RECORD OF THE YEAR
“KISS ME MORE”
DOJA CAT FEATURINGSZA PRODUCERS
Rogét Chahayed, tizhimself, Yeti Beats ENGINEERS/MIXERS Rob Bisel, Serban Ghenea, Rian Lewis, Joe Visciano MASTERING ENGINEER Mike Bozzi
Doja Cat followed a breakthrough 2020, highlighted by the No. 1 smash “Say So,” with an even bigger 2021, and earned eight Grammy nominations for 2022 after scoring three nods the previous year. “Kiss Me More,” her smash single featuring SZA, becomes Doja Cat’s second straight record of the year nominee after “Say So” — as well as the second record of the year showing for SZA, nominated alongside Kendrick Lamar for “All the Stars” in 2019. The disco-influenced pop-rap single was produced by Rogét Chahayed, who has worked with artists like Kali Uchis and Big Sean, along with longtime Doja Cat collaborators tizhimself and Yeti Beats. As the lead single to Doja Cat’s Planet Her album, “Kiss Me More” became a multiformat radio smash, topping Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic charts while peaking at No. 3 on the Hot 100. Doja Cat and SZA, both former best new artist nominees, are seeking the first Grammy wins of their respective careers.
“HAPPIER THAN EVER”
BILLIEEILISH PRODUCER
FINNEAS ENGINEERS/MIXERS Billie Eilish, FINNEAS, Rob Kinelski MASTERING ENGINEER Dave Kutch
When Eilish took home the record of the year Grammy for “Everything I Wanted” at the 2021 ceremony — one year after winning the same category with “bad guy” in 2020 — the 19-year-old joined Roberta Flack and U2 as the only acts to win record of the year in consecutive years. With the nomination for “Happier Than Ever,” Eilish could become the first artist in Grammy history to win three straight record of the year trophies — all before she can drink legally. The title track from Eilish’s second album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 following its July release, became a fan favorite after the full-length arrived, following previously released singles “Therefore I Am” and “Your Power” into the top 20 of the Hot 100.
FINNEAS, the lone producer on Happier Than Ever, won producer of the year, nonclassical in 2020, the year Eilish swept the Big Four at the Grammys.
“MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)” LIL NAS X PRODUCERS
Omer Fedi, Roy Lenzo, Take A Daytrip ENGINEERS/MIXERS Denzel Baptiste, Serban Ghenea, Roy Lenzo MASTERING ENGINEER Chris Gehringer
“Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” Lil Nas X’s second career record of the year nominee, sounds nothing like his first: The Hot 100 recordbreaking “Old Town Road” rode to a nomination two years ago by refracting country tropes through a trap prism, while “Montero” combines flamenco, dembow and electro-pop into a radio-ready mixture. That sound comes courtesy of songwriting/ production duo Take A Daytrip, Tel Aviv-born hitmaker Omer Fedi and frequent Lil Nas X collaborator Roy Lenzo, all of whom contributed to multiple tracks on the rapper’s official debut album, Montero, which scored an album of the year nomination this year. Like “Old Town Road,” “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” topped the Hot 100 before scoring multiple Grammy nominations; its official music video, co-directed by Lil Nas X and Tanu Muiño, earned the video of the year trophy at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards and is up for best music video at the Grammys.
“DRIVERS LICENSE”
OLIVIA RODRIGO PRODUCER Daniel Nigro
ENGINEERS/MIXERS Mitch McCarthy, Daniel Nigro MASTERING ENGINEER Randy Merrill
“The song is super vulnerable and raw,” Rodrigo told Billboard of her debut single, “drivers license,” days after it was released in January. “And I was so terrified to put it out because of some of the things I said. It was like, my deepest insecurities in a four-minute song.” Those insecurities helped make Rodrigo, the star of Disney+ program High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, into one of the biggest new pop artists of the year, as “drivers license” debuted atop the Hot 100 and proceeded to spend eight consecutive weeks at No. 1. Influenced by artists like Taylor Swift and Lorde, the track pairs its intimate bedroom-pop production with an enormous shout-along hook; the single was produced by
Dan Nigro, formerly the frontman of indie band As Tall As Lions, who worked closely with Rodrigo on her debut album, Sour. Rodrigo is nominated in all of the Big Four categories, with “drivers license” up for song and record of the year, as well as best pop solo performance.
“LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN”
SILK SONIC PRODUCERS
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Bruno Mars ENGINEERS/MIXERS Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Charles Moniz MASTERING ENGINEER Randy Merrill
While the wait continues for Bruno Mars’ solo follow-up to his 2016 album, 24K Magic, the pop superstar offered fans a sensual treat in 2021 as one-half of the R&B throwback supergroup Silk Sonic alongside Anderson .Paak. Released in March, “Leave the Door Open” was the pair’s wildly successful introduction, a slow jam inspired by Philadelphia soul that climbed to the top of the Hot 100. Mars co-produced “Leave the Door Open” with Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, an R&B-pop veteran whose production work includes tracks for Ty Dolla $ign, H.E.R. and Victoria Monét. While the single earns the first record of the year nod for four-time Grammy winner .Paak, Mars is a veteran in the category, with a pair of wins (for “Uptown Funk!” with Mark Ronson in 2016 and “24K Magic” in 2018) and three other nominations as a performer dating back to 2011.