Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X dominate Grammy noms

Lizzo, the body-positive "Truth Hurts" and "Juice" singer, scored a leading eight nods, including in the top categories of album and record of the year and best new artist. Photo: Reuters
Lizzo, the body-positive "Truth Hurts" and "Juice" singer, scored a leading eight nods, including in the top categories of album and record of the year and best new artist. Photo: Reuters

Pop newcomers Lizzo, Billie Eilish and country rapper Lil Nas X dominated Grammy nominations on Wednesday in a list for the highest awards in the music industry that favoured diversity and women over established stars like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Madonna.

Lizzo, the body-positive "Truth Hurts" and "Juice" singer, scored a leading eight nods, including in the top categories of album and record of the year and best new artist.

"Thank you," tweeted Lizzo. "This has been an incredible year for music and I'm just so thankful to even be a part of it."

Eilish, the 17 year-old Los Angeles "Bad Guy" alt-pop sensation, got six nods, along with black, gay country rapper Lil Nas X, 20, whose catchy "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus topped the Billboard singles charts for a record 19 weeks this year.

The trio will compete in the album of the year race with indie band Bon Iver, pop-rocker Lana del Rey, pop singer Ariana Grande, rockers Vampire Weekend and R&B artist H.E.R.

Grande, 26, got five nominations, including for her hit "7 Rings."

"Crying. moved and honored," tweeted Grande. "The acknowledgement is truly enough on its own for me and my heart," she added.

Beyonce scored four, mostly for the songs she wrote for the new version of animated film "The Lion King" and for the "Homecoming" concert film of her 2018 Coachella show.

Five of the eight album of the year nominees were women and four female artists will compete for record of the year, injecting new life into the Grammy Awards which has a tradition of rewarding the same artists.

Deborah Dugan, the new chief executive of the Recording Academy whose members select the nominees and winners, said the nominations marked a new era for the organization that "welcomes diversity, embraces creativity and champions young musicians on the rise."

That meant that 10-time Grammy winner Swift, whose new album "Lover" is one of the year's biggest sellers, was omitted for a second straight year from the album and record of the year categories, along with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran.

Swift got three nods - song of the year for "Lover," best pop vocal album and pop solo performance.

Other acts snubbed by the Grammys included K-Pop band BTS, which has a huge following in the United States but got no nominations on Wednesday; seven-time Grammy winner Madonna, currently on tour to promote her new album "Madame X"; Bruce Springsteen, whose album "Western Stars" was well reviewed; the newly re-united Jonas Brothers who got just one nod, for single "Sucker"; and British singers Sam Smith and Lewis Capaldi.

The Grammy Awards will be handed out in Los Angeles on Jan. 26 in a ceremony hosted by Alicia Keys.

Following is a list of nominations in key categories. The awards will be handed out at a ceremony hosted by Alicia Keys in Los Angeles on Jan. 26.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

  • "I, I" — Bon Iver
  • "Norman F***ing Rockwell!" — Lana Del Rey
  • "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" — Billie Eilish
  • "Thank U, Next" — Ariana Grande
  • "I Used to Know Her" — H.E.R.
  • "7" — Lil Nas X
  • "Cuz I Love You (Deluxe)" — Lizzo
  • "Father of the Bride" — Vampire Weekend

RECORD OF THE YEAR

  • “Hey, Ma” — Bon Iver
  • “Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish
  • “7 Rings” — Ariana Grande
  • “Hard Place” — H.E.R.
  • “Talk” — Khalid
  • “Old Town Road” — Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
  • “Truth Hurts” — Lizzo
  • “Sunflower” — Post Malone & Swae Lee

SONG OF THE YEAR

  • “Always Remember Us This Way” — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
  • “Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
  • “Bring My Flowers Now” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
  • “Hard Place” — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris. H.E.R. & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
  • “Lover” — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
  • “Norman F***ing Rockwell” — Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
  • “Someone You Loved” — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pete Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn & Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
  • “Truth Hurts” — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)

BEST NEW ARTIST

  • Black Pumas
  • Billie Eilish
  • Lil Nas X
  • Lizzo
  • Maggie Rogers
  • Rosalia
  • Tank and the Bangas
  • Yola

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

  • "Spirit" Beyonce
  • "Bad Guy" Billie Eilish
  • "7 Rings" Ariana Grande
  • "Truth Hurts" Lizzo
  • "You Need to Calm Down" Taylor Swift

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

  • "The Lion King: The Gift" Beyoncé
  • "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" Billie Eilish
  • "thank u, next" Ariana Grande
  • "No. 6 Collaborations Project" Ed Sheeran
  • "Lover" Taylor Swift

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