***Update: Results noted with ✓ or X ***
BEST DANCE RECORDING
Bonobo - Linked
The Chemical Brothers - Got To Keep On
Meduza & The Goodboys - Piece Of Your Heart
Rüfüs Du Sol - Underwater
Skrillex & Boys Noize with Ty Dolla $ign - Midnight Hour
Who Will Win: Skrillex & Boys Noize X
Who Should Win: Rüfüs Du Sol X
Reasoning: Skrillex has never lost when he's been nominated in this category and while I don't think "Midnight Hour" should win, I think the academy will 'play it safe.' However, this one strikes me as the least likely winner of Skrillex's now four nominations. Lately the winners have been more towards the typical dance pop side of things so there's a real possibility of Skrillex being upset by "Piece Of Your Heart." With that in mind, you have to go back more than a decade for something like "Linked" or "Got To Keep On" as a winner, and if it were either of those two The Chemical Brothers strike me as far more likely. All of that said, I give "Underwater" a real shot, and find it the most deserving because of its enrapturing beauty, mystifying vocals and stunning sound design.
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM
Apparat - LP5
The Chemical Brothers - No Geography
Flume - Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape)
Rüfüs Du Sol - Solace
Tycho - Weather
Who Will Win: The Chemical Brothers ✓
Who Should Win: The Chemical Brothers ✓
Reasoning: Much like last year, this is an incredibly tight category, and truthfully I wouldn't be surprised if any of the latter four took it home. Apparat's album is nice, but there were less than a handful of tracks that stood out to me. I will say the same for Flume's mixtape too as it's just not for me, however I can easily see the academy going his way once again. Having lost to Flume in 2017 with what in my eyes is a better album, I once again see Tycho coming up short. This leaves me torn between two undeniably excellent albums, both with singles in the category above. I've sided with the academy going to The Chemical Brothers based on name recognition and legacy, something they've done the last two years. I also feel they are the most deserving if only by a slim margin. That said Solace boasts a spectacular soundscape and beautiful breadth while remaining tight and true.
BEST REMIXED RECORDING
Madonna - I Rise (Tracy Young's Pride Intro Radio Remix)
Miley Cyrus - Mothers Daughter (Wuki Remix)
Jorja Smith - The One (High Contrast Remix)
Mild Minds - Swim (Ford. Remix)
Marie Davidson - Work It (Soulwax Remix)
Who Will Win: High Contrast X
Who Should Win: Soulwax X
Reasoning: What a category! For the first time in a while we've got five remixers making their first appearance. That's right, neither High Contrast nor Soulwax have ever been nominated! This only makes this already incredibly unpredictable category even more so. I feel like there's a good chance Tracy Young can capture the title, as Madonna is a name voters can latch on to and her remix is quite slick. I'm really happy for Wuki, but I'd be pretty surprised if he won as the academy has not gone for something quite so banging in years. The Ford. remix has a shot but I'd put it as the least likely, both because of name recognition and its fit in the academy's recent voting patterns. Those two criteria would lead me to believe High Contrast will take the title, while I would love to see Soulwax and Marie Davidson get some well deserved recognition.
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
John Hill
Finneas
Ricky Reed
Who Will Win: Finneas ✓
Who Should Win: Ricky Reed X
Reasoning: There's a not a single holdover from last year's category which is an oddity, but Auerbach, Hill and Reed each have been here before. It's pretty rare that a first time nominee takes this crown, but I see Finneas taking the title for his inextricable role in the success of Billie Eilish. However his relatively small catalog (for which he is nominated) has me worried about this pick and could easily see Auerbach taking the title. That said, it really ought to be Ricky Reed for his work with Lizzo, Maggie Rogers, Maren Morris and SZA among others.
***OTHER, MORE UNINFORMED PICKS***
Best Music Film: Beyonce ✓
Best Music Video: Gary Clark Jr. X
Best Comedy Album: Dave Chapelle ✓
Best Reggae Album: Koffee ✓
Best Rap Album: Tyler, The Creator ✓
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Lizzo ✓
Best Alternative Music Album: Vampire Weekend ✓
Best Pop Vocal Album: Billie Eilish ✓
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus ✓
Best New Artist: Lizzo X
Song Of The Year: Billie Eilish ✓
Album Of The Year: Lizzo X
Record Of The Year: Billie Eilish ✓