The year in music already belonged to Post Malone well before he scored the longest-running No. 1 song of the year (so far) with the lead single off his upcoming album, the Morgan Wallen-assisted “I Had Some Help.” In an unlikely coincidence, he had been summoned by the musical gods of contemporary music — Beyoncé and Taylor Swift — to appear on both of their recent albums, which were released three weeks apart in March and April.
You could call Malone the luckiest artist in the world, but getting the call from Bey and Tay only proves he’s got the special sauce that could turn into potential Grammy gold for the rapper/singer/songwriter/guitarist/rising country star who has 10 career nominations with no wins.
Related Stories
THR breaks down how Malone, who holds the record for most diamond-certified songs in music history, could finally be victorious at the Grammys.
A TAYLOR-MADE WIN
Thanks to his starry collaborations and F-1 Trillion, his first country album that is dropping Aug. 16, Malone could easily be the top contender at the 2025 Grammys with nominations going into the double digits. Four of them could be for “Fortnight” alone, the lead single and No. 1 hit from Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department featuring Malone. Swift most likely will submit the song for key awards, and it could earn nominations for record of the year, song of the year (Malone co-wrote it), best music video and best pop duo/group performance. In the latter category, “Fortnight” is one of the frontrunners.
THE BEYONCÉ EFFECT
Though Malone’s appearance on Beyoncé’s “Levii’s Jeans” wasn’t released as a single, it still reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is one of Cowboy Carter‘s best and most streamed tracks. Since Queen Bey has a good number of guests on her project, she has options when it comes to Grammy submissions. For collaborations, her main priority will be “II Most Wanted,” her epic duet with Miley Cyrus, which she could submit to best country duo/performance or best pop/duo performance. Once she decides that, she could find a home for “Levii’s Jeans” with Malone — and it could give him another shot at a Grammy.
And who knows, maybe the icon will finally surprise us with her special brand of elevated visuals, enabling her to also submit for best music video, which could result in another nom, or win, for Malone.
COUNTRY BOY
Then there are the nominations Malone could earn for his own album and its singles. F-1 Trillion‘s August release date makes it eligible for album of the year and best country album. The album’s 18 songs — featuring high-profile country music stars — will be eligible for several awards.
The obvious choice would be “I Had Some Help,” which not only topped the all-genre Hot 100 chart but led the Hot Country Songs chart for seven weeks. The song, featuring Wallen, could score noms like record of the year, song of the year, best country song, best country duo/group performance and best music video.
But here’s why Team Malone should consider other songs. At the Grammys, bro-country types can receive a lukewarm reception, and Wallen remains ice cold with the Recording Academy. Despite being a record-breaking, chart-topping streaming juggernaut, Malone has missed out on Grammy noms since he released his über-successful 2018 debut. And when his hit “Last Night” — the second longest-running No. 1 song in Billboard history — picked up a nom earlier this year, it was in best country song, which didn’t include Wallen because he didn’t write on it. It’s like voters were giving the song the only Grammy nom that would exclude him.
Malone has other great prospects for key country awards. He’s released singles featuring Luke Combs and Blake Shelton, acts who haven’t won Grammys yet but have earned several career nominations. My top choice would be “California Sober,” featuring Chris Stapleton, a Grammy darling who has won 10 honors and rarely loses country awards. Another strong contender: “Have the Heart” with Dolly Parton, whose 54 noms makes her the second-most-nominated female act in history behind Beyoncé’s 88 nods. Parton has won 10 Grammys.
Malone’s album also features Hank Williams Jr., Tim McGraw, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Brad Paisley. Regardless of what he submits, he’s in good standing with the country community, a group that isn’t always welcoming to outsiders. At the Grammys, for example, the country committee wouldn’t allow Beyoncé to submit “Daddy Lessons” from Lemonade and classified Kacey Musgraves’ Star-Crossed and Brandi Carlile’s “Right on Time” as pop. Beyoncé, Musgraves and Carlile have made it clear they were not pleased with the rejection of their submissions in the category.
But Malone will not have that problem, with country radio being extremely supportive. His only issue might be having too much in contention, and he could find himself competing against himself in categories like record and song of the year. Not a bad Grammy problem to have.
This story first appeared in the Aug. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
