RECORD OF THE YEAR

“I STILL HAVE FAITH IN YOU”

ABBA

PRODUCERS Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus ENGINEERS/MIXERS Benny Andersson, Bernard Löhr MASTERING ENGINEER Björn Engelmann

With their record of the year nod for “I Still Have Faith in You,” Swedish pop icons ABBA have earned the first Grammy nomination of their legendary career. The single, co-produced by the quartet’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, preceded Voyage, ABBA’s first album of new material in four decades, following the group’s informal split in 1983 after scoring hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Fernando” and “Waterloo” throughout the 1970s. Andersson, Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad refused to reunite for decades, even as the 1999 Broadway musical Mamma Mia! became an international hit and spawned a film of the same name. In September, however, a reunited ABBA released the anthemic ballad “I Still Have Faith in

You” as a dual single alongside “Don’t Shut Me Down” from the long-awaited new album. Upon its November release, Voyage debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 to become ABBA’s first top 10 entry on the chart.

“FREEDOM”

JONBATISTE

PRODUCERS Jon Batiste, Kizzo, Autumn Rowe ENGINEERS/MIXERS Russ Elevado, Kizzo, Manny Marroquin MASTERING ENGINEER Michelle Mancini

“Now it’s your time/You can shine/If you do/I’ma do, too,” sings Batiste on his celebratory single “Freedom.” Indeed, the multihyphenate has taken an opportunity to shine heading into the 2022 Grammys ceremony, leading all artists with 11 nominations, including a record of the year nod for “Freedom” and a slot in the album of the year race for its parent album, We Are. Batiste, a veteran jazz and R&B performer who has served as bandleader of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert since 2015, began releasing solo albums in 2013 after recording multiple projects with his band Stay Human. Batiste is also nominated for best score soundtrack for visual media, alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, for the music to Soul; their work won best original score at the Academy Awards in April, and if Batiste wins one of his 11 possible Grammys, he’ll have achieved half an EGOT in under a year’s time.

“I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU” TONYBENNETT &LADYGAGA PRODUCER

Dae Bennett ENGINEERS/MIXERS Dae Bennett, Josh Coleman MASTERING ENGINEERS Greg Calbi, Steve Fallone

Written by Cole Porter and first performed in 1934 as part of the Broadway musical Anything Goes, “I Get a Kick Out of

You” has since been sung by artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Now, Bennett and Gaga’s rendition of the song could give Bennett his first record of the year win since 1963, when he took home the prize for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and Gaga’s first victory in the category. Their duet on “I Get a Kick Out of You” is featured on Love for Sale, Bennett and Gaga’s second collaborative album of jazz standards, which is nominated for album of the year; all of the songs on Love for Sale were written by Porter, and Bennett’s son Dae produced the album. At the 1996 Grammys ceremony, composer Rob McConnell’s arrangement of “I Get a Kick Out of You,” featuring Mel Tormé and The Boss Brass, won the award in the best arrangement, instrumental and vocals category.

“PEACHES”

JUSTINBIEBER FEATURINGDANIEL CAESAR&GIVEON PRODUCERS Josh Gudwin, HARV, Shndo, Andrew Watt ENGINEERS/MIXERS Josh Gudwin, Andrew Watt MASTERING ENGINEER Colin Leonard

Four years after first appearing in the record of the year race for his contributions to Luis

Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito,” Bieber has returned to the category with another three-artist collaboration that topped the Billboard Hot 100. “Peaches,” featuring rising R&B stars Daniel Caesar and Giveon, debuted atop the chart following the March release of Bieber’s full-length Justice, which is up for album of the year. The rhythmic singalong gave Caesar and Giveon the first Hot 100 chart-topper of their careers, while Bieber scored another

No. 1 single soon after with “Stay,” his duet with best new artist nominee The Kid LAROI. “Peaches” was co-produced by Andrew Watt — the reigning producer of the year, nonclassical Grammy winner — along with Josh Gudwin, HARV and Shndo. The smash single is also nominated for song of the year, best R&B performance and best music video, the lattermost for its Colin Tilley-directed clip.

“RIGHT ON TIME”

BRANDICARLILE PRODUCERS Dave Cobb, Shooter Jennings ENGINEERS/MIXERS Brandon Bell, Tom Elmhirst MASTERING ENGINEER Pete Lyman

After spending over a decade as an acclaimed singer-songwriter without a Grammy nomination following her 2005 debut, Carlile has become a mainstay at the yearly ceremony. The Americana vet has amassed 18 total nominations since notching her first in 2016. She is named three times in this year’s Big Four: Two of those mentions are for “Right on Time,” the lead single from her album In These Silent Days that captures feelings of guilt and regret, which are also explored in the song’s music video that was directed by Courteney Cox. “Right on Time” was produced by Dave Cobb and Shooter Jennings, the same duo that steered Carlile’s 2018 full-length, By the Way, I Forgive You, to an album of the year Grammy nomination. Along with record and song of the year nods, “Right on Time” earned a nomination for best pop solo performance, the first pop category appearance in Carlile’s career.