On Sunday, the 64th Annual Grammy Awards celebrated the best in music from 2021. After being delayed three months, many were excited to see who would take home the most anticipated awards of the night. 

Often known as “The Scammys” in pop culture, the Grammys have long been criticized for choosing seemingly odd songs and albums while snubbing popular artists in the biggest categories. Did the Grammys disappoint this year? Or did they select the best fit nominees? 

We chose to analyze four popular awards: Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist. As we take a close look at each of the nominees for each category, we’ll determine who truly deserved the gramophone. 

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Record of the Year (ROTY) often gets confused with Song of the Year (SOTY). SOTY is a songwriters award dedicated only to the songwriter(s). ROTY looks at all of the different components of the song such as production, editing, engineering and writing. This award represents the song that defined the best in music of the year.

WINNER: “Leave the Door Open”- Silk Sonic

SHOULD HAVE WON:

Grace: “driver’s license” – Olivia Rodrigo

An unexpected winner, “Leave the Door Open” took the award over “drivers license” in both SOTY and ROTY. I believe it was a true snub that Rodrigo did not win SOTY, and “drivers license” deserved recognition at this year’s Grammys. Not only was it the biggest song of the year, breaking Spotify records left and right, it was also beautifully written and produced. From the emotional build in both vocals and instrumentals to the lyrical and melodic brilliance, the song made us all feel like a heartbroken 17 year old. Though “Leave the Door Open” is a strong song with good fundamentals, it doesn’t match “drivers license” on many fronts. 

Haley: “Happier Than Ever” – Billie Eilish

“Happier Than Ever” is one of the only songs that has ever successfully pulled off a complete change of rhythm. The writing of the lyrics spoke to millions of people across the country. Not to mention, the production and engineering of the song and its transitions are really unique. I was extremely disappointed when this song did not win, however, “Leave the Door Open” was definitely the runner-up in my personal opinion. 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Similar to ROTY, Album of the Year (AOTY) looks at all of the components of the album and is awarded to all those involved. However, in years past, the Grammys have awarded AOTY to highly popular albums in the music industry. The albums’ technical skill and its impact in pop culture are both taken into account.

WINNER: “We Are”- Jon Batiste 

Grace: “We Are” – Jon Batiste 

I went into the AOTY category with a very clear idea of who I didn’t want to win, but I was foggy on who should ultimately take the crown. Though I was shocked Batiste won over such popular artists such as Eilish and Rodrigo, “We Are” is still an excellent album filled with musical talent. The motown soul genre, strong vocals and fun instrumentals created an environment for the listener to escape to. The album was extremely cohesive with each song fitting perfectly in its place. Overall, I’m glad “We Are” got the recognition it deserved in a tough category.  

Haley: “Happier Than Ever”- Billie Eilish

There was no clear answer for who I thought should have won, because every one of the albums nominated for this award were beautifully written and held a high impact. I selected “Happier Than Ever” as my winner because I enjoy the variety of songs and emotions that are shown on this album. I also think that it was different from Eilish’s two other albums, which allowed listeners to see a different side of her. However, I do think that “We Are” by Jon Batiste was deserving of this award because of the unique, fun selection of music featured in his album.

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

Best Pop Vocal Album focuses on the quality of the vocals produced and sung in the music. This includes how well the singer is executing the written vocals, if production helps the vocals provided and how the vocal choices contribute to the song and album’s overall themes.

WINNER: “SOUR”- Olivia Rodrigo 

Grace: “Positions” – Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande was snubbed once again by the Grammys. “Positions” is a beautiful technical album showcasing all of Grande’s skill and versatility. Songs like “my hair,” “pov” and “just like magic” are just some of the songs that highlight her vocal versatility, powerful whistle notes and register technique. The vocals complement the album’s overall messages about love while introducing a new R&B style to Grande’s music. I’m shocked and confused as to why the Grammys continue to ignore Grande’s presence and skill in the music industry.  

Haley: “Planet HER” – Doja Cat

Personally, I think Olivia Rodrigo did not deserve this award. Although she is a wonderful artist, her vocals were not the best of the nominees. This was not an easy winner for me to pick, but ultimately I think it was a tie between Ariana Grande’s “Positions” and Doja Cat’s “Planet HER.” When I think of incredible vocals, I think of Grande. However, Doja Cat’s album was absolutely beautiful and featured many different tones and techniques that blew me away. Don’t get me wrong, Rodrigo has a good voice, but I do not think it is comparable, let alone superior to, Grande and Doja. 

BEST NEW ARTIST

While there are many artists that are prevalent in the music industry today, the younger and newer artists are the ones who will be showcasing the talent for generations to come. The winner of this award must have a big influence on listeners, provide multiple pieces of music that sweep the charts and give a positive outlook for the future of the music industry. The winner will show what it takes to become a future mainstream artist with top-chart hits. 

WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo

Grace: Olivia Rodrigo 

This category would have been the snub of the night if Olivia Rodrigo didn’t win. The impact she made this year in both the charts and social media was far above any other artist.  “SOUR” was overall a strong album and an introduction to Rodrigo’s future in the industry. Despite this, the category was still filled with competition. Arlo Parks won the Brit Award for Best New Artist in 2021 and produced clean, strong, and impactful music. She adds a new sound and experience with one of my favorite songs, “Hope.” She was my highest contender next to Rodrigo.

Haley: The Kid LAROI

I went into this award knowing that it was basically a given that Olivia Rodrigo would win, but I still had a glimmer of hope for The Kid LAROI. I discovered LAROI before he made his big breakthrough with “Stay” featuring Justin Bieber, and I was instantly blown away by the vocals he had for being so young. I truly think that he is the future face of the melodic rap music genre and I hope that his talent will attract more recognition in award shows to come.

The majority of the winners deserve the recognition they received for their amazing talent and hardwork. However, some artists, such as Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande, were definitely snubbed for their work this year. Despite this, the Grammys celebrate music as a whole and how it connects to people, whether or not you win.