Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, More Land 2022 Grammy Noms

See full nominations below.

Nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards were announced on Wednesday, November 23rd from the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, with some big names receiving some important nominations, a few obvious omissions, Carly Pearce surprisingly showing up to help announce the American Roots categories, and some nominations where the “who” was clearly being nominated as opposed to the “what.”

When it comes to country and roots categories, Sturgill Simpson is one of the big stories, since he had not one, but two albums nominated in separate categories. The Grammy favorite will be competing in Best Country Album for The Ballad of Dood and Juanita, along with Best Bluegrass Album for Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1, The Butcher Shoppe Sessions.

Sturgill will be competing with Billy Strings in Bluegrass, who picked up a nomination for his new album Renewal, along with an American Roots song nomination for “Love and Regret.” Allison Russell was one of the big nominees in American Roots, picking up nominations for both Song and Performance for “Nightflyer,” as well as a Best Americana Album nomination for Outside Child. Yola also picked up two nominations in the American Roots categories.

Tyler Childers will also be competing with the second Grammy nomination he’s picked up for his latest album Long Violent History in the Best Folk Album category. Featuring mostly old-time music as opposed to traditional or contemporary country, Folk is where the Grammy Awards slot such works.

As for the country categories, Jason Isbell picked up a surprising nomination for his song “All I Do Is Drive” from Nexflix’s The Ice Road. The song was originally recorded by Johnny Cash. Jason Isbell doesn’t normally fit in country categories, but this song does, even though it seems like a strange nomination, and might be more about nominating the artist than the song.

The same goes for Kacey Musgraves, who caused a severe uproar when her mixed-review album Star-Crossed was rightly recused from competing in country categories and moved to pop. Nonetheless, she picks up two nominations for her mild song “Camera Roll,” which was allowed to compete in country. All the bellyaching about her being “gatekeeped” from country, and Kacey Musgraves continues to be the most Grammy nominated country artist in modern history, even when she doesn’t deserve it. In fact, satisfying her bellyaching is likely the reason for the nominations—a poor precedent to set.

Similarly, Skeletons by Brothers Osborne was also met with lackluster reviews and sales, but somehow picks up multiple nominations, while critically-acclaimed albums from Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, and Chapel Hart were left out, along with a host of other great country records and songs. Meanwhile, the nomination for Walker Hayes and “Fancy Like” really calls into question what we’re supposed to consider as “country.”

In the all-genre categories, country and roots artists were locked out of the Album of the Year category. But Brandi Carlile picked up nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Right On Time.” Once again, Carlile complained when the song was moved out of the American Roots categories and was sent to pop, and here it is similar to Musgraves not receiving one, but two nominations.

Jimmie Allen also received a nomination for Best New Artist, while both Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton were nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal (That’s Life, a Very Dolly Christmas), and Reckless Kelly was once again nominated for Best Recording Package (American Jackpot / American Girls). Carrie Underwood’s My Savior was also nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album.

There is a lot to second guess about the nominations as always. It felt like maybe Charley Crockett deserved some recognition somewhere, while once again artists like Mike and the Moonpies, Melissa Carper, and other critically acclaimed artists were likely never considered. But big nominations for Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Allison Russell, Jason Isbell, and others do give independent country and roots fans plenty to root for.


Best Country Solo Performance

Luke Combs – “Forever After All”
Mickey Guyton – “Remember Her Name”
Jason Isbell – “All I Do Is Drive”
Kacey Musgraves – “Camera Roll”
Chris Stapleton – “You Should Probably Leave”

Best Country/Duo Performance

Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood – “If I Didn’t Love You”
Brothers Osborne – “Younger Me”
Dan + Shay – “Glad You Exist”
Ryan Hurd & Maren Morris – “Chasing After You”
Miranda Lambert and Elle King – “Drunk ( and I Don’t Wannna Go Home)”

Best Country Album

Brothers Osborne – Skeletons
Mickey Guyton – Remember Her Name
Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Jack Ingram – The Marfa Tapes
Sturgill Simpson – The Ballad of Dood and Juanita
Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

Best Country Song

(Goes to songwriters)

Maren Morris – “Better Than We Found It”
Kacey Musgraves – “Camera Roll”
Chris Stapleton – “Cold”
Thomas Rhett – “Country Again”
Walker Hayes – “Fancy Like”
Mickey Guyton – “Remember Her Name”

Best Americana Album

Jackson Browne – Downhill From Everywhere
John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band – Leftover Feelings
Los Lobos – Native Sons
Allison Russell – Outside Child
Yola – Stand for Myself

Best American Roots Song

Rhiannon Giddens, Francesco Turrisi – “Avalon”
Valerie June Featuring Carla Thomas – “Call Me a Fool”
Jon Batiste – “Cry”
Yola – “Diamond Studded Shoes”
Allison Russell – “Nightflyer”

Best American Roots Performance

Jon Batiste – “Cry”
Billy Strings – “Love and Regret”
The Blind Boys of Alabama and Bela Fleck – “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free”
Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile – “Same Devil”
Allison Russell – “Nightflyer”

Best Bluegrass Album

Billy Strings – Renewal
Béla Fleck – My Bluegrass Heart
The Infamous Stringdusters – A Tribute to Bill Monroe
Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions)
Rhonda Vincent – Music Is What I See

Best Folk Album

Mary Chapin Carpenter – One Night Lonely (Live)
Tyler Childers – Long Violent History
Madison Cunningham – Wednesday (Extended Edition)
Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi – They’re Calling Me Home
Sarah Jarosz – Blue Heron Suite

Best Traditional Blues Album

Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite – 100 Years of Blues
Blues Traveler – Traveler’s Blues
Cedric Burnside – I Be Trying
Guy Davis – Be Ready When I Call You
Kim Watson – Take Me Back

Record of the Year

ABBA – I Still Have Faith in You
Jon Batiste – Freedom
Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga – I Get a Kick Out of You
Justin Bieber, Daniel Cesar, Giveon – Peaches
Brandi Carlile – Right on Time
Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me by Your Name)
Olivia Rodrigo – Drivers License
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open

Album of the Year

We Are – Jon Batiste
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga – Love for Sale
Justin Bieber – Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe)
Doja Cat – Planet Her (Deluxe)
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
H.E.R. – Back of My Mind
Lil Nas X – Montero
Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
Taylor Swift – Evermore
Kanye West – Donda

Song of the Year

Ed Sheeran – Bad Habits
Alicia Keys, Brandi Carlile – A Beautiful Noise
Olivia Rodrigo – Drivers License
H.E.R. – Fight for You
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Doja Cat, SZA – Kiss Me More
Silk Sonic – Leave the Door Open
Lil Nas X – Montero (Call Me by Your Name)
Justin Bieber, Daniel Cesar, Giveon – Peaches
Brandi Carlile – Right on Time

Best New Artist

Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie

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