actor’s Anonymous
Jimmy Carter, A Call to Action
John Waters, John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
Joan Rivers, Diary of a Mad Diva
Elizabeth Warren, A Fighting Chance
Gloria Gaynor, We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song
What Should Win: John Waters, John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
What Will Win: Joan Rivers, Diary of a Mad Diva
http://youtu.be/wdnkaNujGkc
BEST COMEDY ALBUM
“Weird Al” Yankovic, Mandatory Fun
Jim Gaffigan, Obsessed
Louis C. K., Oh My God
Patton Oswalt, Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time
Sarah Silverman, We Are Miracles
What Should Win: Patton Oswalt, Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time
What Will Win: Louis C. K., Oh My God
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Coldplay, Ghost Stories
Miley Cyrus, Bangerz
Ariana Grande, My Everything
Katy Perry, Prism
Ed Sheeran, X
Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
What Should Win: Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
What Will Win: Ed Sheeran, X
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
John Legend, “All of Me” (Live Version)
Sia, “Chandelier”
Sam Smith, “Stay with Me”
Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
Pharrell, “Happy”
What Should Win: Sia, “Chandelier”
What Will Win: Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”
BEST POP DUO / GROUP PERFORMANCE
Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX, “Fancy”
Coldplay, “Sky Full of Stars”
A Great Big World featuring Christina Aguilera, “Say Something”
Jesse J featuring Arianna Grande and Nicki Minaj, “Bang Bang”
Katy Perry featuring Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
What Should Win: Uhhhh.
What Will Win: Katy Perry featuring Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
Beyoncé featuring Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross, “New Flame”
Jennifer Hudson featuring R. Kelly, “It’s Your World”
Ledisi, “Like This”
Usher, “Good Kisser”
What Should Win: Beyoncé featuring Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
What Will Win: Beyoncé featuring Jay Z, “Drunk in Love”
BEST R&B SONG
Beyoncé, “Drunk in Love”
Usher, “Good Kisser”
Chris Brown, “New Flame”
Luke James, “Options (Wolfjames Version)”
Jhené Aiko, “The Worst”
What Should Win: Beyoncé, “Drunk in Love” or Jhené Aiko, “The Worst”
What Will Win: Beyoncé, “Drunk in Love”
BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Jhené Aiko, Sail Out
Beyoncé, Beyoncé
Chris Brown, X
Mali Music, Mali Is
Pharrell, G I R L
What Should Win: Beyoncé, Beyoncé
What Will Win: Pharrell, G I R L
BEST RAP ALBUM
Iggy Azalea, The New Classic
Childish Gambino, Because the Internet
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Schoolboy Q, Oxymoron
Wiz Khalifa, Blacc Hollywood
Common, Nobody’s Smiling
What Should Win: Common, Nobody’s Smiling
What Will Win: Schoolboy Q, Oxymoron
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
Childish Gambino, “3005”
Drake, “0-100/ The Catchup”
Eminem, “Rap God”
Kendrick Lamar, “i”
Lecrae, “All I Need Is You”
What Should Win: Kendrick Lamar, “i”
What Will Win: Drake, “0-100/ The Catchup”
The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will air on February 8, 2015 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.