Ella Langley's record-setting hit is all but a lock, but songs by Megan Moroney and Taylor Swift can offer competition
Leading up to the Grammy nominations on Nov. 16, Rolling Stone is breaking down 11 different categories. For each, we’re predicting the nominees, as well as who will (and who should) win on Grammy night.
There’s probably no time in recent history when a country song has been such a dominant part of the cultural conversation, thanks to Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” It’s a track that has broken records and spurred a million conversations (and arguments, too). But will it dominate the 2027 Grammy Awards? Smart bets say yes, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of other songs worthy of the trophy this year. “All eyes are on Ella Langley,” says Ward Guenther of Nashville’s live institution Whiskey Jam and a country music host for Apple Music. “But she faces significant competition across the board.”
Best Country Song – Our Predictions
Kelsea Ballerini, ““I Sit in Parks”
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
Megan Moroney, “”Beautiful Things”
Kacey Musgraves, “Dry Spell”
Taylor Swift, “I Knew It, I Knew You”
Who Will Win?
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
It’s hard to see a scenario where the omnipresence of “Choosin’ Texas” doesn’t lead to a Grammy win, though nostalgia does often take precedence over popularity with voters. But in a year where there’s likely no Willie Nelson track or similar in contention, this is Langley’s to lose. Not only is the song a record-breaker, it’s also refreshingly relaxed, twangy, and organic in an overproduced, AI-looming world. It feels almost impossible for Grammy voters to ignore.
Who Should Win?
Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”
What Langley and “Choosin’ Texas” 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’s 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. “The Grammys have a long history of occasionally confusing critical acclaim with cultural relevance,” says RJ Curtis, executive director of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. “Artistic 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’t a repeat performance.”
Editor’s picks
Forecasting the Field
Just because America chose Texas this year doesn’t mean voters have to. “It would be very easy to just vote Ella all the way down the ballot because she’s the most familiar name,” says Guenther. “I just hope the voters will be aware of the other nominees or at least take the time to learn and listen.”
Trending Stories
He’s right: It’s been an incredibly strong year for country music even if your name isn’t Langley. Though a nomination at minimum is likely, Moroney’s tender, confessional “Beautiful Things” could be the dark horse to take the title from Langley, and it would be just as worthy. So is Ballerini’s exquisite mediation on all we give up for success, “I Sit In Parks.” And though they might not make the final cut, songs from Midland (“Marlboro Man”), Carter Faith (“Six String”), Ashley McBryde (“Bottle Tells Me So”) or Charley Crockett (with two albums released in the eligibility period, take your pick) could claim a spot. Luke Combs’ “Be By You” is also a worthy contender, but voters may look more toward giving him an album nod rather than focusing on one song. And, as always, don’t count out Taylor Swift, whose return to the genre that made her picked up major steam with “I Knew It, I Knew You.”
Our pick, if the Academy is willing to dig deep? Ashley Monroe’s “I Hate Nashville.” A terminally slept-on artist singing about being terminally slept-on isn’t the usual path to awards season, but it’s easily one of the best, most gut-wrenching country songs of the year.