Here Are Our 2017 Grammy Predictions

It’s Grammy season again. The time where everyone pretends not to care—”I’m not really the intended audience, you know?” or “I met a Grammy voter once and he was weird”—but secretly hopes that their fave takes home a golden phonograph. Say what you will, but winning an award on the biggest stage in music is a nearly unparalleled career validation point, and one of the ways you judge an artist years after their career is over. These awards matter, and people—musicians especially—care about who these awards go to.

This year’s slate is a doozy, with Adele and Beyoncé facing off in a truly staggering amount of categories, Chance the Rapper ready to capitalize on changing the game for good, and a few mystifying picks waiting in the wings (hi, Mike Posner!). We took a look at the nominees and came up with who’s most likely to win, who would be winning in a better world, and the dark horses to look out for, in case you’re one of those people who likes to be the contrarian during the viewing party. Salute.

Here are our 2017 Grammy predictions.