The semester is winding down, and work is ramping up. Once finals end, though, you’ll have earned a much-deserved break. The nominations for the 2015 Grammy Awards were released on Friday. This gives you ample time between the end of finals and when the show airs on Feb. 8 to brush up on your music knowledge. Since this is my last column for now, as I will be abroad in Dublin next semester, this Grammy guide is my goodbye present to you.

The nominations brought the usual mix of shoe-ins, surprises and confusion as to what the various categories actually mean. Crash course: the Grammy Award for record of the year refers to individual single, not the entire album like album of the year, and everyone from the artist to the producers are eligible for nominations. Song of the year, on the other hand, refers to the songwriting, and only the songwriters are nominated.

Heavyweights Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams and newcomer soul singer Sam Smith tied for the most nominations, with six nods each.

Not shockingly, Beyoncé continues her reign as queen of the rhythm and blues music scene. Her nominations include album of the year, best urban contemporary album and best surround sound album for her self-titled surprise fifth album, best R&B performance and best R&B song for “Drunk In Love,” and best music film for her tour video with her husband, Beyoncé and Jay Z: On the Run Tour.

The ever-present producer and hip-hop and pop artist Pharrell earned six nominations, including three in the album of the year category, for producer on Beyoncé’s album and Ed Sheeran’s X and for his own album, Girl, which is also nominated for best urban contemporary album. His hit single “Happy,” from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack, is also nominated for best pop solo performance and best music video.

Smith will be competing with Pharrell and Beyoncé for album of the year for his debut, In the Lonely Hour. He also received nominations for record of the year, song of the year and best pop solo performance for his hit single “Stay With Me,” as well as best new artist and best pop vocal album.

Joining Smith in the best new artist category is hip-hop star Iggy Azalea, who rose to the top of the charts this summer with her hit “Fancy” with Charli XCX, which was also nominated for best pop duo and group performance. Azalea’s The New Classic is also up for best rap album. Other new artist nominees are British rockers Bastille, sister pop-rock trio Haim and country singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, although I’m predicting a tight race in the category between Smith and Azalea.

Behind album of the year, the record of the year race is another hot category to watch. Four of the five nominees are female. Along with “Stay With Me” and “Fancy,” pop newcomer Meghan Trainor’s surprise hit “All About That Bass” is up for the award, as well as mysterious songstress Sia’s “Chandelier.” Taylor Swift, who has had a successful year with her fifth hit album, 1989, rounds out the category with her single “Shake It Off,” which is also nominated for song of the year and best pop solo performance.

Predicting the winners is harder than usual this year with the categories so tight, so I’ll leave that to the professionals. If nothing else, the nominations give tons of options for your winter break playlist, so crank it up and enjoy!