2 Nation Hits Could Land Grammy Nods for Document of the Yr for the First Time in 46 Years

When the nominations for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards are introduced on Nov. 10, two nation hits could possibly be within the working for file of the 12 months for the primary time since Jimmy Carter was President.

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” each have an excellent likelihood of creating the finals. Wallen’s track has logged 23 weeks atop Scorching Nation Singles. “Fast Car” has logged 12 weeks at No. 2. (Each songs dropped one rung this week, to Nos. 2 and three, respectively, with the re-entry within the high spot of Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.”)

Combs’ hit in all probability has a greater likelihood of being nominated than Wallen’s does. Combs has acquired six Grammy nominations through the years (although he has but to win). And Chapman’s unique model was nominated for file and track of the 12 months. Wallen has but to be nominated for a Grammy, so there’s no proof but that Grammy voters are able to forgive and overlook the 2021 incident the place he was videotaped utilizing a racial pejorative.

If each hits are nominated, this could be the primary time in 46 years that two or extra nation hits have competed on this marquee class. (We outline a rustic hit as a track that made the highest 20 on Scorching Nation Songs.) In 1977, three high 5 nation hits vied for file of the 12 months – Crystal Gayle’s elegant torch ballad “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” (which topped the nation chart for 4 weeks), Linda Ronstadt’s beautiful pop/nation model of Roy Orbison’s 1963 pop hit “Blue Bayou” (which reached No. 2) and Debby Boone’s megahit rendition of the Oscar-winning ballad “You Light Up My Life” (which reached No. 4).

In three earlier years, two or extra nation hits competed for file of the 12 months. In 1967, Glen Campbell’s chic studying of Jimmy Webb’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” (a No. 2 nation hit) vied with Bobbie Gentry’s enigmatic pop/nation crossover smash “Ode to Billie Joe” (a No. 17 nation hit).

The next 12 months, for the primary and thus far solely time in Grammy historical past, three No. 1 nation hits competed for file of the 12 months. They have been Jeannie C. Riley’s studying of Tom T. Corridor’s “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” Bobby Goldsboro’s tearjerker ballad “Honey” and Campbell’s model of one other Webb traditional, “Wichita Lineman.” The Riley and Goldsboro hits every topped the nation chart for 3 weeks; Campbell’s smash headed it for 2.

In 1975, Campbell’s glossy model of Larry Weiss’ “Rhinestone Cowboy” and Eagles’ “Lyin’ Eyes” competed for the prize. “Rhinestone Cowboy” topped the nation chart for 3 weeks. “Lyin’ Eyes” reached No. 8 on the nation chart.

In 1979, two file of the 12 months nominees had charted on Scorching Nation Songs, however solely certainly one of them was a home-run nation hit. That’s Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” which topped the nation chart for 3 weeks on its technique to changing into his signature track. The opposite is a pop smash – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond’s “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” – that was lined by Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, one of many high nation duos of the period. Each variations entered Scorching Nation Singles – because the chart was then referred to as – on Nov. 25, 1978. However whereas the model by Brown and Cornelius made the highest 10, the model by Barbra & Neil stalled at No. 70. (It had star-power to burn, however you’ll be able to virtually hear nation programmers saying “It just isn’t country.”)

Lately, it has been onerous for even one nation hit to wind up with a Grammy nod for file of the 12 months. The final 5 nation hits to be nominated in that marquee class (once more defining a rustic hit as a track that reached the highest 20 on Scorching Nation Songs) have been Lil Nas X that includes Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Old Town Road” (No. 19 in 2019), Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together) (No. 1 for 10 weeks in 2012), Lady A’s “Need You Now” (No. 1 for 5 weeks in 2010), Swift’s “You Belong With Me” (No. 1 for 2 weeks in 2009) and Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” (No. 1 for one week in 1998).

The Recording Academy expanded the variety of nominees in every of the Large 4 classes (together with file of the 12 months) from 5 to eight in 2018. They expanded it once more to 10 in 2021, however have introduced that they’re dropping it again all the way down to eight for the nominations that might be introduced on Nov. 10.