By Maura O’Malley
Which song delivered the Best Rock Performance of 2017? We’re about to find out as music’s biggest night is right around the corner.
The list of nominees for Best Rock Performance at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards features some of music’s brightest young stars. Specifically, Leonard Cohen, Chris Cornell, Foo Fighters, Kaleo, and Nothing More are all in the running to take home the category’s GRAMMY. This category is for new solo, duo, group, or collaborative rock recordings—either vocal or instrumental.
Below, explore each album that’s up for a Best Rock Performance GRAMMY!
“You Want It Darker” – Leonard Cohen
It’s hard to believe that someone of such talent and stature has only been nominated once before this year, but the late Leonard Cohen will have two chances to posthumously receive a GRAMMY—the You Want It Darker title track is up for Best Rock Performance while “Steer Your Way” is up for Best American Roots Performance. Hear Cohen’s deep, gravelly vocals below.
Watch “You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen
“The Promise” – Chris Cornell
Written for the 2017 film (by the same name) about the Armenian genocide, this song was released just two months before Cornell’s tragic passing in May 2017. All its proceeds were donated to the International Rescue Committee, an organization that provides humanitarian efforts to those affected by conflict and disaster. The emotional song earned him his 15th nomination and could earn him a posthumous GRAMMY.
Watch “The Promise” by Chris Cornell
“Run” – Foo Fighters
This year’s nominations (for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, both for “Run”) have brought the Foos’ total number of nominations up to a casual 27. Speaking of, the band casually surprise-released “Run” back in June, giving fans a heavy first taste of what was to come on the highly anticipated album Concrete and Gold.
Watch “Run” by the Foo Fighters
“No Good” – Kaleo
You’ve probably heard “Way Down We Go,” and if you watched the first (and only) season of HBO’s Vinyl, then you’ve definitely heard “No Good,” the song that brings Kaleo their first GRAMMY nom. The killer guitar and JJ Julius Son’s insane vocals make “No Good” a gritty blues rock song—it’s almost hard to believe that such an American rock sound could come from an Icelandic band.
“Go To War” – Nothing More
This San Antonio band scored the most rock nominations this year—yes, they received more noms than rock giants Foo Fighters and Metallica. While Nothing More were nominated for Best Rock Album (The Stories We Tell Ourselves), the album’s track “Go To War” earned them a nomination in both the Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance categories. The song highlights drummer-turned-frontman Jonny Hawkins’ pipes.
Watch “Go To War” by Nothing More.
The 2018 GRAMMY Awards will broadcast live from New York City’s Madison Square Garden at 7:30 PM ET on CBS Sunday, January 28.