Grammys 2016 Forecast: The Revenge of Justin Bieber
(Justin Bieber at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011. Photo: Dan MacMedan/Getty Images)
Look for Justin Bieber to finally win his first Grammy this year, five years after he was defeated for Best New Artist in one of the biggest upsets in Grammy history. The 2011 award went to the respected but comparatively little-known jazz artist Esperanza Spalding.
Bieber is the frontrunner to win Best Dance Recording for his featured role on “Where Are ü Now,” the top 10 hit by Skrillex and Diplo that kickstarted his comeback.
Bieber’s subsequent solo smash, “What Do You Mean?” (which became his first #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100), was passed over in the nominations. It was eligible for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance, but missed out in all three categories. Bieber’s album, Purpose, and his chart-busting follow-up hits, “Sorry” and “Love Yourself,” were released after the close of the eligibility period on Sept. 30, but will be eligible next year.
This is Bieber’s first nomination since his debut year, when, in addition to Best New Artist, he was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album for his first full-length album, My World 2.0. (He lost that award to Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster.) Bieber is vying to join a long line of pop radio mainstays to win a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. The others are Britney Spears (“Toxic”), Justin Timberlake (“SexyBack” and “LoveStoned/I Think She Knows”), Lady Gaga (“Poker Face”) ,and Rihanna (“Only Girl in the World”).
Two of the other 2010 Best New Artist also-rans are also nominated this year. Drake is up for five awards, including Best Rap Album for If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. (He won that award three years ago for Take Care.) Florence + The Machine are nominated for three awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album for How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. (Lead singer Florence Welch is up for a fourth award for co-writing “What Kind of Man,” a Best Rock Song nominee.)
Spalding remains the 53rd Grammy Awards Best New Artist finalist with the most Grammy wins — three. Two years after her Best New Artist shocker, she won Best Jazz Vocal Album for Radio Music Society and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for “City of Roses,” a track from the album.
But another of those nominees, Mumford & Sons, walked off with the highest-profile Grammy. The English folk-rockers took the 2012 Album of the Year prize for their sophomore album, Babel.
