GRAMMY NOMS BY THE NUMBERS:
BEST NEW ARTIST

In what is historically a wild-card category, the 2020-21 BNA nominees hew to tradition. Coming off breakthrough years, Megan Thee Stallion and Doja Cat are viewed as co-favorites and lead the field in total activity. Phoebe Bridgers and Ingrid Andress, each of whom generated plenty of buzz and praise this year, clearly belong in the mix. Noah Cyrus landed a streaming hit, “July,” while electronic standout Kaytranada dropped his critically acclaimed sophomore album. Warner’s Chika and Netflix-competition-winner D Smoke released their very first projects during the eligibility period.

The absence of several notable newcomers—including genre-pacing acts Pop Smoke, Morgan Wallen and Summer Walker, as well as breakout artists Polo G, Gabby Barrett and Mickey Guyton—left many scratching their heads.