2024 GRAMMYs Predictions

People across the country are looking forward to watching the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, which will air on Sunday, February 4th at 8:00 pm EST. The show has been going strong since the first ceremony on May 4, 1959, when artists like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald performed and took home awards. At the first Grammys, there were only 28 categories; but as the ceremony grew in popularity, it also grew in quantity, and now boasts 94 categories organized under 11 Musical Fields. This year, the Grammys have unrolled three new categories: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album, and Best Pop Dance Recording. Something that has remained the same, though, is the audience's love for award show predictions and opinions.

So to honor that lasting tradition, here are our predictions for four of the Grammy’s biggest categories. 

In a perfect world, “On My Mama” by Victoria Monét would take home Record of the Year, but it seems more likely that SZA’s “Kill Bill” will win in the end. Despite its popularity and role in pushing Victoria Monét further into the public eye as a singer-songwriter, “On My Mama” had far fewer streams than “Kill Bill” at their respective peaks. In fact, “Kill Bill” broke the previous record for the longest time spent by any song at the top of Billboard’s R&B chart. In her song, SZA discusses a maddening love that drives her to extremes that many fans find strangely relatable. But it was the dream-like production that led many to fall in love with the track, which is why “Kill Bill” is a likely candidate for Record of the Year. 

Following Billie Eilish’s loss to Ryan Gosling for “I’m Just Ken”, it seems only fitting that the brother-sister duo behind “What Was I Made For?” win Song of the Year at the Grammys. While Lana Del Rey’s “A&W” is also an amazing pick, it lacks the cultural reach that “What Was I Made For” was able to garner. The song was included in one of the most important moments in this year’s highest-grossing movie, Barbie (2024), and has become an anthem for lovers of Billie Eilish and cinema alike with its simple yet emotional lyrics. If she does win, this would be Billie Eilish’s eighth Grammy and second time winning Song of the Year.

Purely based on streaming data, SZA’s SOS is in the running for Album of the Year. SOS was the third most streamed album of 2023, behind Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Tu and Taylor Swift’s Midnights (which is also nominated in this category). But more importantly, SOS has become deeply ingrained into pop culture and Gen-Z life. SZA’s “Snooze” and “Kill Bill” are both examples of the jarring emotions SZA highlights throughout the album as she explores the extremes of being in love. SOS also features a wide range of featured artists and sounds, reaching beyond the scope of R&B to pull all sorts of listeners in. Album of the Year would make a perfect second Grammy for SZA following her win in 2022 for her duet with Doja Cat, “Kiss Me More”.

The Grammys have a history of surprising viewers with their picks for Best New Artist, which is why fans still hold out faith that Victoria Monét will take home the award this year. Many view Monét as the underdog, as she faces internet sensation Ice Spice, upcoming R&B sensation Coco Jones, and songwriter Gracie Abrams who opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour this year. But it seems to be Monét’s year with seven other nominations for various parts of her album Jaguar II, which provides a satisfying mix of hip-hop, dance, and soul music. This year, clips from her shows and parts of certain songs have gone viral on TikTok, boosting her popularity. It’s important to note, however, that Victoria Monét has been around for quite a while – especially when compared to some younger nominees. She was nominated for a Grammy three times before this award cycle as a songwriter for Ariana Grande and has released three other solo albums. Many critics agree that it's about time for Victoria Monét to win in a big category, and that goal no longer seems out of reach.

*Whereas the Record of the Year award is given to the artists, producers, and engineers who worked on the winning song, Song of the Year is awarded to the songwriters.