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Although Jay Z leads all nominees for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, none of his nine nominations are in the so-called Big Four categories, which include Album, Song and Record of the Year, and Best New Artist — clearly, Jay’s not eligible for the latter category. But will he go home with a Grammy? Billboard Editor Joe Levy tells ABC News he thinks the rap veteran will score a few awards, but might get upstaged by his fellow rap peers.
“I don’t think he’s going to end up being shut out. Jay’s got nine nominations, he’s not walking out of there with zero Grammys, but I don’t think he’s walking out with an armload of Grammys either,” Levy says. “Jay Z’s album this year — and a good one from Jay Z — defined the business more than it defined all of hip-hop.”
Levy adds, “When you’re looking to the albums this year that defined hip-hop this year, you’re looking at Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on the pop end and Kendrick Lamar on the hard core, hip-hop faithful end. And I really think that both those artists are going to do well in the genre categories.”
So how many accolades will Jay take home? Levy hedges his prediction: “I don’t think Jay Z is getting shut out, because I don’t think Jay Z stands for getting shut out, but that said, nine nominations I don’t think he’s going to need a suitcase to take home his Grammys.”
Kendrick and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis both received seven Grammy nods each. So did Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams, the latter of whom was featured on two of the year’s biggest hits: Daft Punk‘s “Get Lucky” and Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines.” Rapper Drake scored five nods.
The Grammy Awards air January 26, 2014, live on CBS. Here’s a select list of nominees:
Album of the Year
The Blessed Unrest, Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories, Daft Punk
good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar
The Heist, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Red, Taylor Swift
Record of the Year
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams
“Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons
“Royals,” Lorde
“Locked Out of Heaven,” Bruno Mars
“Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
Song of the Year (Award to Songwriter)
“Just Give Me a Reason,” Pink featuring Nate Ruess
“Locked Out of Heaven,” Bruno Mars
“Roar,” Katy Perry
“Royals,” Lorde
“Same Love,” Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Best New Artist
James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Kacey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran
POP FIELD
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Brave,” Sara Bareilles
“Royals,” Lorde
“When I Was Your Man,” Bruno Mars
“Roar,” Katy Perry
“Mirrors,” Justin Timberlake
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Get Lucky,” Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
“Just Give Me a Reason,” Pink Featuring Nate Ruess
“Stay,” Rihanna Featuring Mikky Ekko
“Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams
“Suit & Tie,” Justin Timberlake & Jay Z
RAP FIELD
Best Rap Performance
“Started from the Bottom,” Drake
“Berzerk,” Eminem
“Tom Ford,” Jay Z
“Swimming Pools (Drank),” Kendrick Lamar
“Thrift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Power Trip,” J.Cole Featuring Miguel
“Part II (On the Run),” Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
“Holy Grail,” Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
“Now or Never,” Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J. Blige
“Remember You,” Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd
Best Rap Album
Nothing Was the Same, Drake
Magna Carta…Holy Grail, Jay Z
good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick Lamar
The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Yeezus, Kanye West
R&B FIELD
Best R&B Performance
“Love and War,” Tamar Braxton
“Best o Me,” Anthony Hamilton
“Nakamarra,” Hiatus Kaiyote Featuring Q-Tip
“How Many Drinks?,” Miguel Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Something,” Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Love and War, Tamar Braxton
Side Effects of You, Fantasia
One: In the Chamber, Salaam Remi
Unapologetic, Rihanna
New York: A Love Story, Mack Wilds
Best R&B Album
R&B Divas, Faith Evans
Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys
Love in the Future, John Legend
Better, Chrisette Michele
Three Kings, TGT
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio
