The 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards ceremony is this Sunday, February 10th and at this point it’s anyone’s guess as to which albums will emerge triumphant in the major categories. But while we await confirmation of the winners Sunday evening, we’ve compiled the consensus results from our recent reader and staff polls, in which they voted for the albums they believe to be most deserving in each category. To be clear, their votes are based on the albums they believe deserve to win, not the albums they believe will actually win.
Check out the results below and discover to what extent our readers and staff agree or disagree. And be sure to tune in to the GRAMMY Awards ceremony Sunday, February 10th at 8pm ET/5pm PT on CBS.
UPDATE (February 10th): Winners of the respective categories are reflected below. Our readers sure do know their stuff!
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Readers’ Pick: Kacey Musgraves | Golden Hour WINNER
Staff’s Pick: Janelle Monáe | Dirty Computer
Other Nominees:
Cardi B | Invasion of Privacy
Brandi Carlile | By the Way, I Forgive You
Drake | Scorpion
H.E.R. | H.E.R.
Post Malone | Beerbongs & Bentleys
Various Artists | Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By
BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Barbra Streisand | The Music…The Mem’ries…The Magic!
Staff’s Pick: Willie Nelson | My Way WINNER
Other Nominees:
Tony Bennett & Diana Krall | Love Is Here to Stay
Gregory Porter | Nat “King” Cole & Me
Seal | Standards (Deluxe)
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: P!nk | Beautiful Trauma
Staff’s Pick: Ariana Grande | Sweetener WINNER
Other Nominees:
Camila Cabello | Camila
Kelly Clarkson | Meaning of Life
Shawn Mendes | Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift | Reputation
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Fall Out Boy | Mania
Staff’s Pick: Alice in Chains | Rainier Fog
Other Nominees:
Ghost | Prequelle
Greta Van Fleet | From the Fires WINNER
Weezer | Pacific Daydream
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Beck | Colors WINNER
Staff’s Pick: Beck | Colors WINNER
Other Nominees:
Arctic Monkeys | Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino
Björk | Utopia
David Byrne | American Utopia
St. Vincent | Masseduction
BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: The Carters (Beyoncé & JAY-Z) | Everything Is Love WINNER
Staff’s Pick: Meshell Ndegeocello | Ventriloquism
Other Nominees:
Chloe x Halle | The Kids Are Alright
Chris Dave and The Drumhedz | Chris Dave and The Drumhedz
Miguel | War & Leisure
BEST R&B ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Toni Braxton | Sex & Cigarettes
Staff’s Pick: Lalah Hathaway | Honestly
Other Nominees:
Leon Bridges | Good Thing
H.E.R. | H.E.R. WINNER
PJ Morton | Gumbo Unplugged (Live)
BEST RAP ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Cardi B | Invasion of Privacy WINNER
Staff’s Pick: Mac Miller | Swimming
Other Nominees:
Nipsey Hussle | Victory Lap
Pusha T | DAYTONA
Travis Scott | Astroworld
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Kacey Musgraves | Golden Hour WINNER
Staff’s Pick: Kacey Musgraves | Golden Hour WINNER
Other Nominees:
Kelsea Ballerini | Unapologetically
Brothers Osborne | Port Saint Joe
Ashley McBryde | Girl Going Nowhere
Chris Stapleton | From a Room: Volume 2
BEST AMERICANA ALBUM
Readers’ Pick: Brandi Carlile | By the Way, I Forgive You WINNER
Staff’s Pick: John Prine | The Tree of Forgiveness
Other Nominees:
Bettye LaVette | Things Have Changed
Lee Ann Womack | The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone
The Wood Brothers | One Drop of Truth
VIEW Previous Readers’ Polls here