Daily staff Grammy predictions

Jake Dalbey

Staff at the Iowa State Daily have chosen their picks for Sunday’s Grammy Awards.

We have chosen our picks for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best New Artist and Song of the Year.

Check out our picks here:

Tristan Wade, Academics Editor

Album of the Year: Damn – Kendrick Lamar

“Top to bottom, this album is amazing in every way. It is expertly created, and each track is sonically outstanding.”

Record of the Year: Redbone – Childish Gambino

“This song represented the reemergence of Childish Gambino in music with a new sound. Plus, it had meme power.”

Best New Artist: Khalid

“Khalid’s rise this year was meteoric and his music speaks for itself.”

Song of the Year: 1-800-273-8255 – Logic

“The impact of this song beyond its production puts it above the others.”


Isaac Sinclair, Opinion Editor

Album of the Year: 4:44 – JAY-Z

“JAY-Z is still creating top-shelf music this late in his career and it is amazing.”

Record of the Year: Redbone – Childish Gambino

“STAY WOKE!”

Best New Artist: SZA

“What a breakthrough year for a talented artist that deserves it all!”

Song of the Year: 1-800-273-8255 – Logic

“[This is] a powerful song that helped millions and deserves to be the song of the year.”


Emily Clement, Digital Editor

Album of the Year: 24K Magic – Bruno Mars

“Bruno Mars deserves every award in the book in my opinion. He’s got the voice and the moves – what more could you ask for?”

Record of the Year: 24K Magic – Bruno Mars

“Again, you can’t go wrong with Bruno Mars.”

Best New Artist: Khalid

“Khalid is cool and has a good voice. Plus he’s my age and if he can create a top album at his age, then I can do anything, right?”

Song of the Year: That’s What I Like – Bruno Mars

“Bruno Mars. That’s all I can say.”


Jill Alt, News reporter and photographer

Album of the Year: 24K Magic – Bruno Mars

“24K Magic has been so successful. Bruno Mars hasn’t left the Spotify Top 50 since that album came out. If you try to tell me you haven’t been practicing the choreography since the music video came out you’re lying. It’s also possible that I need a life.”

Record of the Year: Despacito – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber

“Music where two or more cultures collide just resonates with people. It’s cool. Also, what a bop.”

Song of the Year: 1-800-273-8255 – Logic

“In this day and age suicide is so prevalent that everyone knows someone who has committed suicide, but it’s so taboo. No one wants to talk about it. This song is cool because it goes against the mainstream and is sung from the perspective of someone who has suicidal thoughts, fought them and won. In that sense, it gives people hope. Plus, what a bop and the beat is sick.


Brian Mozey, Sports Editor 

Album of the Year: Awaken, My Love! – Childish Gambino 

“I didn’t realize all of the songs Childish Gambino has produced and he’s a good artist.”

Record of the Year: HUMBLE. – 24K Magic

“Bruno is a classic and who doesn’t want to dance to 24K Magic?”

Best New Artist: Lil Uzi Vert 

“Lil Uzi Vert is a cool name.”


Jill O’Brien, News Editor of Student Life

Album of the Year: Melodrama- Lorde

“It was worth the wait.”

Record of the Year: Redbone- Childish Gambino

“Whether you’re jamming on a slow car ride or having a moment with your significant other, this song is just right for so many moments. Also, the memes.”

Best New Artist: Khalid

The song ‘Young, Dumb, and Broke’ resonates with me because I, too, am young, dumb and broke. 

Song of the Year: 1-800-273-8255- Logic

“Logic, Alessia Cara and Khalid took a topic that is already really difficult to talk about and sang about it with ease, purpose and hope. In other words: powerful stuff.” 


Parker Reed, Limelight Editor

Album of the Year: DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar

“‘Melodrama’ or ‘Awaken, My Love!’ were my personal favorites, but money talks when the Grammys are the subject, and Kendrick brought both the hype and the streams this year.”

Record of the Year: HUMBLE. – Kendrick Lamar

“I really wanted to put ’24K Magic’ for this, but I feel it was a bit too same-y when compared to ‘Uptown Funk.’ Once again, however, it comes down to the fact that Kendrick moved units, and ‘HUMBLE.’ served as the front-running single from ‘DAMN.’ That, and that track can make anyone bop.”

Best New Artist: Khalid

“SZA is probably the best of the nominations, but the hype behind Khalid has been pretty substantial ever since his debut LP dropped just under a year ago. Also, this guy is just 19 and the “Best New Artist” category has been known to catapult careers.”

Song of the Year: Despacito – Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee

“You don’t become YouTube’s most watched video of all time (4.7 billion views!!) without an absolutely killer hook. And the fact that the original song is entirely in Spanish proves how much the song grabbed people this year.”