Grammys 2025 rock contenders: Legendary Rolling Stones could face younger faves like St. Vincent

Jaime Rodriguez
·5 min read
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Rock music is far from dead. Last year’s Grammy nominations proved that, with some of the leading acts in music being present in the rock categories. Alongside legends like The Rolling Stones and Metallica, the field was graced by the presence of Gen-Z’s favorite artists, such as Boygenius, Arctic Monkeys and Olivia Rodrigo. So to find great rock music these days, you just have to pay attention. We are certainly paying attention this year, with a slew of buzzy releases already in the conversation to take home the gold come Grammy time.

One of the biggest stories in rock this season is the return of The Beatles with the single “Now and Then.” It’s unclear if the song will be competing in pop or in rock, but either way it’s for sure getting them a nomination. A music video made to their hit song “I’m Only Sleeping” just won Best Music Video over hyped releases from Kendrick Lamar, Troye Sivan and Billie Eilish, showing just how much voters still love the band. “Now and Then” was also a big success, peaking inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and spending two weeks atop the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. So even beyond pure nostalgia, it might be a big deal.

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Out of last year’s nominees, the most likely to return are The Rolling Stones with their new album “Hackney Diamonds.” Like the Beatles, they’re legends, so it’s not hard to envision voters, especially older ones, being very excited about their return too. After all, this is their first album of new material in almost 10 years. The album is led by the Grammy-nominated single “Angry” as well as the Lady Gaga-assisted “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” And it was very well received by the general public, peaking at number-three on the Billboard 200. It also received praise from critics, averaging 78 on Metacritic. Suffice to say that people still love the Stones, and that surely includes a lot of voters.

No need to worry about female representation, though, as we also have St. Vincent. The alt-rock superstar is set to release her new album, “All Born Screaming,” later this month. The album features the single “Broken Man,” which sounds more rock than alternative. As such, while St. Vincent’s album is likely competing in the alternative categories, her lead single will likely go rock, much like Boygenius did last year with “Not Strong Enough.” Another artist in that situation is Brittany Howard, whose album “What Now” is undeniably more alternative than rock. Still, the album’s lead single, the title track, might fit better in the rock categories and could be a serious contender for wins. Both St. Vincent and Howard have won Best Rock Song before, with “Masseduction” and “Stay High,” respectively.

And speaking of “staying high,” the new Black Keys record, “Ohio Players,” is also a big contender, led by the single “Beautiful People (Stay High).” The album was released on April 5 and has so far found success on the airplay charts. The band are previous rock field winners and used to be Grammy favorites. While they might not be winning as much now as they once did, they’re still in good graces of the academy: their last album, “Dropout Boogie,” got them two nominations. And this new record has been well received by critics, with a 75 on Metacritic, which is actually an increase from the last one.

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Another April 5 release that might be important to note is Vampire Weekend’s “Only God Was Above Us.” The album might be competing in the alternative category, but it’s likely that the single “Gen-X Cops” competes in rock. The album’s glowing reviews — 89 on Metacritic — might make that song especially competitive. And on the topic of acclaimed albums, Mannequin Pussy’s “I Got Heaven” is one of this year’s most acclaimed albums in the rock world, with an 89 on Metacritic, so voters might embrace the buzzworthy band and give them their first nominations ever.

There’s also Cage the Elephant, two-time Best Rock Album winners, who are back with their new album “Neon Pill.” The album features the single of the same name, which peaked atop the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. Since voters like the band so much, it won’t be a surprise if they manage to net a third win.

There are also some contenders who might be in different genres. Previous winner Gary Clark Jr.’s “JPEG Raw” might compete in the contemporary blues categories like his previous records, but he’s likely to submit something to the rock field. His previous album, “This Land,” featured the hit single of the same name, which won two awards in rock categories. Last but not least, another returning nominee could be Olivia Rodrigo with her new tracks from the deluxe edition of “Guts.” In particular, “Obsessed” might be her ticket to another rock field nomination, although it might be submitted to pop instead.

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