States with the most Grammy nominees this year
The red carpet is being rolled out in New York. After more than 15 years, the Grammys are finally returning to the Big Apple to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The night will be a star-studded affair, hosted by Late Late Show host and fan favorite James Corden with performances by Bruno Mars, Daddy Yankee, Lady Gaga, and a few of New York's finest Broadway stars. Featuring 84 categories ranging from Best Album Notes and Best Surround Sound Albums to the juggernaut awards such as Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year, this year's Grammys will have something for everyone.
With this year's Grammy nominees ranging from Beyoncé to former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, we started wondering: where are they all from? At Stacker, we set out to analyze the original stomping grounds for all Grammy nominees and rank U.S. states by which have produced the most. By scouring publicly available data and reaching out to dozens of nominees, we collected information on where over 500 individual artists or groups were born or first founded. The results tell a unique origin story, with nominees hailing from 42 states (plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico).
Read on to learn which states have produced the most Grammy-nominated musical talent this year.
#44. Colorado
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.18
Notable nomination(s): India.Arie (Best New Age Album)
#43. South Carolina
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.20
Notable nomination(s): Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam of Iron & Wine (Best Americana Album)
#42. Oklahoma
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.25
Notable nomination(s): Reba McEntire (Best Roots Gospel Album)
#41. Iowa
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.32
Notable nomination(s): Julia Michaels (Best New Artist; Song Of The Year)
#40. Arkansas
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.33
Notable nomination(s): Glen Campbell (Best American Roots Performance)
#39. New Mexico
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.48
Notable nomination(s): Raul Midón (Best Jazz Vocal Album)
#38. Nebraska
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.52
Notable nomination(s): John Beasley (Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album)
#37. Rhode Island
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 0.95
Notable nomination(s): David Rawlings (Best American Roots Song)
#36. Delaware
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 1.05
Notable nomination(s): Travis Greene (Best Gospel Album)
#35. South Dakota
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 1.16
Notable nomination(s): South Dakota Chorale (Best Surround Sound Album; Best Engineered Album, Classical; Best Choral Performance)
#34. Alaska
Total nominees: 1
Nominees per million state residents: 1.35
Notable nomination(s): Portugal. The Man (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance)
#33. Arizona
Total nominees: 2
Nominees per million state residents: 0.29
Notable nomination(s): Mark Wystrach (Best Country Song), Mali Music (Best Traditional R&B Performance)
#32. Oregon
Total nominees: 2
Nominees per million state residents: 0.49
Notable nomination(s): Jess Carson (Best Country Song), Nancy King (Best Jazz Vocal Album)
#31. Mississippi
Total nominees: 2
Nominees per million state residents: 0.67
Notable nomination(s): Sonny Landreth (Best Contemporary Blues Album), R.L. Boyce (Best Traditional Blues Album)
#30. Nevada
Total nominees: 2
Nominees per million state residents: 0.68
Notable nomination(s): Imagine Dragons (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance; Best Pop Vocal Album ), J. White (Best Rap Song)
#29. New Hampshire
Total nominees: 2
Nominees per million state residents: 1.50
Notable nomination(s): Sarah Silverman (Best Comedy Album), Jon Spencer (Best Rap Song)
#28. North Carolina
Total nominees: 3
Nominees per million state residents: 0.30
Notable nomination(s): Sylvan Esso (Best Dance/Electronic Album), Marlanna Evans aka Rapsody (Best Rap Song, Best Rap Album), Anthony Hamilton (Best Traditional R&B Performance)
#27. Indiana
Total nominees: 3
Nominees per million state residents: 0.45
Notable nomination(s): Philip Lawrence (Best R&B Song, Song Of The Year), Sara Caswell (Best Improvised Jazz Solo), Michael Cleveland (Best Bluegrass Album)
#26. Wisconsin
Total nominees: 3
Nominees per million state residents: 0.52
Notable nomination(s): Mark Ruffalo (Best Spoken Word Album), Danny Gokey (Best Contemporary Christian Music Album), Joel McNeely (Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals)
#25. Washington, D.C.
Total nominees: 3
Nominees per million state residents: 4.40
Notable nomination(s): Dave Chappelle (Best Comedy Album), Goldlink (Best Rap/Sung Performance), and Shy Glizzy (Best Rap/Sung Performance)
#24. Missouri
Total nominees: 4
Nominees per million state residents: 0.66
Notable nomination(s): SZA (Best New Artist; Best R&B Performance; Best Rap/Sung Performance), Rhonda Vincent And The Rage (Best Bluegrass Album), Mike Henderson (Best Country Song), Justin Paul (Best Song Written For Visual Media)
#23. Minnesota
Total nominees: 4
Nominees per million state residents: 0.72
Notable nomination(s): Bob Dylan (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album), Brian A. Schmidt (Best Surround Sound Album; Best Engineered Album, Classical), Minnesota Orchestra, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
#22. Louisiana
Total nominees: 4
Nominees per million state residents: 0.85
Notable nomination(s): Lost Bayou Ramblers (Best Regional Roots Music Album), Ledisi (Best R&B Performance; Best Traditional R&B Performance ), Dwayne Dopsie And The Zydeco Hellraisers (Best Regional Roots Music Album), PJ Morton (Best R&B Song)
#21. Kansas
Total nominees: 4
Nominees per million state residents: 1.38
Notable nomination(s): Joyce DiDonato (Best Classical Solo Vocal Album), Gordon Goodwin (Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals), Bishop Cortez Vaughn (Best Gospel Performance/Song), Keith O. Johnson (Best Engineered Album, Classical)
#20. Hawaii
Total nominees: 4
Nominees per million state residents: 2.80
Notable nomination(s): Bruno Mars (Record Of The Year; Album Of The Year; Song Of The Year) Ho'okena (Best Regional Roots Music Album), Josh Tatofi (Best Regional Roots Music Album), Bette Midler (Best Musical Theater Album)
#19. Massachusetts
Total nominees: 5
Nominees per million state residents: 0.73
Notable nomination(s): Jane Ira Bloom (Best Surround Sound Album), Jeff Lipton (Best Historical Album), Ted Olson (Best Album Notes), Adam Schoenberg (Best Contemporary Classical Composition), Patricia Sullivan (Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical)
#18. Alabama
Total nominees: 5
Nominees per million state residents: 1.03
Notable nomination(s): Alabama Shakes (Best American Roots Performance), Blind Boys Of Alabama (Best American Roots Performance), Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit (Best American Roots Song; Best Americana Album ), Little Big Town (Best Country Album; Best Country Duo/Group Performance)
#17. Kentucky
Total nominees: 5
Nominees per million state residents: 1.13
Notable nomination(s): Chris Stapleton (Best Country Solo Performance; Best Country Song; Best Country Album), Josh Osborne (Best Country Song), Bobby Osborne (Best Bluegrass Album), Larry Cordle (Best Roots Gospel Album), The Collingsworth Family (Best Roots Gospel Album)
#16. Puerto Rico
Total nominees: 5
Nominees per million state residents: 1.47
Notable nomination(s): Daddy Yankee (Record Of The Year; Song Of The Year; Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), Hector Delgado (Best Rap Song), Luis Fonsi (Record Of The Year; Song Of The Year; Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), Miguel Zenón (Best Latin Jazz Album)
#15. Michigan
Total nominees: 6
Nominees per million state residents: 0.60
Notable nomination(s): CeCe Winans (Best Gospel Performance/Song; Best Gospel Album), Dennis White (Best Remixed Recording), Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Best Orchestral Performance), Marvin Sapp (Best Gospel Album), PRISM Quartet (Best Choral Performance), Tauren Wells (Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song; Best Contemporary Christian Music Album)
#14. New Jersey
Total nominees: 6
Nominees per million state residents: 0.67
Notable nomination(s): Bruce Springsteen (Best Spoken Word Album), Adam Hawkins (Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical), Andreas K. Meyer (Best Historical Album), Jack Antonoff (Best Song Written For Visual Media), Robert Randolph & The Family Band (Best Contemporary Blues Album), Tom Coyne (Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical)
#13. Washington
Total nominees: 6
Nominees per million state residents: 0.82
Notable nomination(s): Chris Cornell (Best Rock Performance), Eric Gabouer (Best Rap Song), Foo Fighters (Best Rock Performance; Best Rock Song), Natalie Grant (Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song), Odesza (Best Dance Recording; Best Dance/Electronic Album), Sasha Barr (Best Recording Package)
#12. Connecticut
Total nominees: 6
Nominees per million state residents: 1.68
Notable nominee(s): Seth MacFarlane (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album), Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd (Song Of The Year), Vince Mendoza (Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album; Best Instrumental Composition), Youthful Praise (Best Gospel Performance/Song), JJ Hairston (Best Gospel Performance/Song)
#11. Virginia
Total nominees: 8
Nominees per million state residents: 0.95
Notable nomination(s): Pharrell Williams (Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media), Aimee Mann (Best Folk Album), Benny Blanco (Song Of The Year), Bryan S. Wright (Best Album Notes), Chris Eldridge (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album), Chuck Owen (Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album), Nate Smith (Best Instrumental Composition), The Infamous Stringdusters (Best Bluegrass Album)
#10. Florida
Total nominees: 9
Nominees per million state residents: 0.44
Notable nomination(s): Cecile McLorin Salvant (Best Classical Compendium), Tedeschi Trucks Band (Best Contemporary Blues Album), Zach Williams (Best Contemporary Christian Music Album), The Mavericks (Best American Roots Song), SMLE (Best Remixed Recording), Le'Andria (Best Gospel Performance/Song; Best Gospel Album)
#9. Maryland
Total nominees: 9
Nominees per million state residents: 1.50
Notable nomination(s): Father John Misty (Best Alternative Music Album), Arjun Ivatury (Song Of The Year), Brent Faiyaz (Best Rap/Sung Performance), Brothers Osborne (Best Country Duo/Group Performance), Christopher McClenney (Best R&B Song)
#8. Ohio
Total nominees: 10
Nominees per million state residents: 0.86
Notable nomination(s): The National (Best Alternative Music Album), The Jerry Douglas Band (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album), Gustafer Yellowgold (Best Children’s Album), Judith Sherman (Producer Of The Year, Classical), JT Daly (Best Rock Song), Fred Hersch (Best Improvised Jazz Solo)
#7. Tennessee
Total nominees: 12
Nominees per million state residents: 1.80
Notable nomination(s): Lady Antebellum (Best Country Duo/Group Performance; Best Country Album), Gregg Allman (Best American Roots Song; Best Americana Album), Rosanne Cash (Best American Roots Song), Zach Crowell (Best Country Song), Hi Rhythm (Best Contemporary Blues Album)
#6. Illinois
Total nominees: 15
Nominees per million state residents: 1.17
Notable nomination(s): Jim Gaffigan (Best Comedy Album), Common (Best Song Written For Visual Media), Dion Wilson aka No I.D. (Producer Of The Year; Song Of The Year), Justin Drew Tranter (Song Of The Year)
#5. Georgia
Total nominees: 16
Nominees per million state residents: 1.55
Notable nomination(s): Khalid Robinson (Best New Artist; Best Music Video; Song Of The Year), Sam Hunt (Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song), Zac Brown Band (Best Country Duo/Group Performance), Migos (Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album)
#4. Pennsylvania
Total nominees: 18
Nominees per million state residents: 1.41
Notable nomination(s): Notable nominee(s): P!nk (Best Pop Solo Performance), Taylor Swift (Best Country Song), Lil Uzi Vert (Best New Artist), Jim Anderson (Best Surround Sound Album), Kevin Hart (Best Comedy Album)
#3. Texas
Total nominees: 22
Nominees per million state residents: 0.79
Notable nomination(s): Beyoncé (Best Rap/Sung Performance), Kelly Clarkson (Best Pop Solo Performance), Miranda Lambert (Best Country Solo Performance), Travis Scott (Best Rap/Sung Performance)
#2. New York
Total nominees: 42
Nominees per million state residents: 2.13
Notable nomination(s): Jay-Z (Record Of The Year; Album Of The Year; Song Of The Year), Bernie Sanders (Best Spoken Word Album), Cardi B (Best Rap Performance), Lin Manuel Miranda (Best Song Written For Visual Media), Neil Degrasse Tyson (Best Spoken Word Album), Lady Gaga (Best Pop Solo Performance), Lana Del Rey (Best Pop Vocal Album), LCD Soundsystem (Best Dance Recording), Steven Epstein (Best Musical Theater Album), Stacey Mindich (Best Musical Theater Album)
#1. California
Total nominees: 54
Nominees per million state residents: 1.37
Notable nomination(s): Childish Gambino (Record Of The Year; Album Of The Year), Kendrick Lamar (Record Of The Year; Album Of The Year), Carrie Fisher (Best Spoken Word Album), The Stereotypes (Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical), Keb’ Mo’ (Best Contemporary Blues Album), Randy Newman (Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals), Diane Warren (Best Song Written For Visual Media), Kesha (Best Pop Solo Performance)
