2023 has been an incredible year of music. It ranged from all kinds of genres and new artists who were working hard to get to the top. The Recording Academy’s 66th Annual GRAMMYs Awards airs on CBS on February 5. The GRAMMYs nominations were released on November 15. Although I was happy to see some deserving artists/bands on the roster of nominees, there were many snubs. In this article, I will be discussing musicians who should have been nominated and the reasons why they should have been chosen.
RAYE
The biggest snub of the GRAMMYs is RAYE not receiving a nomination. The album My 21st Century Blues came out this year, featuring the viral TikTok song, “Escapism. (feat. 070 Shake).” It is about a breakup and not wanting to deal with the emotional aftermath.
My 21st Century Blues is a powerful album encompassing many different stories. The stories range from a producer trying to seduce RAYE to having power and control over her. “Flip A Switch.” is the best song from this project. In the song, she flexes on this man who had crossed the line by hurting her feelings amidst the breakup. He needs to stay clear of RAYE unless he wants to get hurt. She is taking the confidence away from this man and has officially gone full bad girl. This deserved an Album of the Year or Pop Vocal Album nomination because RAYE’s voice is unmatched by others.
Reneé Rapp
The second biggest snub is Reneé Rapp not receiving any nominations for Best New Artist, Album of the Year or Pop Vocal Album of the Year. Snow Angel and Snow Angel (Deluxe) were easily one of my favorite releases of 2023. The versatility of this project is genius. It sets up Rapp to really go in any direction with her next work. Although “Pretty Girls” is a single, it is the best song of the Snow Angel album. It discusses how pretty girls want to kiss other pretty girls. Their boyfriends will not care, and neither does Rapp. The music within the project discusses heartbreak, losing innocence, traumatic experiences, dating within the LGBTQ+ community, etc.
The range of emotions Rapp could fit into a debut album is impressive and she was very deserving of a nomination at the GRAMMYs.
NewJeans
NewJeans swept the past year away and took the world by storm. Surpassing BLACKPINK’s monthly listeners after only two EPs is impressive. This year, they released the hit song, “OMG,” and an album, GET UP. “Super Shy” is such a stand-out track that the world played it on a loop. The Y2K aesthetic and Western influence are why NewJeans should have been a Pop duo/Group nominee. Thus far, the only K-pop group to be nominated for a GRAMMY is BTS.
The Recording Academy should recognize the influence Korean groups and soloists have on society, especially groups like NewJeans or BLACKPINK. NewJeans have performed at the Billboard Music Awards and performed at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2024. This proves the global dominance. NewJeans debuted out of nowhere under HYBE’s newest sub-label, ADOR (All doors one room).
Kali Uchis
Kali Uchis released one of the most promising projects this year and didn’t receive a nomination. Uchis released the album Red Moon In Venus with stellar tracks. “Moonlight,” the first single off the album, sits at over 500 million streams on Spotify. Uchis has a silky voice as she effortlessly slides on the sultry work that is Red Moon In Venus. The production is very consistent and very cohesive. This is one of Uchis’ best albums. She deserved a nomination for either the single “Moonlight,” or an Album of the Year nomination.
Mitski
Mitski has been accustomed to snubs every year at the GRAMMYs as she has not been nominated once. This year, her song “My Love Mine All Mine” swept the charts as it went viral on TikTok. The soft-sounding tone with Mitski’s harmonious vocals makes this track stand out. The clever wordplay along with the minimal beat is outstanding. It is about how she “Yearns to send her heart to the moon. So when she dies, she lives on in the timeless moon’s light. Then her lover will continue to feel her love forever.”
It is a shame that Mitski, with multiple hit songs and well-thought-out albums, has not received a GRAMMY nomination. They nominate the same people every year and there needs to be more inclusivity, especially with smaller artists, as well as singers around the world.
