Grammys: So many categories, so little music

More than 18,000 members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences vote on the Grammy Awards each year. The academy says it's out to reward "artistic excellence," but history shows us that sales and chart position often matter just as much, if not more.

That's where these predictions come in. When Grammys will be handed out tonight and you're left wondering if there's anything better out there, here's your guide to the music you really ought to hear:


Album of the Year
Nominees: "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," Foo Fighters; "These Days," Vince Gill; "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock; "Graduation," Kanye West; "Back to Black," Amy Winehouse.

Who will win: The third time's the charm for West, who was denied in this category on his first two albums.

Who should win: West is overdue.

Who got overlooked: How did Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" get overlooked in favor of Gill and Hancock?

Record of the Year
Nominees: "Irreplaceable," Beyoncé; "The Pretender," Foo Fighters; "Umbrella," Rihanna featuring Jay-Z; "What Goes Around ... Comes Around," Justin Timberlake; "Rehab," Amy Winehouse.

Who will win: Winehouse's "Rehab" is a new song with a retro feel, just what the Grammys love.

Who should win: Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable."

Who got overlooked: LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends."

Song of the Year
Nominees: "Before He Cheats," songwriters Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins (performed by Carrie Underwood); "Hey There Delilah," Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's); "Like A Star," Corinne Bailey Rae; "Rehab," Amy Winehouse; "Umbrella," Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart (Rihanna featuring Jay-Z).

Who will win: "Rehab," again.

Who should win: "Rehab."

Who got overlooked: Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks."

Best New Artist
Nominees: Feist, Ledisi, Paramore, Taylor Swift, Amy Winehouse.

Who will win: Feist's squeaky clean reputation should get her the win over the more controversial Winehouse.

Who should win: Feist.

Who got overlooked: Peter Bjorn and John.

Best Pop Vocal Album
Nominees: "Lost Highway," Bon Jovi; "The Reminder," Feist; "It Won't Be Soon Before Long," Maroon 5; "Memory Almost Full," Paul McCartney; "Back to Black," Amy Winehouse.

Who will win: Feist's album is more consistent than Winehouse's.

Who should win: McCartney for his most personal album yet, "Memory Almost Full."

Who got overlooked: M.I.A.'s "Kala" is terrific multicultural pop.

Best Rock Album
Nominees: "Daughtry," Daughtry; "Revival," John Fogerty; "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," Foo Fighters; "Magic," Bruce Springsteen; "Sky Blue Sky," Wilco.

Who will win: The academy throws Springsteen a bone.

Who should win: "Sky Blue Sky."

Who got overlooked: Spoon's "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga."

Best Alternative Music Album
Nominees: "Alright, Still ...," Lily Allen; "Neon Bible," Arcade Fire; "Volta," Bjork; "Wincing the Night Away," The Shins; "Icky Thump," The White Stripes.

Who will win: Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible."

Who should win: The White Stripes' "Icky Thump."

Who got overlooked: Battles' "Mirrored."

Best R&B Album
Nominees: "Funk This," Chaka Khan; "Lost & Found," Ledisi; "Luvanmusiq," Musiq Soulchild; "The Real Thing," Jill Scott; "Sex, Love & Pain," Tank.

Who will win: Ledisi, nominated for Best New Artist, should take this consolation prize.

Who should win: Scott, though it's not her best work.

Who got overlooked: The fiery Betty LaVette and "Scene of the Crime."

Best Rap Album
Nominees: "Finding Forever," Common; "Kingdom Come," Jay-Z; "Hip Hop is Dead," Nas; "T.I. vs T.I.P.," T.I.; "Graduation," Kanye West.

Who will win: West has won this award each time he's released an album.

Who should win: Jay-Z defines rap; West is more of a pop artist.

Who got overlooked: El-P's "I'll Sleep When Your Dead"

Best Country Album
Nominees: "Long Trip Alone," Dierks Bentley; "These Days," Vince Gill; "Let it Go," Tim McGraw; "5th Gear," Brad Paisley; "It Just Comes Natural," George Strait.

Who will win: Gill, whose ambitious four-album "These Days" deserves some kind of prize.

Who should win: Gill.

Who got overlooked: "Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash."

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album
Nominees: "The Calling," Mary Chapin Carpenter; "My Name is Buddy," Ry Cooder; "Washington Square Serenade," Steve Earle; "Children Running Through," Patty Griffin; "Orphans," Tom Waits.

Who will win: Waits' triple-CD "Orphans" brims with great songs.

Who should win: Waits.

Who got overlooked: Cooder, for producing Mavis Staples' "We'll Never Turn Back."



Read More...

[Source: Hip-Hop News - Posted by FreeAutoBlogger]