The nominees for the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album have been revealed. In the running are Björk’s 10th studio album, Fossora; Wet Leg’s debut LP, Wet Leg; and Big Thief’s fifth full-length, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You. Also nominated are Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ first album in nine years, Cool It Down; and Arcade Fire’s sixth studio album, WE. Check out the full list of Grammy nominees here.
Ahead of today’s news, Björk had been nominated for 15 Grammy Awards without ever winning a trophy. In the Best Alternative Music Album category, in particular, Vespertine, Medúlla, Volta, Biophilia, Vulnicura, and Utopia were all nominated upon release.
Big Thief’s U.F.O.F. was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, but the trophy went to Vampire Weekend for Father of the Bride. At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Big Thief’s “Not” lost Best Rock Performance to Fiona Apple’s “Shameika.”
For the fourth time, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are competing to win Best Alternative Music Album. The group had been nominated for Fever to Tell, Show Your Bones, and It’s Blitz!, but has not yet won the trophy.
Arcade Fire are the only Grammy holders of this year’s Best Alternative Music Album nominees, having won Album of the Year for The Suburbs in 2011. This past August, a few months after WE’s release, Arcade Fire’s Win Butler was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple people. Butler acknowledged having sexual interactions with each of the four people, but maintained that they were consensual. Feist left Arcade Fire’s European tour as the opener, sharing a lengthy note about her decision, and Beck later stepped back from opening Arcade Fire’s North American tour without providing a specific reason for the departure.
The 2023 Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 5, at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Follow all of Pitchfork’s coverage of the 2023 Grammy Awards.
Best Alternative Music Album
Arcade Fire - WE
Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
Björk - Fossora
Wet Leg - Wet Leg
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cool It Down
