2020 Grammys: Angelique Kidjo beats Nigeria’s Burna Boy
Beninese music legend, Angelique Kidjo , on Monday, beats Nigeria’s Burna boy to win the best world music album category.
Nigerian superstar Afro-fusion artist, Burna Boy, 28, lost in his first attempt to win a Grammy award after being nominated in the best world music album category.
This marks Kidjo’s fourth win in the category and fourth GRAMMY win overall.
Angelique Kidjo beat fellow nominees Altin Gün (Gece), Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley (What Heat), Burna Boy (African Giant) and Natalie Joachim with Spektral Quartet (Fanm D’ Ayiti) .
Her 2019 album titled ‘Celia’ earned her the award.
It contained ten tracks and saw Kidjo investigate the African roots of the Cuban-born woman, Celia Cruz, who became the “Queen” of salsa, a music genre invented in New York by Caribbean immigrants
Kidjo is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. She is fluent in five languages: Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen (Mina), and English.
‘African Giant’ is Burna Boy’s fourth studio album which earned him the Grammy nomination. It was released on July 26, 2019 and interestingly, Kidjo featured on one of the songs on the album titled ‘Different’.
The Grammy Award for Best World Music Album is an honour presented to recording artists for quality albums in the world music genre.
The only Nigerian to win a Grammy Award remains Mr Sikiru Adepoju.
Adepoju, who worked with Ebenezer Obey and the Inter-Reformers band in the 80s, was part of Mickey Hart’s group Planet Drum, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 1991, the first year there was a Grammy in that category.
He was also part of Mickey Hart’s group Global Drum Project, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at 2009 Grammy Awards.
Last week, Burna Boy gave a thrilling performance of his hit single ‘Killin Dem’ at the pre-2020 Grammys party.
Other celebs spotted at the party included music stars like Billie Eilish, Lil Nas, Bebe Rexha, Wiz Khalifa, Kehlani, JoJo, Lizzo.
Burna Boy follows in the footsteps of Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti and King Sunny Ade in getting nominated in that category at the Grammy Awards.
Other Nigerian Grammy nominees include Babatunde Olatunji, Wizkid, Timaya and Kah Lo.
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Apollo XXI — Steve Lacy
Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) — Lizzo
Overload — Georgia Anne Muldrow
Saturn — Nao
Being Human In Public — Jessie Reyez
Best R&B Performance
“Love Again” — Daniel Caesar & Brandy
“Could’ve Been” — H.E.R. & Bryson Tiller
“Exactly How I Feel” — Lizzo & Gucci Mane
“Roll Some Mo” — Lucky Daye
“Come Home” — Anderson Paak & André 300
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Time Today” — BJ The Chicago Kid
“Steady Love” — India.Arie
“Jerome” — Lizzo
“Real Games” — Lucky Daye
“Built For Love” — PJ Morton & Jazmine Sullivan
Best R&B Song
“Could’ve Been” — Dernst Emile Ii, David “Swagg R’celious” Harris, H.E.R. & Hue “Soundzfire” Strother, Songwriters (H.E.R. Ft. Bryson Tiller)
“Look At Me Now” — Emily King & Jeremy Most, Songwriters (Emily King)
“No Guidance” — Chris Brown, Tyler James Bryant, Nija Charles, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Michee Patrick Lebrun, Joshua
Lewis, Noah Shebib & Teddy Walton, Songwriters (Chris Brown Ft. Drake)
“Roll Some Mo” — David Brown, Dernst Emile Ii & Peter Lee Johnson, Songwriters (Lucky Daye)
“Say So” — Pj Morton, Songwriter (Pj Morton Ft. Jojo)
Best Rock Performance
“Pretty Waste” — Bones UK
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr.
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard
“Woman” — Karen O & Danger Mouse
“Too Bad” — Rival Sons
Best Rock Song
“Fear Inoculum” — Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones & Maynard James Keenan, Songwriters (Tool)
“Give Yourself A Try” — George Daniel, Adam Hann, Matthew Healy & Ross Macdonald, Songwriters (The 1975)
“Harmony Hall” — Ezra Koenig, Songwriter (Vampire Weekend)
“History Repeats” — Brittany Howard, Songwriter (Brittany Howard)
“This Land” — Gary Clark Jr., Songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)
Best Rock Album
Amo — Bring Me The Horizon
Social Cues — Cage The Elephant
In The End — The Cranberries
Trauma — I Prevail
Feral Roots — Rival Sons
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
The Lion King: The Songs, various artists
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, various artists Rocketman, Taron Egerton
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, various artists
A Star Is Born, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Avengers: Endgame, Alan Silvestri Chernobyl, Hildur Guðnadóttir
Game of Thrones: Season 8, Ramin Djawadi
The Lion King, Hans Zimmer
Mary Poppins Returns, Marc Shaiman
Best Song Written for Visual Media
“The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy,” Randy Newman (Chris Stapleton, Toy Story 4)
“Girl in the Movies,” Dolly Parton and Linda Perry (Dolly Parton, Dumplin’)
“I’ll Never Love Again” (Film Version), Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born)
“Spirit,” Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh (Beyoncé, The Lion King)
“Suspirium,” Thom Yorke (Thom Yorke, Suspiria)
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)
Beastie Boys Book (Various Artists) — Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Scott Sherratt & Dan Zitt, producers
Becoming — Michelle Obama
I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor — Eric Alexandrakis
Mr. Know-It-All — John Waters
Sekou Andrews & The String Theory — Sekou Andrews & The String Theory
Best Instrumental Composition
“Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” — John Williams, composer (John Williams)
“Begin Again” — Fred Hersch, composer (Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band Conducted By Vince Mendoza)
“Crucible For Crisis” — Brian Lynch, composer (Brian Lynch Big Band)
“Love, A Beautiful Force” — Vince Mendoza, composer (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)
“Walkin’ Funny” — Christian McBride, composer (Christian McBride)
Best Remixed Recording
“I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix),” Tracy Young (Madonna)
“Mother’s Daugher (Wuki Remix),” Wuki (Miley Cyrus)
“The One (High Contrast Remix),” Lincoln Barrett (Jorja Smith)
“Swim (Ford. Remix),” Luke Bradford (Mild Minds)
“Work It (Soulwax Remix),” David Gerard C Dewaele and Stephen Antoine C Dewaele (Marie Davidson)
Best Music Video
“We’ve Got to Try,” The Chemical Brothers
“This Land,” Gary Clark Jr.
“Cellophane,” fka twigs
“Old Town Road (Official Movie),” Lil Nas X featuring Billie Ray Cyrus
“Glad He’s Gone,” Tove Lo
Best Music Film
Homecoming, Beyoncé
Remember My Name, David Crosby
Birth of the Cool, Miles Davis
Shangri-La, various artists
Anima, Thom Yorke
Best Dance Recording
“Linked,” Bonobo
“Got to Keep On,” The Chemical Brothers
“Piece of Your Heart,” Meduza featuring Goodboys
“Underwater,” Rüfüs Du Sol
“Midnight Hour,” Skrillex and Boys Noize featuring Ty Dolla $ign
Best Dance/Electronic Album
LP5, Apparat
No Geography, The Chemical Brothers
Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape), Flume
Solace, Rüfüs Du Sol
Weather, Tycho
Best Country Solo Performance
“All Your’n,” Tyler Childers
Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” Ashley McBryde
“Ride Me Back Home,” Willie Nelson
“God’s Country,” Blake Shelton
“Bring My Flowers Now,” Tanya Tucker
Best Country Song
“Bring My Flowers Now,” Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth and Tanya Tucker (Tanya Tucker)
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” Jeremy Bussey and Ashley McBryde (Ashley McBryde)
“It All Comes Out In the Wash,” Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose (Miranda Lambert)
“Some of It,” Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, and Bobby Pinson (Eric Church)
“Speechless,” Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers, and Laura Veltz (Dan + Shay)
Best Country Album
Desperate Man, Eric Church
Stronger Than the Truth, Reba McEntire
Interstate Gospel, Pistol Annies
Center Point Road, Thomas Rhett
While I’m Livin’, Tanya Tucker
Best Rap Performance
“Middle Child,” J. Cole
“Suge,” DaBaby
“Down Bad,” Dreamville featuring J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy
“Racks in the Middle,” Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy
“Clout,” Offset featuring Cardi B
Best Rap Song
“Bad Idea,” Chancelor Bennett, Cordae Dunston, Uforo Ebong & Daniel Hackett (YBN Cordae featuring Chance The Rapper)
“Gold Roses,” Noel Cadastre, Aubrey Graham, Anderson Hernandez, Khristopher Riddick-Tynes, William Leonard Roberts II, Joshua Quinton Scruggs, Leon Thomas III & Ozan Yildirim (Rick Ross featuring Drake)
“A Lot,” Jermaine Cole, Dacoury Natche, 21 Savage & Anthony White, (21 Savage featuring J. Cole)
“Racks in the Middle,” Ermias Asghedom, Dustin James Corbett, Greg Allen Davis, Chauncey Hollis, Jr. & Rodrick Moore (Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy)
“Suge,” DaBaby, Jetsonmade & Pooh Beatz (DaBaby)
Best Recording Package
Chris Cornell — Barry Ament, Jeff Ament, Jeff Fura & Joe Spix, art directors (Chris Cornell)
Anónimas & Resilientes — Luisa María Arango, Carlos Dussan, Manuel García-Orozco & Juliana Jaramillo-Buenaventura, art directors (Voces Del Bullerengue)
Hold That Tiger — Andrew Wong & Fongming Yang, art directors (The Muddy Basin Ramblers)
i,i — Aaron Anderson & Eric Timothy Carlson, art directors (Bon Iver)
Intellexual — Irwan Awalludin, art director (Intellexual)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Woodstock: Back To The Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive — Masaki Koike, art director (Various Artists)
Anima — Stanley Donwood & Tchocky, art directors (Thom Yorke)
Gold In Brass Age — Amanda Chiu, Mark Farrow & David Gray, art directors (David Gray)
1963: New Directions — Josh Cheuse, art director (John Coltrane)
The Radio Recordings 1939–1945 — Marek Polewski, art director (Wilhelm Furtwängler & Berliner Philharmoniker)
Best Album Notes
Stax ’68: A Memphis Story — Steve Greenberg, album notes writer (Various Artists)
The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions — Judy Cantor-Navas, album notes writer (Various Artists)
The Gospel According To Malaco — Robert Marovich, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Pedal Steel + Four Corners — Brendan Greaves, album notes writer (Terry Allen And The Panhandle Mystery Band)
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection — Jeff Place, album notes writer (Pete Seeger)
Best Historical Album
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways
Collection — Jeff Place & Robert Santelli, compilation producers; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Pete Seeger)
The Girl From Chickasaw County – The Complete Capitol Masters — Andrew Batt & Kris Maher, compilation producers; Simon Gibson, mastering engineer (Bobbie Gentry)
The Great Comeback: Horowitz At Carnegie Hall — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Andreas K. Meyer & Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineers (Vladimir Horowitz)
Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 — Spencer Doran, Yosuke Kitazawa, Douglas Macgowan & Matt Sullivan, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Woodstock: Back To The Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive — Brian Kehew, Steve Woolard & Andy Zax, compilation producers; Dave Schultz, mastering engineer, Brian Kehew, restoration engineer (Various Artists)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? — Rob Kinelski & Finneas O’Connell, engineers; John Greenham, mastering engineer (Billie Eilish)
All These Things — Tchad Blake, Adam Greenspan & Rodney Shearer, engineers; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Thomas Dybdahl)
Ella Mai — Chris “Shaggy” Ascher, Jaycen Joshua & David Pizzimenti, engineers; Chris Athens, mastering engineer (Ella Mai)
Run Home Slow — Paul Butler & Sam Teskey, engineers; Joe Carra, mastering engineer (The Teskey Brothers)
Scenery — Tom Elmhirst, Ben Kane & Jeremy Most, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Emily King)
Best Immersive Audio Album
Lux — Morten Lindberg, immersive audio engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, immersive audio producer (Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor)
Chain Tripping — Luke Argilla, immersive audio engineer; Jurgen Scharpf, immersive audio mastering engineer; Jona Bechtolt, Claire L. Evans & Rob Kieswetter, immersive audio producers (Yacht)
Kverndokk: Symphonic Dances — Jim Anderson, immersive audio engineer; Robert C. Ludwig, immersive audio mastering engineer; Ulrike Schwarz, immersive audio producer (Ken-David Masur & Stavanger Symphony Orchestra)
The Orchestral Organ — Keith O. Johnson, immersive audio engineer; Keith O. Johnson, immersive audio mastering engineer; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, immersive audio producers (Jan Kraybill)
The Savior — Bob Clearmountain, immersive audio engineer; Bob Ludwig, immersive audio mastering engineer; Michael Marquart & Dave Way, immersive audio producers (A Bad Think)
Best New Age Album
Wings — Peter Kater
Fairy Dreams — David Arkenstone
Homage To Kindness — David Darling
Verve — Sebastian Plano
Deva — Deva Premal
Best Bluegrass Album
Tall Fiddler — Michael Cleveland
Live In Prague, Czech Republic — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Toil, Tears & Trouble — The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Royal Traveller — Missy Raines
If You Can’t Stand The Heat — Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Best Traditional Blues Album
Tall, Dark & Handsome — Delbert McClinton & Self-made Men
Kingfish — Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Sitting On Top Of The Blues — Bobby Rush
Baby, Please Come Home — Jimmie Vaughan
Spectacular Class — Jontavious Willis
Best Contemporary Blues Album
This Land — Gary Clark Jr.
Venom & Faith — Larkin Poe
Brighter Days — Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Somebody Save Me — Sugaray Rayford
Keep On — Southern Avenue
Best Folk Album
My Finest Work Yet — Andrew Bird
Rearrange My Heart — Che Apalache
Patty Griffin — Patty Griffin
Evening Machines — Gregory Alan Isakov
Front Porch — Joy Williams
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Good Time — Ranky Tanky
Kalawai’anui — Amy Hānaiali’i
When It’s Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs — Northern Cree
Recorded Live At The 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival — Rebirth Brass Band
Hawaiian Lullaby (Various Artists) — Imua Garza & Kimié Miner, Producers
Best Reggae Album
Rapture — Koffee
As I Am — Julian Marley
The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie Vs. Roots Radics — Sly & Robbie & Roots Radics
Mass Manipulation — Steel Pulse
More Work To Be Done — Third World
Best Children’s Music Album
Ageless Songs For The Child Archetype — Jon Samson
Flying High! — Caspar Babypants
I Love Rainy Days — Daniel Tashian
The Love — Alphabet Rockers
Winterland — The Okee Dokee Brothers
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Mettavolution — Rodrigo y Gabriela
Ancestral Recall — Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Star People Nation — Theo Croker
Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music! — Mark Guiliana
Elevate — Lettuce
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Moon River” — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier)
“Blue Skies” — Kris Bowers, arranger (Kris Bowers)
“Hedwig’s Theme” — John Williams, arranger (Anne-Sophie Mutter & John Williams)
“La Novena” — Emilio Solla, arranger (Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra)
“Love, A Beautiful Force” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“All Night Long” — Jacob Collier, arranger (Jacob Collier Featuring Jules Buckley, Take 6 & Metropole Orkest)
“Jolene” — Geoff Keezer, arranger (Sara Gazarek)
“Marry Me A Little” — Cyrille Aimée & Diego Figueiredo, arrangers (Cyrille Aimée)
“Over The Rainbow” — Vince Mendoza, arranger (Trisha Yearwood)
“12 Little Spells (Thoracic Spine)” — Esperanza Spalding, arranger (Esperanza Spalding)
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
“Sozinho” — Randy Brecker, soloist
“Elsewhere” — Melissa Aldana, soloist
“Tomorrow Is The Question” — Julian Lage, soloist
“The Windup” — Brandford Marsalis, soloist
“Sightseeing” — Christian McBride, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album
12 Little Spells — Esperanza Spalding
Thirsty Ghost — Sara Gazarek
Love & Liberation — Jazzmeia Horn
Alone Together — Catherine Russell
Screenplay — The Tierney Sutton Band
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Finding Gabriel — Brad Mehldau
In The Key Of The Universe — Joey DeFrancesco
The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul — Branford Marsalis Quartet
Christian McBride’s New Jawn — Brad Mehldau
Come What May – Joshua Redman Quartet
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Triple Helix – Anat Cohen Tentet
Dancer in Nowhere – Miho Hazama
Hiding Out – Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra
The Omni-American Book Club – Brian Lynch Big Band
One Day Wonder – Terraza Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album
Antidote — Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band
Sorte!: Music By John Finbury — Thalma De Freitas With Vitor Gonçalves, John Patitucci, Chico Pinheiro, Rogerio Boccato & Duduka Da Fonseca
Una Noche Con Rubén Blades — Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra With Wynton Marsalis & Rubén Blades
Carib — David Sánchez
Sonero: The Music Of Ismael Rivera — Miguel Zenón
Best Gospel Performance/Song
“Love Theory”– Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, Songwriter
“Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus” — Gloria Gaynor ft. Yolanda Adams; Bryan Fowler, Gloria Gaynor & Chris Stevens, Songwriters
“See The Light” — Travis Greene ft. Jekalyn Carr
“Speak The Name” — Koryn Hawthorne ft. Natalie Grant
“This Is A Move (Live)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Tony Brown, Brandon Lake, Tasha Cobbs Leonard & Nate Moore, Songwriters
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“God Only Knows” — for King & Country & Dolly Parton; Josh Kerr, Jordan Reynolds, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone & Tedd Tjornhom, songwriters
“Only Jesus” — Casting Crowns; Mark Hall, Bernie Herms & Matthew West, songwriters
“Haven’t Seen It Yet” — Danny Gokey; Danny Gokey, Ethan Hulse & Colby Wedgeworth, songwriters
“God’s Not Done With You (Single Version)” — Tauren Wells
“Rescue Story” — Zach Williams; Ethan Hulse, Andrew Ripp, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters
Best Gospel Album
Long Live Love — Kirk Franklin
Goshen — Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers
Tunnel Vision — Gene Moore
Settle Here — William Murphy
Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album — CeCe Winans
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Burn The Ships — for King & Country
I Know A Ghost — Crowder
Haven’t Seen It Yet — Danny Gokey
The Elements — TobyMac
Holy Roar — Chris Tomlin
Best Roots Gospel Album
Testimony — Gloria Gaynor
Deeper Roots: Where The Bluegrass
Grows — Steven Curtis Chapman
Deeper Oceans — Joseph Habedank
His Name Is Jesus — Tim Menzies
Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout (Various Artists) — Jerry Salley, producer
Best Latin Pop Album
#ELDISCO — Alejandro Sanz
Vida — Luis Fonsi
11:11 — Maluma
Montaner — Ricardo Montaner
Fantasía — Sebastian Yatra
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
El Mal Querer – Rosalía
X 100PRE — Bad Bunny
Oasis — J Balvin & Bad Bunny
Indestructible — Flor De Toloache
Almadura — iLe
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
De Ayer Para Siempre — Mariachi Los Camperos
Caminando — Joss Favela
Percepción — Intocable
Poco A Poco — La Energia Norteña
20 Aniversario — Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
Best Tropical Latin Album
Opus — Marc Anthony (TIE)
A Journey Through Cuban Music — Aymée Nuviola (TIE)
Tiempo Al Tiempo — Luis Enrique + C4 Trio
Candela — Vicente García
Literal — Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Riley: Sun Rings — Leslie Ann Jones, engineer; Robert C. Ludwig, mastering engineer (Kronos Quartet)
Aequa – Anna Thorvaldsdóttir — Daniel Shores, engineer; Daniel Shores, mastering engineer (International Contemporary Ensemble)
Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 — Mark Donahue, engineer; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Rachmaninoff – Hermitage Piano Trio — Keith O. Johnson & Sean Royce Martin, engineers; Keith O. Johnson, mastering engineer (Hermitage Piano Trio)
Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth — Bob Hanlon & Lawrence Rock, engineers; Ian Good & Lawrence Rock, mastering engineers (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People’s Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)
Producer Of The Year, Classical
Blanton Alspaugh
James Ginsburg
Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin
Morten Lindberg
Dirk Sobotka
Best Orchestral Performance
“Norman: Sustain” — Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
“Bruckner: Symphony No. 9” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
“Copland: Billy The Kid; Grohg” — Leonard Slatkin, conductor (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
“Transatlantic” — Louis Langrée, conductor (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)
“Weinberg: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 21” — Mirga Gražinytė-tyla, conductor (City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Kremerata Baltica)
Best Opera Recording
“Benjamin: Lessons In Love & Violence” — George Benjamin, conductor; Stéphane Degout, Barbara Hannigan, Peter Hoare & Gyula Orendt; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House)
“Berg: Wozzeck” — Marc Albrecht, conductor; Christopher Maltman & Eva-Maria Westbroek; François Roussillon, producer (Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra; Chorus Of Dutch National Opera)
“Charpentier: Les Arts Florissants; Les Plaisirs De Versailles” — Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Jesse Blumberg, Teresa Wakim & Virginia Warnken; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer (Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble; Boston Early Music Festival Vocal Ensemble)
“Picker: Fantastic Mr. Fox” — Gil Rose, conductor; John Brancy, Andrew Craig Brown, Gabriel Preisser, Krista River & Edwin Vega; Gil Rose, producer (Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Boston Children’s Chorus)
“Wagner: Lohengrin” — Christian Thielemann, conductor; Piotr Beczała, Anja Harteros, Tomasz Konieczny, Waltraud Meier & Georg Zeppenfeld; Eckhard Glauche, producer (Festspielorchester Bayreuth; Festspielchor Bayreuth)
Best Choral Performance
“Duruflé: Complete Choral Works” — Robert Simpson, conductor (Ken Cowan; Houston Chamber Choir)
“Boyle: Voyages” — Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)
“The Hope Of Loving” — Craig Hella Johnson, conductor (Conspirare)
“Sander: The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom” — Peter Jermihov, conductor (Evan Bravos, Vadim Gan, Kevin Keys, Glenn Miller & Daniel Shirley; PaTRAM Institute Singers)
“Smith, K.: The Arc In The Sky” — Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“Shaw: Orange” — Attacca Quartet
“Cerrone: The Pieces That Fall To Earth” — Christopher Rountree & Wild Up
“Freedom & Faith” — Publiquartet
“Perpetulum” — Third Coast Percussion
“Rachmaninoff” – Hermitage Piano Trio — Hermitage Piano Trio
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
“The Berlin Recital” — Yuja Wang
“Higdon: Harp Concerto” — Yolanda Kondonassis; Ward Stare, conductor (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Marsalis: Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite” — Nicola Benedetti; Cristian Măcelaru, conductor (Philadelphia Orchestra)
“The Orchestral Organ” — Jan Kraybill
“Torke: Sky, Concerto For Violin” — Tessa Lark; David Alan Miller, conductor (Albany Symphony)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
The Edge Of Silence – Works For Voice By György Kurtág — Susan Narucki (Donald Berman, Curtis Macomber, Kathryn Schulmeister & Nicholas Tolle)
Himmelsmusik — Philippe Jaroussky & Céline Scheen; Christina Pluhar, conductor; L’arpeggiata, ensemble (Jesús Rodil & Dingle Yandell)
Schumann: Liederkreis Op. 24, Kerner-lieder Op. 35 — Matthias Goerne; Leif Ove Andsnes, accompanist
Songplay — Joyce Didonato; Chuck Israels, Jimmy Madison, Charlie Porter & Craig Terry, accompanists (Steve Barnett & Lautaro Greco)
A Te, O Cara — Stephen Costello; Constantine Orbelian, conductor (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra)
Best Classical Compendium
American Originals 1918 — John Morris Russell, conductor; Elaine Martone, producer
Leshnoff: Symphony No. 4 ‘heichalos’; Guitar Concerto; Starburst — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
Meltzer: Songs And Structures — Paul Appleby & Natalia Katyukova; Silas Brown & Harold Meltzer, producers
The Poetry Of Places — Nadia Shpachenko; Marina A. Ledin & Victor Ledin, producers
Saariaho: True Fire; Trans; Ciel D’hiver — Hannu Lintu, conductor; Laura Heikinheimo, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Bermel: Migration Series For Jazz Ensemble & Orchestra — Derek Bermel, composer (Derek Bermel, Ted Nash, David Alan Miller, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra & Albany Symphony Orchestra)
Higdon: Harp Concerto — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Yolanda Kondonassis, Ward Stare & The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)
Marsalis: Violin Concerto In D Major — Wynton Marsalis, composer (Nicola Benedetti, Cristian Măcelaru & Philadelphia Orchestra)
Norman: Sustain — Andrew Norman, composer (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Shaw: Orange — Caroline Shaw, composer (Attacca Quartet)
Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth — Julia Wolfe, composer (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People’s Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)
Best Musical Theater Album
Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations — Saint Aubyn, Derrick Baskin, James Harkness, Jawan M. Jackson, Jeremy Pope & Ephraim Sykes, principal soloists; Scott M. Riesett, producer (Original Broadway Cast)
Hadestown — Reeve Carney, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Eva Noblezada & Patrick Page, principal soloists; Mara Isaacs, David Lai, Anaïs Mitchell & Todd Sickafoose, producers (Anaïs Mitchell, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
Moulin Rouge! The Musical — Danny Burstein, Tam Mutu, Sahr Ngaujah, Karen Olivo & Aaron Tveit, principal soloists; Justin Levine, Baz Luhrmann, Matt Stine & Alex Timbers, producers (Original Broadway Cast)
The Music Of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child – In Four Contemporary Suites — Imogen Heap, producer; Imogen Heap, composer (Imogen Heap)
Oklahoma! — Damon Daunno, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Ali Stroker, Mary Testa & Patrick Vaill, principal soloists; Daniel Kluger & Dean Sharenow, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2019 Broadway Cast)
Best Metal Performance
“Astorolus – The Great Octopus” — Candlemass ft. Tony Iommi
“Humanicide” — Death Angel
“Bow Down” — I Prevail
“Unleashed” — Killswitch Engage
“7empest” — Tool
Best Alternative Music Album
U.F.O.F. — Big Theif
Assume Form — James Blake
i,i — Bon Iver
Father of the Bride — Vampire Weekend
Anima — Thom Yorke
Best World Music Album
Gece — Altin Gün
What Heat — Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley
African Giant — Burna Boy
Fanm D’ayiti — Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet
Celia — Angelique Kidjo
Best American Roots Performance
“Saint Honesty” — Sara Bareilles
“Father Mountain” — Calexico With Iron & Wine
“I’m On My Way” — Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi
“Call My Name” — I’m With Her
“Faraway Look” — Yola
Best American Roots Song
“Black Myself” — Amythyst Kiah, songwriter (Our Native Daughters)
“Call My Name” — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)
“Crossing To Jerusalem” — Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters (Rosanne Cash)
“Faraway Look” — Dan Auerbach, Yola Carter & Pat Mclaughlin, songwriters (Yola)
“I Don’t Wanna Ride The Rails No More” — Vince Gill, songwriter (Vince Gill)
Best Americana Album
Years To Burn — Calexico And Iron & Wine
Who Are You Now — Madison Cunningham
Oklahoma — Keb’ Mo’
Tales Of America — J.S. Ondara
Walk Through Fire — Yola
