I’ve been through the big 4 awards at this year’s Grammys, but with over 70 awards to give out, there’s plenty more oppotunities to get a nomination. Obviously there are some genres I’m not too familiar with, (Best Spoken World Album anyone?), so I will be focusing on ones I can make fair predictions in. I’ll do my list for each category and round up all the awards in each genre at the end. First up is Pop, Rock Alternative and Country.

Pop

Best Pop Solo Performance

Set Fire To The Rain (Live) – Adele
It Will Rain – Bruno Mars
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson
Blow Me (One Last Kiss) – P!nk

Alternatives: We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift, Video Games – Lana Del Rey

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Princess of China (Feat. Rihanna) – Coldplay
Shake It Out – Florence + The Machine
We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monae) – Fun.
Somebody That I Used To Know (Feat. Kimbra) – Gotye
Drive By – Train

Alternatives: Payphone (Feat. Wiz Khalifa) – Maroon 5, Beauty and a Beat (Feat. Nicki Minaj) – Justin Beiber

Best Pop Vocal Album

Ceremonials – Florence & The Machine
Love is a Four Letter Word – Jason Mraz
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
Born To Die – Lana Del Rey
Talk That Talk – Rihanna

Alternatives: The Truth About Love – P!nk, Overexposed – Maroon 5

The Pop category is obviously the one I feel most confident selecting nominees for, but given that it’s where most artists submit their records into, the decisions weren’t easy. There’s a lot of crossover into the big 4, with a lot of my alternatives having a strong chance of a nomination here. For performance it’s hard not to think Kelly Clarkson has it in the bag, bombastic is an understatement considering her vocal on Stronger. Florence + The Machine should do well all round too, garnering some nominations following their Best New Artist nod 2 years ago. I’m hoping Lana picks up an award here, as I don’t think she will be in the running elsewhere. P!nk usually scores some nominations, and Gotye is sure to win anything he’s up for. It should be an interesting battle between the girls of pop and Jason Mraz.

Rock

Best Rock Performance

We Take Care Of Our Own – Bruce Springsteen
Hurts Like Heaven – Coldplay
Runaways – The Killers
I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons
Survival – Muse

Alternatives: Lonely Boy – The Black Keys

Best Rock Song

We Take Care Of Our Own – Bruce Springsteen
Lonely Boy – The Black Keys
Sixteen Saltines – Jack White
Runaways – The Killers
I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons

Alternatives: Guardian – Alanis Morissette

Best Rock Album

Havoc and Bright Lights – Alanis Morissette
Wrecking Ball – Bruce Springsteen
El Camino – The Black Keys
Mylo Xyloto – Coldplay
Blunderbuss – Jack White

Alternatives: Battle Born – The Killers, Born and Raised – John Mayer

Given how few alternatives I’ve given, you can tell I was struggling in a genre I’m not too familiar with. Mumford & Sons have submitted I Will Wait for both song awards so expect to see them alongside The Boss in all the categories. Coldplay are a Grammys favourite too, though Hurts Like Heaven is a weird choice of submission when they had Charlie Brown instead. The Black Keys are another hot favourite, especially given they beat eventual Album of The Year Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs in the Best Alternative Album category in 2011. (They may have submitted there again this year, I’m not sure.). I included Alanis because some of the Pop/Rock voters might push her, and it’s nice to see the category no longer dominated by male acts.

Best Alternative Album

Biophilla – Bjork
Making Mirrors – Gotye
The Lumineers – The Lumineers
Coexist – The XX

A category that stands alone at the Grammys, Gotye has this one in the bag. If The Black Keys are in the mix too things could be different, but it’s hard to imagine him losing this. Bjork and The XX should make an appearance too, though I’m not sure how much of an impact the latter has had over in the US.

Country

Best Country Solo Performance

Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
Take A Little Ride – Jason Aldean
Drunk On You – Luke Bryan
Over You – Miranda Lambert
Ours – Taylor Swift

Alternatives: Drink On It – Blake Shelton, Springsteen – Eric Church

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Easy (Feat. Willie Nelson) – Lionel Richie
Safe and Sound (Feat. The Civil Wars) – Taylor Swift
Pontoon – Little Big Town
Banjo – Rascal Flatts
The Wind – Zac Brown Band

Best Country Song

Good Girl – Carrie Underwood
Springsteen – Eric Church
Pontoon – Little Big Town
Over You – Miranda Lambert
Safe & Sound (Feat, The Civil Wars) – Taylor Swift

Alternatives: Blown Away – Carrie Underwood, Take A Little Ride – Jason Aldean

Best Country Album

Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
Tuskegee – Lionel Richie
Four The Record – Miranda Lambert
Changed – Rascal Flatts
Uncaged – Zac Brown Band

Back to a genre I know at least a little about, it’s always interesting to see what side of country the voters go for. The country award shows usually go for the big hits, the pop/country hits about drinking and riding around on your truck, but the Grammys prefer the softer side of the genre. Miranda Lambert may well do a clean sweep here, especially the two song awards. I think Carrie has the edge in the album stakes, though Lionel Richie might pull a surprising win out of the bag. Jason Aldean may have missed out on his own clean sweep given his brilliant Night Train just missed the eligibility period, as did Taylor’s Red. With no Lady Antebellum, this is an open field and could go any way.