Gayle Grammy award nomination angers netizens, blames TikTok for SOTY nod

GAYLE’s “abcdefu” was one of the most contested nominations on Twitter yesterday, with numerous fans reacting negatively to the recognition.

GAYLE, who rose to prominence on TikTok, received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year, one of the most important categories at the annual awards show.

For fans, the TikTok hit song should not have been nominated, as other deserving tracks had made a far greater impact in the previous year.

“About Damn Time,” “As It Was,” “Bad Habits,” “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” “Break My Soul,” “GOD DID,” “The Heart Part 5,” “Easy on Me,” and “Just Like That” were also nominated this year.

However, Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” Luke Combs’ “Doin’ This,” and even Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” were the night’s other surprises.

“abcdefu” has had a shady history since it exploded to the top of the charts on TikTok, which was recently revealed.

Originally, the song came about when GAYLE, who began asking for songwriting suggestions on TikTok, came across a comment by one Nancy Berman, who asked her to create a breakup song based on the alphabet – thus the song’s name.

The song then went on to be played on every mobile phone worldwide.

But one user, Daniel Wall, had so much more time than everyone else that he researched how the song came to be – as it had become annoying to him at one point.

When they discovered this, Wall took to TikTok to explain how they were duped about the song’s authenticity. Nancy Berman was a marketing manager at Atlantic Records, the same label that released “abcdefu.”

Hall elaborated:

“Even though this was planned, it worked and there’s so many other artists and labels that do this because people love to be a part of something, and they love a story they can follow.”

However, Atlantic denied that it was all planned and that it was simply a playful comment made with both parties knowing that the song had already been recorded and was about to be released.

The song eventually peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200. The Recording Industry Association of America had already certified it as double platinum.

Following the song’s nomination, fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure.

Someone commented:

“Not a TikToker being nominated for a damn Grammy, lol. Eminem was right about them.”

Another posted:

“I would understand Best new artist, but song of the year.”

A user shared:

“before Rina Sawayama… now ik the Grammy’s have been shit for a while but. I’m seething a bit.”