In 2023 we’ll see the 65th Grammys with nominations having come out recently. There are a lot of big artists up for awards this year and it’s sure to be an exciting show. This is The Pomegranate’s picks for some of the biggest categories at the 2023 Grammys and who deserves to win.

Album of the Year

One of four general field categories, Album of the Year is awarded to an album from any genre or artist that displays excellence in music. This year’s nominees are:

Voyage by ABBA

30 by Adele

Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny

RENAISSANCE by Beyonce

Good Morning Gorgeous by Mary J. Blige

In These Silent Days by Brandi Carlile

Music of the Spheres by Coldplay

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

Special by Lizzo

Harry’s House by Harry Styles

My pick for Album of the Year is Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar. We waited a long time for Kendrick Lamar’s newest album and we were not disappointed. Mr. Morale contains amazing lyricism and instrumentation and the entire production was very well done. The album had many notable tracks including “Rich Spirit,” “Worldwide Steppers,” and “Silent Hill” which were all great songs that showed off Lamar’s talent. There’s no doubt that Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers deserves Album of the Year.

Record of the Year

Considered the highest award at the Grammys, Record of the Year is for a single song that highlights true artistry and technical proficiency without regard to chart positions and song sales. This year’s nominees are:

“Don’t Shut Me Down” by ABBA

“Easy On Me” by Adele

“BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyonce

“Good Morning Gorgeous” by Mary J. Blige

“You and Me on the Rock” by Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius

“Woman” by Doja Cat

“Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

“The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo

“As It Was” by Harry Styles

My pick for Record of the Year is “The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar. 2022 was a fantastic year for Kendrick Lamar, highlighted by the release of “The Heart Part 5”, a superb rap song that truly showcases how amazing Lamar is. It came with amazing lyricism, great production and mixing, and overall was a song that truly stands out above the rest. “The Heart Part 5” is an easy pick for Record of the Year.

Song of the Year

Song of the Year is presented every year to the songwriters of a song who demonstrated artistry and excellent craftsmanship. This year’s nominees are:

“abcdefu” by GAYLE

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” by Taylor Swift

“As It Was” by Harry Styles

“Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

“BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyonce

“Easy On Me” by Adele

“God Did” by DJ Khaled

“The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar

“Just Like That” by Bonnie Raitt

My pick for Song of the Year is “The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar. I can not give enough praise to this song, but one of the elements that makes it so good is the expert lyricism of the whole song. The lyrics of “The Heart Part 5” are meaningful and deep while also being catchy and fresh. This song deserves to be recognized and deserves Song of the Year.

Best New Artist

The last of the general field categories, Best New Artist honors an artist who during the time of eligibility rose in significance and is a new, shining light in music. This year’s nominees are:

Anitta

Omar Apollo

Domi & JD Beck

Muni Long

Samara Joy

Latto

Maneskin

Tobe Nwigwe

Molly Tuttle

Wet Leg

My pick for Best New Artist is Wet Leg. The band Wet Leg stunned us all this year with their debut album Wet Leg which included such hits as “Chaise Longue,” “Too Late Now,” and “Wet Dream.” The band also has great production, great lyricism, and a great lead singer, Rhian Teasdale. Wet Leg shined this year and they definitely are the Best New Artist.

Best Music Video

One of the few categories that is not awarded for musical abilities, Best Music Video is presented to the creators of a short-form music video that creates the perfect visual for a song. This year’s nominees are:

“Easy On Me” by Adele

“Yet To Come” by BTS

“Woman” by Doja Cat

“The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar

“As It Was” by Harry Styles

“All Too Well: The Short Film” by Taylor Swift

My pick for Best Music Video is “All Too Well: The Short Film” by Taylor Swift. We were already stunned by the re-recorded, 10-minute version of Swift’s hit “All Too Well” but the music video took it to another level. The video, starring Sadie Sink, exemplified all the emotions felt in the song and was an amazing visual to go along with a great song. “All Too Well: The Short Film” was a stand-out music video from this past year and deserves Best Music Video.

Best Rap Performance

Best Rap Performance is awarded to an artist who gave a great performance in the genre of rap. It honors the artist/singer, producers, engineers, and songwriters. This year’s nominees are:

“God Did” by DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy

“Pushin P” by Gunna and Future featuring Young Thug

“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” by Hitkidd and Glorilla

“The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar

My pick for Best Rap Performance is “The Heart Part 5” by Kendrick Lamar. This was an easy choice as “The Heart Part 5” leaves all the other nominations in the dust. Lamar has always been a skilled rapper, and one of the best of our generation, and he proves that in “The Heart Part 5.” Kendrick Lamar gave the Best Rap Performance.

Best Rap Album

Best Rap Album is presented to an artist or artists who created an artistic and quality album in the rap genre. This year’s nominees are:

God Did by DJ Khaled

I Never Liked You by Future

Come Home the Kids Miss You by Jack Harlow

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

My pick for Best Rap Album is Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar. An album that contained track after track of great production, instrumentation, and lyricism, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is a rap album that illustrates the artistry of the genre. Lamar does it like no other so it’s no wonder that Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers deserves Best Rap Album.

Best Rock Performance

Another category that honors all those who worked on the record, Best Rock Performance is awarded to the artists behind a great song in the rock genre. This year’s nominees are:

“So Happy It Hurts” by Bryan Adams

“Old Man” by Beck

“Wild Child” by The Black Keys

“Broken Horses” by Brandi Carlile

“Crawl!” by Idles

“Patient Number 9” by Ozzy Osbourne featuring Jeff Beck

“Holiday” by Turnstile

My pick for Best Rock Performance is “Wild Child” by The Black Keys. “Wild Child” was a good, well-written rock song that made me excited to hear more of The Black Keys’ discography. It had all the elements of a great rock performance and definitely was the Best Rock Performance.

Best Rock Album

Presented since 1995, Best Rock Album is presented every year to an artist who created an incredible album in the rock genre. This year’s nominees are:

Dropout Boogie by The Black Keys

The Boy Named If by Elvis Costello & the Imposters

Crawler by Idles

Mainstream Sellout by Machine Gun Kelly

Patient Number 9 by Ozzy Osbourne

Lucifer on the Sofa by Spoon

My pick for Best Rock Album is Crawler by Idles. Idles’ latest album, Crawler, shows that even in the 21st century we can rock. The album contained a lot of great tracks such as “When the Lights Come On,” “Car Crash,” and “Crawl!” It was a fun album to listen to as every track was well-produced and had some great instrumentation and guitar solos. Idles rocked out on Crawler and deserve Best Rock Album.

Best Pop Solo Performance

Since its inception in 2012, Best Pop Solo Performance has been awarded annually to a single artist who excelled in the pop genre. This year’s nominees are:

“Easy On Me” by Adele

“Moscow Mule” by Bad Bunny

“Woman” by Doja Cat

“Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo

“As It Was” by Harry Styles

My pick for Best Pop Solo Performance is “As It Was” by Harry Styles. Harry Styles came out with his long-awaited third album this past year as well as the global hit “As It Was” and it’s no wonder why it’s a hit. “As It Was” is a fun, well-done pop song that shows off Styles’ talent as well as fun lyrics and great production. Harry Styles gave the Best Pop Solo Performance with “As It Was.”

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance honors two or more artists that created the perfect song in the pop genre. This year’s nominees are:

“Don’t Shut Me Down” by ABBA

“Bam Bam” by Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran

“My Universe” by Coldplay and BTS

“I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone featuring Doja Cat

“Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras

My pick for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance is “I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone featuring Doja Cat. Post Malone and Doja Cat truly came together on “I Like You (A Happier Song)” to create a fun collaboration that highlighted both artists. The entire song was filled with great lyricism, beats, and instrumentation, and the Doja Cat’s feature just made the track even better.

Best Pop Vocal Album

Best Pop Vocal Album is awarded to an artist that created a quality album in the pop genre. This year’s nominees are:

Voyage by ABBA

30 by Adele

Music of the Spheres by Coldplay

Special by Lizzo

Harry’s House by Harry Styles

My pick for Best Pop Vocal Album is 30 by Adele. We waited a long time for Adele’s 30, and we were not disappointed. The album included notable tracks such as “Oh My God,” “Can I Get It,” and “Easy On Me,” which all contained good lyricism and production as well as the impressive vocals that Adele is famous for. 30 was a dramatic, impressive album that really showed off Adele’s talents.

You can watch the 65th Grammys on February 5th, 2023 at 4:00 PM PST which will be hosted at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles. Make sure to catch the ceremony to watch performances from your favorite artists and see who wins.