Grammys 2027 Predictions: Who Could Score a Nomination in the Biggest Categories?
Billboard's first look at some of the top contenders at the 69th annual Grammy Awards.
Black News 
Thanks to a rule change in the best new artist category that was announced in June, which allows an artist to be entered four times instead of three, Ella Langley could be nominated in four of the six general field categories at the 69th annual Grammy Awards — album, record and song of the year plus best new artist. If that happens, Langley would become the first country crossover artist to achieve the feat since Bobbie Gentry in 1968.
Olivia Dean, who won best new artist at the ceremony held earlier this year, could be nominated in the three other marquee categories for artists, as could Olivia Rodrigo, who won best new artist in 2022; and Noah Kahan, Bruno Mars, RAYE and Taylor Swift.
The eligibility period runs from Aug. 31, 2025, through Aug. 28, 2026. First-round voting will be conducted from Oct. 12 to Oct. 22. Nominations will be announced Nov. 16.
For the fourth year in a row, there will be eight nominees in each of these categories. With a little over a month left in the eligibility window, here are our best guesses for who will be nominated — listed in alphabetical order, followed by shortlists of 10 other possibilities, also listed in alphabetical order.
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Album of the Year
Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift are both going for history. If McCartney is nominated for The Boys of Dungeon Lane, it will be his record-extending 10th career nomination in this category. If Swift is nominated for The Life of a Showgirl, it will be her eighth nod in this category — more than anyone else in Grammy history for strictly solo albums. Swift is a better bet: She has been nominated in this category with each of her last four regular studio albums. McCartney was last nominated here in 2006.
Olivia Dean, The Art of Loving
This is the English singer’s second studio album. Dean produced it alongside Julian Bunetta, Leon Michels and John Ryan, among others. Bunetta and Ryan were both nominated in this category for work with Sabrina Carpenter in 2025, with Ryan also being nominated for work with the singer in 2026. Michels was nominated for work with Mary J. Blige and Lizzo, both in 2023. Billboard 200 peak: No. 3.
Noah Kahan, The Great Divide
This is Kahan’s fourth studio album and his first to top the Billboard 200. This would be his first nomination in this category. He was up for best new artist at the 2024 ceremony. He co-produced the album with Gabe Simon and Aaron Dessner. The latter was nominated in this category for three Taylor Swift albums: folklore (which won), evermore and The Tortured Poets Department. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (three weeks).
Ella Langley, Dandelion
Langley co-produced this, her sophomore album, with Miranda Lambert and Ben West. If Langley is nominated here, she won’t be the first artist named Ella to land an album of the year nod: Ella Fitzgerald was nominated at the inaugural Grammy ceremony in 1959 for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Bruno Mars, The Romantic
If The Romantic, which Mars co-produced with D’Mile, is nominated here, it will be Mars’ first album to both top the Billboard 200 and land an album of the year nod. Two Mars albums — Doo-Wops & Hooligans and 24K Magic — were nominated in this category (24K Magic won), but neither of them reached No. 1. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (one week).
RAYE, This Music May Contain Hope.
The English singer’s second album has spawned three singles — “Where Is My Husband!” (a good bet for record and song of the year nods), “Nightingale Lane” and “Click Clack Symphony,” the lattermost co-written with, co-produced by and featuring Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Billboard 200 peak: No. 11.
Olivia Rodrigo, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love
Rodrigo’s first two albums, SOUR and GUTS, were nominated here. Dan Nigro produced all three projects. Third album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is vying to become the second album with a 10-word title to land an album of the year nod, following Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Rosalía, LUX
Last year, when the Recording Academy invited members of the Latin Recording Academy to join its ranks, nearly 1,000 took the organization up on the offer. Their votes helped Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS become the first Spanish-language album to win album of the year. This year, Rosalía could become the first woman artist to land an album of the year nod with a Spanish-language album. Rosalía co-produced the album, her fourth studio set. Billboard 200 peak: No. 4.
Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
As previously noted, Swift’s last four studio albums (excluding rerecordings) were nominated in this category. If The Life of a Showgirl also makes it, she’ll become just the second artist in Grammy history (following Kendrick Lamar) to be nominated with five consecutive studio albums. Swift produced her 12th studio album with Max Martin and Shellback. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (12 weeks)
Within Reach: Jon Batiste, Black Mozart; Cardi B, Am I the Drama?; Brandi Carlile, Returning to Myself; Ariana Grande, Petal (due Aug. 2); Kehlani, Kehlani; Paul McCartney, The Boys of Dungeon Lane; Megan Moroney, Cloud 9; Kacey Musgraves, Middle of Nowhere; Harry Styles, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.; Don Toliver, Octane.
Record of the Year
Some of the acts likely to be nominated here have multiple strong hits they could enter, so they’ll have to decide which is their best bet. That’s a nice problem to have. Olivia Dean could go with “Man I Need” or “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”; Olivia Rodrigo, with “drop dead” or “the cure”; Taylor Swift, with “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite” or “I Knew It, I Knew You” from Toy Story 5.
Olivia Dean, “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”
This would be Dean’s first nomination in this category. Zach Nahome co-produced the bossa nova-imbued pop smash with John Ryan, Julian Bunetta, Amy Allen and Max Wolfgang. Dean would be the third artist named Olivia to be nominated in this category: Olivia Newton-John won in 1975 for “I Honestly Love You,” and Olivia Rodrigo has been nominated twice and could be headed for her third nod this year. Billboard Hot 100 peak: No. 5.
Noah Kahan, “The Great Divide”
Kahan co-produced this hit with Gabe Simon. It could bring Kahan his first nomination in this category. The song was featured in an extended Mastercard ad during this year’s Grammy telecast. Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” which was featured in a similar ad during the 2025 telecast, landed a record of the year nod at this year’s ceremony. Hot 100 peak: No. 6.
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
This would be Langley’s first nomination in this category and the first for a core country artist performing a country song since Lady A won for “Need You Now” in 2011. (Taylor Swift was well along on her transition to pop when “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was nominated at the 2013 ceremony.) Langley co-produced the smash with Miranda Lambert and Ben West. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (13 weeks).
Bruno Mars, “I Just Might”
This would be Mars’ eighth nomination in this category as an artist. Only Beyoncé has had more (nine). Mars performed “I Just Might,” which he co-produced with D’Mile, during this year’s Grammy telecast. Three times prior, Mars has performed just-released songs at the ceremony that went on to be nominated in this category the following year: “Grenade,” “Locked Out of Heaven” and the Silk Sonic smash “Leave the Door Open.” Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
RAYE, “Where Is My Husband!”
RAYE and Mike Sabath co-produced this irrepressible hit, a canny blend of old and new R&B sounds. RAYE has received four Grammy nods, including for best new artist at the 2025 ceremony. If this is nominated, this will be the second time in three years that a title that ends in an exclamation point has been up for record of the year: In 2025, Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” was nominated. Hot 100 peak: No. 11.
Olivia Rodrigo, “the cure”
This would be Rodrigo’s third hit to be nominated in this category following “drivers license” and “vampire.” Dan Nigro produced all three. Those first two contenders were the lead singles from Rodrigo’s first two albums; “the cure” was the second single from her third album (following “drop dead”). Billboard ranked “the cure” at No. 1 on its midyear list “The 50 Best Songs of 2026 So Far (Staff Picks).” Hot 100 peak: No. 5 (so far).
Sienna Spiro, “Die on This Hill”
This stately power ballad echoes such early Adele records as “Chasing Pavements,” which was nominated in this category in 2009. Omer Fedi, Michael Pollack and Blake Slatkin co-produced “Die on This Hill.” Spiro’s debut album, Visitor, arrived July 3. The more-or-less title track, “The Visitor,” debuted and peaked at No. 43 on the Hot 100 in March. Hot 100 peak: No. 19.
Taylor Swift, “The Fate of Ophelia”
This would be Swift’s seventh nod in this category. She co-produced the smash with Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she also collaborated on three previous record of the year nominees: “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.” This became Swift’s longest-running No. 1 hit, an impressive feat for someone so deep into her career. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (10 weeks).
Within Reach: Gracie Abrams, “Hit the Wall”; Bella Kay, “iloveitiloveitiloveit”; BTS, “Swim”; Ariana Grande, “Hate That I Made You Love Me”; Kacey Musgraves, “Dry Spell”; PinkPantheress featuring Zara Larsson, “Stateside” remix; Rosalía featuring Yahritza Y Su Esencia, “La Perla”; sombr, “Homewrecker”; Harry Styles, “Aperture”; Tame Impala & Jennie, “Dracula (Remix).”
Song of the Year
At the 2026 ceremony, seven of the record of the year nominees were also nominees in this category. In 2025, five releases were cited in both categories. In 2027, seven releases may double up again. (And to answer the most-asked question about the Grammys: Record of the year honors a particular recording of a song. Song of the year honors the song itself.)
“Choosin’ Texas”
Songwriters: Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor
Lambert has received seven Grammy nominations for best country song, including for her own “Bluebird,” on which Dick was also a co-writer. This would be the first songwriting nomination for Langley and Taylor. “Choosin’ Texas” would be the fourth song with a state name in its title to receive a song of the year nod following “Hotel California,” “Theme From New York, New York” and “Texas Hold ’Em.”
“Die On This Hill”
Songwriters: Sienna Spiro, Omer Fedi, Michael Pollack
Fedi was nominated in this category for the 2026 awards for co-writing “APT.” by Bruno Mars and Rosé and for the 2022 awards for co-writing Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me by Your Name).” Pollack was nominated at the 2024 ceremony for co-writing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” This would be Spiro’s first nod.
“the cure”
Songwriters: Olivia Rodrigo, Dan Nigro
Rodrigo and Nigro were nominated in this category for co-writing “drivers license” and “vampire.” Nigro had a third nomination for co-writing Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” The Cure (the English band, not the song title) is well-represented on Rodrigo’s album. The song “drop dead” mentions the group’s 1987 hit “Just Like Heaven” while frontman Robert Smith appears on “what’s wrong with me.”
“The Great Divide”
Songwriters: Noah Kahan, Gabe Simon
This would be Kahan’s first nod in a songwriting category and Simon’s first nomination, period. Kahan’s only previous nominations are for best new artist in 2025 and best country duo/group performance earlier this year for “Cowboys Cry Too,” a collaboration with Kelsea Ballerini (who is also a former best new artist nominee).
“I Just Might”
Songwriters: Bruno Mars, Dernst Emile II, Philip Lawrence, Brody Brown
All four co-writers of this pop smash have been previously nominated multiple times in this category. Mars has had seven nominations and is currently just one shy of Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff for the most nods in the history of the category. Lawrence and Brown have each had five nods; D’Mile, three.
“I Knew It, I Knew You”
Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff
As noted, Swift and Antonoff are currently tied for the most nods (eight) in the history of the category. (Curiously, Swift has yet to win.) Why would Swift’s camp enter this Hot 100 No. 1 from Toy Story 5 rather than one of her smashes from The Life of a Showgirl? A nod in the Grammys’ highest-profile songwriting category would put a spotlight on the tune during the Academy Awards’ voting season. (Preliminary Oscar voting begins Dec. 7.)
“So Easy (To Fall In Love)”
Songwriters: Olivia Dean, Amy Allen, John Ryan, Max Wolfgang
Grammy magnet Amy Allen co-wrote this song (and wasn’t involved with Dean’s other smash, “Man I Need”), which might make this the shrewder entry. Allen has been nominated three times in this category. Moreover, she won songwriter of the year, non-classical the last two years running.
“Where Is My Husband!”
Songwriters: RAYE, Mike Sabath
RAYE and Sabath won a songwriting Grammy earlier this year, the Harry Belafonte Song for Social Change Award for “Ice Cream Man,” which they co-wrote with BloodPop. RAYE received the Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame gala in June, another sign of respect for her songwriting.
Within Reach: “Aperture” (Harry Styles); “Church & State” (Brandi Carlile); “Dracula Remix” (Tame Impala and Jennie); “Dry Spell” (Kacey Musgraves); “Hate That I Made You Love Me” (Ariana Grande); “Hit the Wall” (Gracie Abrams); “Homewrecker” (sombr); “iloveitiloveitiloveit” (Bella Kay); “La Perla” (Rosalía featuring Yahritza Y Su Esencia); “Streets of Minneapolis” (Bruce Springsteen).
Best New Artist
The Recording Academy long had a rule that an artist could be entered no more than three times in this category, which would have knocked out Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Ken Carson, Ravyn Lenae and Geese. But in June, the academy announced that it is upping the cap to four. That more lenient policy will make it difficult for the academy to turn away anyone, but FLO was nominated for an album earlier this year, which makes the act ineligible. And Don Toliver has had five consecutive top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 dating back to March 2020. It will be up to a screening committee to determine if that runs afoul of the first guideline under Not Eligible: “Any artist who had achieved a breakthrough in a prior eligibility period.”
Dominic Fike
The singer-songwriter, 30, landed his first two top 40 hits on the Hot 100 this year: “White Keys” and “Babydoll.” He recorded the latter track in 2018, which means it’s not eligible for record of the year consideration, but that shouldn’t make him ineligible here. Fike was nominated for album of the year in 2022 as a featured artist on the deluxe edition of Justin Bieber’s Justice, but since he was featured on less than 20% of the album’s playing time, that shouldn’t knock him out here, either.
Geese
The four-member rock band fronted by 24-year-old Cameron Winter formed in Brooklyn in 2016. The group’s fourth studio album, Getting Killed, became its first to make the Billboard 200. The band has become a major player on the festival circuit, playing Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Governors Ball and Outside Lands. The act also made its first appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Saturday Night Live.
Bella Kay
Kay, 20, cracked the top 20 on the Hot 100 with “iloveitiloveitiloveit.” Kay has been chosen as an opening act on upcoming tours by Noah Kahan and Gracie Abrams, both of whom are past best new artist nominees. Her debut album, My Reckless Abandon, arrived July 12.
Ella Langley
Langley, 27, won new female artist of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2025 and was nominated for new artist of the year at the Country Music Association Awards in November 2025 and new artist of the year at the 2026 American Music Awards. Dandelion, her second studio album, spent two weeks atop the Billboard 200 and has so far logged 13 weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums.
Megan Moroney
Moroney, 28, won new female artist of the year at the ACM Awards in May 2024 and new artist of the year at the CMA Awards that November. Cloud 9, her third studio album, reached No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums.
Role Model
Role Model’s 2025 breakout hit, “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” spilled into this eligibility year. The artist born Tucker Pillsbury, 29, performed the song on Saturday Night Live as musical guest in October 2025, joined by a surprise appearance from Charli xcx. Improbably, he’s competing for a best new artist nod with another Tucker, country star Tucker Wetmore.
Sienna Spiro
In addition to her breakthrough hit, “Die on This Hill,” Spiro gained added exposure when her song “Material Lover” was featured in The Devil Wears Prada 2. Spiro, who turns 21 in September, is vying to become the second English woman artist in a row to win in this category following Olivia Dean.
Malcolm Todd
Todd’s second studio album, Do That Again, entered the Billboard 200 at No. 5 in June. “Earrings,” from his 2024 mixtape, Sweet Boy, has climbed as high as No. 22 on the Hot 100. Todd comes from a musical family. His sister Audrey Hobert co-wrote Gracie Abrams’ smash “That’s So True” and has also released an album of her own. Todd turns 23 in September.
Within Reach: Ken Carson; Miles Caton; Dijon; Stella Lefty; Ravyn Lenae; Mariah the Scientist; Slayyyter; The Red Clay Strays; Trueno; Tucker Wetmore.
This story appears in the July 18, 2026, issue of Billboard.
