Voters have begun picking nominees for the upcoming Grammy Awards, as musicians and bands and their teams have already chosen which pieces of music to focus on, submitting what they feel will give them the best shot at nominations. These can be tough choices, especially for artists who have a lot of music that’s eligible, and there are always some hits that are left out in the cold.
Taylor Swift is one such artist who had to make some difficult choices, including not submitting her single “Cruel Summer.” Gold Derby reports that the singer didn’t give Grammy voters the option of selecting the cut, as she didn’t send it to them to think over.
“Cruel Summer” was something of a surprise hit, and the tune isn’t done on the charts yet. The song was originally released on Swift’s 2019 album Lover, and it was a fan favorite from the moment the CD dropped. After Swift started playing it on her The Eras Tour for the first time earlier this year, fans rushed to stream and buy the electro tune once again, propelling it to new heights on the iTunes and Spotify charts.
Swift and her team quickly released the years-old cut as an official single. It has thus far worked its way to No. 3 on the Hot 100, and in the coming weeks, it could conceivably rise to a new high point. In fact, due to the popularity of the singer’s Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, the track is making a play to lift to No. 2 or even No. 1 on the ranking of the most-consumed songs in the U.S.
“Cruel Summer” did meet Grammy eligibility, as the rules state that any song initially released in the past five years can be submitted for contention, according to the Recording Academy. While it likely could have earned some love from voters—at least a nomination, if not an actual award—Swift wanted to keep those picking the winners focused on her new era.
Instead of “Cruel Summer,” Swift submitted her single “Anti-Hero.” The tune served as the lead smash from her most recent album of original material, Midnights. It debuted at No. 1 and is now her longest-charting hit on the Hot 100. Swift is likely headed for another nomination in both Record and Song of the Year with the chart-topper, and she’s also submitted the tune for Best Pop Solo Vocal Performance.
Swift didn’t want to compete against herself—either for nominations or votes—so she chose between “Anti-Hero” and “Cruel Summer.” Both would have been serious contenders for the Best Pop Solo Vocal Performance Grammy, but if she focuses on only “Anti-Hero,” it might help voters select that tune as well when voting for bigger categories.
Swift is expected to be one of the top nominees at the award ceremony this year, and she may clean up, even collecting some honors she’s never won before. The list of nominees for the 2024 Grammys will be announced on November 10.
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