The full list of nominees for the 2021 Grammys was announced starting at noon ET this morning, which means the inevitable criticisms of the list began at approximately 12:01 p.m. ET this morning. One important piece of information to remember during these trying times, though, is the eligibility window: Only works released between September 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020 are eligible to be nominated at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. Even with that in mind, however, there were some head-scratching omissions this year.
The most immediately obvious and profoundly confusing is The Weeknd not earning a single nomination for After Hours, “Blinding Lights,” and other related works. Both the album and single topped the charts (“Blinding Lights” actually just set a longevity record) and were critically beloved. It’s possible The Weeknd didn’t submit any of his work for consideration this year, but if he did, the confusion of fans on Twitter is justified.
The Weeknd having the biggest song of the year and the best album was snub by the #GRAMMYs … pic.twitter.com/0yklLwaPjd
— mat (@stxxboy2) November 24, 2020
so you telling me the weeknd, abel, got snubbed for EVERY category for the grammys…. that doesn’t make any type of sense pic.twitter.com/PppNdLd0Og
— mAwAhIb is a hot gurl 🙂 (@itsmawahib) November 24, 2020
the weeknd gave one of the best visuals, quality music and era from any artist this year and the grammys still snubbed him… pic.twitter.com/AvmfTW7QFb
— chu (@chuuzus) November 24, 2020
Similarly, some people are wondering why Harry Styles’ Fine Line and Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters, two of the year’s most acclaimed releases, didn’t earn Album Of The Year nods.
HOW GRAMMYS GONNA SNUB HARRY AND THE WEEKND FOR AOTY??? THEY HAD SUCH A BIG YEAR???
— ęᴴ (@SHESRAREAOTD) November 24, 2020
I haven’t screamed like this all year.
I am so ridiculously proud of him and the #GRAMMYs can live on with me for another year….but not including him in the bigger categories is a snub.
Congratulations Harry Styles!
— Days of Young Harry #NbN4Harry (@Piki_DaysOfYH) November 24, 2020
The Grammys have always made less sense to me than the Golden Globes…but oh well. Still doesn’t make me less disappointed for Album of the Year snubs for Chromatica and Fiona Apple.
— Brian Whisenant (@brianwhisenant) November 24, 2020
Wow the #grammys are a big joke this year. Happy for @DUALIPA but the snubs on @theweeknd and Fiona Apple for @justinbieber ?!? Scooter Braun must be paying these fools because Yummy is garbage.
— fabri8788 / Jonathan Mattingly is a murderer (@fabri8788) November 24, 2020
Meanwhile, hip-hop heads wondered why women didn’t have a significant presence in the rap categories: Of the 20 works nominated for Best Rap Performance, Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song, only two were by women, and they were both the Beyonce remix of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.” On the bright side, though, women dominated the Best Rock Performance category.
do the grammys know women rap too? https://t.co/dhITIlx3lM
— lowercaseg (@Saint_Martha) November 24, 2020
Why were there no women nominated in the #GRAMMYs Rap category besides Megan Thee Stallion & Beyoncé for ‘Savage’?
— Marques Stewart (@MarquesJStewart) November 24, 2020
All of the black women nominated for R&B/rap at this year’s #GRAMMYs
Beyoncé
Chloe x Halle
H.E.R.
Megan thee Stallion
Jhené Aiko.… that’s it I think.
— Taylor Gray (@officialtaygray) November 24, 2020
Check out some tweets about other snubs below and find the full list of 2021 Grammy nominations here.
(insert impressively classy and gracious but still recognizing of complete snub tweet here)
— el-p (@therealelp) November 24, 2020
0 nominations for run the jewels…
0 nominations for mac miller??
AND 0 NOMINATIONS FOR THE WEEKND?!?! pic.twitter.com/rNIDBmLJsC
— The Best Pizza Connoisseur ➐ (@thedeepdishking) November 24, 2020
lady gaga got only 2 grammys nominations despite having a critically acclaimed album & one of the biggest songs of the year. the weeknd, blackpink & selena all have 0 nominations despite being some of the biggest acts of the year but justin has 5 with a critically panned album?
— LG 〄 (@EnigmaticGaga) November 24, 2020
Lady Gaga has been nominated for “Snub Of The Year” at the 2021 #Grammys.
Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/lN5CY07ioh
— Marios | L.G (@Gagas_Sonn) November 24, 2020
The Chicks aren’t nominated for any Grammys??? pic.twitter.com/tEgkDF8JTF
— Matt Stopera (@mattstopera) November 24, 2020
and the chicks got zero nomination. like wtf, gaslighter is such a beautiful. well written, well produced. ghad. still gaslighter and chromatica are my albums of the year
— moon carat ⨟ (@shanpatrickoko) November 24, 2020
@thechicks were robbed and I am upset.
— Ang (@angieee_isabel) November 24, 2020
The Weekend & Summer Walker were for sure robbed. #GRAMMYnoms
— Kesha Brooks (@Xclusivekesh) November 24, 2020
No Kehlani, summer walker or weekend? #GRAMMYs
— Eugene Smilez on Everything (@EugeneSmilez) November 24, 2020
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.