The 2012 Grammy nominees will be announced on November 30, but there's no need to wait until then to start speculating about who the five lucky Best New Artist nominees will be.
A whopping 447 artists submitted their names for consideration in the Best New Artist category. While most of these have no chance, a few are legitimate contenders.
Rapper Nicki Minaj ("Super Bass") and country trio The Band Perry ("If I Die Young") are locks to earn nominations here. Only slightly less certain to score a (well-deserved) nom is indie folkie Bon Iver. That leaves only two more spots.
We're thinking that one of them will go to Italian group Il Volo, who earned multiple nominations at this month's Latin Grammy Awards.
That leaves the final spot, which will probably come down to a battle between country group Thompson Square, weed-loving Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa ("Black and Yellow"), and controversial rapper Tyler the Creator, who many view as a misogynist and homophobe.
While we see Tyler as a circus clown, he is a viable contender considering his Best New Artist nod at the VMAs this year. The Academy may try to show it's "hip" and "edgy" by choosing Tyler.
Khalifa is a safer choice, but safer still would be Thompson Square. Would the Academy put two country acts in the BNA category, though? We're not sure about that. That being the case, we'll project that Khalifa ekes out the final nomination here.
Longer shots in the running include J. Cole, Big Sean, Matthew Morrison of Glee, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Ellie Goulding and Jackie Evancho.
Personally, we'd love to see dubstep phenom Skrillex, neo-soul act Fitz and the Tantrums, dark Swedish popster Lykke Li or electronic artist Neon Indian among the nominees, but none are likely to make it.
And you never know which completely unknown figure could shake things up. Last year, no one would have predicted Esperanza Spalding, but she scored a surprise nomination and even walked away with the award.
Update: In my original post, I neglected to mention Foster the People. While I see them as an overrated one-hit wonder, I suspect they have an excellent change of scoring a nomination.
2012 Grammy Awards Best New Artist
Nominee predictions:
The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Il Volo, Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa
Also in the running:
Big Sean, Battles, Cut Copy, J. Cole, Jackie Evancho, Far East Movement, Ellie Goulding, Jessie J, Nicole Atkins, Neon Trees, Noah & the Whale, Matthew Morrison, James Blake, Tyler the Creator, Thompson Square, Tinie Tempah, Young the Giant, Skrillex, Foster the People
Which of these artists would you like to see get the nomination?
Check out more of my Grammy Awards articles.
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