Today Billboard reported that Adele’s fourth studio album 30 is the top-selling album of 2021 – and in just three days. The record was previously held by Taylor Swift’s Evermore. Despite this impressive achievement (though we kind of expected it anyways) you might have been surprised that Adele was absent from the 2022 Grammy Awards nominations.
Before Adele’s army of loyal followers take to Twitter, it should be noted that she didn’t qualify – for this year anyway. Both “Easy On Me” which was released on October 15 and the newly-released album missed the deadline for eligibility of September 30. All it means is that we will have to wait and see Adele make a clean sweep in 2023. The “Hello” artist already carries 15 Grammy Awards to her name.
In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Adele wasn’t looking to make a hit on this album. Rather it was just a form of therapy following her divorce from Simon Konecki.
“I’m never going into the studio to be like, ‘Right, I need another hit,'” she explained. “It’s not like that for me. When something is more powerful and overwhelming than me, I like to go to a studio because it’s normally a basement, and there’s no f–king windows and no reception, so no one can get ahold of me. So, I’m basically running away. And no one would’ve known I’d written that record. And it’s like maybe I just had to get it out of my system and stuff.”
As for the front runners for the 64th annual Grammy Awards, Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and SZA all have eight nominations to their names. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo trail with seven while Jay-Z became the most Grammy nominated artist in history with an additional three nominations.
The 2022 Grammy Awards will air on January 31, 2022. See the full list of nominations, below.
RECORD OF THE YEAR
ABBA – I Still Have Faith in You
Jon Batiste – Freedom
Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga – I Get a Kick Out of You
Justin Bieber, Daniel Cesar, Giveon – Peaches
Brandi Carlile – Right on Time
Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me by Your Name)
Olivia Rodrigo – Drivers License
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
We Are – Jon Batiste
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – Love for Sale
Justin Bieber – Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
Doja Cat – Planet Her (Deluxe)
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
SONG OF THE YEAR
Ed Sheeran – Bad Habits
Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile – A Beautiful Noise
Olivia Rodrigo – Drivers License
H.E.R. – Fight for You
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me by Your Name)
Justin Bieber, Daniel Cesar, Giveon – Peaches
Brandi Carlile – Right on Time
BEST NEW ARTIST
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Justin Bieber – Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
Doja Cat – Planet Her (Deluxe)
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Ariana Grande – Positions
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC RECORDING
Afrojack & David Guetta – Hero
Ólafur Arnalds, Bonobo – Loom
James Blake – Before
Bonobo, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Heartbreak
Caribou – You Can Do It
Rüfüs du Sol – Alive
Tiësto – the Business
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Fleet Foxes – Shore
Halsey – If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Arlo Parks – Collapsed in Sunbeams
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
Snoh Aalegra – Lost You
Justin Bieber, Daniel Cesar, Giveon – Peaches
H.E.R. – Damage
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
Jazmine Sullivan – Pick Up Your Feelings
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar – Family Ties
Cardi B – Up
J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray – My Life
Drake, Future, Young Thug – Way Too Sexy
Megan Thee Stallion – Thot Shit
BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE
Jon Batiste – I Need You
BJ the Chicago Kid, PJ Morton, Kenyon Dixon, Charlie Bereal – Bring It on Home
Leon Bridges, Robert Glasper – Born Again
H.E.R. – Fight for You
Lucky Dave, Yebba – How Much Can a Heart Take
BEST RAP SONG
DMX, Jay-Z, Nas – Bath Salts
Saweetie, Doja Cat – best Friend
Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar – Family Ties
Kanye West, Jay-Z – Jail
J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray – My Life
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
Jack Antonoff
Rogét Chahayed
Mike Elizondo
Hit-Boy
Ricky Reed
