Grammys ballot: Sabrina Carpenter goes country, Dolly Parton rocks

Zoom in: Carpenter, whose ubiquitous bop "Espresso" has become a modern classic, submitted her song "Slim Pickins" for best country song and best country solo performance.

• Other unconventional acts on the country ballot include Kesha, T-Pain and Avril Lavigne. THR notes some of those artists are in the mix because of collaborations with country artists.

Zoom out: Some big-name country stars are venturing into unfamiliar territory too: Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton and Jelly Roll submitted in rock categories, per THR. 

💭 Adam's thought bubble: I'll be rooting for Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus to make the cut in the country duo/group performance category for "II Most Wanted," one of my favorite tracks on "Cowboy Carter."