Music is a universal human language that can unite people of different backgrounds and ages. Anyone who wants to make a song, no matter how old they are, has a chance to write and record it and put it on the internet, potentially reaching a wide audience.
The Best New Artist category at the Grammys shines a light on young, up-and-coming artists who could be a force in the music industry for years to come. Genres like pop and rap, which young people tend to prefer, mostly have younger artists as nominees.
Twenty-somethings like Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Zedd, Tyler, the Creator, Migos, and Alessia Cara could all be big winners on Grammy night.
Grammy nominees in classical music, a genre that has stood the test of time and can take decades to master, tend to be at the older end of the age spectrum. In the Best Classical Compendium category, two septuagenarian conductors have a shot at taking home the award. The 79-year-old Reinbert de Leeuw is facing off against 76-year-old Jordi Savall, among other nominees.
This year’s youngest nominee, 19-year-old Khalid, has five Grammy nominations: Best New Artist, Best Urban Contemporary Album for “American Teen,” Best R&B Song for “Location,” and Song of the Year and Best Music Video for his collaboration on “1-800-273-8255” with 21-year-old singer Alessia Cara and 28-year-old rapper Logic.
At the other end of the age spectrum, legendary composer Jerry Herman collected his eighth Grammy nomination at the age of 86 for Best Musical Theater Album for “Hello, Dolly!” His first Grammy nod came back in 1961 for Best Original Cast Show Album for “Milk And Honey.”
In order to determine the oldest and youngest 2017 Grammy nominees, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the ages of all Grammy nominated musicians. Nominees were considered only if their nomination fell under the general field or a field specific to a genre such as pop, rap, comedy, spoken word, or classical. The list contains the artist’s age as of January 22, 2018. Some nominees do not have their ages publically available. Deceased nominees were not considered.
Click here to see the oldest 2018 Grammy nominees.
Click here to see the youngest 2018 Grammy nominees.
Oldest:
Source: Houston Symphony / amazon.com
25. Hans Graf
> Age: 68
> Category: Best Opera Recording
> Nominated for: Berg: Wozzeck
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Source: Larry Busacca / Getty Images
24. Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)
> Age: 69
> Category: Best Folk Album
> Nominated for: The Laughing Apple
Source: Gustavo Caballero / Getty Images for LARAS
23. Rubén Blades: Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
> Age: 69
> Category: Best Tropical Latin Album
> Nominated for: Salsa Big Band
Source: Sean Gallup / Getty Images
22. Brian Eno
> Age: 69
> Category: Best New Age Album
> Nominated for: Reflection
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Source: Murray Perahia / Facebook
21. Murray Perahia
> Age: 70
> Category: Best Classical Instrumental Solo
> Nominated for: Bach: The French Suites
Source: Antonio Adolfo / amazon.com
20. Antonio Adolfo
> Age: 70
> Category: Best Latin Jazz Album
> Nominated for: Hybrido – From Rio To Wayne Shorter
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Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images
19. Ralf Hutter: Kraftwerk
> Age: 71
> Category: Best Dance/Electronic Album
> Nominated for: 3-D The Catalogue
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Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
18. Bette Midler
> Age: 72
> Category: Best Musical Theater Album
> Nominated for: Hello Dolly!
Source: Pablo Ziegler / Facebook
17. Pablo Ziegler: Pablo Ziegler Trio
> Age: 73
> Category: Best Latin Jazz Album
> Nominated for: Jazz Tango
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Source: Leonard Slatikin / Facebook
16. Leonard Slatkin
> Age: 73
> Category: Best Orchestral Performance
> Nominated for: Copland: Symphony No. 3; Three Latin American Sketches
Source: Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images
15. Michael Tilson Thomas
> Age: 73
> Category: Best Orchestral Performance
> Nominated for: Debussy: Images; Jeux & La Plus Que Lente
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Source: Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images for Lyric Opera of Chicago
14. Andrew Davis
> Age: 73
> Category: Best Choral Performance
> Nominated for: Handel: Messiah
Source: Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images for Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz
13. Taj Mahal
> Age: 75
> Category: Best Traditional Blues Album
> Nominated for: TajMo
Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images
12. Elvin Bishop: Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
> Age: 75
> Category: Best Traditional Blues Album
> Nominated for: Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
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Source: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com
11. Bob Dylan
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
> Nominated for: Triplicate
Source: Rachel Murray / Getty Images for UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance
10. John McLaughlin
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Improvised Jazz Solo
> Nominated for: Miles Beyond
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Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images
9. Charlie Watts: The Rolling Stones
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Traditional Blues Album
> Nominated for: Blue & Lonesome
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Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
8. Joseph Shabalala: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
> Age: 76
> Category: Best World Music Album, Best Children’s Album
> Nominated for: Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration, Songs Of Peace & Love For Kids & Parents Around The World
Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
7. Bernie Sanders
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Spoken Word Album
> Nominated for: Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In
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Source: Ernesto Ruscio / Getty Images
6. Martha Argerich
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
> Nominated for: Martha Argerich & Friends – Live From Lugano 2016
Source: Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images
5. Jordi Savall
> Age: 76
> Category: Best Classical Compendium
> Nominated for: Les Routes De L’Esclavage
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Source: Tigran Mansurian / Facebook
4. Tigran Mansurian
> Age: 78
> Category: Best Contemporary Classical Composition
> Nominated for: Requiem
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Source: Asko/Schönberg & Netherlands Radio Choir & Reinbert de Leeuw / amazon.com
3. Reinbert de Leeuw
> Age: 79
> Category: Best Classical Compendium
> Nominated for: Kurtág: Complete Works For Ensemble & Choir
Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images for NARAS
2. Jimmy Carter: Blind Boys Of Alabama
> Age: 85
> Category: Best American Roots Performance
> Nominated for: Let My Mother Live
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Source: Charles Eshelman / Getty Images
1. Jerry Herman
> Age: 86
> Category: Best Musical Theater Album
> Nominated for: Hello Dolly!
Youngest:
Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images
25. 6LACK
> Age: 25
> Category: Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best Rap/Sung Performance
> Nominated for: Free 6LACK, PRBLMS
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Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images for The Recording Academy
24. Chronixx
> Age: 25
> Category: Best Reggae Album
> Nominated for: Chronology
Source: Gustavo Caballero / Getty Images for BET
23. Cardi B
> Age: 25
> Category: Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song
> Nominated for: Bodak Yellow
Source: Shy Glizzy / Facebook
22. Shy Glizzy
> Age: 25
> Category: Best Rap/Sung Performance
> Nominated for: Crew
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Source: mistermcclenney.com
21. Christopher McClenney
> Age: 23
> Category: Best R&B Song
> Nominated for: Location
Source: Code Orange / Facebook
20. Eric Balderose: Code Orange
> Age: 24
> Category: Best Metal Performance
> Nominated for: Forever
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Source: Mike Windle / Getty Images
19. Kali Uchis
> Age: 24
> Category: Best R&B Performance
> Nominated for: Get You
Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty Images for iHeartMedia
18. Julia Michaels
> Age: 24
> Category: Song of the Year, Best New Artist
> Nominated for: Issues
Source: Rich Fury / Getty Images for Coachella
17. Goldlink
> Age: 24
> Category: Best Rap/Sung Performance
> Nominated for: Crew
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Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
16. Ben Platt
> Age: 24
> Category: Best Musical Theater Album
> Nominated for: Dear Evan Hansen
Source: Elderbrook / Facebook
15. Elderbrook
> Age: 23
> Category: Best Dance Recording
> Nominated for: Cola
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Source: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com
14. Justin Bieber
> Age: 23
> Category: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
> Nominated for: Despacito
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Source: Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images for SoundCloud
13. Lil Uzi Vert
> Age: 23
> Category: Best Rap Performance, Best New Artist
> Nominated for: Bad And Boujee
Source: David Becker / Getty Images for iHeartMedia
12. Takeoff: Migos
> Age: 23
> Category: Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Album
> Nominated for: Bad And Boujee, Culture
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Source: tde.us
11. Tyran Donaldson (Antydote)
> Age: 23
> Category: Best R&B Song
> Nominated for: Supermodel
Source: Tunji Ige / Facebook
10. Olatunji Ige
> Age: 22
> Category: Best R&B Song
> Nominated for: Location
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Source: Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images for YouTube
9. Daniel Caesar
> Age: 22
> Category: Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Album
> Nominated for: Get You, Freudian
Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
8. Kehlani
> Age: 22
> Category: Best R&B Performance
> Nominated for: Distraction
Source: Brent Faiyaz / Facebook
7. Brent Faiyaz
> Age: 22
> Category: Best Rap/Sung Performance
> Nominated for: Crew
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Source: Mark Davis / Getty Images for Dick Clark Productions
6. Alessia Cara
> Age: 21
> Category: Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best New Artist
> Nominated for: 1-800-273-8255, Stay
Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images for Coachella
5. Lorde
> Age: 21
> Category: Album of the Year
> Nominated for: Melodrama
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Source: Nicholas Hunt / Getty Images for Panorama
4. Mura Masa
> Age: 21
> Category: Best Dance/Electronic Album
> Nominated for: Mura Masa
Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
3. Dieuson Octave (Kodak Black)
> Age: 20
> Category: Best Rap Song
> Nominated for: Bodak Yellow
Source: The Walls Group / Facebook
2. Ahjah Walls: The Walls Group
> Age: 20
> Category: Best Gospel Performance/Song
> Nominated for: My Life
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Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images for CBS RADIO
1. Khalid
> Age: 19
> Category: Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best R&B Song, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best New Artist
> Nominated for: 1-800-273-8255, Location, American Teen
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