Walk us through the process of picking these highly debatable Freshman Class covers?

Vanessa Satten: We talk to everyone in the industry from record labels to going to live shows. We listen to the artist’s new music and talk to those around them. We really do our research on what that particular artist has going on.

How difficult was this year’s picks compared to recent years?

Vanessa: It’s harder than usual because the perimeter of success gets more blurry within every year. We are constantly looking at what they’re doing? How are they interacting with their fans? Is their potential just catching a buzz or will they really blow up? It’s a matter of those things that we really take in consideration every year.

What class do you think has been most successful since the segment officially launched in 2009?

Vanessa: Every class varies. There is no class that is the same. The class with French Montana and Kid Ink was a big class. The one with Kendrick and Meek was also another big one. The Chance the Rapper and Rich Homie Quan class was one that not many people expected, that one had 12.

So every year is different. However, I do think is harder for artists to blow up more than ever and get to the level of a Drake, Nicki Minaj, or a Kendrick. Yes, these guys have success, but it takes a minute for them to get to that level. It’s either slow or real quick, there’s no in between success.

What are the three most important things you look for in an artist when you’re making your picks?

Vanessa: I’m not sure that we can narrow it down to three things per say, but we always look for originality, and what we try to do with these picks is predict who will be the stars of the future based on the buzz and true talent.