For this week’s MRP PICKS, we’re going through the 2016 Grammy categories (the ones we know a thing or two about, anyway!) and making our predictions on who will take home the trophies! You’ll also hear our thoughts on snubs, surprises, and much more. All we have to say is… bless these artists who missed the annihilating wrath of Adele’s 25 by a measly cut-off date. But in 2017? Hide ya kids, hide ya wives, hide ya albums and singles. Adele will be kicking ass, taking names, and cradling 5-10 trophies in her arms like precious little golden babies. Anyway…

Here are our picks and thoughts on this year’s nominees!

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Really Love
D’Angelo And The Vanguard

Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran

Blank Space
Taylor Swift

Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd

WILL WIN: Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
SHOULD WIN: Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
MIGHT WIN: Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd
SNUB: Don’t Wanna Fight – Alabama Shakes
SURPRISE: Really Love – D’Angelo
THOUGHTS: Uptown Funk was the song of the year, without question – based on production value, style, musicality, and popularity. We’d be surprised if any other record took home this award, but in the wise words of Ellie Goulding, anything can happen!

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes

To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar

Traveller
Chris Stapleton

1989
Taylor Swift

Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd

WILL WIN: Sound & Color – Alabama Shakes
SHOULD WIN: To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar OR Sound & Color
MIGHT WIN: To Pimp A Butterfly
SNUB: Honeymoon – Lana Del Rey
SURPRISE: Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd
THOUGHTS: This is Taylor Swift’s award to lose, and we think she will lose it. Shakes or Kendrick have the best chance based on merit and critic reviews.

 

SONG OF THE YEAR

Alright
Kendrick Lamar

Blank Space
Taylor Swift

Girl Crush
Little Big Town

See You Again
Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran

WILL WIN: Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
SHOULD WIN: Alright – Kendrick Lamar
MIGHT WIN: Blank Space – Taylor Swift
SNUB: FourFiveSeconds – Paul McCartney
SURPRISE: See You Again – Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth
THOUGHTS: This one is a toss up. We hope the award doesn’t go to the dull hit from Furious 7 ‘See You Again’. Based on merit, we think Sheeran and Lamar have the best shot, but Taylor Swift may just swoop in and claim territory.

 

BEST NEW ARTIST

Courtney Barnett

James Bay

Sam Hunt

Tori Kelly

Meghan Trainor

WILL WIN: Tori Kelly or James Bay
SHOULD WIN: Tori Kelly
MIGHT WIN: Courtney Barnett
SNUB: Fetty Wap isn’t our cup of tea, but he had a damn good year.
SURPRISE: That said… WHAT IS MEGHAN TRAINOR DOING HERE? Someone escort her off the premises.
THOUGHTS: Sam Hunt also has a pretty good chance and we’d be pretty gutted if Meghan Trainor’s Top 40 charm snagged this award, but Tori Kelly is one of our favorite vocalists of the decade. This girl really deserves it.

 

BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE

Heartbeat Song
Kelly Clarkson

Love Me Like You Do
Ellie Goudling

Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran

Blank Space
Taylor Swift

Can’t Feel My Face
The Weeknd

WILL WIN: Ed Sheeran
SHOULD WIN: Ed Sheeran
MIGHT WIN: Taylor Swift, Elie Goulding
SNUB: Run Away With Me – Carly Rae Jepsen
SURPRISE: No surprises here. Kelly Clarkson has dominated this category in years past but we feel that Ed Sheeran’s tune may take this one home based on vocals, universality, and originality alone.
THOUGHTS: It’s anybody’s award. NOW FIGHT!

 

 

BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE

Ship To Wreck
Florence + The Machine

Sugar
Maroon 5

Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

Bad Blood
Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar

See You Again
Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth

WILL WIN: Uptown Funk
SHOULD WIN: Uptown Funk
MIGHT WIN: We don’t really think anyone else stands a chance.
SNUB: None, really.
SURPRISE: See You Again – Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth
THOUGHTS: This one goes to the song that dominated 2015. No question.

 

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM

Piece By Piece
Kelly Clarkson

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Florence + The Machine

Uptown Special
Mark Ronson

1989
Taylor Swift

Before This World
James Taylor

WILL WIN: 1989
SHOULD WIN: 1989
MIGHT WIN: Before This World
SNUB: Badlands – Halsey. We’re not huge Swifties, but… hey, it was a successful album. And it IS the pop category.
SURPRISE: Mark Ronson nod was a pleasant surprise. Well deserved.
THOUGHTS: Anyone’s game at this point, but again – it’s Taylor’s award to lose.

 

BEST DANCE RECORDING

We’re All We Need
Above & Beyond feat. Zoe Johnston

Go
The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip

Never Catch Me
Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar

Runaway (U&I)
Galantis

Where Are Ü Now
Skrillex and Diplo feat. Justin Bieber

WILL WIN: Where Are Ü Now
SHOULD WIN: Where Are Ü Now
MIGHT WIN: Never Catch Me
SNUB: Say My Name – ODEZSA feat. Zyra
SURPRISE: See You Again – Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth
THOUGHTS: Bieber may get his first Grammy, but it wont really be his – the success of that song is owed to Skrillex and Diplo’s musical texturizing and prowess.

 

BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM

Our Love
Caribou

Born In The Echoes
The Chemical Brother

Caracal
Disclosure

In Colour
Jamie XX

Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü
Skrillex and Diplo

WILL WIN: Disclosure
SHOULD WIN: Disclosure
MIGHT WIN: Caribou
SNUB: ODESZA
SURPRISE: Jamie XX
THOUGHTS: We haven’t met a Disclosure song we didn’t like. We really hope they take this one home.

 

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE

Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes

What Kind Of Man
Florence + The Machine

Something From Nothing
Foo Fighters

Ex’s & Oh’s
Elle King

Moaning Lisa Smile
Wolf Alice

WILL WIN: Alabama Shakes
SHOULD WIN: Alabama Shakes
MIGHT WIN: Foo Fighters
SNUB: None off the top of our heads.
SURPRISE: Elle King… Don’t 1000% agree with this. Good song, but not sure if it’s Grammy worthy. We’ll see!
THOUGHTS: This is Alabama Shakes’ year. Open the floodgates!

 

BEST ROCK SONG

Don’t Wanna Fight
Alabama Shakes

Ex’s & Oh’s
Elle King

Hold Back The River
James Bay

Lydia
Highly Suspect

What Kind Of Man
Florence + The Machine

WILL WIN: Alabama Shakes
SHOULD WIN: Alabama Shakes
MIGHT WIN: James Bay
SURPRISE: Elle King… not yet. Not yet. Sorry.
THOUGHTS: BRING IT HOME, BAMA! We’re betting on you!

 

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Chaos And The Calm
James Bay

Kintsugi
Death Cab For Cutie

Mister Asylum
Highly Suspect

Drones
Muse

The Gray Chapter
Skipknot

WILL WIN: James Bay
SHOULD WIN: Death Cab for Cutie
MIGHT WIN: Death Cab for Cutie
SNUB: Foo Fighters
SURPRISE: Slipknot
THOUGHTS: We don’t even like Imagine Dragons, but we’re surprised they’ve been omitted from this race. Muse deserved the honorable mention, but we think James Bay is bound to snag at least one Grammy, and this may be the one.

 

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM

Sound & Color
Alabama Shakes

Vulnicura
Björk

The Waterfall
The Morning Jacket

Currents
Tame Impala

Star Wars
Wilco

WILL WIN: Alabama Shakes
SHOULD WIN: Tame Impala
MIGHT WIN: Wilco OR Tame Impala
SNUB: Every Open Eye – CHVRCHES
SURPRISE: Björk. Huh? Ok.
THOUGHTS: We’d be really stoked to see Tame Impala take this one home, as their new album slayed our lives in the best way. Alabama Shakes has plenty of other chances, but it’s a draw.

 

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE

I Don’t Have You
Tamar Braxton

Rise Up
Andra Day

Breathing Underwater
Hiatus Kaiyote

Planes
Jeremih feat. J. Cole

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
The Weeknd

WILL WIN: The Weeknd
SHOULD WIN: Andra Day
MIGHT WIN: Andra Day OR Tamar Braxton
SNUB: Miguel… big time.
SURPRISE: Jeremih, no. But J. Cole YES.
THOUGHTS: Everyone thinks this is Tamar Braxton’s win, but we feel like The Weeknd is going home with quite a few awards just based on popularity alone. Andra Day is our favorite in the category, however.

 

BEST R&B SONG

Coffee
Miguel

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
The Weeknd

Let It Burn
Jazmine Sullivan

Really Love
D’Angelo and The Vanguard

Shame
Tyrese

WILL WIN: Miguel
SHOULD WIN: Miguel
MIGHT WIN: The Weeknd OR Jazmine Sullivan
SNUB: None that we can see.
SURPRISE: Tyrese!
THOUGHTS: We’re hoping Miguel takes home this win just because he was pretty hardcore snubbed for Best Performance. He deserves the nod, nonetheless. We’ll see.

 

BEST URBAN CONTEMPORARY ALBUM

Ego Death
The Internet

You Should Be Here
Kehlani

Blood
Lianne La Havas

Wildheart
Miguel

Beauty Behind The Madness
The Weeknd

WILL WIN: The Weeknd
SHOULD WIN: Kehlani
MIGHT WIN: Kehlani or Miguel
SURPRISE: Kehlani – but a pleasant surprise. We’re rooting for her.
THOUGHTS: We have a feeling this award will go to the wrong album, i.e. the popular one. Miguel and Kehlani’s albums are the strongest ones in the category, however.

 

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE

Apparently
J. Cole

Back To Back
Drake

Trap Queen
Fetty Wap

Alright
Kendrick Lamar

Truffle Butter
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake & Lil Wayne

All Day
Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom, Paul McCartney

WILL WIN: Kendrick Lamar
SHOULD WIN: Kendrick Lamar OR J. Cole
MIGHT WIN: J. Cole
SURPRISE: Fetty Wap. Trap Queen was a dope jam, but not Grammy worthy of some of these rap titans.
THOUGHTS: It would be so satisfying to see Paul McCartney win a Best Rap Performance Grammy… but Kendrick owns this category. Even considering how much we love J. Cole. The album is just untouchable.

 

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION

One Man Can Change The World
Big Sean feat. Kanye West & John Legend

Glory
Common & John Legend

These Walls
Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise, & Thundercat

Only
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne, & Chris Brown

WILL WIN: Glory
SHOULD WIN: Glory
MIGHT WIN: One Man Can Change The World
SURPRISE: Only
THOUGHTS: Glory is taking this home, no question. This song cleaned house at the Oscars, and it’s not leaving without a Grammy.

 

BEST RAP SONG

All Day
Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom, Paul McCartney

Alright
Kendrick Lamar

Energy
Drake

Glory
Common & John Legend

Trap Queen
Fetty Wap

WILL WIN: Kendrick Lamar
SHOULD WIN: Kendrick Lamar
MIGHT WIN: Glory
SNUB: Apparently – J. Cole
SURPRISE: Trap Queen. Come on, guys.
THOUGHTS: Kendrick Lamar should win this singlehandedly. No debate!

 

BEST RAP ALBUM

2014 Forest Hills Drive
J. Cole

Compton
Dr. Dre

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Drake

To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar

The Pinkprint
Nicki Minaj

WILL WIN: Kendrick Lamar
SHOULD WIN: Kendrick Lamar
MIGHT WIN: J. Cole
SNUB: Nicki deserved the nod. We’ll give her that. No snubs, though.
SURPRISE: Dr Dre. Lackluster and undeserving up against Lamar.
THOUGHTS: Kendrick Lamar is taking this one, too. Drake and Nicki deserved the nods but we don’t feel any other nominees hold a candle to the musical genius that was To Pimp A Butterfly.

 

BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE

Burning House
Cam

Traveller
Chris Stapleton

Little Toy Guns
Carrie Underwood

John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
Keith Urban

Chances Are
Lee Ann Womack

WILL WIN: Chris Stapleton
SHOULD WIN: Chris Stapleton
MIGHT WIN: Cam
SURPRISE: Carrie Underwood…
THOUGHTS: Not huge country fans, but Chris Stapleton’s voice is just incredible. His talent and musical prowess alone deserve the win.

 

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

Montevallo
Sam Hunt

Pain Killer
Little Big Town

The Blade
Ashley Monroe

Pageant Material
Kacey Musgraves

Traveller
Chris Stapleton

WILL WIN: Christ Stapleton
SHOULD WIN: Kacey Musgraves
MIGHT WIN: Little Big Town
SURPRISE: Sam Hunt
THOUGHTS: Kacey Musgraves has the swagger and talent to challenge the rest of these nominees, but Chris Stapleton has the broader appeal.

 

BEST COMEDY ALBUM

Back To The Drawing Board
Lisa Lampanelli

Brooklyn
Wyatt Cenac

Happy. And A Lot.
Jay Mohr

Just Being Honest
Craig Ferguson

Live At Madison Square Garden
Louis C.K.

WILL WIN: Louis C.K.
SHOULD WIN: Louis C.K.
MIGHT WIN: Lisa Lampanelli
SURPRISE: Craig Ferguson
THOUGHTS: Louiiiiiis! Get it, dude.

 

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK

Empire: Season 1

Fifty Shades Of Grey

Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me

Pitch Perfect 2

Selma

WILL WIN: Selma
SHOULD WIN: Selma or Empire
MIGHT WIN: Pitch Perfect 2
SURPRISE: Pitch Perfect 2… NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC 30490398! Nah.
THOUGHTS: Selma was a gorgeous soundtrack and deserves the win. Fifty Shades was pretty dynamic as well, but Selma may come out and take this one.

 

BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK

Birdman

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

The Theory Of Everything

Whiplash

WILL WIN: Whiplash
SHOULD WIN: Whiplash or Birdman
MIGHT WIN: Birdman
SURPRISE: No surprises. All nominees deserve to be here.
THOUGHTS: Birdman had a pretty outstanding score, but Whiplash is a film ABOUT music and the passion therein. It’s a draw.

 

BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR FILM

Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
The Weeknd

Glory (Selma)
Common & John Legend

Love Me Like You Do (Fifty Shades Of Grey)
Ellie Goulding

See You Again (Furious 7)
Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth

Til It Happens To You (The Hunting Ground)
Lady Gaga

WILL WIN: Glory
SHOULD WIN: Glory
MIGHT WIN: Earned It
SURPRISE: Love Me Like You Do – but we love this song.
THOUGHTS: This category was made for Glory. Another win, we think.

 

BEST ARRANGEMENT

Bruno Mars
Vocally Challenged

Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
Pentatonix

Do You Hear What I Hear?
Committed

Ghost Of A Chance
Bob James & Nathan East

You And The Night And The Music
Joh Fedchock New York Big Band

WILL WIN: Pentatonix
SHOULD WIN: Pentatonix
MIGHT WIN: Bob James & Nathan East
THOUGHTS: PTX won this category last year, and it was one of the most talked-about wins of the night, given the unpublicized category. And their arrangements are absolutely mind-blowing and eclectic. They’ll win again this year.

 

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

LSD
A$AP Rocky

I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
The Dead Weather

Alright
Kendrick Lamar

Bad Blood
Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar

Freedom
Pharrell Williams

WILL WIN: Kendrick Lamar
SHOULD WIN: Kendrick Lamar
MIGHT WIN: Taylor Swift
SURPRISE: Pharrell Williams
THOUGHTS: For as many nominations as Taylor Swift received this year, we just don’t think she’ll be walking home with that many Grammys. She’s up against some big dogs this year. Kendrick is gonna do a clean sweep.

 

BEST MUSIC FILM

Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown

Sonic Highways

What Happened, Miss Simone?

The Wall

Amy

WILL WIN: What Happened, Miss Simone?
SHOULD WIN: Amy
MIGHT WIN: Amy
THOUGHTS: This is a pretty solid list of nominees. All films are worthy of a nod. If we had it our way, Amy would take home the win for the emotional and authentic ride it took us on, while paying homage to one of the most misunderstood artists of our time – but let’s be real, Nina Simone’s doc accomplished quite the same feat. We feel Simone may take this one, but we’d be really happy to see Amy win.