11 Artists You Might Not Have Realized Were Just Nominated For A Grammy

Every year, when the Grammy nominations are announced, the vast majority of people who care about such things focus solely on the biggest names that rack up the most nominations. This makes sense, as they are the headline makers, and they’re often the ones with the biggest hits, the most successful albums, and the greatest chances of taking home some gold.

While everyone may be watching artists like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Brandi Carlile, and Adele, as they are the most-nominated musicians this time around, there are literally thousands of other talented people who earned Grammy nominations this week…though most of them are not well known. Many people, even those who are plugged into the music industry, probably won’t ever realize that these lucky talents are potential winners.

Below are 11 artists who have succeeded in various fields of entertainment, and they all have one thing in common–they are nominated for Grammys this year. While they may not be the main artist on a track that’s up for Record of the Year and they’re certainly not competing for Best New Artist, all of the following people have a good chance of walking away in February 2023 with a Grammy. Some of them already have several of them sitting at home, while others are looking to become first-time winners.

Here are 11 artists who were nominated for Grammys this year who didn’t get the attention they deserve.

Billy Crystal​

Legendary comedian Billy Crystal is among the nominees at the 2023 Grammys. He is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for his musical Mr. Saturday Night, which he wrote and in which he stars and sings. Crystal has been nominated twice before at the Grammys, but he’s never won. This is his first nomination in the musical theater vertical.

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Grace Jones

​Difficult as it may be to believe, before today, Grace Jones had only ever been nominated for one Grammy. She doubled her career total today thanks to a featured spot on Beyoncé’s album Renaissance, which is already a frontrunner for Album of the Year.

Mark Ronson

​Seven-time Grammy winner Mark Ronson is up for another award this year for his work behind the scenes on Lizzo’s album Special. Ronson is in the running for Album of the Year for the second time in his career. The first time he was included in what is often considered the biggest category was back in 2008 when he and Amy Winehouse were potential winners for the set Back to Black, which was something of a surprise loser. On Special, Ronson is a producer and songwriter on the song “Break Up Twice.”

Nile Rodgers

​Already one of the most respected and beloved musicians in the industry, Nile Rodgers is a Grammy nominee once again this year. The multi-talented musician co-wrote the song “Cuff It,” the latest single from Beyoncé’s Renaissance, which is up for Album of the Year. Rodgers previously won this trophy alongside Daft Punk for their collection Random Access Memories.

Pharrell Williams

​Super producer Pharrell Williams is nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys for an incredible twelfth time. Shockingly, he has only won the award once with Daft Punk and Rodgers for Random Access Memories, but he’s also competed with projects fronted by Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, and even Beyoncé. Interestingly, Williams is a credited songwriter on Beyoncé’s Renaissance, but his inclusion is ineligible at the Grammys, because it is just a sample. Instead, Williams earns another chance to win gold as a songwriter on Kendrick Lamar’s album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

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Sara Bareilles​

For several years now, Sarah Bareilles has demonstrated time and time again that underneath it all, she’s really just a theater kid. Now, she has another Grammy nomination to her credit in the Best Musical Theater Album category, as she is one of four credited principal soloists on the Into the Woods cast recording. This marks the third time that the songwriter and singer has been up for this specific trophy, as she was previously nominated for both Waitress and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.

Selena Gomez​

Last year, Selena Gomez earned her first Grammy nomination in the Best Latin Pop Album category, though she didn’t end up taking home the prize. Now, less than a year later, she has another shot at claiming gold. Gomez is a featured artist on Music of the Spheres, the latest collection from Coldplay, which is now nominated for Album of the Year. Joining Gomez in this achievement are groups We Are KING and BTS as well as jazz musician Jacob Collier.

Skrillex

​Electronic dance pioneer Skrillex is already an eight-time Grammy winner, but soon that may become nine. The man otherwise known as Sonny Moore is nominated for Album of the Year for his work on Beyoncé’s highly popular Renaissance. Skrillex co-produced and co-wrote the song “Energy,” and for that one track, he now has a chance at nabbing the biggest prize in music.

Tony Kushner​

Known primarily for his work as a playwright and screenwriter, Tony Kushner is now officially a Grammy nominee. Kushner is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album, as he is the sole credited lyricist for the musical Caroline, or Change. This marks Kushner’s first Grammy nomination, though he is already both an Emmy and Tony winner, as well as an Oscar nominee.

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Usher

​One of the most successful R&B musicians of all time, Usher comes into the 2023 Grammy Awards with eight wins to his name and 22 nominations. This time around, he is up for Album of the Year as a featured artist on Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous, which was itself one of the most surprising titles to be included in the top field.

Viola Davis

Okay, this one is a bit more obvious than the rest of the names listed here, but she’s worthy of mentioning for one specific reason. Viola Davis is nominated for her first-ever Grammy this year in the newly-focused Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording field for the audio version of her book Finding Me. Should Davis win, she’ll complete her EGOT, as she already has an Emmy, an Oscar, and two Tonys in her trophy case.