The Grammys is one of, if not the most prestigious award show in the music industry, Winning a Grammy is something most musicians dream of. The Best New Artist category is reserved for those who recently exploded onto the music scene and took the world by storm. I took a look at the eight nominations for Best New Artist for the 2024 Grammys and ranked them based on their past accomplishment, current numbers, future plans, and overall, who I believe deserves to win the Grammy for Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammy awards.
#8: Coco Jones
Coco Jones is a great example of multi-talent. Becoming a Disney actress at just 14, Jones has managed to uphold her acting career today. But why settle for just having one thing? Where exactly Jones made her debut is a little unclear. Officially, Jones debut was on Radio Disney in 2012 with her single “Holla at the DJ.” Jones had, however, been doing music for a bit longer. Spotify marks her debut as the 2011 single entitled “Stand Up.” This was followed by her release of the single “Sweet 13 – First Song Ever Recorded.”
While Jones’ career may sound borderline perfect, being set on the big stage from a young age, it has had its fair share of roadblocks. An article published by Vogue details how Jones was dropped by her label for not conforming to their marketing formulas. This was all a minor setback for a major comeback, Jones came to realize that the music she had been making in her younger years were not an accurate representation of what she was capable of, something that users on social media would soon see firsthand.
Jones has been in the music game for quite some time, and has not really taken off until recently, but her takeoff, as long coming as it is been, is not to be ignored. Sparked primarily by the release of her 2023 album entitled What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe). Jones quickly became a much larger name in the R&B scene and gained recognition from users on TikTok. She has since toured with the likes of Lil Wayne and Gucci Mane, collaborated with Justin Timberlake, and has co-signs from SZA and Janet Jackson. Jones also won best new artist at the 2023 BET awards. Coco Jones sits at roughly 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
I believe Coco Jones is simply a victim of time. For starters, Jones’ music career is heavily overshadowed by her acting career. When fans look for information about her career, her acting is what they tend to find first, and since her musical debut was intertwined with her acting, her debut was not as much of a “hit the ground running” start as other artists on this list. Furthermore, Jones has been making music for longer than almost all of the other nominees , as she has been in the music scene for over a decade. For the majority of that time, her career has taken the backseat to her acting. Jones only really stepped into the spotlight recently, and I fear she has not had enough time to shine. I wholeheartedly believe that Jones has potential to be Grammy material in the future, but the other nominees have done more in less time. If Jones can maintain this new boom in her career for another year or two, I have no doubt that she may become a common name in the music industry, but as of now, only time will tell.
#7: Victoria Monét
Victoria Monét is no new name in music. Along with her own work, an article from American Songwriter details how Monét has become a respected name in the world of songwriting. If a fan of the pop scene, most heard a song that Monét was behind, as she is a frequent writer and collaborator to Ariana Grande.
Monét’s passion for music has not allowed her to stay backstage, as for the past decade, she has established herself as a musical act worthy of attention all her own. Monét made her solo debut with the EP Nightmares and Lullabies – Act 1. It is important to point out the unique marketing strategy Monét has developed with her music. Her EP’s and Albums often take this sort of two part format that leaves fans eagerly waiting for the next release and continuation of what came before. In 2023, Monét would release the long awaited sequel to her 2020 album Jaguar, titled Jaguar II. Where Jaguar did not go unnoticed, it would be its sequel that pushed Monét into Grammy nomination levels of rising fame.
Monét is also nominated for more Grammy awards than any other artist on this list.As outlined in an article by Variety, artist SZA leads the pack with nine nominations, but Monét is tied with two other artists for the second highest number of nominations with seven, which is more nominations than artists like Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Jon Batiste, and even Taylor Swift. Victoria Monét sits at roughly 8.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
Victoria Monét is undoubtedly talented, being credited for helping make some the greatest pop stars what they are today. Between her own music, and the works she has written for others, her talent and renown as a songwriter transcend her name. Much like Coco Jones, I think Monét just needs more time to show what she can do for herself. She has proven that she has the talent needed to be a great musical artist, which is reflected by her award nominations. When it comes to the numbers, Monét is still falling short, and I cannot help but feel she has not been given ample time to grow into this new position. While she has certainly set herself up as a rising star, Monét has not had enough time to marinate in the limelight like other artists, so I feel it would be amiss to place her any higher. Despite this, I fully believe she is worthy of the nominations, and that we will continue to hear of Monét in the near future.
#6: Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll may have one of the most interesting stories when it comes to rising to stardom. Despite being nominated in the Top New Artist category, making music is anything but new to Jelly Roll. Starting in Hip-Hop and selling his own mixtapes before he was 10 years old, the 38 year old has been in the game for quite some time. His music career was put on hiatus, however, after being arrested and incarcerated for aggravated robbery at 16 and charged as an adult, and later being sent back to jail for possession with intent to sell at 23, something the artist has been open and forthcoming about, and is detailed in an article from Just Jared. Jelly Roll credits these experiences to what led him on his path to making the music he is now, shifting away from hip-hop and embracing country as his new style.
Jelly roll’s biggest jump into popularity was with his 2020 release of Save Me, which has amassed over 165 million views on youtube. His 2021 release of “Son of a Sinner” made history by holding the record of longest no.1 song on the Billboard’s emerging artists chart with 25 straight weeks.
Jelly Roll is impressive in terms of the sheer amount of music he has made, releasing a multitude of singles and EP’s as well as 23 albums to Spotify, none of which having less than seven tracks, and some having over 20. Jelly Roll released his most recent album, Whitsitt Chapel, in 2023 which features appearances from Brantley Gilbert, Struggle Jennings, Yelawolf, and Lainey Wilson. In an interview with The New York Times, Jelly Roll spoke about his music, particularly his work on Whitsitt Chapel, detailing his plans for the future, explaining how he wants to help his community by building halfway houses and transitional centers to help the youth that struggle the same way he has. Jelly Roll sits at roughly 9.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
A good musician is just as much an example of art as their music is. Some musicians have a sense of style that is hard to turn eyes from, some musicians have a stage presence so captivating it can only be described as hypnotic. For Jelly Roll, it is his story that makes him such a loveable artist. The story of Jelly Roll is a story of a man’s journey to redemption, a theme that is present in both the lyrics of his music and the way his genre and sound evolve over time. Listeners can physically hear the changes he faces in life reflected in his music, and how his sound and persona change with each release. I feel this makes Jelly Roll incredibly human. We as people are all changing, and as Jelly Roll will admit, he is not a perfect man, but making mistakes is okay as long as one is willing to learn from them and strive to be better. It is this deep rooted message that makes his music, especially his newer releases, so special. Jelly Roll is still finding his sound, and it is his willingness to keep searching for that sound that sets him apart.
#5: Fred Again. .
Fred Again. . began his music career as a producer and songwriter, best known for producing music for big names including, but not limited to: Ed Sheeran, George Ezra, BTS and Demi Lovato. Fred Again.. won the Producer of the Year award at the Brit Awards in 2020.
Well established when it came to working behind the scenes, Fred Again.. ventures into his own music career with the release of Actual Life, an experimental project that involved sampling various sound bites over his own original music. Since the release of Actual life, Fred Again.. has released four albums and a plethora of singles and EP’s, culminating in the launch of Secret Life in 2023.
Fred Again.. Quickly gained attention on his TikTok page, Fredagainagain, which sits at roughly 936.5 thousand followers as of 16 Dec. 2023. As Fred Again..’s popularity continues to boom, he has begun touring with other big names in the dancel/rave scene, including Skrillex and Fourtet. Mancunion recognizes his shows as no small ordeal, either, detailing how Fred Again.. Notably sold out the Madison Square Garden in New York in a matter of seconds. Fred Again.. Sits at roughly 14.9 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
Experimental music is, as the name suggests, an experiment. It deals with unfamiliar sounds and formulas that do not always click with the listeners and it’s not an easy genre of music to succeed in. Something about Fred Again..’s music has clicked, and I think what is beautiful about his style of music is that it can click with people in different ways. His use of sound bites from his everyday life allow listeners to connect his music with things they likely experience every day. It is through this that Fred Again.. has established a personal connection with his fanbase.
#4: The War and Treaty
Numerous great bands and music groups emerged throughout 2023, but The War and Treaty was the only multi-member musical group to be nominated for the Best New Artists Grammy. A husband and wife musical duo of Micheal Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War and Treaty is a pact formed on the basis of a love for music, and for one another. As detailed by an article by American Songwriter, both Michael and Tanya were solo artists prior to meeting in 2010 at a music festival. Tanya had released music throughout the ’90s, primarily in the R&B scene, while Micheal taught himself to play piano whilst serving in the army during the Iraq war. The couple wed in 2014, and released their debut album as a couple entitled Love Affairs under the name Trotter and Blount in 2016. The couple would debut as The War and Treaty with the release of the 2018 album entitled Healing Tide. The War and Treaty released their latest album, Lover’s Game in March, and it was with this release that the duo began to take off. Lover’s Game acts as an exploration of topics such as love, culture, division and unity. The album aims, and beautifully succeeds to combine what The War and Treaty describes as R&B, Gospel, Folk, Country, Blues, Soul and some Rock and Roll into a sound that is uniquely its own.
The War and Treaty had the potential to go big, and other artists took notice, including Zach Bryan, who handpicked The War and Treaty to collaborate on his song “Hey Driver,” which would go on to reach the top 15 on the Billboard Top 100. The War and Treaty sits at roughly 5.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
The War and Treaty are built on love. Love is the theme of almost all of their music, it resonates in their lyrics and sound, and fans can see the love the Trotters share when performing on stage. It is this overwhelmingly positive energy the duo gives of that makes The War and Treaty so enjoyable. The harmony of the couple’s voices can only be described as angelic, while simultaneously being deep and full of emotion. The Trotter’s music is all about seeing the good in everything, and finding ways to love the world and each other, and it is through this message that a feeling is evoked among their audience. A much needed, often sought after but seldom encountered feeling of positivity that The War and Treaty delivers so well.
#3: Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams is one of the newest names in music among the nominees on this list. Gracie Abrams officially began her music career with her debut single “Mean It” in October 2019. On July 14, 2020, Abrams would release her debut EP titled Minor, but Abrams truly began to gain some notoriety between ‘21 and ‘22, when she not only released her EP titled This Is What It Feels Like, but also embarked on the This Is What It Feels Like tour. Abrams absolutely boomed in 2023, primarily with the release of her debut album entitled Good Riddance (Deluxe).
Eager to prove herself as one of the future greats, Abrams has had the chance to perform alongside some of the biggest names in pop today, having opened during Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour tour, and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. According to American Songwriter, it was opportunities like those that have given her an “automatic leg up.” She has collaborated with several other artists, including Benny Blanco and Noah Kahan. Gracie Abrams sits at roughly 10.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of Dec. 16, 2023.
Gracie Abrams has the formula for being the next big pop star already set in motion, jump starting her career by touring with some of the biggest stars in the world, at some of the largest venues. This has allowed Abrams to get her name out to the world incredibly quickly. Chances are that Swifties have least checked out Gracie Abrams’ music, and considering the popularity of the company she keeps, the rate at which Abrams has grown has been astounding, and shows no real sign of slowing down. Having Taylor Swift, currently Spotify’s top artist in the world, acting as your mentor is no small advantage, and with a little help from those who have come before her, I believe Gracie Abrams has one of the most promising futures among music careers today.
#2: Ice Spice
One of the most popular and heavily discussed artists between newcomers and music veterans alike throughout 2023, Ice Spice burst onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere. Ice Spice began making music in 2021, debuting with “Bully Freestyle.” While Ice Spice did not go unnoticed, her career remained relatively low key until late 2022 with her release of “Munch (Feelin’ U)”, which skyrocketed Ice Spice to superstardom practically overnight. TIkTok latched on tight to this song, as users spread it like wildfire across the platforms. It seemed as if listeners could not escape its catchy melody and by 2023 almost everybody on social media had, at the least, heard mention of Ice Spice.
Recognizing that the fans wanted more of the rising star, Ice Spice kicked her career into high gear during 2023, releasing singles that rivaled Munch’s popularity one after the next, most notably with songs such as “In Ha Mood” and “Boy’s a Liar” parts one and two. Just when people thought Ice Spice had reached her peak, she released her first EP entitled Like..? which contained several of her recent hits, and a handful of new songs, including “Princess Diana (With Nicki Minaj).” While Ice Spice has not yet released a debut album, she confirms that there is one in the works. An article from Los Angeles Times details Ice Spice’s rising fame, and how she has handled all of the newfound attention, and what being nominated for a Grammy means to her, to which she says that “a Grammy would mean the moon, the sun, the earth. No, for real, like every star in the galaxy.” Ice Spice has appeared seven times on the New York Hot 100 in 2023, attended the Met Gala, collaborated with Dunkin’ Donuts and appeared on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. As of Dec. 16, 2023, Ice Spice bolsters an astounding 25.5 million monthly listeners, and is labeled as Spotify’s 202nd top artist in the world.
When it comes to names in music fans heard the most during 2023, Ice Spice was likely near the top of that list. Her music spread across social media, establishing Ice Spice’s music as the catalyst for dances, memes, trends and challenges. Ice Spice has been making music for less time than any other nominee on this list, and yet, she has established one of the fastest growing musical careers in the world, playing alongside some of the greatest stars at venues most artists dream of playing. When it comes to its sheer trajectory, Ice Spice’s career is on the up and up, and she is traveling incredibly fast. There is one artist, however, that has quietly surpassed her.
#1: Noah Kahan
If Ice Spice exploded onto the music scene in 2023, then Noah Kahan was the Tsar Bomba. Hailing from the rural town of Strafford, Vermont, which is commonly referenced throughout his music, Kahan’s evolution from small pop-folk singer/songwriter to being one of the most in-demand acts on some of the biggest stages across the word happened in the blink of an eye. Kahan’s future stardom could likely have been predicted toward the beginning of his career, though. Kahan signed to Republic Records in 2017, a noteworthy event, considering Republic is also the record label for some of the biggest names in music, including Ariana Grande, John Legend and Drake. Kahan released his debut single entitled “Young Blood” in Jan. 2017. According to Boston Magazine, Kahan’s first spike in popularity would come in 2018 with the release of his debut EP Hurt Somebody with a version of its namesake song featuring Julia Michaels. It would not be until 2019 that Kahan released his debut album entitled Busyhead which featured a handful of his most popular songs, as well as several album originals. It was with the release of Busyhead that Kahan really started to amass a fanbase, and although he was still rather niche, other artists began to take notice of Kahan’s growing popularity. He would spend the next three years releasing singles, EP’s and his second album I Was / I Am.
Kahan would have his career changed forever in 2022 with his third album, Stick Season. Spotify monthly listeners quickly shot over a million. Stick Season was an ode to the rural towns Kahan had grown up in, and sounded wholly different from the pop infused music he had been making prior. The album explored feelings of anxiety, isolation, fear of change, love, and self improvement in a way that fans clearly could resonate with.
In 2023, Kahan released a deluxe version of his 2022 album, which he dubbed Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever). This album contained all 14 original Stick Season tracks, along with seven all new songs. Several of these songs, most notably “Dial Drunk,” “Northern Attitude,” “Orange Juice,” “Call Your Mom,” “Growing Sideways” and the album’s namesake “Stick Season” gained a lot of traction on TikTok. Kahan has recently been touring the world on his Stick Season tour, selling out some of the biggest music venues on the globe, most notably, Kahan sold out Fenway Park, which has a capacity of nearly 38,000. As of Dec. 16, 2023, Kahan has amassed a staggering 26.9 million monthly listeners and is Spotify’s 186th top artist in the world.
It is hard to find words to describe the level of emotion rooted in Kahan’s music. Every song tells a story, and it does not matter if that story is about Kahan himself, or if it is about you. If fans ever felt alone, been in love, faced change, lost someone they care for, or were deeply disturbed by the opening of a Target in their hometown (yep, he hit that one too.), Kahan has not been afraid to break that emotion down in a way that listeners can all feel better talking about. One detail of Kahans recent works that I find incredibly impressive are his collaborations. Since the release of Stick Season (We’ll all be here forever) Kahan has released five versions of previously released songs, now featuring another artist. These include Kacey Musgraves, Lizzy Mcalpine, Hozier, Gracie Abrams, and even Post Malone. This is incredibly impressive, because it means other big artists see what Kahan is capable of with his music, and want to be a part of it. It is because of his emotionally moving work, and its recognition from his peers, that I believe he is the most deserving of this year’s Best New Artist Grammy.
Music has been one of the most popular and artistic catalysts of expression for thousands of years. Every year, fans see new musicians enter the picture, set on making art of their own. At the end of the day, all eight of these artists have incredibly promising careers, and all have been nominated for the grammys for a reason. No matter who takes home an award and who does not, simply being nominated is a testament to the artist’s musical value. The 2024 Grammys will be held on Feb. 4.
