Submissions for the 2023 Grammys are in, with the first round voting for next year’s awards kicking off yesterday (October 13).
There are a number of notable submissions and absentees from the 2023 submissions list, including six from Taylor Swift. Swift has put forward ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ for consideration in the Album of the Year and Best Country Album categories, eight years after the original ‘Red’ release lost in both at the 2014 awards.
Her other submissions include ‘All Too Well (10 Minute Version)’ for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, ‘I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version)(From The Vault)’ for Best Country Song and Best Country Performance, and the Phoebe Bridgers-featuring ‘Nothing New (Taylor’s Version)(From The Vault)’ for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Beyoncé has entered two dance/electronic category nominations for the first time. She’s put forward her seventh studio album ‘Renaissance’ for both Album of the Year and Best Dance/Electronic Album, and its lead single ‘Break My Soul’ for Song of the Year, Recording of the Year and Best Dance/Electronic Recording. She’s won the most Grammy awards for any female artist and any male or female singer, with 28 wins over her career.
Then there were the notable absentees, such as Drake and The Weeknd. Neither submitted any works for the 2023 awards, despite both having released major albums this past year – The Weeknd’s ‘Dawn FM’ came out in January, while Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ arrived in June.
It follows Drake’s ongoing criticism of the awards and the Recording Academy after he withdrew 2021 album ‘Certified Lover Boy’ and its single ‘Way 2 Sexy’, featuring Future and Young Thug, from last year’s nominations.
The Weeknd has also expressed frustration with the Grammys, boycotting the awards after his 2020 album ‘After Hours’ and its singles failed to receive any nominations. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,” he said at the time.
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak‘s project Silk Sonic are also absent from the list, with Mars saying yesterday they’d decided to withhold their album, ‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’ from next year’s nominations.
“We truly put our all on this record, but Silk Sonic would like to gracefully, humbly and, most importantly, sexually bow out of submitting our album this year,” Mars told Rolling Stone in a statement.
The duo took home Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song categories at the 2022 ceremony for their single ‘Leave The Door Open’.
Shortlisted nominations will be revealed later this year, with winners announced at the 65th Grammy awards ceremony in February 2023.