Americana music has been in the midst of a huge surge in recent years. The genre went from the realm of older folk musicians to a mainstream force with clear influence on the charts. And with the industry expanding, so is the number of major contenders for Grammys. Let’s take a broad look at this year’s top contenders so far.
There are a couple of especially mainstream contenders we need to address first. Noah Kahan is arguably the biggest Americana artist alive right now, but last year he was ignored in the field and relegated to a single Best New Artist nomination, which he lost to Victoria Monet. There is reason to believe, however, that this year he will finally get some well deserved genre nominations: significantly, Kahan got an important Artist of the Year nomination at the Americana Music Honors and Awards this year, which signals support from the community and not just on the charts. So expect either “Forever” or “You’ll Never Be Alone” (with Brandi Carlile) to get some love this year.
Another high-profile name is Zach Bryan, who straddles Americana and country. Bryan’s new release “The Great American Bar Scene” is perhaps his folkiest album yet, so there’s a chance that music from the album (or the album as a whole) will compete in the genre — perhaps the Bruce Springsteen-assisted “Sandpaper.”
And one of the biggest mysteries of the year is Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter,” which could be slotted in Best Americana Album since it comprises elements of country, soul, folk and rock. Even if the album itself doesn’t end up in this field, songs like “Ya Ya,” “American Requiiem,” “Alligator Tears,” her cover of “Blackbird” or “16 Carriages” could fit in Americana/American roots categories, and might even be competitive to win, especially those last two.
With those out of the way, let’s talk about some less mainstream picks, like Sierra Ferrell. The folk artist has had a strong year with her newest album “Trail of Flowers,” which was nominated pretty much everywhere at the aforementioned Americana Honors. Expect Ferrell to get noms across the board at the Grammys too, including Best American Roots Performance for “Fox Hunt” and Best American Roots Song for “American Dreaming.”
Another big name in Americana this year is Waxahatchee with their acclaimed album “Tigers Blood.” The record includes “Right Back to It,” nominated for Song of the Year at the Americana Honors. Another acclaimed pick nominated at that award show is Hurray for the Riff Raff, whose “The Past is Still Alive” is up for Album of the Year. Both Waxahatchee and Hurray for the Riff Raff also enjoy ample praise from mainstream publications, scoring 89 and 87 on Metacritic, respectively.
There’s also Sarah Jarosz, who won Best Americana Album in 2021 for “World on the Ground.” This year she’s back with “Polaroid Lovers.” The album is a little less folky than some of her past work, but it’s likely that her team still submits it where her core audience is. Also eligible is folk sensation Charley Crockett with his new album “$10 Cowboy.” He has surprisingly never gotten Grammy love, despite being one of the biggest acts in the genre. However, that might finally change this year, with this new album being his most successful yet.
On the flip-side are Black Pumas, who are consistent Grammy nominees and are back this year with “Chronicles of a Diamond.” It might compete for Best Rock Album, like their past records, but they’re sure to send something to the American roots field, likely the single “Angel.” Last but certainly not least is Maggie Rogers. Her new album, “Don’t Forget Me,” walks the line between folk and alternative, so Americana might be the right fit. If so, expect her to get in, especially with the title track being a triple-A smash hit.
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