The Song Of The Year GRAMMY Award honors the best releases in the music business, and the eight nominees for the golden gramophone at the 2024 GRAMMYs come from a variety of established singer/songwriters. From dance anthems to pop bops, ballads and R&B smashes, the nominees for Song Of The Year showcase the breadth of emotions of the past year.

Before tuning into the 2024 GRAMMYs on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, learn more about this year's Song Of The Year nominees below.

"A&W" - Lana Del Rey

Songwriters: Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Sam Dew

The second single from her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, "A&W" is a refreshing addition to Lana Del Rey’s expansive discography.

Another shattered portrait of the American Dream, the seven-minute epic, oscillates from madness to exhaustion, as Del Rey described feeling burned out by being objectified and perceived as an "American whore." What begins as a psychedelic folk ballad erupts into a defiant trap number interpolated with a doo-wop standard by the four-minute mark of the chaotic number.

"I’m a princess, I’m divisive/Ask me why I’m like this/Maybe I just kinda like this," Del Rey anxiously warbles. Later, she expresses her resignation surrounding rape culture: "If I told you that I was raped/ Do you really think that anybody would think/ I didn't ask for it? I didn't ask for it/ I won't testify, I already f—ed up my story."

"Anti-Hero" - Taylor Swift

Songwriters: Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift

"Anti-Hero" showcased a new side of Taylor Swift — a rare moment where the 33-year-old pop star confronted her flaws in the public eye.

"I really don’t think I’ve delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before," Swift said of the track in an Instagram video. "Not to sound too dark, but, like, I just struggle with the idea of not feeling like a person."

The self-loathing synth-pop anthem — with its cheeky chorus — catapulted "Anti Hero" into virality. With its ubiquitous meaning, the song topped charts and became a staple of pop radio. Now, it’s enjoying the highest praise as a contender for Song Of The Year. 

"Butterfly" - Jon Batiste

Songwriters: Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson

Beyond its sound, what makes Jon Batiste’s "Butterfly" so stunning is the story behind it. The touching jazz-soul fusion track is an iteration of the lullabies Batiste penned while his wife Suleika Jaouad was hospitalized during her cancer treatment.

"It’s just such a personal narrative song in relation to my life and what my family has gone through and my wife and all of the things she’s been able to overcome," the 36-year-old GRAMMY winner told PEOPLE.

"Butterfly" is featured on Batiste's latest album, World Music Radio. Like much of his discography, "Butterfly" is inherently uplifting but there’s an underlying yearning for freedom. "Butterfly in the air/ Where you can fly anywhere/ A sight beyond compare," Batiste croons over stripped-down keys.

"Dance The Night" (From Barbie The Album) - Dua Lipa 

Songwriters: Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt

With the release of her pop-funk epic Future Nostalgia during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dua Lipa proved she could master the art of escapism. On "Dance The Night," a thrilling dance-pop number from the star-studded Barbie soundtrack, she channels that same inspiration with a side of glitter and glam.

"Greta said that the whole film was inspired by disco. There’s a lot of very glittery and pop moments in it," the 28-year-old singer said of how the track fits into the movie in an interview with Dazed.

Over a sleek synth, the pop star reflects the unwavering joy Barbie outwardly emanates while she’s crumbling inside: "Even when the tears are flowin' like diamonds on my face/I'll still keep the party goin', not one hair out of place (yes, I can)."

"Flowers" - Miley Cyrus

Songwriters: Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein & Michael Pollack

Miley Cyrus has perfected the art of reinventing herself. With the post-breakup number "Flowers," she reclaimed her independence and took a hard turn from gritty rock back into pop music. "I can take myself dancing, yeah/ I can hold my own hand/ Yeah, I can love me better than you can," she belts over a disco-pop beat.

While the 30-year-old musician wouldn’t share if "Flowers" was indeed about her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, the song became an empowering earworm from a more refined version of the longtime musician.

"The song is a little fake it till you make it," she said of "Flowers" in an interview with British Vogue. "Which I’m a big fan of." It turns out she made it with a nomination for Song Of The Year at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards.

"Kill Bill" - SZA

Songwriters: Rob Bisel, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe

On the psychedelic R&B groove of "Kill Bill," which references the legendary Quentin Tarantino film, SZA dreams up her own unfiltered revenge fantasy. "I might kill my ex / Not the best idea / His new girlfriend's next / How'd I get here?" she ponders over an airy melody.

The song stands out on the R&B singer’s latest album, SOS, for not only its cheeky wordplay but for how visceral she portrayed the devastation of a breakup. 

Despite its popularity, the 34-year-old singer initially thought one of the other songs on her 23-track album would have topped the charts. "It's always a song that I don't give a f— about that's just super easy, not the s— that I put so much heart and energy into. 'Kill Bill' was super easy — one take, one night," the singer told Billboard of "Kill Bill’s" success.

"Vampire" - Olivia Rodrigo

Songwriters: Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo

Like her explosive debut "Drivers License," Olivia Rodrigo opted for a swelling power ballad for the lead single of her sophomore album Guts. On "Vampire," the singer/songwriter recalls a parasitic relationship with a swelling power ballad that erupts into a booming guitar breakdown. "Bloodsucker, famef—er/ Bleedin' me dry, like a goddamn vampire," she sings with a bitter lilt.

While many speculated the song was about a toxic relationship, Rodrigo claimed it’s more nuanced than that. "It’s more about my regret and kind of beating myself up for doing something that I knew wasn’t gonna turn out great and kind of just taking ownership of that and dealing with those feelings," she told Sirius XM Hits 1.

Regardless, the 20-year-old artist turned something bitter into something sweet by landing a Song Of The Year nomination.

"What Was I Made For?" [From The Motion Picture "Barbie"] - Billie Eilish

Songwriters: Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas O'Connell

Not only was the Barbie movie a massive hit, its soundtrack was, too, thanks to a slew of chart-topping artists including Dua Lipa, HAIM and Sam Smith. So it’s no surprise that Billie Eilish made that list as well, and delivered a gutting ballad that soundtracked one of the most heartbreaking moments of the film.

The wistful single, which arrives at the devastating realization that you’re not real and are instead meant to be consumed, aptly embodies the narrative arc of the box office smash. "Looked so alive, turns out I'm not real/ Just something you paid for/ What was I made for," the 21-year-old musician sings with a heartbreaking lilt. 

While writing the sobering number, Eilish tried to embody the essence of the life-sized doll herself. "I was purely inspired by this movie and this character and the way I thought she would feel, and wrote about that," she told Zane Lowe of Apple Music. 

The 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards, returns to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.

The Recording Academy and GRAMMY.com do not endorse any particular artist, submission or nominee over another. The results of the GRAMMY Awards, including winners and nominees, are solely dependent on the Recording Academy’s Voting Membership.

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

Sharing an album with the world is an artist’s way of immortalizing a fragment of their life. Though virality can propel music to the mainstream, releasing an album is a profound accomplishment that can have a deep and laying impact. Albums are more than an encapsulation of a musician’s lived and learned experiences: they’re a way to cherish them forever.

The Recording Academy is proud to present the 2025 GRAMMYs nominees for Album Of The Year, honoring both artistic and technical skill of the highest degree in music. The Category is notably dominated by women this season, while several entries see established artists tapping into new genres and sonic arenas. 

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. 

André 3000 — 'New Blue Sun'

André 3000 might be best known for his role in Outkast, but recently, the Atlanta rapper has been busy carving out a new reputation as André the flutist.

In the years following Outkast’s split in 2007, André 3000 has been spotted wandering everywhere from LAX to Japan with his flute in tow. Now, the opening track of his first-ever solo album amusingly calls out his genre switch: "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time."

To record improvisations that eventually birthed New Blue Sun, the flutist worked with producer Carlos Niño, keyboardist Surya Botofasina, and guitarist Nate Mercereau to craft a surreal, textured soundscape. Throughout, André 3000 plays the contrabass flute, Maya flute, wood and bamboo flutes, and more wind instruments — harmoniously uniting to create the artist’s first release in over 17 years.

Composed of eight tracks with bizarre, lengthy titles, the lyricless New Blue Sun is labeled as new-age and experimental jazz. It’s fairly shocking that André 3000 is not a trained musician, given the project’s brilliance; led primarily by rhythm, and using his instincts developed from rapping, the expert flutist embeds New Blue Sun with an organic authenticity. The album feels limitlessly atmospheric, dipping into an ambience that teeters between peaceful and precarious.

With Big Boi in the ‘90s, André 3000 undoubtedly helped shape hip-hop, pushing the genre forward with creative integrations of funk, jazz, rock, and gospel. In 2024, he continues to break rules as he champions alternative jazz — all with his flute by his side.

When Beyoncé’s first country song came out in 2016, people questioned if the icon belonged on the country radio — despite the indisputable impact of Black artists on the genre. Eight years later, the genre-bending diva is still drowning out the noise by switching on her very own radio station: COWBOY CARTER’s KNTRY Radio Texas, that is.

The fantasy station is one of the many visionary elements of COWBOY CARTER, an album that honors the cultural contributions of Black artists to American country music. The eighth studio project is Act II of her album trilogy; while the first installment RENAISSANCE (2022) focused on futuristic escapism, COWBOY CARTER looks to the past. It pays vibrant tribute to the Black community’s roots in country music, offering a glorious reimagination of Americana.

Not just championing but also reinventing Southern subgenres, COWBOY CARTER is yet another example of Beyoncé’s revolutionary versatility. From horseshoe steps to boot stomps to Beyoncé’s fingernails as percussion, the album unites bluegrass, zydeco, folk, R&B, and more to craft a majestic testament to Beyoncé’s boundless artistry.

Boasting 27 tracks and five years in the making, the Texas-born legend’s album includes features from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, embracing country legends as well as making space for up-and-coming Black artists on the scene.

While Beyoncé has yet to take home GRAMMY Gold for Album Of The Year, she remains the artist with the most GRAMMY wins of all time. After all, this isn’t her first rodeo.

"Oh, I leave quite an impression," Sabrina Carpenter croons on Short n’ Sweet, with a nonchalance that’s virtually intoxicating. While the 25-year-old indeed stands at just five feet tall, it’s evident the actress-turned-songstress has enough talent to fill a stadium.

Glowing with lighthearted, honest-to-goodness genius, Short n’ Sweet is the cherry on top of Carpenter’s already extensive discography. Her sixth studio album spawned a trinity of 2024 hits: "Espresso," "Please Please Please" and "Taste." With this remarkable trio, Carpenter became the first artist since the Beatles to chart their first three top five US hits in the same week. Short n’ Sweet's success was boosted by her Coachella debut earlier in the year, and furthered during her first arena tour.

On her delightful summer hit "Espresso," Carpenter explicitly mentions that her "twisted humor" is what makes her lovable, which might remind older fans of her 2022 single "Nonsense." The pop track went viral for its raunchy, often silly outros that Carpenter lovingly tailored to each city she toured in — and on Short n’ Sweet, she taps into her risqué wit much more fully, rocketing her album to another level of memorable.

Undoubtedly, it’s Carpenter’s bright confidence that makes space for her playful pen game on Short n’ Sweet. With her signature plucky yet composed soprano, she balances her soulful ardor with her deadpan humor expertly, allowing her to explore the nuances of romance in new and clever ways — all while maintaining her infectious charisma that earned her her first GRAMMY nominations this year.

Charli xcx knows how to throw a party, and on June 7, 2024, she turned the world into her own nightclub. BRAT, her sixth studio album, gloriously splattered the globe a garish green, with hits like "360," "Apple," and "Von Dutch" soundtracking the summer.

Ten years after scoring her first GRAMMY nominations for "Fancy" with Iggy Azalea, the British queen of "brat summer" continues to crank out bangers about chandelier swinging and driving in the fast lane. Working with producers A.G. Cook, EASYFUN, Cirkut, her fiancé George Daniel, and other longtime collaborators, Charli conjured her own genre: a chic, club-ready pop blend of electroclash and hyperpop.

Though the self-proclaimed 365 party girl sings about dancing until dawn and sipping one too many aperol spritzes, BRAT is also Charli’s most vulnerable album, her long nails gingerly peeling back the sticky layers of fame and womanhood. BRAT makes blunt confessions about jealousy, questioning motherhood, grief, and intergenerational trauma. Brilliantly, she’s dauntless and exposed all at once — and still bumpin’ that at the club.

Her popular co-headlining SWEAT Tour with GRAMMY-nominated collaborator Troye Sivan vroom-vroomed BRAT to arenas across the U.S. Charli xcx might have had her shades on while performing, but make no mistake: she has nothing to hide.

When people think of contemporary jazz, rollercoaster might not be the first word that comes to mind — but Jacob Collier is nothing if not ambitious. As the climax of his four-album project dating back to 2018, Djesse Vol. 4 triumphs as an odyssey through genre.

What makes Collier such a prolific musician is his refusal to distill abundance. He sees the beauty in anything and everything, and Djesse Vol. 4 brings his perspective to life. The project not only centers but celebrates the human voice; in fact, about 150,000 voices feature on Djesse Vol. 4 — many from his own concert audiences that he transformed into improvised choirs. 

Collier has won multiple GRAMMY Awards for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals, and Djesse Vol. 4 continues to showcase his mastery of sound via genre diversity. The nominated album is modern and sprawling, from the serenity of his audience-choirs to howling of heavy metal. Djesse Vol. 4 is thought-provoking, engrossing, and oftentimes surprising; who else would have aespa and Chris Martin on the same track?

Collier is the first British artist to win a GRAMMY for each of his first four albums, and Djesse Vol. 4 already boasts a GRAMMY-nominated track on it (2022’s "Never Gonna Be Alone," featuring Lizzy McAlpine and John Mayer, which was later announced as the album’s first single). Collier was previously nominated for Album Of The Year for Djesse Vol. 3 and also received a nod at the 2023 GRAMMYs in the same Category for Coldplay’s nominated Music of the Spheres.

Djesse Vol. 4 has redefined Collier’s perspective on life, and in a way, Collier’s album is more than a reflection: it’s an open invitation.

Billie Eilish had a fear of water as a child, yet to capture the album cover for HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she spent six brutal hours on-and-off submerged underwater with a weight on her shoulders. "A lot of my artwork is painful physically in a lot of ways, and I love it," the 22-year-old told Rolling Stone. "Oh, my God, I live for it."

Eilish delves beneath the surface in more ways than one on HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. As rippling, immersive alt-pop, the album swims through similar topics covered in her first two studio albums, including coping with fame, body image, and post-breakup grief. Yet Eilish is no longer the proudly self-proclaimed "bad guy"; instead she doesn’t tether herself to a persona.

In this way, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT holds dear a newfound, striking level of maturity. Eilish is incontestably true to herself, and lyrically, the album feels especially unbridled and attentive. With its title a paradoxical demand, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT powerfully represents the impossible struggle between intensity and tenderness — both in love and in life.

Though the album cascades as an emotional torrent, it’s as cohesive as it is potent. It’s (unsurprisingly) produced by her brother and day-one collaborator, FINNEAS, whose minimalistic but nevertheless hard-hitting soundscape gives bedroom pop a makeover. Eilish’s third Album Of The Year nomination shows that, once again, she isn’t treading water; she’s plunging straight into the deep end.

In the prismatic world of pop, Chappell Roan knows how to rotate through every color in the rainbow. A kaleidoscope of wistful yet intense romance, Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess churns with the unabashed authenticity that only true superstars can craft — and on a debut album, nonetheless.

Although Roan’s career began 10 years ago on YouTube, the Missouri-born singer skyrocketed to fame in the last year following spectacular festival performances and an opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour. Her 2020 single "Pink Pony Club" pushed the singer toward a massive 2024 breakthrough, the song an open proclamation of queer joy (amid understanding her evolving relationship with religion).

Inspired by drag queens, Roan’s aesthetic is breathtakingly campy and sparkly — much like her striking debut album. Championing female and queer freedom, The Rise And Fall gushes with yearning in a way that’s both carefree and confessional. From the hungry, heart-shattering "Casual" to the kinky pleasure of "Red Wine Supernova," each track showcases Roan’s sharp dynamism.

The Rise And Fall bursts with radiant '80s-inspired and 2000s synthpop from GRAMMY-winning producer Dan Nigro, all of which only highlights her dynamism. Beyond her vocal flips and cutting lyricism meant for laughing and/or crying, what’s special about Roan’s album is its defiance. Chappell Roan is the definition of unapologetic, and The Rise And Fall is all the evidence anyone needs.

Before it was even released, The Tortured Poets Department had already made GRAMMY history: during her acceptance speech for the 2024 GRAMMY Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, Taylor Swift surprised audiences by announcing the album’s upcoming release. And just one year later, Swift is making history yet again with her seventh Album Of The Year nomination.

Serving as a creative "lifeline" for Swift during the Eras Tour, working on The Tortured Poets Department reminded the star of how integral songwriting is to her wellbeing. Consequently, the 16-track album (plus an additional 15 tracks in an expanded version of the labrum) unveiled some of her most diaristic songwriting yet. Swift's meandering lyrics stand out as particularly candid, dramatic, and whimsical — though it’s far from the first time the prolific songwriter has used or referenced poetry in her work.

For a return to her folksy synthpop sound, Swift turned to her close friends Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, who most recently helped produce her GRAMMY-winning album Midnights among other projects. Showcasing Swift’s collaborative brilliance, The Tortured Poets Department also features Post Malone on the hauntingly atmospheric opener "Fortnight" and a stirring "Florida!!!" verse from Florence + the Machine.

As the Eras Tour comes to a close (unless, of course, she has another surprise up her sleeve) on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, The Tortured Poets Department’s nomination is one of the many recent reminders of Swift’s staggering legacy. Swift is the first and only person to have won Album Of The Year four times, and The Tortured Poets Department could score her a legendary fifth win — further solidifying her as a breaker of records and rules.

The Record Of The Year Category honors some of the year's biggest recordings — and at the 2025 GRAMMYs, the nominees are hits by a mix of newcomers and superstars.

Throughout the past year, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and Chappell Roan proved why they're at the top of pop's current class. The Beatles and Kendrick Lamar both cemented their respective legacies, while Beyoncé and Taylor Swift continue to challenge their own musical boundaries.

With a range of unforgettable music moments, there's no telling who will take home the golden gramophone for Record Of The Year — which is awarded to the artist and the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s) — at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. But one thing is for sure: the eight nominees make for quite an exciting contest.

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

It can take years for an artist to work on their masterpiece. In the Beatles' case, the journey of "Now And Then" took 45 years. John Lennon originally wrote the demo in the late '70s. It's a mournful, piano-backed confession: "I know it's true/ It's all because of you/ And if I make it through/ It's all because of you."

The song remained unfinished long after Lennon's tragic 1980 passing, but — in a powerful act of love — his bandmates completed it for him. Paul McCartney enlisted Giles Martin (the son of Beatles' former producer and longtime collaborator George Martin) as the song's co-producer, using Lennon's original 1977 demo, George Harrison's guitar melodies from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and Ringo Starr's drumming and backing vocals from 2022. "Now And Then," which marked the Beatles' 35th top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, is a tearful close to the band's legacy. 

"Obviously, it hasn't been, but it sounds like John's written it for Paul now, in a very emotional way," Martin told Rolling Stone. "It's a bittersweet song, which is very John. But with a combination of happiness and regret." 

McCartney never gave up on the song, which is a testament that true friendship never dies.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD 'EM"

After shimmying underneath a disco ball for 2022's GRAMMY-winning RENAISSANCE, Beyoncé wanted to keep the dance party going on 2024's COWBOY CARTER — except this time around, she traded Studio 54 for a honky-tonk. But "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," the album's joint lead single alongside "16 CARRIAGES," is much more than an instructional hoedown.

The 32-time GRAMMY winning icon has long incorporated African American history in her music, and "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is no different. The single, like many tunes on COWBOY CARTER, is rooted in liberation. Country music is the backbone of America, but its roots in Black culture are often hidden. With "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," Beyoncé lifts the veil off the genre's true history by celebrating both her Houston heritage and the Black country artists that paved the way for her.

The song's message is clear, but it's balanced by playful melodies, Beyoncé's signature stacked harmonies and a plucking banjo (played by Rhiannon Giddens, an advocate for the reclamation of country music instruments by Black musicians). While Beyoncé is no stranger to chart-topping hits ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is her ninth solo No. 1 single on the Hot 100), she made history as the first Black woman to score a No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Sabrina Carpenter does whimsy so well. Chalk it up to her Disney Channel roots, but the singer's innate ability to craft an earworm is why she's skyrocketed as one of the biggest pop stars of the new generation. "Espresso," the lead single from 2024's Short n' Sweet album and unofficial song of the summer, encapsulates Carpenter's irresistible charm.

"The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that b—," she told Vogue in April. 

That confidence is found all throughout "Espresso," from her cooing vocals to her cheeky songwriting ("I can't relate to desperation/ My give-a-f—s are on vacation"). Topped off by an irresistibly catchy, undulating chorus, "Espresso" helped Carpenter reach several career milestones that kickstarted a year full of them — including her first GRAMMY nominations.

Charli xcx has long been one of the coolest girls in pop, and her sixth album brat cemented that fact. On "360," the album's second single, the British star not only acknowledges her own cool factor, but of those around her. Produced by longtime collaborator A. G. Cook, the song trades in the producer's signature exaggerated hyperpop sonics for more minimalistic synths that complement Charli's auto-tuned vocals.

"I went my own way and I made it/ I'm your favorite reference, baby," Charli xcx exclaims on the cocky opening line before comparing herself to friends like model/musician Gabbriette and actress Julia Fox. "360" is a cheeky reflection of the ever-growing digital era, giving fellow internet "It" girls an anthem for the ages.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

The beauty of Billie Eilish's artistry is in her vulnerability. For the nine-time GRAMMY winner's third album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she pushed herself into her deeper territories with the assistance of her brother and go-to collaborator FINNEAS.

Second single "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" best exemplifies the album title's meaning in both its tenderness and desperation. It was initially intended to be a traditional love song, but given the siblings' unorthodox track record, they couldn't resist making it slightly untraditional: "I want you to stay/ 'Til I'm in the grave/ 'Til I rot away, dead and buried/ 'Til I'm in the casket you carry," Eilish sings on the opening verse in her signature whisper. 

Even with the juxtaposing lyrics, the song's airy production and wistfully gauzy synths still make for a beautiful, adoring statement piece. And the heartfelt sentiment paired with Eilish's breathy vocals quickly made "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" the biggest hit from HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, already garnering nearly 1.5 billion Spotify streams as of press time.

Branding Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" as merely a diss track would be doing it a disservice. The 17-time GRAMMY winner's tune is not just a rap song, but a cultural phenomenon. A seething finale to his (very public) feud with Drake, "Not Like Us" is a triumphant win for both Lamar and rap music as a whole.

Atop a buzzing sample of Monk Higgins' 1968 "I Believe to My Soul" cover, Lamar delivers slick wordplay and calls out Drake's presumed cultural appropriation of Southern rap: "You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/ No, you not a colleague, you a f—in' colonizer."

Following its release, the song took on a life on its own: tennis icon Serena Williams (Drake's alleged former lover) crip walked to the track at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Megan Thee Stallion and Janet Jackson incorporated it into their concerts, and many national sports leagues used it in their game broadcasts.

Drama aside, "Not Like Us" — which also scored a Song Of The Year nomination — is a celebration of West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, a proud Compton native, enlisted Los Angeles-born DJ Mustard to produce the track. The chopped-up sample is inspired by Oakland's "hyphy" rap subgenre, while Lamar exaggerates his already-animated cadence, paying homage to late Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler. While "Not Like Us" is a targeted diss, it's also a reminder of California's historical impact on rap — and Lamar's place within that legacy.

Chappell Roan grabbed the world's attention with her bombastic interpretation of baroque pop and her knack for highlighting queer romance. "Good Luck, Babe!," April's breakout hit following her 2023 debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, ushered in a new chapter.

The song discusses compulsory heterosexuality, as Roan sings about a woman she's dating who tries to deny her feelings for Roan: "You can kiss a hundred boys in bars/ Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling." 

"I knew exactly what I wanted. I wrote it in three minutes," Chappell Roan told Rolling Stone of the song's creation, which she co-wrote alongside Daniel Nigro and Justin Tranter. "I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn't add anything when I wrote it all done. It was a perfect storm."

The anger definitely explodes on "Good Luck, Babe!," with Roan channeling '80s divas like Kate Bush and George Michael. The singer's goal was to make a "big anthemic pop song," and "Good Luck, Babe!" soared beyond all expectations.

Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone — "Fortnight"

Despite nailing a formula that has made her one of the biggest pop stars of all time, Taylor Swift is still willing to take risks.

"Fortnight," from the 14-time GRAMMY winner's The Tortured Poets Department, serves as both the LP's first single and opening track. The chart-topping smash introduces the album's moodier tones, telling the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage who is now the neighbor to her ex-lover and his new wife. 

Atop '80s-inspired electropop synths courtesy of longtime collaborator and co-producer Jack Antonoff, the lyrics are unexpectedly dismal for Swift: "I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary/ And I love you, it's ruining my life." Featured artist Post Malone then sweeps in with his melancholic harmonies, giving more emotional weight to Swift's brilliant storytelling.

Lyrics have a unique way of validating and soundtracking our real-world experiences. Perhaps this year, a celebratory drink called for Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" on repeat. Or maybe you professed your love with a playlist containing Billie Eilish's "BIRDS OF A FEATHER," and Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars' "Die with a Smile."

It's those small but significant moments that showcase the power of songwriting — and what makes GRAMMY's Song Of The Year award so necessary. In the 2025 SOTY nominee list, you'll find the above hits, plus Taylor Swift's "Fortnight" (feat. Post Malone), Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe," Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please" and Beyoncé's "TEXAS HOLD ‘EM."

Ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs, take a deeper look into all the tracks that made the nominee list for Song Of The Year. Be sure to check out the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

Shaboozey — "A Bar Song (Tipsy)"

Songwriters: Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Nevin Sastry, Chibueze Collins Obinna & Mark Williams

Before this year, Shaboozey was just another rising artist ready to make a name for himself. With the April release of "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," he blossomed into the most prolific country musician of 2024, coinciding with his 10th anniversary in the music industry.

By July, the J-Kwon interpolation simultaneously hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts, making him the first Black man to conquer a feat. On Oct. 29, it broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 hit, previously set by "Old Town Road (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)" by Lil Nas X.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

Songwriters: Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell

Most know Billie Eilish for her "sad girl" anthems, scaling topics of body dysmorphia, cruel exes and the relentless dissection of her life under the public eye. But on "BIRDS OF A FEATHER," a single from 2024's HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, the 22-year-old songbird unveils a softer, sweeter side of herself over a twinkling synth. The track details an unwavering connection.

"I don't know what I'm cryin' for/ I don't think I could love you more," she muses in the song's pre-chorus. "Might not be long, but baby, I/ Don't wanna say goodbye."

As Finneas O'Connell, Eilish's brother and longtime collaborator, explained on their American Express "Story of My Song" segment, "There's a lot of songs about dying for somebody and loving them until they die, and I thought it was really fun to lean in."

Songwriters: Dernst Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars & Andrew Watt

Put two musical legends together, and you get a masterpiece. For Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, that piece of artwork is "Die with a Smile," a grandiose ballad about not taking your relationships for granted. It's reminiscent of the sultry duets of the 1960s, such as Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" or Frank & Nancy Sinatra's "Somethin' Stupid."

The unexpected collaboration unfolded while Gaga finished her upcoming album in Malibu. "After a long day, he asked me to come to his studio to hear something he was working on [...] We stayed up all night and finished writing and recording the song," Gaga said in a press release.

As Gaga mentions in her announcement post, the song is a treat for Little Monsters "while you wait for LG7." But if the rest of the project is anything like "Die with a Smile," it's already looking like a hit.

Taylor Swift — "Fortnight" Feat. Post Malone

Songwriters: Jack Antonoff, Austin Post & Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has become increasingly transparent in her artistry through whimsical lyrical metaphors and cinematic music videos. "Fortnight," the opening track of The Tortured Poets Department, is no exception as Swift likens a crumbling relationship to the failure of the American dream. In its sepia-toned visual, she's an asylum escapee taking the "Forget Him" pill, washing away their million-paged saga.

"'Fortnight' is a song that exhibits a lot of the common themes that run throughout this album. One of which being fatalism — longing, pining away, lost dreams," Swift told Amazon Music. "And 'I love you, it's ruining my life,' these are very hyperbolic, dramatic things to say. But it's that kind of album."

Swift first announced Tortured Poets during her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album (Midnights) at the 2024 GRAMMYs. At the 67th GRAMMY Awards, Swift will again vie for a chance to win Song Of The Year — her eighth nomination in the Category.

Songwriters: Daniel Nigro, Kayleigh Rose Amstutz & Justin Tranter

Chappell Roan might have written "Good Luck, Babe!" in three minutes, but this breakthrough single has left the impact of a lifetime as the singer's debut on the Billboard Hot 100.

The cathartic indie rock track wishes a hopeless flame well after denying their queer identity: "When you wake up next to him in the middle of the night/ With your head in your hands, you're nothing more than this wife/ And when you think about me, all of those years ago/ You're standing face to face with, 'I told you so.'"

"I think throughout the year, I'm like, "What can I get away with?" Because right now it's pretty tame for what it is like to be a gay artist," Roan told GRAMMY.com in March. "But I just want to push it to see how far can I go — with the most controversial outfits or things to rile people up. I'm not really afraid to do that."

Songwriters: Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been throwing shots at each other for the past decade, but it wasn't until Drake's claims of being the best of the "Big Three" rappers (including him, Lamar and J. Cole) in 2023 that the battle climaxed. 

The next six months saw back-and-forth diss tracks, such as Lamar's "Euphoria" and "Meet the Grahams." In a sweeping moment in May, Lamar reigned superior with "Not Like Us," poking fun at Drake's OVO brand alongside accusations of pedophilia and disingenuous relationship with other artists.

Upon its release, "Not Like Us" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and might be Lamar's first gramophone in the Song Of The Year category. 

Sabrina Carpenter — "Please Please Please"

Songwriters: Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter

If "Espresso" hadn't already catapulted Sabrina Carpenter as one of the biggest stars of 2024, "Please Please Please" solidifies her status as one of the music industry's key players.

In typical Sabrina fashion, this '70s-inspired tune features witty and playful lyricism, with the Short n' Sweet singer begging her new lover to stay faithful and true: "And please, please, please/ Don't bring me to tears when I just did my makeup so nice/ Heartbreak is one thing, my ego's another/ I beg you, don't embarrass me, motherf—."

The single, co-written with Jack Antonoff, also marks Sabrina's first No. 1 track on the Billboard Hot 100, sitting comfortably above "Espresso's" No. 2 placement.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD ‘EM"

Songwriters: Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq

After more than two decades as a solo artist, Beyoncé's latest era has been defined by risk-taking experimentation. The first installment of her trilogy project, RENAISSANCE, revived house. Her latest addition, COWBOY CARTER, invites listeners to throw on their Western boots in her first full-length venture into country music, led by "TEXAS HOLD 'EM."

Aside from its addictive twangy instrumentation and chant-worthy lyrics ("This ain't Texas, ain't no hold 'em"), the COWBOY CARTER lead confirms Beyoncé's artistic range while simultaneously encouraging much-needed conversations about the diversity of the country genre. An ambitious venture, indeed, but one that paid off, making Queen Bey the first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and earning her a spot on this year's Song Of The Year nominee list.

With 10 GRAMMYs, two Oscars and countless hits with superstars, FINNEAS has become one of the most remarkable producers of his time. But he credits most of that to good fortune.

"I've had such a lucky career trajectory — I have more success than I ever thought I would," he tells GRAMMY.com over a phone call. 

But one doesn't get this far without true skill. The singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer has gained momentous success and has a unique ability to shape emotions into sound, whether he's scoring a new film or working with high-profile artists — mainly his sister, pop superstar Billie Eilish. Honing in on these experiences has helped FINNEAS expand as an artist in his own right, as he turns to collaboration of his own on his sophomore solo album, For Cryin' Out Loud!. 

Coming three years after his 2021 debut album, Optimist, For Cryin' Out Loud! is a creative departure from his previous project. While the former was produced and written by FINNEAS himself, he worked with close friends to elevate his second record — and as a result, he sounds more confident than ever before.

The album features an adventurous sonic landscape, with funky guitar riffs, boisterous horns and infectious melodies across its 10 tracks. The bolder sound matches his assured vocal delivery, making For Cryin' Out Loud! feel like the product of everything he has learned — and been working towards — since he was a teen.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, the 27-year-old grew up around creativity. Raised by actor-musician parents, FINNEAS was immersed in the industry from a young age. Though his interest in songwriting was prompted by a class he took with his mom at age 12, he suggests that his production skills came naturally. From the beginning, his mantra has been simple: "There's no right or wrong way to produce a song," he asserts. "If there's any reason for people to pay attention, it's for being yourself and sharing your unique viewpoint."

As he honed his perspective, FINNEAS served as the lead singer and songwriter for his high school alt-rock band, the Slightlys. And while he jokes that they "begged people to come listen to us," the group offered FINNEAS his first taste of success: Along with winning several local Battle of the Bands competitions, they even earned a performance slot at Warped Tour in 2015. 

The most fortuitous thing about the Slightlys, though, ended up being a song they never released — but FINNEAS' then-unknown sister Billie did. After he penned a minimalist pop song called "Ocean Eyes" for the band, he decided it would be a better fit for Billie's voice. Little did either of them know, it would be the beginning of a fruitful — and wildly successful — partnership.

The song instantly gained traction on SoundCloud, prompting FINNEAS to start using his songwriting and production power to fuel Eilish's career. Along with being the sole producer for Eilish's debut EP, 2017's dont smile at me, he served as her sole co-writer on all eight tracks, a formula that has continued to prove successful for Eilish's entire career thus far. But as things were booming for Billie, FINNEAS was simultaneously crafting his own breadth of work.

In 2016, FINNEAS began his solo venture by releasing a string of romantic indie-pop songs. His debut single, the lustful "New Girl," features bluesy instrumentals and seductive vocals; 2017's "I'm In Love Without You" offered a more electro-pop-infused sound. As he continued to find his own musical identity, it quickly became clear that his early music would lean into the more bare-bones side of his creativity: breathy vocals, lush strings and rich piano chords.

The next year proved to be pivotal for FINNEAS, both as Eilish's collaborator and as an artist in his own right. As Eilish's career continued to rapidly rise thanks to "you should see me in a crown" and "when the party's over" — the latter of which was penned by FINNEAS himself — he also released eight tracks of his own, two of his biggest songs to date, "Break My Heart Again" and "Let's Fall in Love for the Night."

But it was 2019 that solidified FINNEAS as a force to be reckoned with. Along with co-producing and co-writing all of Eilish's debut album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, he also released his debut EP, Blood Harmony, and scored hits as a songwriter/producer for the likes of Selena Gomez ("Lose You To Love Me"), JP Saxe and Julia Michaels ("If The World Was Ending"), and Ashe ("Moral of the Story"). From the hyper-modern beats of Eilish's album, to the tender balladry of his co-written smashes, to the experimental sounds on his own project, FINNEAS demonstrated that there's no style that he can't master — and in 2020, his talents were rewarded in major fashion. 

FINNEAS took home six GRAMMYs at the 2020 ceremony, mostly thanks to his work on WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Perhaps the most significant win, though, was his award for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, which made him the youngest recipient of the honor at just 22 years old.

As he continued creating with Eilish and expanding his superstar collaborator list — including Justin Bieber, Halsey and Demi Lovato — he also carried on crafting his own music. Just months he celebrated another release with Eilish, 2021's Happier Than Ever, FINNEAS unveiled his debut album, Optimist.

The project doubled down on the modern-sounding aesthetic of Blood Harmony, presenting an effortless adult contemporary spin on the sound he crafted with Eilish — but keeping the lyrical moody extremities. In contrast to its name, Optimist was brooding and edgy, accompanied by thoughts of grief, existentialism and the warped lens of fame; it was likely a product of his isolated creation process, as he wrote and produced all 13 tracks solo.

While FINNEAS was proud of his debut, he says that the album's creation was "a fairly lonely process." And, even despite all of his achievements with Eilish and other stars, "I didn't necessarily have the self-confidence to bring people in."

With that in mind, he pushed his creativity and collaborative efforts further in 2022 and 2023. He wrote and composed music for films — most notably, Pixar's Turning Red in 2022 and a GRAMMY-winning track for Greta Gerwig's Barbie in 2023, both alongside Eilish — and worked with Tate McRae ("I Still Say Goodnight") and Nicki Minaj ("Are You Gone Already"). After wrapping production on Eilish's third album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,at the end of 2023, he went back to his solo work — but this time, not so solo. "The main goal in this [next project] was, how can I make this a more exciting, fun experience for myself?," he says.

To create For Cryin' Out Loud!, FINNEAS invited a close group of peers to record live studio sessions, including Aron Forbes, Ricky Gourmet, Lucy Healey, and Miles Morris of the rock band Bad Suns. Almost completely opposite of Optimist, of the 10 tracks on For Cryin' Out Loud!, only one is solely composed and written by FINNEAS (opener "Starf—er").

In turn, For Cryin' Out Loud! features a much bigger soundscape than his previous work. Songs like "Cleats" and "Lotus Eater" feature hazy synths and strong drums that make room for hypnotic humming and chantable choruses. Yet, he didn't entirely move away from his more downtempo beginnings; "Little Window" and "Same Old Story," offer intimate sounds across the album's largely anthemic feel.

One of the album's most poignant tracks is "Family Feud," which calls back to the themes of Optimist — but this time, it's a tribute to his sister. Over soft strings, he croons about the pair's close bond and Eilish's struggles with fame: "And you're only 22/ And the world is watching you/ Judging everything you do." 

Even in the album's more somber moments, FINNEAS exudes a new level of self-confidence on For Cryin' Out Loud!. And he's eager to show that to fans around the world: FINNEAS will perform three intimate U.S. shows in October, and already has international dates set for the top of 2025. As for where he'll go from here with his solo work, time will tell — but it certainly seems like he's no longer limiting himself to solo sessions: "I've written a better album by breaking my own set of rules."