"Just Give Me A Reason" - Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
"Locked Out Of Heaven" - Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
"Roar" - Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
"Royals" - Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
"Same Love" - Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert)
WHO SHOULD WIN: "Royals" - Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor
There's no denying that each one of these tracks is a perfectly crafted piece of pop music. From the mid-tempo power of "Roar" to the heart wrenching message of "Just Give Me A Reason" to the Police-inspired loudness of "Locked Out Of Heaven," the nominees for Song of the Year all show off something a little different. However, there's one song that rises just slightly above all the rest... Lorde's "Royals."
Written when Lorde (Ella Yelich O'Connor) was just 16 years old with fellow New Zealander Joel Little, "Royals" is unlike any other popular song that has come before it. With a subdued beat that both pulls from and rejects hip-hop and haunting melodies with soaring vocals, there's little denying that "Royals" is a true original piece of art.
Adding to "Royals" credentials, the track is easily the most successful of the nominees. Though all but "Same Love" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, none topped the charts for nearly as long as "Royals," which ruled for a grand total nine weeks. Though Grammy voters deny that success of a song has anything to do with it winning, the pure breakthrough of "Royals" cannot and should not be ignored.
WHO WILL WIN: "Royals" - Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor
Song of the Year differentiates itself as an award from Record of the Year for its celebration of songwriters. For all the reasons mentioned above, it's hard to see the Grammy voters going in any other direction other than the strongest, most original (and most successful) song of the Grammy voting period.
However, Song of the Year can be quite unpredictable. The Grammys could easily go in a progressive manner (in more than one way) by awarding Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert and Ryan Lewis for "Same Love." The track is a different spin for rap, and that's totally worth celebrating, particularly Lambert's chorus. But, if it weren't for the pro-gay leanings of the song, it's hard to imaging the melody making such an impact.
Who do you think should win? Vote below!
