We're entering into one of the most exciting seasons for music enthusiasts – GRAMMYs season. The 2024 GRAMMYs will air February 4 from Los Angeles, but until then, everyone from music journalists to Twitter stans will be making predictions as to who will take home each of the coveted golden gramophones. One of the most diverse nominee pools comes in the Best Rock Song category; ranging from longtime legends to first-time nominees, this category could go so many different ways. So, in my opinion, who will win Best Rock Song? Who should win Best Rock Song? Let's take a look at the nominees.
"Angry" - The Rolling Stones (Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Andrew Watt)
From the classic yet simple guitar motif to the flippant lyricism, The Rolling Stones' lead single from 2023's Hackney Diamonds (their first album of original content in 18 years) serves as a solid entry into the race for Best Rock Song. The chanting "Don't get angry with me" reverberates in your mind after the song ends. The instrumental is supple yet fun. It's classic Rolling Stones, but fresh. It might not be original or unique enough to knock the rest of the competition, but it stands a fighting chance.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" - Olivia Rodrigo (Written by Daniel Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo)
On the complete opposite end of the classic Rock spectrum is "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl." We've heard many woes of teenage angst from the rock genre before, but with lyrics like: "Searching 'How to start a conversation?' on a website (how to flirt?), I talked to this hot guy, swore I was his type, Guess he was making out with boys, like, the whole night,"Olivia Rodrigo takes teen angst-rock into a new generation. It's intentionally messy with electronically distorted vocals, fast-paced word-vomit lyrics, and therapeutically-screamed repetitive "It's social suicide. Wanna curl up and die!" This song is so utterly chaotic it almost makes you lose sight of the social anxiety narrative it's attempting to depict. I understand why it made the nominees for its modernistic take on rock, but I don't think Olivia will be taking home another GRAMMY for this one.
"Emotion Sickness" - Queens of the Stone Age (Written by Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore, and Troy Van Leeuwen)
As the only borderline metal-rock entry into the race for Best Rock Song, "Emotion Sickness" is an important nominee to accurately represent the genre, but overall, it falls a little flat. It's instrumentally gritty and groovy while remaining lyrically raw. It alludes to the story as to why Queens of the Stone Age have taken years away from releasing new music. However, the production on this one just doesn't satisfy as much as it could. I believe Queens of the Stone Age will be adding another entry to their list of nominated-but-not-won musical endeavors.
"Not Strong Enough" - Boygenius (Written by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus)
Being one of two songs in this category that are on albums nominated for Album of the Year (the other being "Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl"), "Not Strong Enough" ticks every single box for taking home the GRAMMY in the Best Rock Song category. It's a stunning indie-rock exploration of reflecting on your identity; between the beautifully layered vocals, melodic production, and lyrical processing of the humanity of spiraling about your faults, "Not Strong Enough" is a triumph. Besides its multi-week run on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, and nod from ex-president Barack Obama as one of his top songs of 2023, "Not Strong Enough" should take home the GRAMMY for Best Rock Song.
"Rescued" - Foo Fighters (Written by Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear)
As the first song released by the Foo Fighters since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, "Rescued" is emotionally charged, blisteringly raw, and instrumentally triumphant. The production and instrumentation on "Rescued" is skull-shaking, while the chorus is a call-to-arms comeback single done impeccably well. "Rescued" is also the band's tenth number 1 on Billboard's Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, twelfth number 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, and record-setting 29th top-ten entry on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. "Rescued" has both the style and substance to justify it's likely win as the Best Rock Song at the 2024 GRAMMYs.
And the GRAMMY goes to...
WILL WIN: "Rescued" - Foo Fighters (Written by Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, and Pat Smear)SHOULD WIN: "Not Strong Enough" - Boygenius (Written by Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus)HONORABLE MENTION: "Angry" - The Rolling Stones (Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Andrew Watt)Tune into the 2024 GRAMMYs on February 4, 2024 to see who takes home the award for Best Rock Song.