We’ve just learned who the Rock & Related Nominations are for the upcoming 2019 Grammy Awards and since this stuff is always a good talking point, I’ve presented the few categories that our readership would be more interested in. At the end I’ll offer up some predictions about how I see it flowing. Let’s go.

Best Rock Performance:
“Four Out Of Five” by Arctic Monkeys (from “Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino”)
“When Bad Does Good” by Chris Cornell
“Made An America” by THE FEVER 333 (from “Made An America”)
“Highway Tune” by Greta Van Fleet
“Uncomfortable” by Halestorm (from “Vicious”)

Best Metal Performance:
“Condemned To The Gallows” by Between The Buried And Me
“Honeycomb” by Deafheaven
“Electric Messiah” by High On Fire (from “Electric Messiah”)
“Betrayer” by Trivium (from “The Sin And The Sentence”)
“On My Teeth” by Underoath (from “Erase Me”)

Best Rock Song:
“Black Smoke Rising” by Jacob Thomas Kiszka, Joshua Michael Kiszka, Samuel Francis Kiszka & Daniel Robert Wagner, songwriters (Greta Van Fleet)
“Jumpsuit” by Tyler Joseph, songwriter (Twenty One Pilots)
“MANTRA” by Jordan Fish, Matthew Kean, Lee Malia, Matthew Nicholls & Oliver Sykes, songwriters (Bring Me The Horizon)
“Masseduction” by Jack Antonoff & Annie Clark, songwriters (St. Vincent) (from Masseduction)
“Rats” by Tom Dalgety & A Ghoul Writer, songwriters (Ghost) (from Prequelle)

Best Rock Album:
Rainier Fog by Alice In Chains
M A N I A by Fall Out Boy
Prequelle by Ghost
From The Fires by Greta Van Fleet
Pacific Daydream by Weezer

Best Alternative Music Album:
“Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino” by Arctic Monkeys
“Colors” by Beck
“Utopia” by Björk
“American Utopia” by David Byrne
“Masseduction” by St. Vincent

*** end of list ***

PiercingMetal Predictions: In looking at the list, I’m ready to share my predictions of the winners for these few categories noted above. I’ll start with “Best Rock Performance” but will admit that its a little tough for me since the late great Chris Cornell is among the nominees. Will they give him the nod based on his passing for this number? It’s a solid tune but honestly feels more relective to me than a “rocker” of any kind. Mind you I loved Cornell and felt that the musician could sing the phonebook to the world and we’d rally behind it. I’d like to give this one to Greta Van Fleet who have been selling out show after show after show and with this one I can see why everyone is saying they bring that Led Zeppelin vibe back to the music of today. It’s clear that the Hammer Of The Gods fell hard on their influential minds when they were even younger than they are now. They are a band that I STILL need to see. A close second for me would come via Halestorm and their track “Uncomfortable” and having seen Lizzy in action can say that she is a fireball up on the stage. For “Best Metal Performance” my coin is one side to Trivium and the other to High On Fire. Trivium might be too “much” for the voting board against the pure Rock vibe that High On Fire brings to the table. I’ll go with Ghost for “Best Rock Album” and honestly the same with their “Rats” for “Best Song” since it was everywhere. If they don’t win the Best Song then Greta Van Fleet for sure. I’ve not been following the Alternative side of the fence of late but think I would like to see the legendary David Byrne win it. What about you readers? Does any of this interest you in terms of the nominations? Chime in down below with your picks and to make this interesting, who didn’t get nominated that you would have liked to see given the chance to be awarded.

Official Website: http://www.grammy.com