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60th Grammy nominations: JAY-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, Childish Gambino lead

JAY-Z performs in Florida in Nov. 2017 (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)
JAY-Z performs in Florida in Nov. 2017 (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)

by Jay Gabler

November 28, 2017

This morning the Grammy nominations were announced. This year's award ceremony will be held Jan. 28.

Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, JAY-Z, and Childish Gambino lead the major categories: all four are nominated in the Album of the Year and Record of the Year categories. Lorde's Melodrama rounds out the Album of the Year nominations, and the Luis Fonsi/Daddy Yankee smash "Despacito" is the fifth Record of the Year nominee. Overall, JAY-Z leads this year's Grammy pack with eight nominations. Lamar has seven, and Mars has six.

Nominees for Song of the Year, an award for songwriting, are "Despacito," "4:44" (recorded by JAY-Z), "Issues" (recorded by Julia Michaels), "1-800-273-8255" (recorded by Logic), and "That's What I Like" (recorded by Bruno Mars). Best New Artist nominees are Alessia Cara, Khalid, Lil Uzi Vert, Julia Michaels, and SZA.

Among artists with Minnesota connections, north country native Bob Dylan was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Triplicate). The Minnesota Orchestra was nominated for Best Orchestral Performance, for its recording of Mahler's Fifth Symphony under the baton of Osmo Vänskä. Across the river, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra earned a nomination for their recording of Schubert's Death and the Maiden with star violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja.

Other notable nominations include a posthumous nod for Chris Cornell in the Best Rock Performance category, for "The Promise." Best Alternative Music Album nominees are Arcade Fire (Everything Now), Gorillaz (Humanz), LCD Soundsystem (American Dream), Father John Misty (Pure Comedy), and The National (Sleep Well Beast). Another posthumous nod goes to Leonard Cohen, who's nominated in the Best American Roots Performance category for "Steer Your Way."

Best Rap Album nominees include JAY-Z (4:44); Kendrick Lamar (DAMN.); Migos (Culture); Rapsody (Laila's Wisdom); and Tyler, the Creator (Flower Boy). Cardi B won social-media cheers when her track "Bodak Yellow," which was a rarity as a chart-topping single by a solo female rap artist, was nominated in the Best Rap Song category.

Brian Eno, superstar producer and ambient music pioneer, was nominated for Best New Age Album, for Reflection. In that category, Eno finds himself in some additional crossover company: neo-soul star India.Arie gets a nod there as well.

The Best Spoken Word Album category, which includes full audiobooks, includes a nomination for Bruce Springsteen reading his autobiography Born to Run. His competition includes the late Carrie Fisher, reading her own memoir The Princess Diaries; and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

For Best Music Video, Jain's jubilant "Makeba" is nominated alongside Beck's "Up All Night," JAY-Z's "The Story of O.J.," Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE.", and "1-800-273-8255."

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