Kendrick Lamar and “Despacito” dominate categories.
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will air this Sunday on CBS, and fans are eagerly trying to predict if their favorite artists will walk away with a coveted brass gramophone trophy. While members of the Recording Academy cast their votes based on personal preference, a song’s popularity and cultural impact also play a big part in the decision making.
We looked at Genius data to see what it tells us about 2018’s Grammy nominees. Albums are evaluated based on average Genius pageviews across all songs on the project, songs by their total Genius pageviews, and artists by the total pageviews of all their songs each month across the eligibility period (October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017). If the 2018 Grammy awards were based on the impact of their lyrics, here’s how they’d look—with the winner placed first in each category:
Record of the Year:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, “Despacito” (21,165,626 views)
- Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (8,917,205 views)
- Childish Gambino, “Redbone” (3,155,704 views)
- Jay-Z, “The Story of O.J.” (1,354,876 views)
- Bruno Mars, “24K Magic” (1,166,135 views)
Album Of The Year:
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN. (2,253,936 average views)
- Bruno Mars, 24K Magic (639,820 average views)
- Jay-Z, 4:44 (487,858 average views)
- Childish Gambino, Awaken, My Love (414,462 average views)
- Lorde, Melodrama (264,063 average views)
Song of the Year:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee, “Despacito” (21,165,626 views)
- Logic feat. Khalid & Alessia Cara, “1-800-273-8255” (5,151,558 views)
- Julia Michaels, “Issues” (2,566,161 views)
- Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like” (2,143,082 views)
- JAY-Z, “4:44” (1,370,447 views)
Best New Artist:
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Best Rap Performance:
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE." (8,917,205 views)
- Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad and Boujee” (7,464,708 views)
- Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow” (6,004,826 views)
- Big Sean, “Bounce Back” (1,865,534 views)
- JAY-Z, “4:44” (1,370,447 views)
Best Rap/Sung Performance:
Kendrick Lamar feat. Rihanna, “LOYALTY.” (2,195,602 views)
- SZA feat. Travis Scott, “Love Galore” (2,155,237 views)
- 6LACK, “PRBLMS” (1,625,115 views)
- GoldLink feat. Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy, “Crew” (608,467 views)
- JAY-Z feat. Beyoncé, “Family Feud” (584,887 views)
Best Rap Song:
Kendrick Lamar, “HUMBLE.” (8,917,205 views)
- Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow” (6,004,826 views)
- JAY-Z, “The Story Of O.J.” (1,354,876 views)
- Danger Mouse feat. Run The Jewels & Big Boi, “Chase Me” (9,099 views)
- Rapsody, “Sassy” (7,434 views)
Best Rap Album:
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN. (2,253,936 average views)
- Migos, CULTURE (1,095,439 average views)
- JAY-Z, 4:44 (487,858 average views)
- Tyler, the Creator, Flower Boy (280,440 average views)
- Rapsody, Laila’s Wisdom (11,936 average views)
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Ed Sheeran, ÷ (Divide) (1,566,716 average views)
- Imagine Dragons, Evolve (366,466 average views)
- Lana Del Rey, Lust For Life (273,492 average views)
- Lady Gaga, Joanne (102,175 average views)
- Kesha, Rainbow (91,180 average views)
- Coldplay, Kaleidoscope EP (74,679 average views)
Best Pop Solo Performance:
Ed Sheeran, “Shape Of You” (12,363,116 views)
- Kesha, “Praying” (790,575 views)
- P!nk, “What About Us” (375,916 views)
- Lady Gaga, “Million Reasons” (374,335 views)
- Kelly Clarkson, “Love So Soft” (46,392 views)
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber, “Despacito” (21,165,626 views)
- The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, “Something Just Like This” (2,618,732 views)
- Zedd & Alessia Cara, “Stay” (1,643,722 views)
- Imagine Dragons, “Thunder”
- Portugal, the Man, “Feel It Still" (734,020 views)
Best R&B Performance:
Best R&B Song:
Donald Glover, “Redbone” (3,155,704 views)
- Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like” (2,143,082 views)
- Khalid, “Location” (1,862,071 views)
- SZA, “Supermodel” (480,599 views)
- PJ Morton, “First Began” (6,350 views)
Best R&B Album:
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
The Weeknd, Starboy (995,800 average views)
- SZA, Ctrl (543,782 average views)
- Khalid, American Teen (439,260 average views)
- Childish Gambino, Awaken, My Love! (414,462 average views)
- 6LACK, Free 6LACK (266,184 average views)
Best Rock Album:
Best Rock Song:
Best Country Album:
Chris Stapleton, From A Room: Vol. 1 (30,608 average views)
- Thomas Rhett, Life Changes (18,999 average views)
- Little Big Town, The Breaker (6,459 average views)
- Lady Antebellum, Heart Break (3,582 average views)
- Kenny Chesney, Cosmic Hallelujah (2,311 average views)