Beyoncé and Post Malone aren’t the only pop stars gunning for country Grammy nominations. Add “It” girl Sabrina Carpenter to that list.
The “Espresso” hitmaker submitted her guitar-tinged track “Slim Pickens” to the best country song and best country solo performance categories. And though the Recording Academy’s country committee has rejected songs from outsiders in the past, they accepted the track, and it could help Carpenter continue her musical takeover when nominations are revealed Nov. 8.
This year is packed with artists who don’t traditionally release country music submitting to the genre — one of the many interesting facts revealed in the 2025 Grammy ballot, which isn’t made public but was exclusively retrieved by THR, which breaks down what you need to know.
FAMOUS FACES
Long live Matthew Perry: The Friends icon could earn a posthumous Grammy nomination. Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, was submitted to the best audio book, narration and storytelling recording category. Michelle Williams also is on the ballot for narrating Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me, while others in contention include RuPaul, Jill Biden, George Takei, Nancy Pelosi, Liev Schreiber, Laura Linney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rebel Wilson and Grammy winners Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Black, Jimmy Carter and Tiffany Haddish.
Dave Chappelle and Penélope Cruz may battle it out in a performance category: They are both on the ballot for best alternative music performance. Chappelle, who has won five Grammys, is a possible nominee thanks to his appearance on Travis Scott’s “Parasail,” and Cruz could compete via her poetic narration on Latin rapper Residente’s “313,” which also earned her a Latin Grammy nod.
THE POST MALONE SHOW
Here’s why Post Malone may be the most nominated artist of the 2025 Grammys: The country music community has welcomed him with open arms, so he’ll likely earn noms in all four country categories; his country album and singles are major pop successes, so he’s got the top three categories on lock (album, song, record of the year); he’s featured on Taylor Swift’s hit “Fortnight,” which is the song she has submitted for major awards; and his guest appearance on Beyoncé’s “Levii’s Jeans” also is on the ballot. But while he may get the most nods, he won’t win the most awards — mainly because he’ll compete with himself in multiple categories.
MORGAN’S MOMENT
Morgan Wallen has dominated the pop charts for the past four years, but he’s never earned a Grammy nom. That should change this year — not because of Wallen’s solo music but because he’s featured on Post Malone’s megahit “I Had Some Help.” Bro-country types are usually ignored at the Grammys, but it will be hard to deny Wallen this year since “I Had Some Help” is the main song Malone has put forth for awards.
BOYS WHO BOYCOTT
Though they vowed to never submit to the Grammys after issues with the awards show, Drake and The Weeknd have continued to win awards thanks to others putting forth their collaborations. The 2025 show may not be different. Drake could earn nods for his songs with Sexyy Red and Gordo, while The Weeknd was submitted for his appearance on Future and Metro Boomin’s “We Still Don’t Trust You” — words The Weeknd might use to express his feelings toward the Grammys.
ALL HAIL QUEEN BEY
Beyoncé made history at the 2017 Grammys when her Lemonade album helped her become the first artist to be nominated in the rock, rap, R&B and pop fields in the same year. Since then, she’s won a pair of dance Grammys and could add the country and American Roots genres to her résumé this year. She also could help country music pioneer Linda Martell earn her first-ever Grammy nom. Martell, the first Black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry, is featured on Beyoncé’s “Spaghetti,” which also includes Shaboozey and was submitted for best melodic rap performance.
PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999
NSYNC banded together for the Trolls Band Together soundtrack, and they could earn their first nomination in over two decades with “Better Place,” which was submitted to best pop duo/group performance.
R&B singers Monica and Brandy — who won a Grammy for their epic 1998 duet “The Boy Is Mine” — jumped on the remix of Ariana Grande’s “The Boy Is Mine,” and the song is on this year’s ballot in two categories.
BILLIE ‘ENGINEER’ EILISH
Most singers don’t engineer their own projects, but Victoria Monét made history by winning best engineered album (non-classical) this year alongside her co-engineers. Eilish may do the same since she’s listed as an engineer on her third album, Hit Me Hard & Soft. Her debut album won the engineering award in 2020, and the honor went to her co-writer/producer/brother Finneas. Justin Timberlake also is one of the few pop stars who may place in the category since he has engineering credit on his latest album, Everything I Thought I Was.
ARIANA, THE ARRANGER
Vocal beast Ariana Grande also could earn a rare Grammy nomination for arranging her music and vocals. She’s listed as an arranger on “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” in the best arrangement, instruments and vocals category. Eilish and Finneas also could earn nods for the prize as the arrangers of “Birds of a Feather.”
This story appeared in the Oct. 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
