Early 2024 Grammy Predictions – Album of the Year
Halfway through Grammy eligibility, here are 5 early predictions for Album of the Year in 2024.
It feels like the 2023 Grammys just happened — the trophies were handed out on February 5 — but it’s already time to start thinking about next year’s nominations.
The Recording Academy just made the decision to shorten this current eligibility period, which was slated to conclude at the end of September 2023, but now finishes in August.
So, that means that the current eligibility period is at the halfway point. Theoretically, that also suggests that half of all the songs and albums that will end up as nominees have already been released, or at least somewhere close to that number.
Since we’re now halfway through eligibility, it’s time to start guessing who will dominate and who might end up being left out in the cold.
Here are five predictions for the Album of the Year category at the 2024 Grammys.
Bruce Springsteen – Only the Strong Survive
Realistically, when the full eligibility period has ended, chances are the latest Bruce Springsteen full-length won’t be among the 10 nominees for Album of the Year. But in this early stage, it seems like it has a better shot than many other titles that are open to being included.
The rocker’s Only the Strong Survive didn’t make the same type of splash his releases normally do, which could hurt it. When voting begins, many voters may have forgotten about it, depending on what else is coming up.
Having said that, the Grammys love Springsteen, as he has been nominated for 50 trophies throughout his career, winning 20.
Don’t count on this nomination, but also, don’t rule him out.
Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Lana Del Rey’s upcoming album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd isn’t even out yet, but that doesn’t make it any less of a contender.
While she has yet to win a single Grammy, voters still like Del Rey quite a bit, and even her more recent material, which is even less focused on creating radio hits than her early work, has caught their attention.
Del Rey snagged an Album of the Year nomination a few years back for Norman Fucking Rockwell!, so clearly voters take her seriously. Even if the singer-songwriter doesn’t see her own collection honored, she will almost surely grab another nod in this field alongside Taylor Swift as a featured guest on her Midnights (more on that in a bit).
Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
Just like Del Rey’s album, Miley Cyrus’ highly-anticipated Endless Summer Vacation also isn’t out yet, but it’s certainly already on the radar of those who will pick the nominees and winners at the 2024 Grammys.
The pop superstar suffered a bit of a slump recently, but she seems to have reversed it with her new single “Flowers.” That cut was immediately a smash and critics enjoyed it, and that may be enough to power Endless Summer Vacation to an Album of the Year nomination, no matter what the rest of it sounds like.
SZA – SOS
Love it or hate it — and it seems like everyone loves it — SZA’s sophomore album SOS is a blockbuster. The R&B set has already led the Billboard 200 albums chart for 10 weeks, and it’s still going incredibly strong. Of the five titles mentioned here, only two seem like a definite lock for an Album of the Year nomination, and SOS is one of them.
Look out for SOS and the songs featured on it to rack up a notable number of nominations, as the release could easily stand out as one of the biggest and most-honored collections at the 2024 Grammys. It also helps that many feel that SZA — with her one trophy and 15 nominations — is under-awarded.
Taylor Swift – Midnights
More often than not, Taylor Swift earns an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys whenever she has a new collection to share. She’s been up for the honor five times and taken it home with three titles — Fearless, 1989, and Folklore. So, can she continue this incredible streak?
It seems like she very well might. Midnight was a massive success from the moment it arrived, both commercially and critically. No matter how one looks at it, the CD performed incredibly well, and just like SZA’s SOS, it looks like it is bound for an Album of the Year nod.
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