7 Grammy-Nominated Albums You Won’t Want to Miss

Lemonade, by Beyoncé
Lemonade took the pop world—and the internet—by storm when it was released last April. It has the rare distinction of being both a concept album and a visual album, accompanied by an hour-long film released on HBO. Unsurprisingly, it’s up for Album of the Year, both on the strength of singles like “Freedom,” “All Night,” and the Grammy-nominated “Formation,” and because of its obvious ambition. With Lemonade, Beyoncé shows the world she’s more than just a mega-successful pop culture brand who makes radio-friendly R&B music. She has tapped into a vein of deeper, more genuine art.

Collage, by the Chainsmokers
EDM/electro house duo the Chainsmokers—Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall—are up for Best New Artist this year. Their latest EP, Collage, is getting a proper vinyl release in January 2017, and it lends a lot of insight into why they’re so popular; for all their tech-bro swagger on social media, the Chainsmokers are really good at writing earworms. This EP is instantly catchy and familiar, with plenty of hooks and engaging, pastel synth melodies. It’s clear they love lilting female vocals, too, as their lineup of guest vocalists includes XYLØ, Phoebe Ryan, Halsey, Charlee, and Daya. Standout tracks here include “Closer” and “Inside Out.”

Magma, by Gojira
French metalheads Gojira have been nominated for Best Rock Album, and if one of their albums ever deserved a Grammy, it’s Magma. Both heavy and accessible, Magma is more of a doom metal record than their previous, more self-consciously epic material, and is built around catchy riffs and thick, pounding rhythms. The impressive guitar solos and window-shattering drums are still present, but the songs around them aren’t as crowded. “Silvera” and “The Cell” are standout tracks based on gnarly riffage alone, and the shoegazey “Low Lands” is their best use of clean vocals yet (still a relatively new development for them).

Barbara, Barbara We See a Shining Future, by Underworld
Veteran electronic musicians Underworld—Rick Smith, Karl Hyde, and Darren Price—are up for Best Dance/Electronic Album for this, their ninth studio release. This is something of a career rebirth for Underworld, who haven’t released an album in six years and are probably best known for their contributions to Trainspotting. In that spirit, Barbara, Barbara is an impressive return, triumphing with hard, drum-heavy tracks like “I Exhale,” more ambient songs like “Motorhome,” and the atmospheric house bounce of “Low Burn.” And if you’re wondering about the album’s name, it’s apparently one of the last things Smith’s father said before his death.

Dangerous Woman, by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande gets a lot of attention for her caustic social media presence, and most recently for her performance in “Hairspray Live,” but it would be a mistake to underestimate her as a pop musician. Dangerous Woman is up for Best Pop Vocal Album award this time around, and Ariana’s spirited, confident voice is what drives the album forward. The album’s guest appearances don’t hurt, either—Macy Gray, Future, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj all make cameos—but Ariana is the star attraction, backed by a fun blend of R&B and electro-pop. The title track is the best song here, followed closely by “Into You” and “Side to Side.”

25, by Adele
Adele’s third album, 25, was the talk of the pop music world when she teased the album’s lead single, “Hello,” in a 15-second TV ad. Once “Hello” was officially released, it was met with rapturous enthusiasm by fans and critics alike, and became the first single to sell one million downloads in a release week, beating the record previously held by Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.” This album continues exploring the themes that drew us all to Adele’s music—regret, loss, heartbreak—but with the renewed energy of someone who, after questioning whether or not to quit music altogether, decided she had more to say. 25 was the best-selling record of 2015, and now it’s up for Album of the Year.

Blackstar, by David Bowie
Blackstar is up for Best Alternative Music Album, and might be the most overall impressive record in that category. Intended as a “goodbye” to his fans, Blackstar succeeds because Bowie kept pushing himself to explore and create, even though he could have gotten by just fine by sticking to what he knew. In fact, Blackstar is one of the weirder and more expressive things he ever did, while also embracing that 1970s-style indulgence that made him popular in the first place. The title track, for example, is a nine-minute jazz-rock opus with Gregorian chant–styled tonal melodies and weirdness aplenty. Similarly, “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)” has a cinematic, film noir feel to it, but Bowie’s instinct for considering the audience kept even his most abstract compositions fun and lively.