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    What Did We Learn From a Year in Live Shows?

    Subscribe to Popcast!Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicNo one on the New York Times pop music staff attends more live shows than Caryn Ganz, the pop music editor. On this week’s Popcast, she reflects on the first full post-pandemic year of live performances, with stadium and arena tours finally back at full strength.That includes reflections on performances by Madonna, the Rolling Stones, 100 gecs, Depeche Mode, SZA, the Cure, Liz Phair and many more.Guest:Caryn Ganz, The New York Times’s pop music editorConnect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica. More

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    The Albums That Defined 2023? Let’s Discuss.

    Subscribe to Popcast!Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicThe albums that made The New York Times pop music critics’ year-end lists cover a wide range of music: hip-hop, industrial rock, amapiano, country, pop-punk, R&B, corridos tumbados. Hyper-polished and spare; chaotic and highly composed.There was some overlap — enthusiasm for the second albums from artists as diverse as Olivia Rodrigo, SZA and 100 gecs. But what’s more fascinating are the points of divergence, the albums that spoke loudly to one critic while passing the others by.On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about the multiplicity of great styles of albums released this year (as well as EPs, which are having a renaissance in the streaming era), and how much longer artists will continue to make albums their signature statements.Guests:Jon Pareles, The New York Times’s chief pop music criticLindsay Zoladz, a pop music critic for The New York Times who also writes The Amplifier newsletterConnect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica. More

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    Best Songs of 2023

    Seventy-one tracks that asked big questions, found new kinship between genres and helped us see the good in Ken.Jon Pareles | Jon Caramanica | Lindsay ZoladzJon ParelesFumbling Toward EcstasyThe album may be imperiled; people have been saying so for decades, even though the form has resisted extinction. Meanwhile, songs flourish, whether or not they’re destined for albums, and are ever more flexible. Some maintain the pop conventions of verse-chorus-verse; others distill themselves down to TikTok-ready hooks or sprawl across digital time frames. Here are 30 of my favorite songs from 2023 — less a ranking than a playlist, a tribute to creative abundance.1. Allison Russell, ‘Eve Was Black’The tune could be a toe-tapping Appalachian hoedown. But the title’s blunt, irrefutable statement carries Allison Russell toward harsh thoughts about racism, slavery, exploitation, lynching and sin — and then to an unexpected coda.2. Peter Gabriel, ‘Road to Joy (Bright-Side Mix)’Like many Peter Gabriel songs, this one has a scenario. The narrator is waking from a coma into an overload of sensory experiences, getting “back in the world”; the music is a funk carnival that keeps adding euphoric layers.3. 100 gecs, ‘Dumbest Girl Alive’No band walks Spinal Tap’s “fine line between clever and stupid” like the duo 100 gecs. “Dumbest Girl Alive” has a primal stomp for a beat, an up-and-down guitar riff that whimsically hops around instruments, and filtered hyperpop vocals with 21st-century lines like “put emojis on my grave” — just the thing for an utterly knowing, utterly meta bash.4. Sampha, ‘Suspended’Sampha’s “Lahai” was brighter and more expansive than his previous LPs.Ayesha Kazim for The New York TimesSampha gathers ideas from R&B, classical Minimalism, twitchy hyperpop and more around the androgynous melancholy of his voice. He conjures a rapturous infatuation and the need it leaves behind in “Suspended,” three minutes of vertigo from his album “Lahai.”5. The Rolling Stones featuring Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder, ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’The peak of the Rolling Stones’ resurgent album “Hackney Diamonds” is an all-star concoction that sounds like a raw studio jam. Mick Jagger extols the glories of music and the song climbs to a big, gospelly finish, with Jagger and Lady Gaga goading each other to belt more. When it winds up, they catch their breath but they don’t want to quit — and the song builds even higher.6. Yahritza y Su Esencia and Grupo Frontera, ‘Frágil’Two Mexican American groups — from Washington state and Texas — unite for “Frágil,” a cumbia complaint about a heartless partner. While the men in Grupo Frontera sound mildly apologetic, Yahritza Martinez sings as if her heart might burst at any moment.7. Baby Rose, ‘Stop the Bleeding’With her low, tremulous, gripping voice, Baby Rose sings about love as self-sabotage, trying to break free while an orchestra underlines her despair.8. Shakira, ‘BZRP Music Sessions #53’In one of Shakira’s canny 2023 collaborations — others were with Karol G and the regional Mexican band Fuerza Regida — she enlisted the hitmaking Argentine electro producer Bizarrap to take revenge on her ex, with pointed wordplay and an airborne hook denouncing “guys like you.”9. Killer Mike featuring Future, André 3000 and Eryn Allen Kane, ‘Scientists & Engineers’In a track that roves from electro to guitar ballad to bursts of gospel, Killer Mike convenes fellow Atlanta rappers — the prolific Future and the elusive André 3000 — to address art, ambition, luxury, tenacity and paying dues, culminating in a marathon verse from Killer Mike himself.10. Brittany Howard, ‘What Now’Choppy, distorted, splintered hard funk pulses around Brittany Howard as she sorts through all the conflicting impulses of a breakup: taking blame and lashing out, feeling regret and relief, wanting to stay and knowing she needs to go.11. Jorja Smith, ‘Try Me’Jorja Smith used vocal nuance instead of volume to stir things up on her second studio album.Jose Sena Goulao/EPA, via ShutterstockA wounded, defensive Jorja Smith confronts someone who had put her down, in a track that evolves from pinging, percussive defiance to orchestral contemplation.12. Caroline Polachek, ‘Dang’One percussive syllable — “dang” — inspires an entire brittle production apparatus around Caroline Polachek’s deadpan voice. She sings about irreversible events, like shipwrecks and spilled milk, amid plinks, clangs, crashes, swooping strings and sampled screams, nonchalant amid the non sequiturs.13. aespa, ‘Better Things’Cowbells, handclaps and piano chords drive “Better Things,” a K-pop kiss-off with ingeniously cascading vocal harmonies and absolutely no regrets.14. Janelle Monáe featuring Doechii, ‘Phenomenal’Janelle Monáe’s 2023 album, “The Age of Pleasure,” exults in carnality while segueing through R&B, jazz and Caribbean styles. “Phenomenal” is a raunchy acclamation of lust and self-love, rapped and sung over springy, changeable Latin jazz grooves.15. Noname, ‘Namesake’Noname reels off brisk, matter-of-fact rhymes over a jazzy bass line as she strives to reconcile her personal comfort with all the world’s problems. She worries about complacency, complicity and hypocrisy; she doesn’t spare herself.16. Irreversible Entanglements, ‘Root Branch’Irreversible Entanglements is a fiercely riffing jazz band fronted by the low-voiced spoken-word poet Moor Mother. “We can be free — let’s fly,” she intones over the six-beat vamp of “Root Branch,” demanding something basic and essential.17. Jaimie Branch, ‘Take Over the World’The trumpeter and bandleader Jaimie Branch sets up a pummeling beat behind an environmental battle chant in “Take Over the World,” veers into a swirl of psychedelia, then whoops it up even harder.18. Dolly Parton, ‘World on Fire’Dolly Parton, of all people, delivers a full-fledged power ballad and stadium stomp to consider the dire state of the world. She counsels love, healing and kindness, but at the end she’s still wondering: “Whatcha gonna do when it all burns down?”19. Kylie Minogue, ‘Padam Padam’Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam” had a moment — during Pride celebrations and beyond — in 2023.Maggie Shannon for The New York TimesFor Kylie Minogue, “Padam Padam” is the sound of a heartbeat during a mutual flirtation at a club. The beat — a TikTok favorite — is a cheerful club thump, and a hint of Bollywood perks up the melody for three minutes of computerized bliss20. L’Rain, ‘I Killed Your Dog’L’Rain — the songwriter and performer Taja Cheek — ponders vengeful, destructive impulses in a near-lullaby that wanders through a chromatic chord progression, building ambivalence into the harmonies.21. Jamila Woods featuring duendita, ‘Tiny Garden’Jamila Woods sings about love as an accumulation of small connections and growing trust, a work in progress: “It’s not butterflies or fireworks.” The arc of the music, from isolated percussion and keyboards to multilayered, gospel-tinged vocals, radiates optimism.22. Olivia Dean featuring Leon Bridges, ‘The Hardest Part’With vintage soul chords and modern electronic subtleties, the English songwriter Olivia Dean and her American duet partner, Leon Bridges, sing about growing apart and moving on, grappling with second thoughts.23. Nkosazana Daughter, Master KG and Lowsheen featuring Murumba, ‘Ring Ring Ring’In an amapiano track full of echoey, lonely spaces, the South African singer Nkosazana Daughter and guests lament the uncertainty and sorrow of an unanswered phone call.24. Margo Price, ‘Lydia’Margo Price turned her lens outward to characters other than herself on her album “Strays.”Sara Messinger for The New York TimesIn this unblinking character study, a woman named Lydia, with “an ex-husband and a midlife crisis,” smokes a cigarette outside a clinic, thinking back through a life of hard luck and rough decisions and trying to decide whether to end her pregnancy. Margo Price sets the story to simple guitar chords and an understated string arrangement, pondering the choices.25. Mitski, ‘Bug Like an Angel’A squashed bug on the bottom of a cocktail glass leads Mitski to fragmentary epiphanies about addiction, trust and sex, with a choir bursting in to affirm each cryptic insight.26. Margaret Glaspy, ‘Memories’Over a waltz of simple guitar chords, Margaret Glaspy blurts out unvarnished grief in a torn voice, bereft yet struggling to go on.27. The Smile, ‘Bending Hectic’A guitar meditation melts into an ecstatic death wish during the eight minutes of “Bending Hectic.” Thom Yorke sings about driving along a curvy Italian mountain road with a sheer drop, and “letting go of the wheel”; Jonny Greenwood’s string arrangement envisions the plunge, and then electric guitars careen to a finish.28. Lankum, ‘Go Dig My Grave’The Irish band Lankum connects the fatalistic, death-haunted side of Celtic tradition to something like black metal in this nine-minute dirge about dying for love. It’s an inexorable crescendo from a solo a cappella vocal to a tolling, clanging drone topped by a howling fiddle, haunted and bleak.29. Caroline Rose, ‘Love/Lover/Friend’In a flurry of plucked and orchestral strings, Caroline Rose affirms her love by ruling out other possibilities, then basks in wordless choral ecstasy.30. André 3000, ‘That Night in Hawaii When I Turned Into a Panther and Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control … Sh¥t Was Wild’In a 10-minute instrumental for muffled drums, percussion and prowling parallel flute lines, André 3000 maintains an aura of calm vigilance, contemplative but still on edge.Jon CaramanicaAnything GoesIt was a year in which the best pop music truly made it up as it went along. Off-the-cuff collaborations? Sure. Songs by fictional characters? Why not. A guy filmed singing in a field by a West Virginia public radio outlet? Absolutely. Microscene classics that clock in at 75 seconds and might be forgotten tomorrow? Always. (In the interest of avoiding redundancy, I’ve only included songs that aren’t on albums that made my best of the year list.)1. Central Cee & Dave, ‘Sprinter’This British rap tag team is about improbable wealth, bounteous opportunities, living so fast that what’s slipping by is almost as good as what you manage to grab hold of. As celebrations go, this is a controlled, pensive one — a relaxed ramble for the moments when the money’s so new, it sparkles.2. Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), ‘World Class Sinner/I’m a Freak’A paean to emotional vacancy sung with emotional vacancy from a television show rife with emotional vacancy ends up … positively glistening. A cause for surrender.3. Oliver Anthony Music, ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’A great song, sure. More than that, though, a sense of great exasperation. The quick and strong embrace of this song suggests an ocean of frustration that pop music leaves largely untapped and unvoiced, and a grass-roots resistance that it has almost no hope of replicating.4. Mustafa, ‘Name of God’Few artists conjure a richness of sorrow the way the Canadian folk singer Mustafa does. Here, his singing is beautiful and a little distant, as if flinching ever so slightly from a pain that will never be anything but raw.5. PinkPantheress featuring Ice Spice, ‘Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2’PinkPantheress took her songs from her bedroom to bigger stages after a viral hit.Adama Jalloh for The New York TimesA glimpse at how pop might — should? — sound in the coming few years. Two stars of the internet of 12 to 24 months ago who found themselves at the vanguards of their respective scenes come together for a collaboration in which neither has to concede an inch.6. Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson, ‘Save Me’What makes Jelly Roll so effective is the way the intensity of his howl only amplifies the potency of his scars. It’s perhaps most pointed on this duet with Lainey Wilson, whose crisp and clear tone initially seems like an antidote, but is quickly revealed as equally bruised.7. That Mexican OT featuring Paul Wall and Drodi, ‘Johnny Dang’An effortless blend of Texas rap generations, fusing the tongue-twisting with the slow-rolling.8. Cody Johnson, ‘The Painter’When someone is effusive, it might not mean as much when they gush. But when a stoic drops his guard, it can feel seismic.9. Ken (Ryan Gosling), ‘I’m Just Ken’When this stridently sad song from the “Barbie” movie hits its apogee, it’s channeling Dashboard Confessional, Meat Loaf, the Phantom (of the Opera) and maybe even Scott Stapp. Slash plays guitar, salting the melodrama hard.10. Gunna, ‘Fukumean’The Atlanta rapper Gunna quickly returned to work after accepting a plea deal in a wide-sweeping ongoing case.Craig Barritt/Getty Images For GunnaA year ago, Gunna accepted a plea deal that untethered him from the RICO trial that has ensnared his mentor, Young Thug. Relatively quickly, he returned to his familiar slippery garble with a hit so ubiquitous it felt like a memory of how things once were.11. YoungBoy Never Broke Again, ‘Dirty Thug’The best of another slew of lonely anthems from the most important and least publicly visible hip-hop star of the past few years.12. Kylie Minogue, ‘Padam Padam’A cool blast of not-quite-exuberance, this club-pop anthem is a continuation of Kylie Minogue’s sometime-diva legacy, a relentless queer anthem, a cheeky flirtation and a thump that just won’t quit.13. Doja Cat, ‘Agora Hills’It has been 11 and a half years since Kitty Pryde released “Okay Cupid,” plenty of time for a re-embrace.14. Chino Pacas, ‘El Gordo Trae el Mando’A meaty, beatifically meandering boast by one of the rising stars of corridos tumbados.15. Lil Uzi Vert, ‘Just Wanna Rock’Grandfathered in from late 2022, this song broke TikTok, broke dancing, broke the Grammys and maybe even broke hip-hop.And 10 More:Corpse, “Disdain”Miley Cyrus, “Used to be Young”Emilia, “GTA.mp3”evvls, “Belikeme?”Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”Sam Hunt, “Walmart”Byron Messia, “Talibans”Militarie Gun, “Very High”Nettspend, “Shine N Peace”Odetari, “Good Loyal Thots”Lindsay ZoladzBeautiful DisastersSo many of my favorite tracks of the year flipped scripts, turned tables and reimagined weaknesses as strengths. By no means a complete list of the songs I enjoyed the past 12 months, these are 20 I couldn’t stop listening to — most of them reminders of music’s ability to turn mess into meaning, anxiety into energy and heartache into a great song.1. Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Vampire’Olivia Rodrigo confronts a new class of villain on “Vampire,” the incisive first single that heralded her second album, “Guts,” but she also proves she has learned new ways to slay. “Vampire” is wrenching and formally restless, at first masquerading as a piano ballad, only to ramp up into a miniature rock opera complete with a showstopping high note worthy of a tragic heroine. But don’t cry for Rodrigo — she doesn’t need protection. Her words, her observations and her stylistic flair all have plenty of bite.2. PinkPantheress featuring Ice Spice, ‘Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2’In a previous millennium, two of pop’s main young girlies joined forces to each assert that “The Boy Is Mine,” but PinkPantheress (b. 2001) and Ice Spice (b. 2000) were not alive when that song was released. On their bubbly and utterly infectious collaboration, they sidestep any hint of rivalry and turn against the guy, deciding he’s not worth the drama. “What’s the point of crying?” they shrug blithely. “It was never even love.”3. Lana Del Rey, ‘A&W’The year’s best song about telling an ex-boyfriend’s mom that her son is a disaster (runner-up: Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back!”), the sprawling, portentous seven-minute “A&W” is an unfiltered look into Lana Del Rey’s stream of consciousness: misremembered movie titles, sexually frank admissions, inside jokes about Californian geography (“I say I live in Rosemead, really, I’m at the Ramada”) and all manner of other oddly juxtaposed American flotsam. “Maybe,” she reasons with a weary sigh, arriving at some self-knowledge, “I’m just kinda like this.”4. boygenius, ‘Not Strong Enough’Everyone’s favorite musical besties — Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus — riff on pop clichés and gender roles in this highlight from their breakout year, succinctly summing up their individual songwriting personalities and demonstrating the magic that happens when they combine their powers.5. Romy, ‘Enjoy Your Life’Romy Madley Croft was the final member of the xx to release a solo album.Charlotte Hadden for The New York TimesThe xx’s Romy Madley Croft finds a solution for anxiety and self-doubt on this thumping, compassionate club banger: What if she looked at her life through the eyes of a benevolent mother? A luminous sample from the synth pioneer Beverly Glenn-Copeland — “my mother says to me, enjoy your life” — guides the way.6. Mitski, ‘My Love Mine All Mine’TikTok’s reluctant darling Mitski has released her share of songs that sound destined for pop crossover — last year’s sleek, synthy “Laurel Hell” was full of them — but, unexpectedly, she became a fixture on this year’s Hot 100 for the first time ever with this slow, moony ballad that sounds unlike anything else on the charts. Oblique, poetic and sumptuously sung, it’s a welcome moment of Zen.7. Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves, ‘I Remember Everything’An old-fashioned he-said/she-said country duet cut through with a chill of bleak finality. Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves are both at their emotive best on this bruised-hearted crossover hit.8. Doja Cat, ‘Agora Hills’An arsenic-laced confection that shows off Doja Cat’s multiple personalities — a romantic and an ironist, an angel and a devil, a singer fluent in dreamy hooks and a rapper with razor-sharp teeth.9. Jess Williamson, ‘Hunter’The indie singer-songwriter Jess Williamson chronicles both the promise and fatigue of looking for love in this bittersweet, poetically rendered reflection, her twangy voice brimming with a weary hope.10. Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Bad Idea, Right?’Olivia Rodrigo sings about mistakes in serious and humorous ways on her second album, “Guts.”Chantal Anderson for The New York TimesWith the possession of a driver’s license comes the ability to drive to an ex’s house in the middle of the night for an ill-advised hookup. That’s the trade-off. At least such circumstances gave us one of Rodrigo’s spunkiest, funniest and most irresistible singles yet.11. Palehound, ‘Independence Day’El Kempner has a keen eye for tragicomic detail on this ramshackle rocker about regret, denial and long-simmering incompatibility that results in a July 4 breakup. “I’m living life like writing my first draft,” they sing. Aren’t we all.12. Water From Your Eyes, ‘Barley’All year I have been describing this zany, looping song from the Brooklyn art-rockers Water From Your Eyes as “what it would sound like if Sonic Youth had made an appearance on ‘Sesame Street,’” and I’m not going to stop now.13. Noname, ‘Namesake’The Chicago rapper Noname says the quiet part loud — and oh so dexterously — on this refreshingly honest track, an incisive examination of pop-cultural ethics unafraid to name names, including (in addition to Beyoncé, Rihanna and Kendrick Lamar) her own.14. Wednesday, ‘Chosen to Deserve’In her cracked wail, the Southern rock band Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman — “the girl that you’ve chosen to deserve” — paints an achingly vivid portrait of suburban boredom and young adult malaise, finding just the right surface details to express something deep: “I was out late, sneaking into the neighborhood pool,” she sings. “Then I woke up early and taught at the Sunday school.”15. Mandy, Indiana, ‘Pinking Shears’Comment dit-on “hypnotic, endlessly loopable industrial banger”?16. Jenn Champion, ‘Jessica’There’s no right or wrong way to grieve, Jenn Champion reminds us on this icy, arresting piano ballad, as she rages against a friend’s overdose in lacerating detail.17. Jamila Woods featuring duendita, ‘Tiny Garden’Jamila Woods’s album “Water Made Us” achieves the musician’s greatest synthesis yet between her voices as a poet and as a songwriter.Bennett Raglin/Getty Images For Slow FactoryA warm, wise ode to incremental progress and tiny, beautiful things from R&B’s resident poet laureate.18. Yo La Tengo, ‘Fallout’Still knitting aural autumn sweaters, after all these years.19. Sufjan Stevens, ‘So You Are Tired’What state is he on now? Alaska? Disrepair? Grace? Regardless, this song is a quiet doozy that watches a long-term love unravel in slow motion like a spool of ribbon underwater.20. Drake featuring Sexyy Red and SZA, ‘Rich Baby Daddy’Exhibit Z that Drake is at his best not when he tsk-tsks grown women, but when he risks being outshone by inviting them on the track. More

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    Popcast (Deluxe): What Is Going on With the Grammy Nominations?

    Subscribe to Popcast!Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTubeThis week’s episode of Popcast (Deluxe), the weekly culture roundup show on YouTube hosted by Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli, includes segments on:The nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards, which include multiple nods for the true pop stars Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, but also for the R&B sensualist SZA, as well as the loose-knit indie rock supergroup boygenius and the former talk-show bandleader and exuberant border-crosser Jon Batiste.“The Curse,” the new show on Showtime from Nathan Fielder that continues his philosophical and moral experimentation with the tropes of reality television.New songs from Dua Lipa and Jack HarlowSnack of the weekConnect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica. More

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    2024 Grammy Nominations: Full List

    Artists, albums and songs competing for trophies at the 66th annual ceremony are being announced on Friday. The show will take place on Feb. 4 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.SZA is the top nominee for the 66th annual Grammy Awards with nine nods, all for her album “SOS,” which topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks.She leads a group of contenders that also includes Victoria Monét (with seven), as well as Jon Batiste, boygenius, Brandy Clark, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift (all with six apiece). Songs from the movie “Barbie” received 11 nods in seven categories. The producer Jack Antonoff and the engineer Serban Ghenea are also top nominees.The ceremony, which will take place on Feb. 4, 2024 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, will recognize recordings released from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 15, 2023.Here is a complete list of the nominations, which were announced on Friday by the Recording Academy.Record of the Year“Worship,” Jon Batiste“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift“Kill Bill,” SZAAlbum of the Year“World Music Radio,” Jon Batiste“The Record,” boygenius“Endless Summer Vacation,” Miley Cyrus“Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” Lana Del Rey“The Age of Pleasure,” Janelle Monáe“Guts,” Olivia Rodrigo“Midnights,” Taylor Swift“SOS,” SZASong of the Year“A&W,” Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey and Sam Dew, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)“Anti-Hero,” Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)“Dance the Night” (From “Barbie: The Album”) Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein and Michael Pollack, songwriters (Miley Cyrus)“Kill Bill,” Rob Bisel, Carter Lang and Solána Rowe, songwriters (SZA)“Vampire,” Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)Best New ArtistGracie AbramsFred again..Ice SpiceJelly RollCoco JonesNoah KahanVictoria MonétThe War and TreatyProducer of the Year, Non-ClassicalJack AntonoffDernst “D’Mile” Emile IIHit-BoyMetro BoominDaniel NigroSongwriter of the Year, Non-ClassicalEdgar BarreraJessie Jo DillonShane McAnallyTheron ThomasJustin TranterBest Pop Solo Performance“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus“Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo“Anti-Hero,” Taylor SwiftBest Pop Duo/Group Performance“Thousand Miles,” Miley Cyrus featuring Brandi Carlile“Candy Necklace,” Lana Del Rey featuring Jon Batiste“Never Felt So Alone,” Labrinth featuring Billie Eilish“Karma,” Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice“Ghost in the Machine,” SZA featuring Phoebe BridgersBest Pop Vocal Album“Chemistry,” Kelly Clarkson“Endless Summer Vacation,” Miley Cyrus“Guts,” Olivia Rodrigo“-” (Subtract), Ed Sheeran“Midnights,” Taylor SwiftBest Dance/Electronic Recording“Blackbox Life Recorder 21F,” Aphex Twin“Loading,” James Blake“Higher Than Ever Before,” Disclosure“Strong,” Romy & Fred again..“Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. and FlowdanBest Pop Dance Recording“Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” David Guetta, Anne-Marie and Coi Leray“Miracle,” Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding“Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue“One in a Million,” Bebe Rexha & David Guetta“Rush,” Troye SivanBest Dance/Electronic Music Album“Playing Robots Into Heaven,” James Blake“For That Beautiful Feeling,” the Chemical Brothers“Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022),” Fred again..“Kx5,” Kx5“Quest for Fire,” SkrillexBest Rock Performance“Sculptures of Anything Goes,” Arctic Monkeys”More Than a Love Song,” Black Pumas“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius“Rescued,” Foo Fighters“Lux Æterna,” MetallicaBest Metal Performance“Bad Man,” Disturbed“Phantom of the Opera,” Ghost“72 Seasons,” Metallica”Hive Mind,” Slipknot“Jaded,” SpiritboxBest Rock Song“Angry,” Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Andrew Watt, songwriters (the Rolling Stones)“Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)“Emotion Sickness,” Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore and Troy Van Leeuwen, songwriters (Queens of the Stone Age)“Not Strong Enough,” Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)“Rescued,” Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)Best Rock Album“But Here We Are,” Foo Fighters“Starcatcher,” Greta Van Fleet“72 Seasons,” Metallica“This Is Why,” Paramore“In Times New Roman…,” Queens of the Stone AgeBest Alternative Music Performance“Belinda Says,” Alvvays“Body Paint,” Arctic Monkeys“Cool About It,” boygenius“A&W,” Lana Del Rey“This Is Why,” ParamoreBest Alternative Music Album“The Car,” Arctic Monkeys“The Record,” boygenius“Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” Lana Del Rey“Cracker Island,” Gorillaz“I Inside the Old Year Dying,” PJ HarveyBest R&B Performance“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown“Back to Love,” Robert Glasper featuring SiR and Alex Isley“ICU,” Coco Jones“How Does It Make You Feel,” Victoria Monét“Kill Bill,” SZABest Traditional R&B Performance“Simple,” Babyface featuring Coco Jones“Lucky,” Kenyon Dixon“Hollywood,” Victoria Monét featuring Earth, Wind & Fire and Hazel Monét“Good Morning,” PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol“Love Language,” SZABest R&B Song“Angel,” Halle Bailey, Theron Feemster and Coleridge Tillman, songwriters (Halle)“Back to Love,” Darryl Andrew Farris, Robert Glasper and Alexandra Isley, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring SiR and Alex Isley)“ICU,” Darhyl Camper Jr., Courtney Jones, Raymond Komba and Roy Keisha Rockette, songwriters (Coco Jones)”On My Mama,” Dernst Emile II, Jeff Gitelman, Victoria Monét, Kyla Moscovich, Jamil Pierre and Charles Williams, songwriters (Victoria Monét)“Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe and Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)Best Progressive R&B Album“Since I Have a Lover,” 6lack“The Love Album: Off the Grid,” Diddy“Nova,” Terrace Martin and James Fauntleroy“The Age of Pleasure,” Janelle Monáe“SOS,” SZABest R&B Album“Girls Night Out,” Babyface“What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe),” Coco Jones“Special Occasion,” Emily King”Jaguar II,” Victoria Monét“Clear 2: Soft Life EP,” Summer WalkerBest Rap Performance“The Hillbillies,” Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar“Love Letter,” Black Thought“Rich Flex,” Drake & 21 Savage“Scientists & Engineers,” Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane“Players,” Coi LerayBest Melodic Rap Performance“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy featuring 21 Savage“Attention,” Doja Cat“Spin Bout U,” Drake & 21 Savage“All My Life,” Lil Durk featuring J. Cole“Low,” SZABest Rap Song“Attention,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini and Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)“Barbie World” from “Barbie: The Album,” Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. and Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice featuring Aqua)“Just Wanna Rock,” Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods and Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)“Rich Flex,” Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule and Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage)“Scientists & Engineers,” Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore and Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane)Best Rap Album“Her Loss,” Drake & 21 Savage“Michael,” Killer Mike“Heroes & Villains,” Metro Boomin“King’s Disease III,” Nas“Utopia,” Travis ScottBest Spoken Word Poetry Album“A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either: The Fukc-It Pill Revisited,” Queen Sheba“For Your Consideration’24 – The Album,” Prentice Powell and Shawn William“Grocery Shopping With My Mother,” Kevin Powell“The Light Inside,” J. Ivy“When the Poems Do What They Do,” Aja MonetBest Jazz Performance“Movement 18’ (Heroes),” Jon Batiste“Basquiat,” Lakecia Benjamin“Vulnerable (Live),” Adam Blackstone featuring the Baylor Project and Russell Ferranté“But Not for Me,” Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding“Tight,” Samara JoyBest Jazz Vocal Album“For Ella 2,” Patti Austin featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band“Alive at the Village Vanguard,” Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding“Lean In,” Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke“Mélusine,” Cécile McLorin Salvant“How Love Begins,” Nicole ZuraitisBest Jazz Instrumental Album“The Source,” Kenny Barron”Phoenix,” Lakecia Benjamin“Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn,” Adam Blackstone“The Winds of Change,” Billy Childs“Dream Box,” Pat MethenyBest Large Jazz Ensemble Album“The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo,” ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla“Dynamic Maximum Tension,” Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society“Basie Swings the Blues,” The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart“Olympians,” Vince Mendoza and Metropole Orkest“The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions,” Mingus Big BandBest Latin Jazz Album“Quietude,” Eliane Elias“My Heart Speaks,” Ivan Lins with the Tblisi Symphony Orchestra“Vox Humana,” Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band“Cometa,” Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente“El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2,” Miguel Zenón and Luis PerdomoBest Alternative Jazz Album“Love in Exile,” Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily“Quality Over Opinion,” Louis Cole“SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree,” Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue“Live at the Piano,” Cory Henry“The Omnichord Real Book,” Meshell NdegeocelloBest Traditional Pop Vocal Album“To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim,” Liz Callaway“Pieces of Treasure,” Rickie Lee Jones“Bewitched,” Laufey“Holidays Around the World,” Pentatonix“Only the Strong Survive,” Bruce Springsteen“Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3,” (Various Artists)Best Contemporary Instrumental Album“As We Speak,” Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia“On Becoming,” House of Waters“Jazz Hands,” Bob James“The Layers,” Julian Lage“All One,” Ben WendelBest Musical Theater Album“Kimberly Akimbo,” John Clancy, David Stone and Jeanine Tesori, producers; Jeanine Tesori, composer; David Lindsay-Abaire, lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)“Parade,” Micaela Diamond, Alex Joseph Grayson, Jake Pedersen and Ben Platt, principal vocalists; Jason Robert Brown & Jeffrey Lesser, producers; Jason Robert Brown, composer and lyricist (2023 Broadway Cast)“Shucked,” Brandy Clark, Jason Howland, Shane McAnally and Billy Jay Stein, producers; Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)“Some Like It Hot,” Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks and NaTasha Yvette Williams, principal vocalists; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bryan Carter, Scott M. Riesett, Charlie Rosen and Marc Shaiman, producers; Scott Wittman, lyricist; Marc Shaiman, composer and lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” Annaleigh Ashford and Josh Groban, principal vocalists; Thomas Kail and Alex Lacamoire, producers (Stephen Sondheim, composer and lyricist) (2023 Broadway Cast)Best Country Solo Performance“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers“Buried,” Brandy Clark“Fast Car,” Luke Combs“The Last Thing on My Mind,” Dolly Parton“White Horse,” Chris StapletonBest Country Duo/Group Performance“High Note,” Dierks Bentley featuring Billy Strings“Nobody’s Nobody,” Brothers Osborne“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves“Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold),” Vince Gill and Paul Franklin“Save Me,” Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Carly Pearce featuring Chris StapletonBest Country Song“Buried,” Brandy Clark and Jessie Jo Dillon, songwriters (Brandy Clark)“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves)“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers and Geno Seale, songwriters (Tyler Childers)“Last Night.” John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Ryan Vojtesak, songwriters (Morgan Wallen)“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)Best Country Album“Rolling Up the Welcome Mat,” Kelsea Ballerini“Brothers Osborne,” Brothers Osborne“Zach Bryan,” Zach Bryan“Rustin’ in the Rain,” Tyler Childers“Bell Bottom Country,” Lainey WilsonBest American Roots Performance“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste“Heaven Help Us All,” Blind Boys of Alabama“Inventing the Wheel,” Madison Cunningham“You Louisiana Man,” Rhiannon Giddens“Eve Was Black,” Allison RussellBest Americana Performance“Friendship,” Blind Boys of Alabama“Help Me Make It Through the Night,” Tyler Childers“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile“King of Oklahoma,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit“The Returner,” Allison RussellBest American Roots Song“Blank Page,” Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, songwriters (The War and Treaty)“California Sober,” Aaron Allen, William Apostol and Jon Weisberger, songwriters (Billy Strings featuring Willie Nelson)“Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark and Michael Pollack, songwriters (Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile)“The Returner,” Drew Lindsay, JT Nero and Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)Best Americana Album“Brandy Clark,” Brandy Clark“The Chicago Sessions,” Rodney Crowell“You’re the One,” Rhiannon Giddens“Weathervanes,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit“The Returner,” Allison RussellBest Bluegrass Album“Radio John: Songs of John Hartford,” Sam Bush“Lovin’ of the Game,” Michael Cleveland“Mighty Poplar,” Mighty Poplar“Bluegrass,” Willie Nelson“Me/And/Dad,” Billy Strings“City of Gold,” Molly Tuttle & Golden HighwayBest Traditional Blues Album“Ridin’,” Eric Bibb“The Soul Side of Sipp,” Mr. Sipp“Life Don’t Miss Nobody,” Tracy Nelson“Teardrops for Magic Slim Live at Rosa’s Lounge,” John Primer“All My Love for You,” Bobby RushBest Contemporary Blues Album“Death Wish Blues,” Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton“Healing Time,” Ruthie Foster“Live in London,” Christone “Kingfish” Ingram“Blood Harmony,” Larkin Poe“LaVette!,” Bettye LaVetteBest Folk Album“Traveling Wildfire,” Dom Flemons”I Only See the Moon,” the Milk Carton Kids“Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live),” Joni Mitchell”Celebrants,” Nickel Creek“Jubilee,” Old Crow Medicine Show“Seven Psalms,” Paul Simon“Folkocracy,” Rufus WainwrightBest Regional Roots Music Album“New Beginnings,” Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. and the Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band“Live at the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,” Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers“Live: Orpheum Theater Nola,” Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra“Made in New Orleans,” New Breed Brass Band“Too Much to Hold,” New Orleans Nightcrawlers“Live at the Maple Leaf,” the Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.Best Gospel Performance/Song“God Is Good,” Stanley Brown featuring Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard and Karen Clark Sheard; Stanley Brown, Karen V Clark Sheard, Kaylah Jiavanni Harvey, Rodney Jerkins, Elyse Victoria Johnson, J Drew Sheard II, Kierra Valencia Sheard and Hezekiah Walker, songwriters“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell, William Weatherspoon, Juan Winans and Marvin L. Winans, songwriters“Lord Do It for Me (Live),” Zacardi Cortez; Marcus Calyen, Zacardi Cortez and Kerry Douglas, songwriters“God Is,” Melvin Crispell III“All Things,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriterBest Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song“Believe,” Blessing Offor; Hank Bentley and Blessing Offor, songwriters“Firm Foundation (He Won’t) (Live),” Cody Carnes“Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle and Jason Ingram, songwriters“Love Me Like I Am,” For King & Country featuring Jordin Sparks“Your Power,” Lecrae and Tasha Cobbs Leonard“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine; Daniel Bashta, Chris Davenport, Ryan Ellis and Naomi Raine, songwritersBest Gospel Album“I Love You,” Erica Campbell“Hymns (Live),” Tasha Cobbs Leonard“The Maverick Way,” Maverick City Music“My Truth,” Jonathan McReynolds“All Things New: Live in Orlando,” Tye TribbettBest Contemporary Christian Music Album“My Tribe,” Blessing Offor“Emanuel,” Da’ T.R.U.T.H.“Lauren Daigle,” Lauren Daigle“Church Clothes 4,” Lecrae“I Believe,” Phil WickhamBest Roots Gospel Album“Tribute to the King,” the Blackwood Brothers Quartet“Echoes of the South,” Blind Boys of Alabama“Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times,” Becky Isaacs Bowman“Meet Me at the Cross,” Brian Free & Assurance“Shine: The Darker the Night the Brighter the Light,” Gaither Vocal BandBest Latin Pop Album“La Cuarta Hoja,” Pablo Alborán“Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1,” AleMor“A Ciegas,” Paula Arenas“La Neta,” Pedro Capó“Don Juan,” Maluma“X Mí (Vol. 1),” Gaby MorenoBest Música Urbana Album“Saturno,” Rauw Alejandro”Mañana Será Bonito,” Karol G“Data,” TainyBest Latin Rock or Alternative Album“Martínez,” Cabra“Leche De Tigre,” Diamante Eléctrico“Vida Cotidiana,” Juanes“De Todas Las Flores,” Natalia Lafourcade“EADDA9223,” Fito PaezBest Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)“Bordado a Mano,” Ana Bárbara“La Sánchez,” Lila Downs“Motherflower,” Flor de Toloache“Amor Como en Las Películas De Antes,” Lupita Infante“Génesis,” Peso PlumaBest Tropical Latin Album“Siembra: 45° Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022),” Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado and Orquesta“Voy a Ti,” Luis Figueroa“Niche Sinfónico,” Grupo Niche y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia“Vida,” Omara Portuondo“Mimy & Tony,” Tony Succar, Mimy Succar“Escalona Nunca se Había Grabado Así,” Carlos VivesBest Global Music Performance“Shadow Forces,” Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily“Alone,” Burna Boy“Feel,” Davido“Milagro y Disastre,” Silvana Estrada“Abundance in Millets,” Falu and Gaurav Shah (featuring PM Narendra Modi)“Pashto,” Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia“Todo Colores,” Ibrahim Maalouf featuring Cimafunk and Tank and the BangasBest African Music Performance“Amapiano,” Asake and Olamide“City Boys,” Burna Boy“Unavailable,” Davido featuring Musa Keys“Rush,” Ayra Starr“Water,” TylaBest Global Music Album“Epifanías,” Susana Baca“History,” Bokanté“I Told Them…,” Burna Boy“Timeless,” Davido“This Moment,” ShaktiBest Reggae Album“Born for Greatness,” Buju Banton“Simma,” Beenie Man“Cali Roots Riddim 2023,” Collie Buddz“No Destroyer,” Burning Spear“Colors of Royal,” Julian Marley & AntaeusBest New Age, Ambient or Chant Album“Aquamarine,” Kirsten Agresta-Copely“Moments of Beauty,” Omar Akram“Some Kind of Peace (Piano Reworks),” Ólafur Arnalds“Ocean Dreaming Ocean,” David Darling and Hans Christian“So She Howls,” Carla Patullo featuring Tonality and the Scorchio QuartetBest Children’s Music Album“Ahhhhh!,” Andrew & Polly“Ancestars,” Pierce Freelon and Nnenna Freelon“Hip Hope for Kids!,” DJ Willy Wow!“Taste the Sky,” Uncle Jumbo“We Grow Together Preschool Songs,” 123 AndrésBest Comedy Album“I Wish You Would,” Trevor Noah“I’m an Entertainer,” Wanda Sykes“Selective Outrage,” Chris Rock”Someone You Love,” Sarah Silverman“What’s in a Name?,” Dave ChappelleBest Audiobook, Narration and Storytelling Recording“Big Tree,” Meryl Streep“Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder,” William Shatner“The Creative Act: A Way of Being,” Rick Rubin“It’s Ok to Be Angry About Capitalism,” Senator Bernie Sanders“The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times,” Michelle ObamaBest Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media“Aurora,” (Daisy Jones & the Six)“Barbie: The Album” (Various Artists)“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By” (Various Artists)“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3” (Various Artists)“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” Weird Al YankovicBest Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)“Barbie,” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, composers“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Ludwig Göransson, composer“The Fabelmans,” John Williams, composer“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” John Williams, composer“Oppenheimer,” Ludwig Göransson, composerBest Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II,” Sarah Schachner, composer“God of War Ragnarök,” Bear McCreary, composer“Hogwarts Legacy,” Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy and Chuck E. Myers “Sea,” composers“Star Wars Jedi: Survivor,” Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab, composers“Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical,” Jess Serro, Tripod and Austin Wintory, composersBest Song Written for Visual Media“Barbie World” from “Barbie: The Album,” Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. and Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice featuring Aqua)“Dance the Night” from “Barbie: The Album,” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)“I’m Just Ken” from “Barbie: The Album,” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Ryan Gosling)“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Music From and Inspired By,” Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty and Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Rihanna)“What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie: The Album,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)Best Music Video“I’m Only Sleeping” (The Beatles), Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin and Laura Thomas, video producers“In Your Love” (Tyler Childers), Bryan Schlam, video director; Kacie Barton, Silas House, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thornton and Whitney Wolanin, video producers“What Was I Made For?” (Billie Eilish), Billie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson and David Moore, video producers“Count Me Out” (Kendrick Lamar), Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jason Baum and Jamie Rabineau, video producers“Rush” (Troye Sivan), Gordon Von Steiner, video director; Kelly McGee, video producerBest Music Film“Moonage Daydream” (David Bowie), Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer“How I’m Feeling Now” (Lewis Capaldi), Joe Pearlman, video director; Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis and Alice Rhodes, video producers“Live From Paris, the Big Steppers Tour” (Kendrick Lamar), Mike Carson, Dave Free and Mark Ritchie, video directors; Cornell Brown, Debra Davis, Jared Heinke and Jamie Rabineau, video producers“I Am Everything” (Little Richard), Lisa Cortés, video director; Caryn Capotosto, Lisa Cortés, Robert Friedman and Liz Yale Marsh, video producers“Dear Mama” (Tupac Shakur), Allen Hughes, video director; Joshua Garcia, Loren Gomez, James Jenkins and Stef Smith, video producersBest Recording Package“The Art of Forgetting,” Caroline Rose, art director (Caroline Rose)“Cadenza 21’,” Hsing-Hui Cheng, art director (Ensemble Cadenza 21’)“Electrophonic Chronic,” Perry Shall, art director (The Arcs)“Gravity Falls,” Iam8bit, art director (Brad Breeck)“Migration,” Yu Wei, art director (Leaf Yeh)“Stumpwork,” Luke Brooks and James Theseus Buck, art directors (Dry Cleaning)Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package“The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel,” Jeff Mangum, Daniel Murphy and Mark Ohe, art directors (Neutral Milk Hotel)“For the Birds: The Birdsong Project,” Jeri Heiden and John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)”Gieo,” Duy Dao, art director (Ngot)“Inside: Deluxe Box Set,” Bo Burnham and Daniel Calderwood, art directors (Bo Burnham)“Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition,” Masaki Koike, art director (Lou Reed)Best Album Notes“Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live),” Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (John Coltrane & Eric Dolphy)“I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn,” Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Howdy Glenn)“Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions,” Vik Sohonie, album notes writer (Iftin Band)“Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings From the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971,” Jeff Place and John Troutman, album notes writers (Various Artists)“Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos,” Robert Gordon and Deanie Parker, album notes writers (Various Artists)Best Historical Album“Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17,” Steve Berkowitz and Jeff Rosen, compilation producers; Steve Addabbo, Greg Calbi, Steve Fallone, Chris Shaw and Mark Wilder, mastering engineers (Bob Dylan)“The Moaninest Moan of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922,” Colin Hancock, Meagan Hennessey and Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer; Richard Martin, restoration engineer (Various Artists)“Playing for the Man at the Door: Field Recordings From the Collection of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971,” Jeff Place and John Troutman, compilation producers; Randy LeRoy and Charlie Pilzer, mastering engineers; Mike Petillo and Charlie Pilzer, restoration engineers (Various Artists)“Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition,” Laurie Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Matt Sulllivan and Hal Willner, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer; John Baldwin, restoration engineer (Lou Reed)“Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos,” Robert Gordon, Deanie Parker, Cheryl Pawelski, Michele Smith and Mason Williams, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves, restoration engineer (Various Artists)Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical“Desire, I Want to Turn Into You,” Macks Faulkron, Daniel Harle, Caroline Polachek and Geoff Swan, engineers; Mike Bozzi and Chris Gehringer, mastering engineers (Caroline Polachek)“History,” Nic Hard, engineer; Dave McNair, mastering engineer (Bokanté)“Jaguar II,” John Kercy, Kyle Mann, Victoria Monét, Patrizio “Teezio” Pigliapoco, Neal H Pogue and Todd Robinson, engineers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer (Victoria Monét)“Multitudes,” Michael Harris, Robbie Lackritz, Joseph Lorge and Blake Mills, engineers (Feist)“The Record,” Owen Lantz, Will Maclellan, Catherine Marks, Mike Mogis, Bobby Mota, Kaushlesh “Garry” Purohit and Sarah Tudzin, engineers; Pat Sullivan, mastering engineer (boygenius)Best Engineered Album, Classical“The Blue Hour,” Patrick Dillett, Mitchell Graham, Jesse Lewis, Kyle Pyke, Andrew Scheps and John Weston, engineers; Helge Sten, mastering engineer (Shara Nova and A Far Cry)”Contemporary American Composers,” David Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra)“Fandango,” Alexander Lipay and Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay and Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo and Los Angeles Philharmonic)”Sanlikol: A Gentleman of Istanbul – Symphony for Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & Tenor,” Christopher Moretti & John Weston, engineers; Shauna Barravecchio & Jesse Lewis, mastering engineers (Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry)“Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces,” Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)Producer of the Year, ClassicalDavid FrostMorten LindbergDmitriy LipayElaine MartoneBrian PidgeonBest Remixed Recording“Alien Love Call,” Badbadnotgood, remixers (Turnstile and Badbadnotgood featuring Blood Orange)“New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix),” Dom Dolla, remixer (Gorillaz featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown)“Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix),” Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, remixer (Lane 8)“Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix),” Wet Leg, remixers (Depeche Mode)“Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix),” Terry Hunter, remixer (Mariah Carey)Best Immersive Audio Album“Act 3 (Immersive Edition),” Ryan Ulyate, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Ryan Ulyate, immersive producer (Ryan Ulyate)“Blue Clear Sky,” Chuck Ainlay, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Chuck Ainlay, immersive producer (George Strait)“The Diary of Alicia Keys,” George Massenburg and Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Alicia Keys and Ann Mincieli, immersive producers (Alicia Keys)“God of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack),” Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Kellogg Boynton, Peter Scaturro and Herbert Waltl, immersive producers (Bear McCreary)“Silence Between Songs,” Aaron Short, immersive mastering engineer (Madison Beer)Best Instrumental Composition“Amerikkan Skin,” Lakecia Benjamin, composer (Lakecia Benjamin featuring Angela Davis)“Can You Hear the Music,” Ludwig Göransson, composer (Ludwig Göransson)“Cutey and the Dragon,” Gordon Goodwin and Raymond Scott, composers (Quartet San Francisco featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)“Helena’s Theme,” John Williams, composer (John Williams)“Motion,” Edgar Meyer, composer (Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia)Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella“Angels We Have Heard on High,” Nkosilathi Emmanuel Sibanda, arranger (Just 6)“Can You Hear the Music,” Ludwig Göransson, arranger (Ludwig Göransson)“Folsom Prison Blues,” John Carter Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Markus Illko, Janet Robin and Roberto Luis Rodriguez, arrangers (The String Revolution featuring Tommy Emmanuel)“I Remember,” Mingus Hilario Duran, arranger (Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band featuring Paquito D’Rivera)“Paint It Black,” Esin Aydingoz, Chris Bacon and Alana Da Fonseca, arrangers (Wednesday Addams)Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals“April in Paris,” Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Patti Austin featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)“Com Que Voz (Live),” John Beasley and Maria Mendes, arrangers (Maria Mendes featuring John Beasley and Metropole Orkest)“Fenestra,” Godwin Louis, arranger (Cécile McLorin Salvant)“In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” Erin Bentlage, Jacob Collier, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye, Kendrick and Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje Featuring Jacob Collier)“Lush Life,” Kendric McCallister, arranger (Samara Joy)Best Orchestral Performance“Adès: Dante,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)“Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Four Pieces,” Karina Canellakis, conductor (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)“Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor (The Philadelphia Orchestra)“Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem of Ecstasy,” JoAnn Falletta, conductor (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)“Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring,” Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony)Best Opera Recording“Blanchard: Champion,” Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore and Eric Owens; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)“Corigliano: The Lord of Cries,” Gil Rose, conductor; Anthony Roth Costanzo, Kathryn Henry, Jarrett Ott and David Portillo; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Odyssey Opera Chorus)“Little: Black Lodge,” Timur; Andrew McKenna Lee and David T. Little, producers (the Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet)Best Choral Performance“Carols After a Plague,” Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)“The House of Belonging,” Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Miró Quartet; Conspirare)“Ligeti: Lux Aeterna,” Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (San Francisco Symphony Chorus)“Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil,” Steven Fox, conductor (The Clarion Choir)“Saariaho: Reconnaissance,” Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance“American Stories,” Anthony McGill and Pacifica Quartet“Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ And Op. 1, No. 3,” Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax and Leonidas Kavakos“Between Breaths,” Third Coast Percussion“Rough Magic,” Roomful of Teeth“Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker,” Catalyst QuartetBest Classical Instrumental Solo“Adams, John Luther: Darkness and Scattered Light,” Robert Black“Akiho: Cylinders,” Andy Akiho“The American Project,” Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)“Difficult Grace,” Seth Parker Woods“Of Love,” Curtis StewartBest Classical Solo Vocal Album“Because,” Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist“Broken Branches,” Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist“40@40,” Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist“Rising,” Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist“Walking in the Dark,” Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)Best Classical Compendium“Fandango,” Anne Akiko Meyers; Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer“Julius Eastman, Vol. 3: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?,” Christopher Rountree, conductor; Lewis Pesacov, producer“Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright,” Peter Herresthal; Tim Weiss, conductor; Hans Kipfer, producer“Passion for Bach and Coltrane,” Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith and A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown and Mark Dover, producers“Sardinia,” Chick Corea; Chick Corea and Bernie Kirsh, producers“Sculptures,” Andy Akiho; Andy Akiho and Sean Dixon, producers“Zodiac Suite,” Aaron Diehl Trio & the Knights; Eric Jacobsen, conductor; Aaron Diehl and Eric Jacobsen, producersBest Contemporary Classical Composition“Adès: Dante,” Thomas Adès, composer (Gustavo Dudamel and Los Angeles Philharmonic)“Akiho: In That Space, at That Time,” Andy Akiho, composer (Andy Akiho, Ankush Kumar Bahl and Omaha Symphony)“Brittelle: Psychedelics,” William Brittelle, composer (Roomful of Teeth)“Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright,” Missy Mazzoli, composer (Peter Herresthal, James Gaffigan and Bergen Philharmonic)“Montgomery: Rounds,” Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry and Roomful of Teeth) More

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    SZA, ‘Barbie’ Songs and Young Women Lead 2024 Grammy Nominees

    The indie-rock group boygenius, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and Victoria Monét are among the most nominated artists for the 66th annual awards in February.SZA, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, the indie supergroup boygenius and the eclectic bandleader Jon Batiste are among the top nominees for the 66th annual Grammy Awards, leading a class of contenders dominated by young women.SZA, the R&B singer and songwriter born Solána Rowe, has nine nods — more than any other artist this year — for her album “SOS,” which led the Billboard chart for 10 weeks and spawned an in-demand arena tour. “Kill Bill,” its standout hit, is up for both record and song of the year at the next ceremony, set for Feb. 4 in Los Angeles.Swift and Rodrigo will face off against SZA in all three top categories, with Swift’s “Midnights” — the studio LP she released last year, in between a slew of rerecordings — and Rodrigo’s “Guts” up for best album, and Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and Rodrigo’s “Vampire” each competing for both record and song.The awards were announced in an online stream Friday morning by the Recording Academy, the nonprofit organization behind the Grammys.Miley Cyrus and Batiste are also contenders in each of the most prestigious categories. Cyrus’s mellow, disco-inflected hit “Flowers” is up for record and song of the year, and “Endless Summer Vacation” for album. Batiste, the surprise album of the year victor in 2022 for “We Are” — a rootsy, uplifting collection that had barely made a dent on the charts — earned a string of nominations, including best album for “World Music Radio,” a high-concept amalgam of global pop that was also far from a hit. Its track “Worship” is up for record, and “Butterfly” for song. (Record of the year recognizes a single recording; song of the year is a songwriter’s award.)Boygenius, the project of three of indie-rock’s leading young women — Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, all in their late 20s — will compete for record of the year with “Not Strong Enough,” and best album with “The Record.”Swift, Rodrigo, Cyrus, boygenius, Batiste and the Americana singer-songwriter Brandy Clark have six nods apiece, as does Billie Eilish, another Grammy favorite; Victoria Monét, an R&B singer and songwriter, has seven. Bridgers, of boygenius, also nabbed a seventh, through a collaboration with SZA.The “Barbie” soundtrack, curated by the producer Mark Ronson and filled with female artists — Eilish, Dua Lipa and Nicki Minaj among them — has a total of 11 nominations in seven categories. In best song written for visual media, for example, “Barbie” tracks occupy four of the five slots.The contenders for best new artist include Monét; the banjo-playing pop-folkie Noah Kahan; Jelly Roll, who started as a rapper before finding fame in Nashville; the British dance producer known as Fred again..; the R&B singer and actress Coco Jones; the husband-and-wife soul duo the War and Treaty; and two artists who have gotten a boost from their associations with Swift — the singer Gracie Abrams and the drill-meets-pop Bronx rapper Ice Spice.In past years, the Grammys have been criticized for failing to adequately reward female artists, and this year’s woman-heavy nominations will likely be welcomed in the industry as a sign of progress. Still, the key will be who ultimately wins.As always, the nominations included some surprises in the top tier, particularly when it came to country artists.Luke Combs, who had a cross-generational smash with a reverently faithful version of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song “Fast Car,” got a nod for country solo performance, but not record of the year, which many in the industry had expected. (“Fast Car” was not, however, eligible for song of the year, since it had already been nominated for that award in the ’80s.)Zach Bryan, an admired songwriter who found chart success this year with a self-titled album, was recognized only in country categories, for that LP and for “I Remember Everything,” a duet with Kacey Musgraves. And Morgan Wallen, a streaming titan whose album “One Thing at a Time” was a blockbuster this year, is absent completely — a sign, perhaps, that the coastal industry mainstream has not forgiven Wallen for his use of a racial slur two years ago, as establishment Nashville seemingly has. (Wallen’s hit “Last Night” is up for best country song, though Wallen was not among its four writers.)Harvey Mason Jr., the chief executive of the Recording Academy, said in an interview that the nominations simply reflect the musical judgment of the academy’s 11,000 or so voting members.“There’s really no other explanation or calculus here,” Mason said. “The voters come in, they listen to the music, and the stuff they like the best, and feel is the most excellent, they vote for.”The nominations arrive two days after Neil Portnow, a former academy chief, was sued in a New York court by an anonymous female musician who accused him of drugging and raping her five years ago. The suit also accused the academy of negligence.Portnow has denied the accusation, and the academy on Wednesday called the woman’s claims “without merit.” Mason declined to comment about the case.The major Grammy nominations this year largely hew to popular hits, and they notably over-index with female artists, though country and hip-hop are scarce in the top categories.In addition to LPs by SZA, Swift, Rodrigo, Cyrus, boygenius and Batiste, the album of the year slate includes Lana Del Rey’s “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” and Janelle Monáe’s “The Age of Pleasure.”Record of the year also includes Monét’s “On My Mama” and Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?,” from “Barbie.” Del Rey’s “A&W,” “What Was I Made For?” and another “Barbie” number, Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” round out song of the year.The number of slots on the ballot for the four top Grammy categories has been a moving target for years. This year, the academy set it to eight, after two years at 10. It was the third such change in five years.Among other rule changes this year, the academy moved the producer and songwriter of the year categories to the general field, which allows all voting members to vote on those awards.Nominees for producer of the year, nonclassical, include Jack Antonoff, known for his work with Swift and Del Rey; Daniel Nigro (Rodrigo); Hit-Boy (Nas, Don Toliver); Dernst Emile II, known as D’Mile (Monét); and Metro Boomin (Travis Scott; Drake & 21 Savage). Songwriter of the year, meant to recognize writers who largely work behind the scenes, has nods for Edgar Barrera, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shane McAnally, Theron Thomas and Justin Tranter.For best pop vocal album, Swift’s “Midnights,” Rodrigo’s “Guts” and Cyrus’s “Endless Summer Vacation” are up against Kelly Clarkson’s “Chemistry” and Ed Sheeran’s “-” (called “Subtract”).In the rap album category, Drake & 21 Savage’s collaboration “Her Loss” and Travis Scott’s “Utopia” will contend with Killer Mike’s “Michael,” Nas’s “King’s Disease III” and Metro Boomin’s “Heroes & Villains.”For country album, Bryan’s LP is up along with Kelsea Ballerini’s “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat,” Lainey Wilson’s “Bell Bottom Country,” Tyler Childers’s “Rustin’ in the Rain” and the self-titled album by Brothers Osborne.The contenders for best rock album are Foo Fighters’ “But Here We Are,” Greta Van Fleet’s “Starcatcher,” Metallica’s “72 Seasons,” Paramore’s “This Is Why” and “In Times New Roman …” by Queens of the Stone Age.For best African music performance, a new category, the nominees are Asake & Olamide’s “Amapiano,” Burna Boy’s “City Boys,” Ayra Starr’s “Rush,” Tyla’s “Water,” and Davido’s “Unavailable,” which features Musa Keys.In the audiobook category, Michelle Obama and Senator Bernie Sanders will compete with Meryl Streep, William Shatner and the music producer Rick Rubin.At the ceremony in February, the academy will give out prizes in 94 categories — the most in 13 years. The organization slashed many awards in 2011, but since then the number has gradually crept back upThe 66th Grammys will recognize recordings released from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 15, 2023 — an unusual eligibility window of 11 and a half months. This year, nearly 16,000 entries were submitted for consideration, down slightly from last year. More

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    A (Sad) Playlist for the 2023 New York Mets

    Fifteen songs that tell the tale of a rough season.It’s impossible for Mr. Met to look sad, but trust us, he would at this point in the season if he could.Frank Franklin Ii/Associated PressDear listeners,This week, there has been joy neither in Mudville nor in Queens — home of the New York Mets, a team enjoying a catastrophically disappointing 2023 season.The Mets began the year with high hopes for a deep postseason run and with an even higher payroll (somewhere near $350 million before luxury tax payments, making them the most expensive baseball team in history). But after Tuesday’s trade deadline, at which point the Mets had a 50-55 win-loss record, the organization all but gave up on 2023, trading away most of their best pitchers and a few sluggers to boot, in exchange for a bunch of admittedly exciting young prospects who will nonetheless probably not blossom until at least (gulp) 2025. The remaining Mets responded by losing three games in a row to the Kansas City Royals, currently one of the worst teams in M.L.B., but also — a little more salt in the wound, please — the very team to which they lost the World Series in 2015.Suffice to say, I’ve not been listening to a lot of happy music the past few days.In his highly entertaining 2021 book “So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin’ True Story of the New York Mets — The Best Worst Team in Sports,” the journalist Devin Gordon writes, “There is a difference between being bad and being gifted at losing, and this distinction holds the key to understanding the true magic of the New York Mets.” Yet again, the Mets have fulfilled that reputation and somehow found a novel way to fail, in the process inventing an entirely new flavor of pain to inflict upon its fan base. It’s honestly kind of impressive.As any librettist or opera composer knows, some tragedies are so grand that they must be expressed in music. And though I am but a humble newsletter writer, I know this, too. So here it is: a playlist for the 2023 Mets.You will not hear Timmy Trumpet (the man behind the triumphant entrance music for our closer, who was injured in freakish fashion in March) on this playlist. You will hear the Smiths, as the 2023 mood is closer to sumptuous anguish. You’ll also hear classics from the Who, David Bowie and Talking Heads, alongside newer songs from Palehound and the long-suffering Mets fans Yo La Tengo.You don’t need to root for the Mets, or even like baseball, to listen to this playlist. Actually, if you don’t, it will work as a primer to help you understand the complicated tale of woe that is the Mets’ 2023 season. But if it somehow compels you to devote yourself to the orange and blue, I offer you a hearty welcome. Misery loves company.Listen along on Spotify as you read.1. The Smiths: “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”Though it is possible to describe the psyche of a Mets fan in a playlist comprised entirely of Smiths songs — “Panic,” “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” “You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby” — the title of this jangly ditty from 1984 sums things up pretty succinctly. (Listen on YouTube)2. Peggy Lee: “Big Spender”When the billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen bought the Mets in 2020, he became the wealthiest owner in the M.L.B. Going into the 2023 season, he clearly wasn’t afraid to spend, or pay the luxury tax. As a result, he assembled the most expensive roster in baseball history. What could possibly go wrong? I’m sure Peggy Lee, in this snappy 1966 rendition of a showstopper from “Sweet Charity,” couldn’t possibly guess! (Listen on YouTube)3. The Magnetic Fields: “Come Back From San Francisco”“Come back from San Francisco, it can’t be all that pretty when all of New York City misses you,” Shirley Simms sings on this 1999 song by the Magnetic Fields — a sentiment shared by some New Yorkers earlier this season when former Mets and current Giants like Michael Conforto, J.D. Davis and Wilmer Flores all got off to hot starts just as the Mets’ bats started going cold. (It’s also a sentiment plenty of older New Yorkers still feel about the Giants organization itself.) (Listen on YouTube)4. The Big Bopper: “Chantilly Lace”At least Pete Alonso was hitting some very big bops at an astounding pace — 20 home runs by the end of May. As the Big Bopper would say, “Hello, baaaaby!” (Listen on YouTube)5. David Bowie: “Boys Keep Swinging”Indeed they did — whether or not they were making contact with the ball. If only they were having as much fun as Bowie on this 1979 glam-pop gem. (Listen on YouTube)6. The Who: “The Kids Are Alright”An undeniable bright spot for the 2023 team has been the offensive prowess of a group of very young rookies who earned the nickname “The Baby Mets”: the 23-year-old infielders Mark Vientos and Brett Baty; and the 21-year-old catcher Francisco Álvarez, who at press time had hit more home runs this year than any other catcher in baseball. The kids are all right! (Listen on YouTube)7. Palehound: “Eye on the Bat”“Suckers will all tell you to keep watching for the ball, but we know better than that,” Palehound’s El Kempner sings. “Keep your eye on the bat.” Good song from a recently released album I’ve been enjoying; bad advice for the New York Mets. (Listen on YouTube)8. SZA featuring Ty Dolla Sign: “Hit Different”I began to wish they would. (Listen on YouTube)9. The Everly Brothers: “June Is as Cold as December”Brrr. The Mets won just seven games and lost 19 in June — a month so disastrous that The Athletic’s Tim Britton wrote an article asking, “Did the Mets just complete their worst month in franchise history?” This being the Mets, though, he found plenty of others, writing, “Note that this is a non-exhaustive list. There are other very bad months that did not make the cut.” (Listen on YouTube)10. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles: “A Fork in the Road”Another silver lining, though, was the 30-year-old Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga — making his M.L.B. debut this season with the Mets — and his elusive signature pitch, the “ghost fork,” named for the way it suddenly disappears from the strike zone. (Listen on YouTube)11. Yo La Tengo: “Fallout”It wouldn’t be a Mets playlist without some Yo La Tengo. The long-running New Jersey indie-rock band is named after a great, if possibly apocryphal, story involving the former Mets Richie Ashburn and Elio Chacón, and this year the band’s Ira Kaplan threw out the first pitch at a Mets game. The title of its latest album, which features the fuzzy single “Fallout,” also expresses a sentiment that is relatable to many Mets fans: “This Stupid World.” (Listen on YouTube)12. Ace Frehley: “New York Groove”The Mets play this stomping, irresistibly catchy glam-rock tune — written by the British producer Russ Ballard, but popularized by the native New Yorker Ace Frehley — after every home game that they win. So for a hopeful moment in July, when the team kicked off the month with a six-game winning streak, it was a song that actually got some play. (Listen on YouTube)13. Talking Heads: “Burning Down the House”But it wasn’t enough. As the trade deadline neared, the team began selling off some of its most valuable assets: First, the closer David Robertson and the starting pitcher Max Scherzer. Then, at the trade deadline on Tuesday, they just started burning down the house. Baseball’s most expensive roster ever had officially gone bust. Here’s your ticket; pack your bags. (Listen on YouTube)14. George Strait: “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”And now ours do, too: Scherzer has joined Jacob deGrom on the Texas Rangers, while Justin Verlander has returned to his former team, the Houston Astros. George Strait, I now know how you felt when you recorded this 1987 hit. (Listen on YouTube)15. Hot Chocolate: “You Sexy Thing”And yet … at least technically, the season is not over. Rooting for the Mets means ya gotta believe in miracles. (Listen on YouTube)All the fans are true to the orange and blue,LindsayThe Amplifier PlaylistListen on Spotify. We update this playlist with each new newsletter.“A (Sad) Playlist for the 2023 New York Mets” track listTrack 1: The Smiths, “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now”Track 2: Peggy Lee, “Big Spender”Track 3: The Magnetic Fields, “Come Back From San Francisco”Track 4: The Big Bopper, “Chantilly Lace”Track 5: David Bowie, “Boys Keep Swinging”Track 6: The Who, “The Kids Are Alright”Track 7: Palehound, “Eye on the Bat”Track 8: SZA featuring Ty Dolla Sign, “Hit Different”Track 9: The Everly Brothers, “June Is as Cold as December”Track 10: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, “A Fork in the Road”Track 11: Yo La Tengo, “Fallout”Track 12: Ace Frehley, “New York Groove”Track 13: Talking Heads, “Burning Down the House”Track 14: George Strait, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas”Track 15: Hot Chocolate, “You Sexy Thing”Bonus tracksIf you are curious how I came to devote my life to the perpetual misery that is Mets fandom, you’re in luck — I wrote an essay on that very topic last year, for the briefly shuttered and soon-to-be-revived magazine Bookforum. Viva la Mets! Viva la Bookforum!Also, I mentioned Devin Gordon’s delightful Mets book, so I would be remiss if I did not also recommend Gordon’s equally delightful 2018 New York Times Magazine profile of the Mets announcers Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling, “the Magi of Mets Nation.”And if you’re looking for new music, this week’s Friday Playlist features tracks from Mitski, Wilco, Jorja Smith and many more. More

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    On Her SOS Tour, SZA Makes Small Feelings Huge

    The R&B star’s first New York arena show supporting her blockbuster album “SOS” was a deft mix of styles and sounds, with guests Cardi B and Phoebe Bridgers.SZA’s performance at Madison Square Garden Saturday night was vigorous, confident, theatrical and intimate — the sort of show that manages the rare trick of feeling both vibrantly communicative and also protectively insular.But one particular five-song stretch encapsulated the range that has made SZA — whose second studio album, “SOS,” has spent 10 weeks atop the Billboard album chart — one of the most au courant performers of this era, a beacon for the vulnerable, the stubborn, the besieged and the broken.A few songs into her set, she told the crowd that she was performing a song that hadn’t previously been part of the set list, and started into “Ghost in the Machine,” a plinking whisper about needing escape. A few moments later, out shuffled Phoebe Bridgers, the beloved indie-rock singer-songwriter who guests on the track, wearing a promo T-shirt for “Smell the Magic,” the 1990 album by the all-woman grunge band L7. They sang their parts, grinning at the improbability of it all, then deeply bowed to each other.After that, SZA shifted into “Blind,” a quick-tongued acoustic soul number rich with lovely guitar curlicues, singing about all the walls she puts up, literally and figuratively: “You still talking ’bout babies/And I’m still taking a Plan B.” And after that, “Shirt,” a spacious thumper with echoes of 1990s R&B and a low center of gravity. Her voice, so breathy on the prior song, was tart here, as she worked through sinuous choreography with a quartet of backup dancers while sighing about taking “comfort in my sins.”SZA’s stage design leaned heavily on aquatic themes; at one point, she rode a lifeboat on wires high above the crowd.Nina Westervelt for The New York TimesThen, another guest: the charisma machine Cardi B, who joined for “I Do,” which features a winningly cocky hook by SZA. (Cardi stuck around to perform her verse from GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” for good measure, much to SZA’s apparent glee.) And following that came “Smoking on My Ex Pack,” a grounded, earthen hip-hop song in the vein of, say, Earl Sweatshirt, in which SZA navigates romantic push and pull: “Them hoe accusations weak/Them bitch accusations true.”It was, in sum, a 15-minute tour de force, spanning genres and modes, attitudes and feelings. It also felt utterly modern — indebted to the past but not beholden to it, unconcerned with old stylistic limitations, casually adroit.On “SOS,” one of last year’s most impressive albums, SZA writes about situationships with microscope acuity, self-lacerating and scowling in equal measure. In the five years that she took between albums, she became more particular, more pointed and more adventurous. That was clear on the pop-punk number “F2F,” which channeled Paramore, and “Nobody Gets Me,” which, depending on the lens, either leans heavily on Mazzy Star, or on melodramatic alt-country. She performed that one with particular fervor, recalling female power rockers of the 1990s like Alanis Morissette.This concert — the first of two sold-out nights in New York — was full of such peaks. The rapturous crowd met her up-tempo songs featuring dance routines with equal enthusiasm as her lonely ballads. On those, her voice was luscious, pure and full of nuance. (In this context, her more straightforward hits, like the Doja Cat collaboration “Kiss Me More,” or the songs with flickers of feisty verses from Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott or Ol’ Dirty Bastard, didn’t much stand out.)SZA started and ended the show echoing the cover of “SOS”: perched at the end of a high diving board.Nina Westervelt for The New York TimesUniting it all were water themes — she opened the show sitting on the edge of a diving board, as she does on the cover of “SOS,” here wearing a navy jersey bearing the name Yemaya, the Yoruba goddess of the sea. (She returned to that perch at the concert’s end, this time wearing white.) At the back of the stage, a huge screen displayed waters that increasingly turned choppy, then undersea life. Some of her onstage setups included a huge fishing vessel and an oversized anchor, though they were more props than narrative devices.The show’s first section perhaps overindexed on choreographed numbers, but by midway through, SZA was soaring — first figuratively, and then literally, in a lifeboat rigged up to float above the crowd. Singing “Special,” a sweetly anguished song about self-doubt and jealousy, from up in the sky gave it a delicious inversion.While many artists touring concerts of this scale build to a sort of triumphant ending, SZA’s concluding run before the encore felt more like a retreat inward — the quiet storm smolder of “Snooze,” followed by the head-nodding manifesto of jealousy “Kill Bill,” one of the most unsettling smashes of recent memory. She followed that with “I Hate U,” a scalding indictment that’s virtually lo-fi on record, but here took on epic scale. And then finally, “The Weekend,” a stunningly calm song about an anxious situation, a timeshare kind of love: “My man is my man is your man/Heard it’s her man, too.” But she didn’t sound even a bit unsettled. Everyone was singing along, protecting these private troubles with public comfort.SZA performs at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Her SOS Tour continues through March 23; szasos.com/tour. More