The 58th annual Grammy Awards, with host LL Cool J and featured performers Justin Bieber, Carrie Underwood and Pitbull, will air live from the Los Angeles Staples Center on Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
The predictions for some of the night’s biggest awards are as follows:
Album of the Year: “Beauty Behind the Madness,” The Weeknd
Released on Aug. 28, 2015, “Beauty Behind the Madness” is the third studio album by Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd. “Beauty Behind the Madness” refused to relinquish its hold on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with singles such as “The Hills,” “Can’t Feel My Face” and “In the Night.” Despite tough competition in this category from Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd changed the game in 2015 and was undeniably a well deserved favorite for those in and out of the music industry.
Song of the Year: “Blank Space,” Taylor Swift, "1989"
Love her or hate her, 2015 was undeniably the year pop icon Taylor Swift reclaimed her throne. In October of 2014, Swift released her fifth studio album, "1989". Swift’s latest project seemed to own radio airwaves as each single released seemed to be better than the last. "1989" included smash hits “Bad Blood” and “Shake It Off.” Rumored to have been inspired by the criticisms she receives in the media, Swift’s “Blank Space” was without a doubt one of the biggest songs of the years. All hail the queen.
Best New Artist: Sam Hunt
Country singer Sam Hunt exploded onto the music scene in 2014 with the release of his debut album “Montevallo.” Hunt established himself as both a singer and songwriter and gained a mass following after the release of his single “Leave the Night On.” Hunt continued to please listeners with the release of his single “Take Your Time” in late 2014. With meaningful lyrics, an amazing voice and undeniably fantastic looks, Hunt is the complete package and totally deserving for the honor of Best New Artist.
Best Rap Album: “If You’re Reading This It's Too Late,” Drake
Though it was a big year for Nicki Minaj with her album “The Pinkprint,” Canadian rapper Drake’s mixtape “If You’re Reading This It's Too Late” is truly the most deserving project in this category. Following the album's surprise release on Feb. 13, the mixtape was praised by critics and fans alike. Including tracks “Know Yourself” and “10 Bands,” Drake’s latest work is as creative, intelligent and fly as the man himself.
Best Rap Song: “Trap Queen,” Fetty Wap
You might be sick of the track now, but Fetty Wap’s song “Trap Queen” was undisputedly one of the best jams in 2015 as a whole. Catchy and original, Fetty Wap became a superstar following the song’s release in March 2014. Based on the success of “Trap Queen,” there is a pretty good chance Fetty might be in the kitchen cooking pies with his grammy.
Best Country Song: “Girl Crush,” Little Big Town
Perhaps the most overplayed song of the summer, Little Big Town’s massive hit “Girl Crush” seemed to dominate the charts this year. Included on the band’s sixth studio album “Pain Killer,” the track made history after it spent 11 weeks at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Despite the rather haunting lyrics, the vocals on the track are beautiful and the success of the track on the charts makes this choice an obvious one.