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  • Too Early 2024 Grammy Predictions

    Too Early 2024 Grammy Predictions

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    The end of the year calls for reflection — hence our 2023 Popdust Music Awards, celebrating all of the great music we heard last year. And now, the beginning of the year indicates a time of anticipation. For that, we have our
    2024 Artists to Watch, which also means that Awards Season is right around the corner.

    Starting with the Golden Globes on January 7, we are about to experience countless red carpet shots, couples debuts (
    still waiting for you, Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan), and teary-eyed acceptance speeches.

    While there are the BAFTAs, the Emmys, the Oscars, and the SAG Awards, my speciality is music. And there is no bigger mecca for musicians than
    the GRAMMY Awards. Held on February 4, 2024, and hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, the GRAMMYs are music’s biggest night.

    Awards Season brings out everyone’s inner critic. Suddenly, we think we know more than the Recording Academy. Every year, there are viral moments and scandalous decisions. The Recording Academy ultimately outrages the general public in some way or another — and inevitably, fandoms will take to apps like X to become the next Joan Rivers.

    It’s a delicious time of year when your favorite celebrities are forced out of hiding and into the spotlight, and we can’t wait. To get everyone in the spirit of judgment, here are
    some way-too-early GRAMMY predictions for the year!

    Record Of The Year: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus

    Any Kid Harpoon song is a classic, and Cyrus’ return from a brief hiatus from music was met with high marks. It was Spotify’s most streamed song in a week ever, spent time at the top of Billboard’s Hot 100, and was the fastest song in Spotify history to reach 1 billion streams.

    Album Of The Year: Midnights by Taylor Swift

    She’s won this coveted award three times already, and it’s impossible to discredit the year of Taylor Swift. She is on track for the highest-grossing tour of all time with the Eras Tour, Midnights is Apple Music’s biggest pop album of all time in terms of first-day streaming, and the album is the reason she was all 10 of Billboard’s Top 10 Songs (the first time all women have dominated the charts ever). Give Swift her flowers.

    Song Of The Year: “A&W” by Lana Del Rey

    Another Jack Antonoff production, Lana Del Rey’s album is a spiritual awakening. With an essence of transcendentalism and a hint of gospel, it’s Lana to her core. “A&W” is hailed Song of the Year by many already, and it’s time we recognize her for the artist she is, was, and always will be.

    Best New Artist: Ice Spice


    I haven’t seen many people rise to the top as quickly as Ice Spice, nor have I seen someone garner such a passionate fanbase. The rapper has hits like “Deli” and collabs with rap queen Nicki Minaj on “Barbie World” and Taylor Swift on “Karma”, not to mention her Munchkin drink at Dunkin Donuts.

    Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical): Jack Antonoff

    Not only is Antonoff the mastermind behind many Taylor Swift albums, including Midnights, but he has Lana Del Rey’s multi-nominated album, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?,” under his belt. He can’t miss, and for that, he wins.

    Best Pop Solo Performance: “What Was I Made For? [From The Major Motion Picture Barbie]”

    This song is stunning, productionally perfect, and sonically flawless. Billie and Finneas continue to grow as an unstoppable singer-songwriter duo who can make any song fit any moment.

    Best Pop Vocal Album: GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo

    Olivia Rodrigo wanted to have fun with her sophomore album following the immense pressure and success of her debut, SOUR. With GUTS, we had viral singles yet again that promise Rodrigo is here for the long haul.

    Best Dance/Electronic Recording: “Strong” by Romy + Fred again…

    Developing a cult following in the electronic music world, Fred again… is one of the hottest house dance artists in the world right now. Following a successful bout of live shows and reaching fans on almost every platform imaginable, “Strong” is a winner.

    Best Pop Dance Recording: “Rush” by Troye Sivan

    Troye Sivan understands how to make out-of-the-box pop music, and seals it with one hell of a dance number. He’s the embodiment of a popstar, and “Rush” was just an example of the high precedent he’s set.

    Best Rock Performance: “Not Strong Enough” by boygenius

    Compiled of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, boygenius is a supergroup showing the world how to rock again. “Not Strong Enough” showcases what each member brings to the group in one sound synergy.

    Best Rock Album: Starcatcher by Greta Van Fleet

    Hailed as The Next Led Zeppelin, Greta Van Fleet brings you on a journey with their Starcatcher album. Each song a delight, Greta Van Fleet has developed their sound and found their stride.

    Best R&B Performance: “Kill Bill” by SZA

    SOS is one of the best albums of the year, and while I don’t see it winning in the Big 4 due to competitors like Swift, I still think it wins in general. “Kill Bill” was one of the biggest songs and continues to be one of the most viral.

    Best Rap Performance: “Rich Flex” by Drake & 21 Savage

    The saying “I like what Drake likes” holds true for many…and the collaboration album, Her Loss, with 21 Savage was one of the biggest of the year. “Rich Flex” makes sense for two of the biggest rappers out there right now.

    Best Rap Album: Heroes & Villains by Metro Boomin’

    Metro Boomin’ is the rapper and producer responsible for countless hits like Migos’ “Ric Flair Drip”. His Heroes & Villains album is a masterclass for high quality rap, intricate detail in production and songwriting, and straight up hits.

    Watch the 2024 Grammy Awards live on February 4, 2024 at 8 PM EST exclusively on Paramount+!

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    Jai Phillips

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  • It's Only January, and Game Pass Is Already Off to a Strong Start

    It's Only January, and Game Pass Is Already Off to a Strong Start

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    With every new year comes the excitement for a year’s worth of games both new and old, especially with Xbox’s Game Pass service providing players access to an ever-changing library of titles. While it’s easy for a company to make resolutions, everybody knows that it’s easier to make them than it is to keep them.

    Those who take the act of making New Year’s resolutions seriously have referred to the 10th of January as being “Quitter’s Day,” meaning that it’s the day that most people give up on their resolutions. While companies often make promises to consumers regarding the bright and shiny things they’re planning for the future, it’s not always the case that it’s followed through with grace.

    Image Source: Xbox Game Studios

    Xbox has managed to do a lot with Game Pass since its launch and the resulting removal of the Games with Gold service. Not only do they manage to keep an ever changing library of games available for anyone with a subscription to play, Xbox does a great job of providing games that are actually worth people’s money.

    Take Assassin’s Creed, for instance. While Games with Gold were still available and being updated, the only games from the franchise that were ever made available were the much older entries or the smaller Chronicles games. Now, paying for a Game Pass subscription gets you Odyssey, Origins and Valhalla, all of which are massive games with plenty to do on top of the 30+ hour long main stories.

    The inclusion of Far Cry 6 to the service was one that I certainly wasn’t expecting, at least not after what feels like so soon after such a large game’s release. Game Pass makes sure to give its subscribers some real bang for their bucks, which is important at a time when every dollar counts as much as it does.

    turnip boy robs a bank screenshot
    Image Source: Graffiti Games

    To sweeten the deal a bit more, the Day 1 releases for certain games like Back 4 Blood make it so that players who are already paying for the service don’t have to feel like they’re missing out on new launches every time. Game Pass subscribers will be getting Turnip Boy Robs a Bank on January 18th, and for the Persona fans, Persona 3 Reload will be coming right at the beginning of February to start the year off on the right foot.

    The first days of the year have already been fruitful on Game Pass, with the additions of AC Valhalla, Figment: Journey into the Mind, We Happy Few and Hell Let Loose, to name a few. Xbox has clearly put in the work to make sure that there’s plenty of quantity, even bringing along sports titles like Super Mega Baseball 4, but the point of focus for this year’s collection is certainly looking to be quality.

    Last year’s acquisition of Activision by Microsoft should also be looking to bring some great games to the Game Pass library, but which ones and when are still anyone’s guess. At least up until the Xbox Wire comes out with the dates and lets players know what to expect for the month.

    The merger means that FPS fans and nostalgia junkies alike can relive the good ol’ days in some of the older Call of Duty titles, while the more puzzle focused players can get some achievements in Bejeweled all on the same service. The versatility of being able to use Game Pass on console or PC, as well as being able to game on the go with the Cloud Gaming service gives Game Pass an extra leg up on its competition.

    xbox activision merger games
    Image Source: Xbox Game Studios

    Speaking of the good ol’ days, whether you’re thinking of 1998 or 2019, fans of Resident Evil 2 will also be getting their fill early this year when the remake drops on Game Pass on the 16th. Given that Xbox has only announced what’s going to be added through the middle of the month, it’s only a matter of time until some more great games are handed to Game Pass subscribers this year.

    Not only are great games being added en masse, but Game Pass also does a great job at curating the games in it’s collection to make it easy to find something to play. Sometimes you’re just in the mood to play something quick and easy, and there’s a section for that. Maybe you’re looking for a certain genre or a simulator, there’s a way to quickly find what you’re looking for almost every time you open the app.

    If the start of this year is going to serve as any indication, it’s looking like 2024 is going to be a great year to be subscribed to Game Pass for people who like to play a lot of games whenever and wherever they want to. The games being added are getting bigger and better, and there’s always going to be something for anyone to enjoy. At least until 2025 when we can play GTA 6 and forget about the rest of our libraries.

    About the author

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    Nick Rivera

    Nick Rivera graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021 studying Digital Media and started as a Freelance Writer with Twinfinite in early 2023. Nick plays anything from Halo to Stardew Valley to Peggle, but is a sucker for a magnetic story.

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    Nick Rivera

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  • Unbelievable facts

    Unbelievable facts

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