In Pics | Grammy nominations 2021: Snubs, quirks and twists

The short lists for the 63rd annual Grammy awards that celebrate music's best feature an eclectic mix of pop powerhouses, feisty chart-toppers and little-known underdogs. And, as usual, there was a laundry list of eyebrow-raising snubs and a bunch of straight up oddball nods. Here's a look at a list compiled by AFP on the kookier nominations and head-scratchers in this year's Grammy race:

BTS creates history | South Korean sensation BTS is one step closer to their dream of winning a Grammy Award as the band has been nominated in the best pop duo/group performance category by the Recording Academy for their chartbuster track 'Dynamite'. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Weeknd fails to make the cut | The Recording Academy notably sidelined Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd, an artist with three Grammys to his name. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Nicolas Padovani

Lady Gaga 'relegated' to the pop categories | Gaga was relegated to the pop categories as was Harry Styles, whose trippy pop album 'Fine Line' and its provocative track 'Watermelon Sugar' garnered positive reviews. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Notable snubs | After dropping a widely praised album after a 14-year hiatus and a name change, The Chicks were also ignored, as was Bob Dylan, who this year released his first collection of original music in nearly a decade. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Fiona Apple makes an impact | Fiona Apple -- whose classic 'Criminal' won her Best New Artist in 1997 -- scored three nominations in the rock and alternative categories but was mysteriously dropped from the top fields. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Kanye West springs a surprise | A little less than a month after his chaotic presidential bid ended, Kanye West notched a 2021 Grammy nomination -- but it had nothing to do with rap. He is up for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, in recognition of his ode to evangelism 'Jesus Is King'. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Coldplay make their presence felt | British anthemic pop-rock band Coldplay -- whose songs are perennial favorites of television show soundtracks and political campaigns -- scored a surprise Album of the Year nomination for its eighth studio work, 'Everyday Life'. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

John Prine gets a posthumous nomination | The 2021 field features a number of posthumous nominations, including two for the revered American songwriter John Prine, who died of coronavirus complications in April. Leonard Cohen, who died in 2016, received a Best Folk Album nomination for 'Thanks for the Dance', a collection of raw vocals the Canadian legend's son finished for him. Credit: Wikimedia Commons