8th An 5 nu e a h l T

G s ra d m ar my Aw ALBUM OF THE YEAR Five unanimously acclaimed records — eclectic ones, too — representing rock, hip-hop, country, pop and R&B

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Sound & Color To Pimp A Butterfly Traveller 1989 Beauty Behind ALABAMA SHAKES KENDRICK LAMAR CHRIS STAPLETON TAYLOR SWIFT The Madness PRODUCERS Alabama PRODUCERS Taz Arnold, PRODUCERS Dave Cobb, PRODUCERS Jack Antonoff, THE WEEKND Shakes, Blake Mills Boi-1Da, Ronald Colson, Chris Stapleton Nathan Chapman, Imogen PRODUCERS Dannyboy- ENGINEER/MIXER Larrance Dopson, Flying ENGINEER/MIXER Heap, Max Martin, styles, Ben Diehl, Labrinth, Shawn Everett Lotus, Fredrik “Tommy Vance Powell Mattman & Robin, Ali Mano, Max Martin, Stephan MASTERING ENGINEER Black” Halldin, Knxwledge, MASTERING ENGINEER Payami, Shellback, Taylor Moccio, Carlo Montagnese, Bob Ludwig Koz, Lovedragon, Pete Lyman Swift, Ryan Tedder, Noel Ali Payami, The Pope, LABEL ATO Records Terrace Martin, Rahki, LABEL Mercury/Nashville Zancanella Jason Quenneville, Peter Sounwave, Tae Beast, ENGINEERS/MIXERS Jack Svensson, Abel Tesfaye, Alabama Shakes may be Stapleton was widely Thundercat, Whoarei, Antonoff, Mattias Bylund, Kanye West perceived as an underdog in expected to get a best new Pharrell Williams Smith Carlson, Nathan ENGINEERS/MIXERS Jay the album category, with a artist nod, until it was ENGINEERS/MIXERS Chapman, Serban Ghenea, Paul Bicknell, Mattias lower commercial profile this revealed he was ineligible Derek “Mixedbyali” Ali, John Hanes, Imogen Heap, Bylund, Serban Ghenea, week on the Billboard 200 because of previous Thomas Burns, James “The Sam Holland, Michael Ilbert, Noah Goldstein, John than the group’s four nominations for his one-time White Black Man” Hunt, Brendan Morawski, Laura Hanes, Sam Holland, competitors. But a prefix band, The Steeldrivers. 9th Wonder, Matt Schaeffer Sisk, Ryan Tedder Jean Marie Horvat, Carlo like “under” hardly seems What wasn’t predicted — MASTERING ENGINEER MASTERING ENGINEER Montagnese, Jason relevant in the face of Brittany by anybody — was his Mike Bozzi Tom Coyne Quenneville, Dave Reitzas Howard’s overpowering nomination for album of the LABEL TDE/Aftermath/ LABEL Big Machine MASTERING ENGINEERS vocals. Those alone might year. Following a Country Interscope Records Tom Coyne, Dave Kutch not have merited the roots- Music Association Awards LABEL Republic Records leaning band a nod in what The socially conscious and duet with Justin Timberlake It’s a short list of artists is arguably the Grammys’ musically daring To Pimp a that turned him into who have won this category Pop, R&B, hip-hop, EDM most prestigious category, Butterfly is both one of the country’s It Boy in a matter more than once — just Frank and even rock fans all found but the group transcended best-reviewed and best- of eight galvanizing minutes, Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Paul a place in their collective genre with the sonic leap of selling albums of 2015, Stapleton made history by Simon and U2. Swift stands hearts in 2015 for 25-year-old Sound & Color. It’s no wonder something of a feat for an becoming the first off-the- a chance to join their ranks, Abel Tesfaye, who passed that Blake Mills received a album dense with rap, charts artist to re-enter the having previously become Swift to become Billboard’s nomination for producer of classic soul and jazz Billboard 200 at No. 1, a the youngest performer ever top Hot 100 artist of 2015. the year and Shawn Everett influences. But Lamar has a spot he held for two weeks to win best album when Two of the album’s songs and Bob Ludwig are up for history with the Grammys: before being knocked out Fearless took the title five (“The Hills” and “Can’t Feel engineering. Although the He’s the only repeat by Justin Bieber. A Nashville years ago. But even though My Face”) topped the chart, album’s No. 1 bow on the nominee in the album of veteran who has written hits both albums spent 11 weeks and “Earned It (Fifty Shades Billboard 200 back in April the year category other for Kenny Chesney, George at No. 1, Fearless was not the of Grey)” reached No. 3. might seem like old news, than Taylor Swift, having Strait, Luke Bryan and cultural juggernaut that 1989 The album’s strong chart the title track’s use in an gotten the nod two years others, the Kentucky-born has become. And Swift’s performance shows that the iPad Pro commercial helped ago for his debut, Good Kid, singer is also nominated bold pop gambit enjoyed whole was just as worthy as Alabama Shakes earn extra M.A.A.D City. He leads the in all three country near-critical consensus as the sum of its parts. It may traction on the rock and field this year with 11 nomi- categories: album, song and well. Even with some heated be his hands, not his face, alternative songs charts. But it nations, including song of solo performance. competition for the season’s that will be numb if this and had already left tire tracks on the year (“Alright”) and best top prizes, she still has the his six other nominations the hearts of most every critic rap album. right to feel fearless. result in an armload of gold in America. gramophones.

24 BILLBOARD | JANUARY 2, 2016