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2025 Grammy Nominations (with Jeff Beach) image

2025 Grammy Nominations (with Jeff Beach)

E2 · HOMOPHONIC
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SURPRISE!  Jeff Beach, my bestie and co-host of Pop Theory, returns to discuss the most important political issue of our lifetime:  the 2025 Grammy Nominations.  We take a deep dive into the big 4 awards -- Album Of The Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist -- and give our exceptionally professional observations of who we think could win and who could be snubbed.

Transcript

Introduction and Thanksgiving Prep

00:00:00
Speaker
Hello, everybody. Welcome to Homophonic. It is your host, Zach Rickle. You probably know me for my Instagram account of functioning gay. I'm so excited to be recording this first episode with you all, and I'm so excited to be joined with my best friend, Jeff Beach. First of all, hi, BB. Welcome to Homophonic.
00:00:22
Speaker
Hi, thank you for having me. I'm so excited that you're here. um Are you ready for Thanksgiving? did you have your You had your Thanksgiving prep. I did. It's like it's like a five day, you know, charade for me. It's a it's a whole thing. So I have everything listed out every day. Certain tasks like this is the most anal you'll ever see me. Well, I don't know about that. But yeah, ah Jeff, Jeff, for those that of you that are listening, Jeff is like a pretty much in my opinion, a chef, chef, Jeff. Thank you, Jeffrey.
00:00:57
Speaker
Sheffrey. Sheffrey Beach. And you ah you sent me a snap today. You said the prep has begun and it looks like peppers

Persimmons and Pomegranates Mishap

00:01:06
Speaker
and an apple, maybe. Not even close. No. OK, what was it? Not even close. You just got Charlie on your mind. I it was two persimmons and a pomegranate. So, OK. Wait, what was the first thing persimmon? What is a persimmon?
00:01:23
Speaker
First of all, you're pronouncing it insanely. It's not ah it's not a persimmon. It's a persimmon. person semit okay So a persimmon is a fruit. okay It might be grown tropically. Don't ask me. I'm not sure. But it's it's specifically like really in season this time of year. And it's to me the most it's the fruit that tastes most like actual sugar, like candy. like it's It's really, really fantastic. But the flavor the flavor isn't ... Because you know how most fruits like have a flavor? like They may be floral or like you know have like these kind of undertones or you know like pineapple. It's it's got like its own thing. like I feel like this is the one fruit where it's kind of like a blank canvas. It doesn't really taste anything but like sugar.
00:02:09
Speaker
Interesting. In my opinion, yeah, it's a fuyu persimmon. There's different kinds, but this is called a fuyu persimmon. That sounds very Austin Powers a little bit. I'm excited to put it in my cranberry sauce. It's going in my cranberries this year. Oh, yum. That sounds

Cranberry Sauce and Grammy Nominations

00:02:24
Speaker
delicious. I'm excited for that. Excited for your excited to see all the photos and just yeah but wish I was drizzling myself in it. So yeah, I'll be listening to the cranberries while I make it.
00:02:36
Speaker
Mm. Too soon. Is it? No, probably not. Dolores died like what? Five years ago? Yeah. Like five or six years ago. Was it 2018? I don't know. Was 2018 five or six years ago? I guess something like that. Was it 2018 though?
00:02:54
Speaker
I can't remember. I mean, it's it's been um it's been a minute now, but I just can't remember. You know, after COVID, it all blends the together. All right. Truly. RIP to this woman. um Well, speaking of thankful fruit and persimmons, per persimmons.
00:03:09
Speaker
darrever simmon persimmon um very related ah grammys We need to talk Grammys. The Grammy nominations were announced a few weeks ago and it being arguably the most stacked year in pop music ever. I just feel like ah it's I've been wrapping my brain around it.
00:03:30
Speaker
I'm still unsure. I don't know if I have like any like necessarily like, Oh yeah, this person's definitely getting this. I have some opinions. I have some educated guesses. You have opinions. Okay. I have i have opinions, but, but I just feel like as I look at the list, I can't sit here and concretely say, Oh, this person is getting this and this person's getting that.
00:03:53
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with that. I definitely agree with that. And as we said, it's a stacked year. There's been so many music releases. We've barely been able to keep up.

Beyoncé's Surprise Announcement

00:04:01
Speaker
We're feeling a little bit of fatigue at this point with everything. We're fatigued. It is just insane. I mean, Beyonce announced a surprise announcement at Christmas Super Bowl with the Ravens. Not even a Super Bowl. It's just like a random football game. Not a Super Bowl, yeah. Random football game. A Christmas day football game with the Ravens, I believe. But I hope.
00:04:21
Speaker
I feel it in my bones and you know, I don't, I don't want to do this because we do this all the time. We've done this. We did this with act two. I really feel like she's going to announce act three. That's what I think it's going to be. and personal day I really feel it because

Grammy Nominees Discussion

00:04:34
Speaker
here's the thing. Like she posted all these photos of her.
00:04:38
Speaker
it with these, like like for Halloween, right? She did like she like, she always does like multiple costumes, but one one was Prince. One was like, Betty Davis, Betty Davis. Yeah. So like for me, like she's honoring these rock icons. I feel like and there's there's just a connection there. Like, why would you do that randomly? It doesn't make sense. And Pam and Pamela Anderson, who famously was married to Tommy Lee.
00:05:01
Speaker
Correct. Correct. And that was the, that's the biggest visual we've gotten so far is a, I don't even, I don't even know if you call it like a music video because it's really not. It's really not people were calling the bodyguard visual a music video. And I guess like technically, I guess it could be considered that to me, it's first of all, it's not the complete song. So let's start there. um But to me, it's it's more I would call it more of what they are calling a visualizer, which is kind of like a very scaled down ah music video where it's typically a lot of images on loop or videos on loop or whatever.
00:05:40
Speaker
And that's kind of more how it feels to me with. Yeah, it's to be to be honest, it's an Instagram story that was milked. That's all it was. It really was. She said, you know what? They're thirsty. Let let me give them this like fucking thing that I barely care about. And you could have that and you'll like it. And that's what it feels like. And you're going to like it and you're going to lap that milk right on up. But, you know, I mentioned her because obviously she was nominated. She has, I think the most nominations out of.
00:06:07
Speaker
11 out of anybody this year and in history as one of the most nominated people. But I have to say, and we'll get into it, right? Because I don't know how you want to structure this in terms of how you want to talk about everything. Yeah, I hear. Yeah. So I don't feel like I just want to say right off the bat, I do not think cowboy Carter is going to win albums a year. That is a very educated guess. And I'm I'm not gonna sit there and say it's not going to get it, but I'm also not gonna, I'm certainly not gonna sit there and be like, oh no, she's got it in the bag, because I don't think that she has it in the bag. Not hot sauces in her bag, but not this. And I i would say let's let's get into Best New Artist first, because I feel like that's the category I always like care least about typically. And so there's eight nominees in Best New Artist that we've got Benson Boone,
00:07:04
Speaker
We've got Sabrina Carpenter, Dochie. I'm going to pronounce this wrong. Krongbin, Krongbin. I even like looked up the YouTube video on how to pronounce this and I'm still, I think I'm pronouncing it wrong. bro I think it's Krongbin. Yeah, I think that's right. Okay. Rhea, Chapel Rhone, Shaboozie, and Teddy Swims.
00:07:24
Speaker
very interesting that some of these people have been around for quite a while, which, yeah you know, I would not consider a lot of these people to be new artists, especially Krong Bin, who i've I've been listening to a few of his songs for like five years now, you know? Really? Yeah, like it's been a while since that's been on my playlist. And also Sabrina Carpenter, I mean, you were the one that informed me of this. I didn't know she had what, like seven She's six albums, six yeah albums, six albums. Let's be real. And I know the Grammys, they have certain like qualifications like, you know, what is it, 30 songs or something? Something. that So so according to the guidelines that I was reading for this year,
00:08:09
Speaker
you it's something along the lines of like you can't release more than 30 songs or more than three albums and so I'm like well clearly she's released more than three albums so I don't know if technically if some of her albums are being counted as mixtapes quote unquote I'm not really sure but um she still has six bodies of work that she has released over the last decade right um she's I'm assuming release more than 30 songs also Ray has been around for quite some time Ray has been around for what a long time now it feels like like her album that was released I think last year the year prior that was technically her first debut album but I mean she's been featured on songs and has written for a lot of people as well yes like a lot of role she's been here
00:08:53
Speaker
She's been here. She wrote Bigger for Beyonce for the um the Lion King like companion album. and so And she's been featured on a new ah number of DJ songs and whatnot. Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely yeah. Definitely. She reminds me of um who... God, I'm so sorry that I'm...
00:09:12
Speaker
Victoria Monet, that's just reminds me of like, in terms of like, you know how Victoria Monet won that award last year, but has been around for 15 years prior to that. So yu it's just yeah interesting how they choose people. Um, but.
00:09:28
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, this this is the first time in a while I can remember being like, oh, there's a few people on here I really like. Dochie is also someone who's been around for a while now. I mean, I'm not super new, but I can see why they included her yeah in in this list. yeah I mean, I'm just going to straight up ask you do you, are you leaning towards someone on this list? Like, do you have an idea of who you think might win it based off of like how the Grammys vote?
00:09:54
Speaker
Uh, not be I mean, I really want chapel to win personally. Um, it feels like she might get it. Best New Artist is interesting to me because I feel like it's one of those awards where it's not that the Grammys don't always necessarily vote for like, the obscure artists. Sorry, but that said, like, Esperanza Spalding. Right. And Samara Joy. What didn't she also win Best New Artist one year? Yeah.
00:10:22
Speaker
And so, I mean, that's not to say that, you know, someone like Krongbin or... I feel like Krongbin's probably the most obscure of the bunch out of all these people, but...
00:10:37
Speaker
Yeah, I guess you could say that in terms of like mainstream. I mean, I guess everyone in a way is is a little bit as well, maybe. But yeah, Crongren would be the most like alternative out of the bunch. Right. But as so as far as like this list, I I have a feeling that Chapel would get it. um But

Best New Artist Controversy

00:10:58
Speaker
it's it's tough. I think it's going to be probably a toss up between Ray, Chapel Roan, Shaboosie and Teddy Swims.
00:11:06
Speaker
personally. That's kind of how it feels to me. You think Sabrina Carpenter stands no chance. I don't think she stands a chance because I feel like the Grammys rarely, if ever, I would say Sabrina Carpenter is the most bubblegum pop of the nominees. And I feel like the Grammys rarely not like, first of all, rarely nominate bubblegum pop to begin with. But it certainly is never rewarded. Like I can't I can't tell you a big four
00:11:38
Speaker
necessarily that has, well I mean, I guess you could say Christina Aguilera back in 1999, 2000 when she was in her bubble cup, bubblegum pop phrase, but bubblegum crop phrase.
00:11:55
Speaker
That's, that's me having a a nice little function. Yeah. Stroke a stroke on air. Bubblegum pop phrase craze. I can't even speak. It's okay. It's okay. I can't speak, but you know what I'm saying? But like, I can't think of an an artist that. Put out any bubblegum pop music in the last 20 years that has gotten awarded for in the big four.
00:12:20
Speaker
But I think that could change this year because based off of the nominations, because they nominated so many things that they would normally not give the time of day, like Sabrina Carpenter's album. And I think because of Jack Antonoff being on it, the Grammys really appreciates like an Antonoff record. I think even though he didn't get nominated for producer of the year, he did not get nominated for producer producer of the year. Still though him being on it and especially with all the wins under his belt with Taylor. Yeah.
00:12:45
Speaker
high roll um you know but that I don't, I don't think she's totally out of the race, but I actually agree with you. I do think chapel run is going to win. The reason being is I was actually listening to a podcast and they were talking a little bit about this exact topic. And I really agreed with what they said. Cause if you think about like the history of the Grammys, the Grammys really likes to award people who are fresh and interesting, but also like have nostalgia within their music. So you think about someone like Amy Winehouse, for example, or, or la Lauren Hill with like the doo wop, you know, like that hearkens back to an era that these like old Grammy voters really enjoy to yeah to see someone do that. Like now. And I think that's exactly kind of like what chapel run is. I mean, like hot to go immediately reminds me of like.
00:13:33
Speaker
Hey, Mickey, you're so fine. You're so fine. You blow my mind, you know, or like, right? Yeah. Well, I don't know. What do you call it? Like cheer pop? Is that even that could be? Yeah. It's like, ah it's like the Cindy Lauper, you know, the, um, the Tony, whatever her name is, Tony Basil, Tony Basil. Yeah. Um, but I could see them being like, for that reason,
00:13:54
Speaker
yeah awarding it to her even though i think she deserves it without that reason because that's not the reason i think she's interesting um i yeah i i think just the the explosion that chapel has had this year i think that that alone is why i kind of it just again i i There are a lot of comparisons Lady Gaga, one of them just being that just like just monumental like comment like explosion into fame, you know, that we saw before our very eyes. I mean, again, like I saw her in a tiny, tiny little venue here in Grand Rapids, Michigan in April and literally the next month she's performing to thousands and thousands and thousands of people at all these festivals. So yeah. And everyone knowing the dance and all the lyrics to all of her songs. So it's like it's truly wild. But
00:14:41
Speaker
Who knows? Who knows? It's I could I could see Ray getting it. I think I know that Ray is very beloved in the in the music industry. She is. Yeah. And and to deserving. But again, like I just feel like.
00:14:55
Speaker
It's just just not new enough. you know like For me, it it's for this award. In my brain, I just feel like it's wrong, a wrong match just because she's been around for a while. I will say too, I would not be mad if Shaboozy won it just based off of him being this like black country artist who's just dominating right now.
00:15:14
Speaker
And right yeah because because of Cowboy Carter's influence, you know, Let's Be Real, thank you Beyonce, you know, which is exactly what the album was kind of set out to do, right, is to set these people up for success. yeah So i would I would not be mad if he won it and I wouldn't be surprised either if if they considered that. um The only people I will be upset if they win is Mr. Benson Boone. Sorry to this man and and Teddy swims, you know, beautiful voice. Sure. But yeah somebody, somebody lied to these men several times and told them that they were fly hot, sexy and beautiful. When in reality, they're nothing of the sort.
00:15:56
Speaker
Literally. I mean, Benson Boone's cute. He's cute to look at. I like to look at him. Come on. But no, yeah, I could. I know that I've heard that song of his a million times on the radio. I couldn't sing it right now. I was just going to try to. And I was like, wait, how does that song even go? um And I know he loves these beautiful things that I got. Something like that. Question mark. so There's something about beauty. Yeah, something about being beautiful in it. um Teddy Swims is that like loose control song, not my loose control.
00:16:25
Speaker
Absolutely not. Not my Fat Man Scoop. Mm-hmm. Not my suit featuring Sierra, RIP to this man. um I do think one last note about Best New Artist, I do think the Grimeys need to get it together as far as like what constitutes as being a new artist moving forward because now with the more than ever with the internet and how algorithmic everything is, that's why there has been a lot of controversy with this particular category this year, as we've mentioned, like because of the s Sabrina Carpenter and the Dochie and the Krong Ben and Ray and Yeah, like all of these people have been around and have established fan bases for quite some time. I can understand someone like, you know, maybe within like two, maybe, you know, maybe they blew up two years ago. Right. maybe I can understand that potentially. Yeah. Yeah. All of these people have been around for five plus years so that and have been established in the music industry. Right. So Grammys get it together. Get it together.

Record of the Year Predictions

00:17:22
Speaker
um Next up on my list, I have Song of the Year, which okay so which is the Songwriter's Award. songwriters award yep So that means to the listeners out there, if the artist performing the song did not write the song,
00:17:39
Speaker
they would not get this award. It would go to its songwriters. So ah the songs of the year, again, there's eight nominees in this category. We have a bar song, Tipsy by Shaboozie. We have Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish. We have Die with a Smile ah by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. We have Fortnite by Jack Ant, excuse me, by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone. I mean, essentially Jack Antenna. We have Good Luck Babe by Chapel Room.
00:18:10
Speaker
um We have Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar. We have Please, Please, Please by Sabrina Carpenter. And then we have Texas Hold'em by Beyonce.
00:18:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, a lot of stack again, a lot of this is pretty stacked. yeah I'm happy with kind of like, I guess like it feels like die with the smell feels like a later entry. I just feel like that song just came out for some reason. Right. It it came out. it You know, I was gonna say it came out when we were going to Chicago. It was announced, I think, on our way to Chicago because I was making memes in the car when my brother was driving me.
00:18:44
Speaker
to the Airbnb. So, um, but yeah, I mean, it was, it was released back in August, but, um, so it may just made the Grammy cut off point. Yeah. Um, and I will say die with a smile is like, I would say a cut and paste kind of like version of what the Grammys would award for song of the year, you know?
00:19:09
Speaker
Yeah, they so they sound great on it. They do. They really sound great on it. But both you and I are not like listening to the song. You know, it was not like certainly not. No, um I would be happy if they want it. I know that Bruno Mars, I think that he famously has not lost any category of his in the last like five or six years. I didn't know that. Yeah, that's pretty impressive.
00:19:30
Speaker
It is. And so that doesn't mean that he's going to win this time, but I could see it going to that. I could absolutely see it going to birds of a feather. I was going to say if I had one, if you ask me, ah I want to I want to ask you this, too. OK, I think it's kind of fun to be like, who do you think is going to win based off of like your Grammys predictions? Not like no bias, right? And then who would you like to win personally? So, yeah, I'll let you answer that.
00:19:58
Speaker
Based on the Grammys, the way that they vote and and and how they award artists, so it seems ah that ah throughout my observations over the years, I do think it's gonna go to Billie Eilish for Birds of a Feather. um I agree. Yeah, I would love, personally would love the Song of the Year Award go to um either Chapel Grown or Beyonce for Texas Hold'em.
00:20:26
Speaker
um And the reason why I say Texas Hold'em, ah true I mean, we we knew the theories of her going into the country genre um with act two, but like the fact that she came out swinging with like a straight up country pop song like that,
00:20:44
Speaker
like arguably the most country obviously it's country, but it's also I would argue like one of the most pop songs Beyonce has put out probably since single ladies. Like that's a good point. Yeah. So I just think yeah. yeah Infiltrated social media just in every like overplayed for sure.
00:21:02
Speaker
overplayed, but I mean, it truly was just a talk about a reinvention, you know, coming from her house dance inspired Renaissance album into this. Like, I just I think that it like what a fresh way to kick off a new album. So that's why I want it. um Plus, I plus I really do like Texas Hold'em personally.

Cultural Impact of Kendrick Lamar

00:21:22
Speaker
I do like it.
00:21:23
Speaker
I never, I've never been a fan of this one. I've never butve been a fan of this one. i've I've listened to it. Don't get me wrong. And I, and i I appreciate it for what it is, but and never been a fan of this. I preferred 16 carriages over this when it came out. I think I was very vocal about that. So I don't think this will win. I don't really, I won't be mad if it does, but I don't, for for me, I think that Billie Eilish was going to win for her song, which she's talented, but also like there's a part of me that's just tired of it because it's just this predictability that gets really old. Yeah. Because there's a lot of great songs on here. I personally would love to see Chapel, Chapel Rhone win good for good luck babe because the bridge is unlike anything I have heard in the last five years. This bridge fucking explodes. Name another song that takes you on a journey like this song does in the year of our Lord 2024.
00:22:18
Speaker
You know, you'll you'll be waiting here a long time. So I think that that completely deserving. I will also say like the cultural significance of like Kendrick Lamar is not like us. You literally can't escape that song. I can tell you living in Atlanta, like it's everywhere. Yeah, it really.
00:22:33
Speaker
And just as a clap back to Drake, I remember I was in Hawaii when it came out, when that whole saga was happening. And and again, like I like some rap music. I actually really enjoy Kendrick Lamar, but rap as a whole, not really my forte, but I was so invested in this like back and forth between them yeah and their diss tracks. And this song is just like flawless in terms of like a delivery like that. So I could see that winning. That would be cool. And I would be OK with that.
00:23:01
Speaker
And it seems like this is quite the conversation, too, on the internet a little bit, is that the fact that a diss track made it into the Grammys as a nominee for song of the year is a pretty good deal. It's yes well Yeah. We talked about songwriting. I mean, wrote that in what, like, a day? Crazy. that That takes like, I mean, say what you will about rap, but like, that is like, that is a talented ass man. And I want to talk about him. I'll get into it later, but this new album he released is Truly incredible. Like it but it blew me away. You loved it. Yeah, I absolutely love it. And I can't wait to talk about it. Yeah. um Yeah. i I understood that when you were Snapchatting me yesterday, we said squabble up. I was just like, I this was like, what? And now I get it. Now I get it.
00:23:50
Speaker
Yeah, it was it's really amazing. I think he's had a really good year. um yeah Yeah, yeah, for him. Good for you, Mr. Lamar. um But yeah, I, you know, any other of the songs, I mean, I do not want it to go to Fortnite. Sorry to the Swifties out there.
00:24:06
Speaker
um but Where is Fortnite? Where has it been? I mean, it went nowhere. She's been sleeping, you know? she's It's funny because the Taylor Swift of it all this year, I mean, obviously hurt she has an army of an army of an army of a fan base, right? So it's clear that, yes, lots of people are consuming her music, but outside of the world of her fan base, you don't hear Fortnite.
00:24:33
Speaker
you And you don't really hear about the Tortured Poets Department. No. Okay. Unless you're a sixth grade girl on a playlist with repeat 500 times, so you can like get her going. You're not really hearing this song. Also, just really quick note too on Sabrina Carpenter.
00:24:51
Speaker
Why on earth did they choose this one over espresso? Is there just just curious about that? I thought that was kind of an odd choice. Maybe because of the like tongue in cheek lyrics and sure and whatnot. I mean, the lyrics are funny. Yeah, yeah I mean.
00:25:10
Speaker
I don't know. I thought that was a little odd. Yeah. But yeah, and me we' see so well I Next up on the list, I have Record of the Year, um which I thought was really interesting. So we have a ah lot of crossover from the Song of the Year, which I feel like has been kind of on trend in the last several years of the Grammys. I feel like Record of the Year and Song of the Year. I wish that they were a little bit more different, yeah wish you know, but, you know, it makes it confusing for the average viewer too. It's like it doesn't equate like it doesn't make sense.
00:25:45
Speaker
Right. And so, record of the year, we've got Now and Then by The Beatles. um We have Texas Hold'em by Beyonce. We have Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. We have 360 by Charli XCX. Birds of a Feather by Bailey Eilish. Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar. Good Luck Babe by Chapel Roan and Fortnite by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone.
00:26:09
Speaker
It's quite the list. quite be ah i don't like I mean, again, I could see it going to Billy just because of the Grammys, but with this one, I'm a little less unsure of like where it's going to go.
00:26:21
Speaker
you know i Here's my thing, if we are truly going off of like record of the year, because to me to me this, when it says record of the year, if song of the year is the songwriter's award, record of the year, to me this is like the, quote unquote, hit of the year, right? And we know we know what that is, right? Espresso. Espresso. It's espresso. Let's be real. That was everywhere. You cannot escape it. It is it was the song of the summer. It's song of the year.
00:26:48
Speaker
start of the year truly like and that's somewhat say I say that as I famously was not really into espresso didn't really start getting into it and I'm still not like 100% behind it but I have now a soft spot because we just heard it we heard it so much at market days yeah I felt like we were walking down the street we heard it we heard it in all the bars and all the clubs like it's you truly cannot and still can't you still hear it and so I've loved it since it hit my ears. Ever since it hit my ears. I've loved it. Your little coffee loving ears. I love it. I love it so much. So I think that if we're going based on that, it should go to espresso.
00:27:30
Speaker
um But we know how the Grammys are. So we know how to get those Grammy voters. we know how well no I feel like it's gonna go to Billy. um It could very much. It could very well go to Billy. Let me tell you something though. If it goes to the Beatles, who the fuck is listening to this? And I look, I like the Beatles. Don't get me wrong. Who is listening to that song? Are Beatles fans? Who knows? If they award it to that,
00:27:54
Speaker
I'm done with the scammies. It would not be the record of the year. like that Let's be very clear. And I don't even think that that song should have been nominated. like i I'm just kind of sitting here kind of like... No, they like they the only reason is because they're the Beatles. That's why it was nominated. you know it's it's And we're seeing that with Taylor Swift in a way. We're seeing the same kind of effects of like, if you're this larger than life artist, you will be awarded just for being that artist.
00:28:21
Speaker
Yeah, I kind of I mean, I don't think it's going to go to her. I would love to see Charlie XCX get it for 360. But in my heart, that's what I want. Right. Yeah. That's what I want in my heart. ah We we have never I don't think we've ever seen a dance pop song like that win record of the year. To my knowledge, i I can't think of anyone that has done that. So I don't think it's going to happen, but I would love that.
00:28:47
Speaker
And just just because she's had such a monumental year, I just want it for her. I would love for her to sweep. Do you what I mean? like That would be a dream. I would, that's what I want. That's what I want. Cause I think Charlie is up for seven Grammys on herself. I think the project overall has nine because I think that she's also nominated for music video and recording package, but that doesn't go to her. It goes to like, to the team of people who made the music video and the album packaging. So, I mean, gosh, that would be really amazing to see her.
00:29:22
Speaker
yeah all of her I mean, she's going to get at least one. I have a feeling that she's going to get at least one. Yeah, for sure. And you know, and I love that because I mean, this has been a long time coming for Charlie XCX and absolutely deserves all the success that she's had with the BRAT album, which brings us to album of the year, which again, eight nominations or eight nominees. We've got Andre 3000, New Blue Sun.
00:29:51
Speaker
Cowboy Carter by Beyonce, Short and Sweet Sabrina Carpenter, Brat by Charlie XCX, Jesse Volume 4 by Jacob Collier, Hit Me Hard and Soft by Billie Eilish, the rise in the fall excuse me The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Chapel Rhone, and the Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift. Sorry, I'm just, I'm exhausted by that. I mean, let's be so fucking for real.
00:30:15
Speaker
i Here's the thing, out of all the categories, I can see an argument for every single one of those people to win. I can see an argument for everything. Because here's the thing, i've I personally have not heard New Blue Sun by Andre 3000, but I know that people love Andre 3000. I know he's very talented. so Yeah. I love when he contributes to songs. I don't listen to his music, but I love him in things. Yeah. Yeah. Where was his nomination for Bubble Pop Electric?
00:30:49
Speaker
That's what I want to know. Right, Johnny. Come on, come on Johnny. Get out of here. um But I could see an argument for Jacob Collier in the sense of like Jacob Collier is produces all of his own music. He does all of his own like like watching him produce Bridge Over Troubled Water, which I believe he did for this album. He did that with Tori Kelly and John Legend. um But there is an eight. The Simon and Garfunkel song.
00:31:16
Speaker
They did a cover of it. And there is an eight minute video on YouTube where he is vocal producing it with Tori in her bedroom. They said that they had one hour. She was on her way to a show. She had one hour before. And so he and they were just kind of literally riffing off of each other. He's like, why don't you do this? And he like does this like little thing or whatever. And then she's like doing it.
00:31:38
Speaker
absolutely insane to watch them do it. And it seems so effortless. And he's doing it in all these little pieces, kind of the way that you and I are just kind of recording back and forth right now. And then to hear the final product of like these stacked vocals of all these different harmonies and things by things that he pieced together. It was out of this world. So that said, I could see a case for that.
00:32:08
Speaker
It's like how Mariah Carey does it where she's like, it wants the instruments to sound this way and she's able to vocalize that. Right. Yeah. That's, I mean, that's pretty, bad that's pretty mind blowing. I'll say it like about my girl, like that's mind blowing. It is. Yeah. Well, I think that this award, if I had to take an educated guess is going to Billie Eilish. That's just how I feel. Uh, I.
00:32:32
Speaker
I don't want to say I hope it doesn't because I know she's talented. And a lot of people really love this album that I've talked to. They really, really like this album for me. Again, it's just not for me. There's something about her music that just does not hit or resonate with me. I don't know what it is. I don't know why, but I know she's talented. So she wins. You know, obviously it's deserving. It goes without saying.
00:32:53
Speaker
The just the impact culturally brat has had on culture brat green is the color I mean she basically invented a new color in a way like this is now brat green and nothing else and The way that I'm still listening to brat. It's the end of November the album came out in June and I'm still Actively listening to the songs. I haven't taken a break from it. yeah It is One of the best it's by far one of the best albums I have heard in the last 15 to 20 years. it is I feel so strongly about it. My love for it keeps growing when she released the um Brat and it's completely it's completely different but also still Brat album.
00:33:36
Speaker
I was blown away once again by that album. We talked about it a little bit. Yeah. And but just to kind of like for her to reinvigorate the album that got me excited about it all over again and all the songs. And I would just ah she's worked her fucking ass off to get to this point. And I would just love for her to see it. It would be such an underdog moment.
00:33:58
Speaker
And it just would it would be everything. I mean, the obviously like we would be ablaze like Twitter would be ablaze. You know, it would just be amazing to watch her. Yeah. Grab that. And I really hope it happens. I know. i I hope so, too. I I I do think that there is a strong chance I think that out of out of all the nominees, I think the ones that have the strongest pull are Bratt,

Album of the Year Debate

00:34:29
Speaker
cowboy Carter, hit me hard and soft, and the rising fall of the Midwest princess. I think that those are the big four that for me, where my my my soul is saying, hey, like those are going to be, it's going to be one of those four.
00:34:46
Speaker
That said though, I also think it could go to Andre 3000 because they love to throw a curve ball. And he's elected. I mean, he's absolutely. It'll be like a kind of a back moment where. Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. know um But you know famously, the the Grammys over the years, one trend that I have noticed is that they don't seem to award in the big four albums that have an army of songwriters and producers. For whatever reason, they don't do it. and
00:35:19
Speaker
and I know there's a lot of conversation on the internet about, you know, especially in the black community, it's all about collaboration and and all of that stuff. And I think that that is a very valid thing. But I can also understand the logic of like when you have an album that's created by 100 people versus an album that's created by two,
00:35:43
Speaker
It, you know, I understand that type of logic in a way, right? Unfortunately, we don't treat movies the same way. Like, it does not. Well, my thing is, like, if that's the case, then write out those, you know, prerequisites, you know, make it make it known because not having it known is not fair. Right. And why even nominate the album then? Right. I agree. You know what I mean? So for but for me, I really don't think how big Carter is going to win it. If you ask me in like,
00:36:13
Speaker
April, what album I wanted to an album of the year. I would have said cowboy Carter cause it's my second favorite album of the year right behind Brad. Um, it's a great project, but you know, I think if she was ever gonna win album of the year, it should have been Renaissance, you know, and lemonade. Um, yeah this, this album, I don't know if I see it winning.
00:36:32
Speaker
Here's what I would love in an and an ideal scenario. I would love for brat to pick up album of the year and I think it would be even more impactful if Beyonce won country album of the year for cowboy carter. That's to say fuck you to the CMAs. I would love that. I'm really hoping that's what happens. I don't know how country album of the year is going to play out nor do I ever care.
00:36:53
Speaker
ever and until this year. But because, ah you know, for you and I, Cowboy Cutter is so beloved and it's such an amazing project. Unfortunately, it's one of those things where I do find myself not revisiting it a ton. I so i do revisit it. Don't get me wrong.
00:37:08
Speaker
yeah But like you have to listen to it and it's full project. Again, it's like going on a car trip. We've talked about that. It's like it's like hard to pick songs from it without listening to to them in like certain blocks or as a whole. And because of that, it's just not as sustainable of a listen as like Renaissance or a lot of her previous work. So I don't know if I see it winning, but country album that would be huge. And I hope that happens. I really do. Yeah. And I think that brat is up for a debt best dance ah or not. ah Sorry, it's best. Like I think electronic album or like dance album. So I think that there's a solid chance for her winning that for sure. So if either of those albums won in those respective categories, I'd be very happy. Yeah. um
00:37:58
Speaker
But I do there is a solid chance we could see I think that it's wild to think that there we could see Charlie XCX win album of the year over Beyonce. And that would set Twitter on fire.
00:38:10
Speaker
And I never, if you would have asked me like a year ago if I ever would have been like, that's okay. I would have said, absolutely not. But this year, I agree. I agree with that, which is, it's it's like almost hard for me to say that. Cause you know, I love Beyonce so much, but, and it's just so so deserving of album of the year, but also there's just nothing like Brat.
00:38:28
Speaker
Yeah. And also just like, that you know, obviously there's the Diddy controversy, which Beyonce has been pulled into unfairly. um and Her being maniacal at like 15 years old. Right. Exactly. Just, you know, plotting all of this. And people are, you know, it's become a joke with everyone thanking Beyonce at award shows. And so just, ba you know, with that controversy, I mean, I don't think the Grammys really take that into much consideration, but it's just kind of like,
00:38:58
Speaker
And you might have been the one that point this out to me, too, like last year, Jay Z's whole speech at the Grammys about Beyonce not getting Elm of the Year. It now puts a weird taste in people's mouths if she does win it this year, because it's like, oh, did you did she win just because her husband was like, hey, you guys should have given this to her but already, which is not fair. Like she Beyonce is very deserving of album there for several of her albums. And can men please stop talking for women, please? Like to stop.
00:39:34
Speaker
Yeah. like Because you and I even said like when that happened this year, we were like embarrassed for her. we were like i was I thought I felt, I mean, again, the sentiment was wonderful. And I understood where he was coming from, yeah but just the way about going about it. And again, like I know he's her husband. I get it. But like it felt a little bit like, OK, you're still kind of taking this moment from her. And I felt like she was a bit embarrassed. And we we talked about this before, but There's a history of people embarrassing Beyonce publicly, and I'm really tired of it, and it needs to stop happening. And if you win Album of the Year, don't go up there and say, oh, Beyonce, you should have won this, and and give your crown out like Mean Girls, OK? Just accept the album. Just yeah stop, OK? Like, please stop. But that being said, love her. I would love for her to win. um Yeah.
00:40:32
Speaker
yeah you know I also think that there is a chance that we could see potentially Chapel Rhone sweep. I think it's less of a chance than the way that Bailey Eilish swept a few years back. A chweep. A chweep. A chweep. But i would I think that would be really fun to see Chapel Rhone.
00:40:54
Speaker
Didn't Olivia Rodrigo sweep or am I misremembering that? I don't think she swept. I think that she had got, I don't remember what she had gotten, but she did not sweep. No. She got like a few, a few words, right? few that few of the big ones Yeah. And so I don't know.
00:41:14
Speaker
i mean all tough It's a tough call, but I hope the chapel room, excuse me, I'm sorry, I don't know what that was. um You know, I hope the chapel room fans don't come for me, but that album's not better than Brat or Cowboy Carter. It's a cute album. It's a cute album. It's a cute album. It's good.
00:41:35
Speaker
But is it better than some of these other ones? No, in my opinion, no. And that's not to take away from her as an artist and what she can do and and you know whatever. um yeah I do think Good Luck Babe is better than that album. So I'm excited to see what the next phase of music looks like. I know she has some tracks confirmed and you know that's that's happening. I feel like I would love to see her more so sweep I think in her sophomore era.
00:42:04
Speaker
That would be really cool. but yeah Yeah, I'm I'm very curious to see what she does. I'm very curious. This whole I mean, I don't even know if I would call it a rollout yet, but the fact that she is now debuted two new songs live, the subway and the giver, both songs start with the and um has yet to release them is very interesting to me. And it's making me wonder.
00:42:27
Speaker
If the whole concept with this new album is that she's going to perform the songs live, but then release the whole thing at once without really releasing anything, which I think would kind of be really smart in this era of where we are just constantly edged with snippets and teasers for weeks and weeks and weeks. And then we get like a two minute song where we've basically already heard the song already for two weeks.
00:42:53
Speaker
you know It feels really anticlimactic, so I'm curious to see what she does with that. um I'm also curious to see like if all of these people are going to perform. like Will Beyonce perform at the Grammys, and if so, what song will she perform? yeah but which What song from Cabo Carta would you want her to perform at the Grammys?
00:43:13
Speaker
I think Bodyguard would be appropriate and cute and Bodyguard was also nominated for best pop solo performance. that i I think a lot of people really have fallen in love with that song and because she just kind of released it as a visualizer recently, I think it would be good to make me tap into that.
00:43:31
Speaker
yeah um But we're also talking next year, so I don't know what will happen, you know? Sure. But yeah, I think that would be a good one. I mean, what would I like to see? I would like to see a crazy performance of Sweet Honey Book, and that's what I would like to see. That would be amazing. Oh, my God. not gonna That's not going to happen. Yeah. What the can we just talk for a second? I don't know if you know the answer to this.
00:43:57
Speaker
I think we might've talked about this on our podcast last year, but these categories of some of these things besides the big four best melodic rap rap performance. and yeah why yeah i don't i I don't really know what that means. I think that's kind of when rappers do kind of a sing-songy type of style of rap. Or feature someone within within that as well. But is it spaghetti isn't Spaghetti nominated for that?
00:44:25
Speaker
Yeah. So I hope that wins. Yeah. Um, you know, if that's the case, uh, it's the, the one on here, I would hope that wins. It would be, that would be really cool because that, as again, with the significance of cowboy Carter and kind of really lifting up, you know, voices of black people within country music, that'd be really cool. Cause then that would go to Linda Martell and Shaboozie and Shaboozie. Yeah. So that would be awesome. That would be really, really cool. Um,
00:44:52
Speaker
Yeah, i I would love Beyonce to perform a medley from cowboy Carter, but really would love to see like American Requiem performed live. I think we'll get that. I think we'll get that during the halftime show on Christmas. I hope so. That would that's going to be a good one live. ah Like that's going to be something.
00:45:12
Speaker
Yeah, I can't wait for that. little It's going to be wild. Oh, but we'll see. I back to you what you think about her possibly announcing act three during the halftime show. um I think there's a possibility she could announce a tour. That's what people are saying, but I I don't think she cares about cowboy. Carter is not enough. You know,
00:45:38
Speaker
I think she might might do a tour of the country in rock album, like some from, you know what I mean? And that makes sense because a lot of it is Americana like rock. Yeah. So I could see her doing that, but I'd be surprised if she announced the tour at this point for this album.
00:45:54
Speaker
I, yeah, I, you know, I don't know about if she doesn't care about the album because she said when the album was really said it's her favorite. It's her favorite project that she's ever done. and Well, that's interesting because it doesn't feel right. But I will say that next year she turns 44 and we know that her favorite number is four.
00:46:16
Speaker
And so I think something major is going to happen. I think that we obviously will get act

Beyoncé's Future Projects

00:46:21
Speaker
three. And I also think that we're going to get a feature length film featuring visuals from all three albums. I think that has been.
00:46:29
Speaker
you know, in the, in space for a while. And I think that that is going to come to fruition as well. Yeah. to like And to your point about, sorry, I didn't have to call you off, but like to your point too, about the, this album, unfortunately the general public is not interested in the album the way that people were interested in Renaissance. So I still think that Beyonce can do a huge tour, but I don't think the focus will be cowboy Carter. I don't think there would be an interest the way that it was with Renaissance.
00:46:58
Speaker
I think that's her fault though. I really do, because look at how big Texas Hold'em was. If she put more energy into releasing some singles, I mean, two most wanted could have been a moment. It was mildly hilarious. And I'm just a little upset and frustrated by, there you know, at first I was like, ah you know, because I know she's an artist and everything, but it just feels at this point like, what is the purpose of that? Like, why not like, you know, make this,
00:47:22
Speaker
a thing for your fans. You know, why not like let the seat some light and success? um I just feel like her team needed to promote some of these songs a bit more because they've just unfortunately gotten lost in this giant year of music. Yeah. I don't think that I don't think that her team necessarily anticipated this year being so staffed with music releases.
00:47:45
Speaker
her no one could have No one could have predicted Miss Bratt. No one predicted No one could have predicted 365 Party Girl. they just could not You couldn't. No, not at all. In my wildest dreams, I couldn't have predicted. so Should we do a little key? Should we have on a little line? Have a little line.
00:48:09
Speaker
um But speaking of lines, you know, I think it's time to do the famous section of songs we don't talk about enough. Jeff, do you have a song that we don't talk about enough? What does that have to do with lines? I don't know it's because songs have lines in them.
00:48:27
Speaker
what Um, I'm just going to throw it out there. This is, this is a left field for our genre, but I'm just going to give Kendrick Lamar some love and I'm throwing out the song reincarnated. It's called it samples Tupac. Um, it's, it's, this whole album is interjected with a lot of like West coast rap. So ah interesting. you're so nostalgic It's like that kind of groovy, like,
00:48:53
Speaker
Funky, honestly, kind of a weird sound that was in the 90s, like with with Tupac and those kind of artists in the West Coast. Yeah. And it's a sample from one of his songs and it just is so well done. The there's like dialogue on it with like him like talking to God. That's really beautiful in my opinion towards the end of it. The the kind of like.
00:49:17
Speaker
wrap there This is kind of like melodic in a lot of ways like the way that the way that he raps and his storytelling is just so beautiful and also what's really interesting is I love so he met this mariachi singer I just just found this out today because I was so curious about this this woman is on three of the songs and they're the kind of because Kendrick is an artist, right? Like he is like a Beyonce in that the that you have to listen to the project as a whole. And that's that's how the albums have been in the past as well. So like there's there's ah a beginning, a middle and an end. And the mariachi singer is on each of those points of the album. And I was I was curious why she was included to be honest. I think part of it is like, you know, with the Mexican culture of being big on the West Coast, like I think part of it was that. um But also he.
00:50:04
Speaker
met her, I guess, at like a Dodgers game. And he was just so impressed by her singing a song for one of the players, I guess, on the field. And they just hu linked up after

Kendrick Lamar's Masterpiece

00:50:15
Speaker
that. And he was like, I would love for you to be on my albums. She does like the intros for these songs. And it's really, really beautiful. So that that's featured on the song, reincarnated. It's really kind of like the middle of the album, like the turning point. And yeah, I mean, just just the album as a whole, like If anyone likes rap at all, I think you should listen to it. This was a surprise drop. And just for me, it cements him as.
00:50:40
Speaker
one of the greatest artists of our generation. I think he will go down as that truly. Wow. I really believe that. Yeah. I mean, I was a big fan of his like with the first couple of albums. I haven't listened to him in a while. If I'm being honest, I didn't find the last album very interesting. no But this album is truly like an art piece. It really is amazing. I can't say nothing. Nice things about it. Yeah. He's just incredible. I'm excited to see him at the Super Bowl.
00:51:10
Speaker
Yeah, go. Good for you, Mr. Lamar. And I'm sure this album is going to be huge. I know it's it's already being predicted that he's going to occupy like eight of the 10 spots on the Hot 100 next week. That happens a lot. I mean, I hate that. I hate that that happens. with that Yeah. But squabble up is going looking to be at number one. So let's celebrate that squabble. We love a squabble. Yeah. But it's great. Yeah.
00:51:37
Speaker
Yeah, good for him. I, I'm gonna choose this is gonna be completely out of nowhere. But this song to the UK listeners to the UK followers of mine, um this song, you're gonna be like, what the fuck? This is this was a hit. But to Americans, um people are probably like, unless you are a gay man of a certain in age, you'll be like,
00:51:59
Speaker
Who the hell? um There is a song that I've been listening to a ton recently. It's called Three Words. It's by the artist Cheryl, who was formerly in the girl group Girls Aloud. Cheryl Cole. And the song what it features Will.i.am. It is this really cool, dark,
00:52:20
Speaker
melodic dance pop, just extravaganza that I always associate with winter. It is one of my winter songs. I as soon as like November hits and the temperature drops, I start listening to it. and I don't know why I have to listen to it that way, but it has been sound tracking the last like week and a half for me.
00:52:43
Speaker
It will probably be one of my most played song this November. Like I cannot get enough of it. The video is really interesting. It's like very like kaleidoscope like with like these like interesting effects where it like it's like a normal shot of a room and then it kind of turns into this kaleidoscope effect and then it kind of somehow reconnects. I am still trying to figure out that camera work and how that or how they did that. um But yeah, I'm obsessed with that song. It was a top tenet in the UK. What year are we talking?
00:53:12
Speaker
Uh, this came out in like 2009 or 2010. That's exactly what I was going to guess based off of the way you were describing it and will I am being featured on her? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Interesting. Come on. yeah whole also yeah She's probably going through a lot right now. Probably RIP Liam Payne. It's crazy. I still think about it. Yeah. It's crazy that that happened. It's absolutely nuts. And.
00:53:38
Speaker
I mean, I found out the day. I'll never forget this because the day I one of a friend of ours, I'll just say that because I don't want to like get him in trouble. But I mean, a friend of ours told me that Lady Gaga's new single was coming out, told me that about like a week prior till it was or her. It could be a woman. It could be a her or it could be a they um anyway told me that the song was going to be coming out a few days before its official release.
00:54:08
Speaker
and literally with same

Cheryl's Song and Episode Wrap-Up

00:54:10
Speaker
breath. was like, oh, my God. And it was a screenshot from Popcrave that Lee and Payne had passed away. Like, so sad. So sad. Yeah, I'm not a one directioner. I've never been. But it's still like you can't. It's just a phenomenon you couldn't miss, like the Spice Girls or anything else. and Right. It's really sad because even if you don't like them, like you still know who they all are and kind of what they bring. And I always thought he was one of the really cute ones. So.
00:54:38
Speaker
I know he was really cute. I know it is sad. He was cute. Him and Zayn were like my fav. Yeah. And then solo career, unfortunately, didn't really pop off the way the others did. But he got that stripped that down for me, though. That kind of popped off. yeah that That was a little bit of a hit. I personally like to song with Zed. Get low.
00:54:57
Speaker
ah thought that that was a little bit of a banger. So, but yeah, well, not to end on like a sad note, but thanks for joining me on the first episode of homophonic. I really appreciate it. I'm so excited for this journey. I know it's going to be, it's going to be a journey. We're going to find out, but everyone, thank you for listening and I'll catch you on the next episode. Cheers. Bye.