2017 GRAMMYs: 6 Biggest Snubs and Surprises

Once again, the Recording Academy was full of surprises when it announced the nominees of the 59th annual GRAMMY Awards. This year welcomed accolades for some growing popstars, including Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato, as well as recognition of streaming-only albums. (Kudos to Chance the Rapper for standing his ground.) And then there are the headscratchers: Where’s the love for Sia or Taylor Swift? (Yes, Taylor Swift.) 

2017 GRAMMYs: Beyonce, Adele, Justin Beiber and More Land Nominations

Here’s a look at a few of the most shocking snubs and surprises:

Surprise: Demi and
Justin

There’s no doubt that Justin Bieber is a formidable artist,
producing hit after hit and earning three GRAMMY nominations. But up until now, the singer had yet to reach such
critical acclaim as he did for Purpose,
which was nominated for Album of the Year. In total he earned four nominations (putting him at seven overall),
largely thanks to his match made in musical heaven with Diplo and Skrillex. Last
year, the three won Best Dance Recording for “Where R U Now,” marking Bieber’s first
GRAMMY win. But he wasn’t the only popstar to finally get his due. Demi Lovato earned
her first nomination ever: Best Pop Vocal Album for Confident.

Snub: Sia

No one ran away with the summer quite like Sia, who not only
earned her first No. 1 single (“Cheap Thrills”) but also released the power pop
ballad, “The Greatest,” to rave reviews. Neither song appeared in the Record of
the Year or Song of the Year categories, in which she appeared for “Chandelier.”
Instead, Sia walked away with a respectable (yet disappointingly slight) three
nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Album for This Is Acting andBest
Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Cheap Thrills.”

Surprise: Solange

More than just Beyonce’s little sister, Solange released one
of the best R&B albums of the year and the standout track, “Cranes in the
Sky,” earned the singer her first-ever nomination for Best R&B Performance.
Though, the fact that she only walked away with one, especially with Frank
Ocean not in contention, is a major disappointment. Where’s the love in the
rest of the R&B categories? 

Surprise: Rihanna

Rihanna could prove to be this year’s darkhorse, earning
eight nominations, including two of the top awards (Record of the Year for "Work" and
Album of the Year for Drake's Views). If she does walk away with any wins, it could only stop
Beyonce from inching her way toward GRAMMY history. 

Snub: Taylor and
Calvin

While Rihanna earned eight nominations, none of them were
for “This Is What You Came For” -- you know, that EDM chart-topper written by
Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift. If the Recording Academy had any sense of humor -- or
a taste for drama -- it would have nominated the two exes in the Song of the Year
category and let them awkwardly figure out that acceptance speech. 

Surprise: Chance the
Rapper

Just by getting nominated, Chance the Rapper is making
GRAMMY history. This year, the Recording Academy amended its rules, allowing
for streaming-only albums to compete. With the rapper’s mixtape, The Coloring Book
(released exclusively on Apple Music), eligible, Chance the Rapper earned seven
nominations, including Best New Artist.

The Recording Academy
will present the GRAMMY Awards live on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 on CBS.