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\n\tLeading up to the Grammy nominations on Nov. 16, <\/em>Rolling Stone is breaking down 11 different categories. For each, we\u2019re predicting the nominees, as well as who will (and who should) win on Grammy night.<\/em><\/p>\n \n\tThere\u2019s probably no time in recent history when a country song has been such a dominant part of the cultural conversation, thanks to Ella Langley<\/a>\u2019s \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas.\u201d<\/a> It\u2019s a track that has broken records<\/a> and spurred a million conversations (and arguments, too). But will it dominate the 2027 Grammy Awards? Smart bets say yes, but that doesn\u2019t mean that there aren\u2019t plenty of other songs worthy of the trophy this year. \u201cAll eyes are on Ella Langley,\u201d says Ward Guenther of Nashville\u2019s live institution Whiskey Jam and a country music host for Apple Music. \u201cBut she faces significant competition across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tKelsea Ballerini<\/a>, \u201c\u201cI Sit in Parks\u201d \n\tElla Langley, \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \n\tElla Langley, \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\n\t\tBest Country Song \u2013 Our Predictions\t<\/h2>\n
Ella Langley, \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d
Megan Moroney<\/a>, \u201c\u201dBeautiful Things\u201d
Kacey Musgraves<\/a>, \u201cDry Spell\u201d
Taylor Swift<\/a>, \u201cI Knew It, I Knew You\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\tWho Will Win?\t<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s hard to see a scenario where the omnipresence of \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d doesn\u2019t lead to a Grammy win, though nostalgia does often take precedence over popularity with voters. But in a year where there\u2019s likely no Willie Nelson track or similar in contention, this is Langley\u2019s to lose. Not only is the song a record-breaker, it\u2019s also refreshingly relaxed, twangy, and organic in an overproduced, AI-looming world. It feels almost impossible for Grammy voters to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\t\tWho Should Win?\t<\/h2>\n
What Langley and \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d have been able to achieve is a bit of a magic trick: bringing such a classic country sound to the mainstream. With gorgeous production from Langley and co-producer Miranda Lambert, relatable storytelling and clear staying power, it deserves to be awarded not just for the song itself, but what it\u2019s done for the genre of country music this year. Some experts wonder, however, if voters may look toward something more critically acclaimed than just explicitly popular. \u201cThe Grammys have a long history of occasionally confusing critical acclaim with cultural relevance,\u201d says RJ Curtis, executive director of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc<\/em>. \u201cArtistic achievement matters, of course, but so does connecting with an audience. And there have been times when the Academy seemed to overlook the latter in its pursuit of the former. I hope this year isn\u2019t a repeat performance.\u201d<\/p>\n