GRAMMY Nominees: World Music Radio, Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste is no stranger to GRAMMY nominations or wins, having acquired 20 nominations and five wins (including one for Album of the Year in 2022) all within the last five years. He stands out as the only male artist nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 GRAMMYs for his 2023 album World Music Radio.

Stand-out tracks: "Be Who You Are (feat. JID, NewJeans & Camilo)" "Uneasy (feat. Lil Wayne)" "Life Lesson (feat. Lana Del Rey)"

My favorites: "Calling Your Name" "BOOM FOR REAL" "Life Lesson (feat. Lana Del Rey)"

The album opens with a radio-static intro in "Hello, Billy Bob," which sets the scene for the global theme of the album and leads straight into "Raindance (feat. Native Soul)" which captures your attention as a reggae/hip-hop crossover. The chorus has an addictive hook, but the Native Soul feature on this one unfortunately detracts from the song as a whole. The end of this track features our radio host introducing track three, "Be Who You Are (feat. JID, NewJeans & Camilo). This one is a little more boppy and electronic, and the features actually really add something to this one by representing different voices adding to the political and global acceptance undertones of the song. "Worship" is divided into an interlude between the first tracks of the album and a drum-heavy chorusing second half that feels like a celebratory gathering call that chants "It's only you that makes you all I am" over and over.

Things slow down a little bit with "My Heart (feat. Rita Payes)". This one has a stunning trumpet instrumental that pairs beautifully with the Spanish-language vocal of Rita Payes. This one again concludes with a radio-style outro that transitions into "Drink Water (feat. Jon Bellion and Fireboy DML)". "Calling Your Name" is a lighter-hearted cruiser of a track with atmospheric, boppy production and simple but effective repetitive "Sun and the stars/Running from fate/All of the while/I was calling your name."

The production takes a turn from electronic to raw instruments with "Clair de Lune (feat. Kenny G), "Butterfly," and "17th Ward Prelude," which makes for a nice change of pace between the beginning of the album and the next string of tracks.

"Uneasy (feat. Lil Wayne)" is undoubtedly a stand-out, from its achievement in instrumentally illustrating incredible feelings of uneasiness and raw and human lyrical composition. While the previous track is a little bit heavier, things lighten up with the host introducing a radio contest to complete our radio-listening experience throughout the beginning of dancey "CALL NOW (504-305-8269) (feat. Michael Batiste)." Following the French-language interlude "Chassol," self-love gets a chance to shine on groovy and gritty "BOOM FOR REAL." The outro on this one is a stunning piano and saxophone duet that leads beautifully into spiritual "MOVEMENT 18' (Heroes).

While both "Master Power" and "Running Away (feat. Leigh-Anne)" have overall important messages lyrically, the album starts to lose steam about 45 minutes in. It needs a high-energy wow moment similar to the beginning of the album to carry into the last 20 minutes of the album, and it unfortunately doesn't have that in either of the prior tracks or the subsequent "Goodbye, Billy Bob" interlude or piano-ballad "White Space."

The closing act of World Music Radio jolts into "Wherever You Are" which is the album crescendo into its finale, complete with our album-long host "signing off" and requesting that we "please be seated" for album closer "Life Lesson (feat. Lana Del Rey)." This one is goosebump-raising and hauntingly gorgeous, telling the story of finding yourself through the relationships you've encountered. It's the perfect credits-roll conclusion to World Music Radio.

GRAMMY for Album of the Year

Listening to World Music Radio is an experience in itself, which shows that Jon Batiste hits the mark in accomplishing the task of creating a concept album; there genuinely is no better name for this album than World Music Radio. Jon Batiste commits wholeheartedly to representing artists of different styles and cultures, the radio playlist-style progression of the album is thorough, and there's a pinpoint-perfect balance between celebrating pure human joy and digging into deep humane issues across World Music Radio. It's ambitious in its attempt to unify and represent global communities of music listeners but falls a little flat on its level of personal storytelling. Maybe that's not the point, but it seems like an album meant to highlight the global human experience through the universal language of music should have some personal investment. Production-wise, World Music Radio is complex and well-executed, excellently representing a diverse pool of instrumentation that remains appropriately cohesive.

Jon Batiste's ambition and intention in creating World Music Radio make it a clear choice as a nominee for Album of the Year at the GRAMMYs. However, does the massive scope of the project drive down the overall quality of each track individually? A little bit. In an attempt to create an album that resonates with everyone, it falls a little short of truly forging a personal connection with anyone. World Music Radio remains one of the top contenders for Album of the Year, but it falls just shy of being a guaranteed victory.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING: OBSESSED WITH SOME TRACKS

GRAMMY Nominees: Midnights, Taylor Swift

The highest single-day streams for an album ever. The album that dominated the entire top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The largest vinyl record sales week in over thirty years. These are just some of the highlighted accolades of Taylor Swift's GRAMMY-nominated tenth studio album, Midnights.

Midnights is written as a concept album of "thirteen sleepless nights," categorized by the themes of wondering what might have been, revenge, self-loathing, falling in love, and falling apart. While this may seem like a vague concept, when coupled with immersive production and illustrative lyrical precision, the concept shines through just enough to hold Midnights together while maintaining uniqueness across its individual tracks.

Stand-out tracks: "Lavender Haze" "Anti-Hero" "Mastermind"

My favorites: "Maroon" "You're on Your Own, Kid" "Midnight Rain"

The album opens with the pounding synth bass and sultry "meet me at midnight" of "Lavender Haze." Lyrically, "Lavender Haze" explores the kind of entrancing love that leads you to block out opinionated critics who may even be asking antiquated questions like when you're "gonna be [a] bride." After taking a break from electro-pop for every album since 2017's reputation, "Lavender Haze" serves as an ear-catching reminder that Taylor is the master of any genre. While "Lavender Haze" may fall into the category of a sleepless night thinking about falling in love, track two "Maroon" is one of those nights spent falling apart. I find "Maroon" to be something of an anti-"Cornelia Street" from 2019's Lover. This is Taylor Swift's captivating storytelling at its very finest; beginning the tale with hazy morning "laughing with my feet in your lap" kind of love and transitioning to "shaking blind and hazy" silence as a relationship untangles into nothingness. The parallels of the choruses beginning with "I chose you" versus "I lost you" and the maroon imagery of scarlet flushed cheeks and rust on telephones makes this track a stand-out (and one of my personal favorites) on the standard edition of Midnights.

While the dramatic and crackly self-loathing of the megahit "Anti-Hero" almost laughs at solitary scrutiny, infamous-Track Five "You're on Your Own, Kid" wanders through years of memories of feelings of solitude, loneliness, and self-discovery in almost a fantasy-like lens. From "writing in my room" to "learn[ing] my dreams aren't rare" to "host[ing] parties and starv[ing] my body" to "[seeing] something they can't take away," this track is vulnerable in a way that Taylor has never really explored previously, and the result is absolutely stunning.

The Act of Midnights depicting "wondering what would have been" leads off with atmospheric "Midnight Rain." It's haunting-yet-confident with a slow-paced beat, distorted vocals, and an open-ended decrescendo. Lyrically, the juxtaposed "he was sunshine/I was midnight rain,""he wanted a bride/I was making my own name," and outro of "he never thinks of me except when I'm on TV" and "I never think of him except on midnights like this" tells the story of two people who found themselves unintentionally drifting apart now living with the consequences of their falling out. "Question...?" samples Taylor's own "Out of the Woods", which adds an epilogue chapter to the story that was started back on 1989. I won't get into the lore on this one, but just know that a certain GRAMMY-winning ex-boyband member may have ended what they both considered a cataclysmic "meteor strike" of a relationship by involving another woman without offering a whole lot of closure.

Solo-written "Vigilante Shit" holds down the category of sleepless nights thinking about revenge all on its own. It has pared-back production but remains effective in being sultry, conniving, and wickedly clever. This one teaches the lesson that if you cross Miss Swift, Tayvoodoo is coming for you because she "doesn't start shit but [she] can tell you how it ends."

Unfortunately, I find the last few tracks on Midnights to be something of a tracklisting mess in terms of creating a"concept album." However, each one stands out definitively on its own with many reaffirming qualities. "Bejeweled" is a brilliant, sparkly pop smash hit with impeccable production and whip-smart lyrics like "did all the extra credit/then got graded on a curve" and "putting someone first only works/when you're in their top five." "Labyrinth" is a soft and captivating ode to falling in love with simple-yet-effective "Uh oh, I'm falling in love/Oh no, I'm falling in love again/Oh, I'm falling in love" but it comes paired with bizarre cat-walking-across-the-keyboard production. "Karma" is cheeky, carefree, and addictive with its chorus of "Karma is a god/Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend/Karma's a relaxing thought/Aren't you envious that for you it's not?" and perfectly triumphant "Tell me why so many fade, but I'm still here." "Sweet Nothing" is a charming and endearing piano ballad that never quite reaches its full potential.

The standard album closes with "Mastermind," a mesmerizing tale of manipulating fate. From being "cryptic and Machiavellian because [she] care[s]" to the understated genius of planning each calculated move, "Mastermind" on the surface is viewed through the lens of the beginnings of a relationship. However, under the surface, "Mastermind" is a tumultuous look into the carefully strategized mind of an exceptionally smart tour de force we all know as Taylor Swift.

GRAMMY for Album of the Year

Midnights is one of eight nominees for the coveted Album of the Year at the 2024 GRAMMYs. It's Taylor's sixth nomination in the category (she's won a record-setting three times already) and her third album in a row to be nominated. I have conflicting feelings about Midnights taking home this title, mostly because I don't feel like it lives up to the incredibly high precedent set by her three prior wins in the category: 2008's Fearless, 2014's 1989, and 2020's folklore.

In terms of a cultural movement behind an album, no other nominees even come close to Midnights. More hits have come off of Midnights than the other nominated albums combined. The writing across the album is generally rock solid, but the production has hits and misses-- and the sleepless nights concept sadly doesn't weave its way seamlessly across the full project. Ultimately, Taylor's biggest enemy in deciding Midnights' worthiness for Album of the Year is her past self. Personally, I would call Midnights one of the top contenders for Album of the Year, but not an obvious winner.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING: FULLY OBSESSED

2024 GRAMMYs Predictions: Who Will Win Best Rock Song?

This article is cross-posted on Rock Insider Press (https://www.rockinsiderpress.com/p/2024-grammys-predictions-who-will-win-best-rock-song).

We're entering into one of the most exciting seasons for music enthusiasts – GRAMMYs season. The 2024 GRAMMYs will air February 4 from Los Angeles, but until then, everyone from music journalists to Twitter stans will be making predictions as to who will take home each of the coveted golden gramophones.

One of the most diverse nominee pools comes in the Best Rock Song category; ranging from longtime legends to first-time nominees, this category could go so many different ways. So, in my opinion, who will win Best Rock Song? Who should win Best Rock Song? Let's take a look at the nominees.

"Angry" - The Rolling Stones (Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Andrew Watt)

From the classic yet simple guitar motif to the flippant lyricism, The Rolling Stones' lead single from 2023's Hackney Diamonds (their first album of original content in 18 years) serves as a solid entry into the race for Best Rock Song. The chanting "Don't get angry with me" reverberates in your mind after the song ends. The instrumental is supple yet fun. It's classic Rolling Stones, but fresh. It might not be original or unique enough to knock the rest of the competition, but it stands a fighting chance.

"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" - Olivia Rodrigo (Written by Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo)

On the complete opposite end of the classic Rock spectrum is "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl." We've heard many woes of teenage angst from the rock genre before, but with lyrics like:

    "Searching 'How to start a conversation?' on a website (how to flirt?),

    I talked to this hot guy, swore I was his type,

    Guess he was making out with boys, like, the whole night,"

Olivia Rodrigo takes teen angst-rock into a new generation. It's intentionally messy with electronically distorted vocals, fast-paced word-vomit lyrics, and therapeutically-screamed repetitive "It's social suicide. Wanna curl up and die!" This song is so utterly chaotic it almost makes you lose sight of the social anxiety narrative it's attempting to depict. I understand why it made the nominees for its modernistic take on rock, but I don't think Olivia will be taking home another GRAMMY for this one.

"Emotion Sickness" - Queens of the Stone Age (Written by Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore, and Troy Van Leeuwen)

As the only borderline metal-rock entry into the race for Best Rock Song, "Emotion Sickness" is an important nominee to accurately represent the genre, but overall, it falls a little flat. It's instrumentally gritty and groovy while remaining lyrically raw. It alludes to the story as to why Queens of the Stone Age have taken years away from releasing new music. However, the production on this one just doesn't satisfy as much as it could. I believe Queens of the Stone Age will be adding another entry to their list of nominated-but-not-won musical endeavors.

"Not Strong Enough" - Boygenius (Written by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus)

Being one of two songs in this category that are on albums nominated for Album of the Year (the other being "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl"), "Not Strong Enough" ticks every single box for taking home the GRAMMY in the Best Rock Song category. It's a stunning indie-rock exploration of reflecting on your identity; between the beautifully layered vocals, melodic production, and lyrical processing of the humanity of spiraling about your faults, "Not Strong Enough" is a triumph. Besides its multi-week run on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, and nod from ex-president Barack Obama as one of his top songs of 2023, "Not Strong Enough" should take home the GRAMMY for Best Rock Song.

"Rescued" - Foo Fighters (Written by Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear)

As the first song released by the Foo Fighters since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, "Rescued" is emotionally charged, blisteringly raw, and instrumentally triumphant. The production and instrumentation on "Rescued" is skull-shaking, while the chorus is a call-to-arms comeback single done impeccably well. "Rescued" is also the band's tenth number 1 on Billboard's Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, twelfth number 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, and record-setting 29th top-ten entry on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. "Rescued" has both the style and substance to justify it's likely win as the Best Rock Song at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

And the GRAMMY goes to...

WILL WIN: "Rescued" - Foo Fighters (Written by Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear)

SHOULD WIN: "Not Strong Enough" - Boygenius (Written by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus)

HONORABLE MENTION: "Angry" - The Rolling Stones (Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Andrew Watt)

Tune into the 2024 GRAMMYs on February 4, 2024 to see who takes home the award for Best Rock Song.