Eight Is Great For Three UMG Grammy Nominees

Three Universal Music Group (UMG) artists, Drake, Rihanna and Kanye West, have landed eight nominations each for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records artist Drake has been recognised  in such categories as Album of the Year and Best Rap Album for Views, Best Rap Performance for ‘Pop Style’ and Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song for ‘Hotline Bling.’

There were nods for RocNation/Def Jam’s Rihanna including Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group for ‘Work,’ Best Urban Contemporary Album for  Anti, Best R&B Performance for ‘Needed Me,’ and Best R&B Song for ‘Kiss It Better.’

G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam’s West’s nominations included Best Rap Album for  The  Life of Pablo, Best Rap Song for both ‘Famous’ and ‘Ultralight Beam,’ and Best Rap/Sung Performance for the same two tracks.

Among other highlights of UMG’s nominations haul, Def Jam’s Justin Bieber was shortlisted for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for  Purpose  and Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for ‘Love Yourself.’ Ariana Grande (Republic) featured in the Best Pop Vocal Album shortlist for  Dangerous Womanand Best Pop Solo Performance for its title track.

Capitol Records Nashville’s Keith Urban was nominated for Best Country Album for Ripcord  and Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for ‘Blue Ain’t Your Color,’ while the Avett Brothers (Republic) are on the shortlist for Best Americana Album for  True Sadness  and Best American Roots Performance for ‘Ain’t No Man.’

On the songwriting side, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) nominees also include Adele, Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande, Swizz Beatz, Halsey, Keith Urban, Demi Lovato, Snarky Puppy, Gregory Porter, The Record Company, Alabama Shakes, Metallica, Coldplay, Tory Lanez, La Santa Cecilia, Teddy Sinclair, Cassadee Pope, Jeff Bhasker and Jamie xx, among many others. The Song of the Year category features nominations for two UMPG songwriters, for Adele’s ‘Hello’ and Bieber’s ‘Love Yourself.’