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The 56th GRAMMY Awards: The Guessing Game

GRAMMYs

Dec 2, 2014 - 3:22 pm

(Editor's Note: The final nominations for the 56th GRAMMY Awards are not known until Friday, Dec. 6, the evening of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!" Recordings eligible for nominations must have been released between Oct. 1, 2012, and Sept. 30, 2013. The following blog features nominations predictions that do not reflect the opinions of The Recording Academy, GRAMMY.com or Recording Academy voting members. The Academy's voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, participate in the nominating process that determines the five finalists in each GRAMMY category; and the final voting process that determines the GRAMMY winners. For more information on the GRAMMY Awards process, visit GRAMMY.org.)

The 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards don't air until Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, on CBS, and the final nominations will not be revealed until Dec. 6 at the conclusion of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!" — which will feature performances by Drake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Robin Thicke, and Keith Urban, among others. But that hasn't stopped the pundits from predicting who'll be at Staples Center waiting for their names to be called on Music's Biggest Night.

Of course, I am just as anxious as you are to hear who'll be up for the music industry's biggest honors, and since I have no prior knowledge of the nominations results, the following are educated guesses from my vantage point as a longtime professional observer.

For Album Of The Year honors, it would be tough to discount Justin Timberlake, who released two studio albums in 2013: The 20/20 Experience and its sequel, The 20/20 Experience — 2 Of 2. Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox is a strong possibility. Indie rap duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist has spawned a trio of hit singles in "Thrift Shop," "Same Love" and "Can't Hold Us." Country contenders include CMA Best New Artist Kacey Musgraves' Same Trailer Different Park, along with Luke Bryan's Crash My Party. Also in contention are Alicia Keys' Girl On Fire, and three rock veterans: Elton John's T Bone Burnett-produced comeback, The Diving Board, Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails resurrection, Hesitation Marks, and John Fogerty's catalog reboot, Wrote A Song For Everyone.

As far as Record Of The Year goes, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," (featuring T.I. and Pharrell), Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Thrift Shop," Lorde's "Royals," Mars' "Locked Out Of Heaven," and Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive" were among the most ubiquitous hits of the year, and all could be candidates in this category. But don't overlook Timberlake's "Mirrors" or Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" featuring Fun.'s Nate Ruess.

In the Song Of The Year category, an award for songwriters, possibilities include Avicii's genre-bending "Wake Me Up" (co-written with Aloe Blacc, Incubus' Mike Einziger and Ash Pournouri); Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' politically charged defense of gay marriage, "Same Love" (written by the duo with Mary Lambert); Adele's "Skyfall" (Paul Epworth); Rihanna's "Stay" (Mikky Ecco, Justin Parker); Lorde's "Royals" (Lorde); Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive" (Imagine Dragons, Elof Loelv, Alex Da Kid, Josh Mosser); and Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" (Pink, Ruess, Jeff Bhasker).

The Best New Artist category looks to be particularly competitive. Candidates include young divas Lorde and Musgraves, sister act Haim, UK neo-rockabilly teen phenom Jake Bugg, crossover DJ Avicii, SoCal rappers Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt, alternative mainstays Alt-J and Tame Impala, Icelandic popsters Of Monsters And Men, and "American Idol" country-folk crooner Phillip Phillips.

The Best Rock Album hopefuls include Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires Of The City, Queens Of The Stone Age's …Like Clockwork and My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James' Regions Of Light And Sound Of God. Veterans David Bowie (The Next Day), Fogerty (Wrote A Song for Everyone), John (The Diving Board), Elvis Costello And The Roots (Wise Up Ghost), and John Mayer (Paradise Valley) could also be in the mix.

Musgraves may get her hat in the ring for Best Country Album, as well as Florida Georgia Line (Here's To The Good Times), Taylor Swift (Red), Blake Shelton (Based On A True Story), and Bryan (Crash My Party). Vince Gill & Paul Franklin (Bakersfield), George Strait (Love Is Everything), Darius Rucker (True Believers), and Brad Paisley (Wheelhouse) are also among the possible contenders.

Best Pop Vocal Album may see Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film The Great Gatsby, Lorde (Pure Heroine), Keys (Girl On Fire), Haim (Days Are Gone), Emeli Sande (Live At Royal Albert Hall), and Thicke (Blurred Lines), among others, jockeying for position.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist, Kanye West's Yeezus, Jay-Z's Magna Carta… Holy Grail, and Drake's Nothing Was the Same are potential nominees in the Best Rap Album field, though newcomers Lamar (good kid, m.A.A.d. city), J. Cole (Born Sinner), Sweatshirt (Doris), and A$AP Rocky (Long Live A$SAP) could also make a showing.

Find out who will be nominated in select categories for the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards by tuning in to "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!" on Dec. 6 on CBS from 10–11 p.m. ET/PT. Check GRAMMY.com that evening for a full nominations list and related GRAMMY content.

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The 56th GRAMMY Awards: The Guessing Game (Part 2)

THE GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs

Dec 2, 2014 - 3:22 pm

(Editor's Note: The winners for the 56th GRAMMY Awards are not known until they are announced during the Pre-Telecast and GRAMMY telecast on Sunday, Jan. 26. The following blog offers predictions that do not reflect the opinions of The Recording Academy, GRAMMY.com or Recording Academy voting members. The Academy's voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, participate in the nominating process that determines the finalists in each GRAMMY category; and the final voting process that determines the GRAMMY winners. For more information on the GRAMMY Awards process, visit GRAMMY.org.)

The pundits are pontificating, the more than 12,000 Recording Academy voters have cast their ballots, and the 56th GRAMMY Awards, airing on CBS Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, is just around the corner, so what better time to survey this year's GRAMMY field and offer a few observations?

As I pointed out in my first blog, in which I peered into the crystal ball for the nominations, the following are my personal educated guesses in the General Field and select GRAMMY categories from my perspective as a longtime professional observer.

Record Of The Year
Certainly no one can quibble with this year's nominees. There's consensus that Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams' "Get Lucky," Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," Lorde's "Royals," Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams' "Blurred Lines" and Bruno Mars' "Locked Out Of Heaven" were the most ubiquitous songs of the past year, both in terms of airplay and critical acclaim. That said, Mars, with four current nominations and a total of 14 prior GRAMMY nominations and one win (Best Pop Male Vocal Performance for "Just The Way You Are" in 2010), seems ripe for recognition — complete with the heat surrounding his upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance — though any of the other four wouldn't be a surprise.

Album Of The Year
This category includes a nominee from pop (Sara Bareilles), dance (Daft Punk), country (Taylor Swift), and two hip-hop artists (Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis). Album Of The Year has a diverse history (recent winners include Mumford & Sons, Adele, Arcade Fire, Swift, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss), and the presence of two rap acts might split that vote. Could that open the door for Bareilles, or another coronation for Swift, whose Fearless garnered the nod in 2009? That's what I'm thinking.

Song Of The Year
The competition is strong in this category, which recognizes songwriters, with Record Of The Year nominees "Locked Out Of Heaven" and "Royals" represented, Pink Featuring Nate Ruess' "Just Give Me A Reason" and Katy Perry's tour de force "Roar." But here's guessing that Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Same Love" captures the political zeitgeist this year, just as the Dixie Chicks ("Not Ready To Make Nice") and Bruce Springsteen ("Streets Of Philadelphia") have in years past.

Best New Artist
Once again, a mixed genre bag, with UK dub-step artist James Blake, Compton, Calif., hip-hop hopeful Kendrick Lamar, country newcomer Kacey Musgraves and Brit folkie Ed Sheeran forming a strong batch of contenders. However, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' DIY success story and overturning of hip-hop orthodoxy in areas of bling and sexuality could just make the difference here.

Best Pop Solo Performance
Could this be where Justin Timberlake gets his due for the smash "Mirrors"? Or will Bareilles' "Brave" get the nod? Also in the mix are Perry's "Roar," Mars' "When I Was Your Man" and Lorde's "Royals." With not-so-perfect 20/20 foresight, I'm going with JT here.

Best Pop Vocal Album
A tough one to call, with pop starlet Lana Del Rey (Paradise) and the presence of General Field nominees Lorde (Pure Heroine), Mars (Unorthodox Jukebox) and Thicke (Blurred Lines) all accounted for, but I think this is where Timberlake (The 20/20 Experience — The Complete Experience) will reign.

Best Rock Performance
Deserving veterans David Bowie ("The Stars [Are Out Tonight]"), Led Zeppelin ("Kashmir"), Jack White ("I'm Shakin"), and Queens Of The Stone Age ("My God Is The Sun") are all represented here, along with last year's Best New Artist nominees Alabama Shakes ("Always Alright"), but I don't think newcomers Imagine Dragons' Record Of The Year nominee "Radioactive" will be denied.

Best Rock Song
Paul McCartney and Nirvana ("Cut Me Some Slack"), the Rolling Stones ("Doom And Gloom") and Black Sabbath ("God Is Dead?") are nominated, along with Muse ("Panic Station") and Gary Clark Jr. ("Ain't Messin 'Round), but I believe the presence of Dave Grohl with a living legend like Macca makes "… Slack" a "cut" above the rest.

Best Rap Album
Lamar (Good Kid, M.A.A.D City) and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (The Heist) face off against the reigning hip-hop triumvirate of Jay Z (Magna Carta … Holy Grail), Kanye West (Yeezus) and Drake (Nothing Was The Same). My call? Lamar edges out his Seattle rivals to snare the prize.

Best Country Album
If Swift (Red) doesn't claim Album Of The Year, this will be a worthy consolation over a strong field, including Musgraves (Same Trailer Different Park), Jason Aldean (Night Train), Tim McGraw (Two Lanes Of Freedom) and Blake Shelton (Based On A True Story).

You've read my predictions. Who do you think GRAMMY voters will choose?

News

10 Reasons To Watch The GRAMMYs Sunday Night

THE GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs

Dec 2, 2014 - 3:22 pm

David Wild has written for the GRAMMY Awards since 2001. He is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone, a blogger for Huffington Post and an Emmy-nominated TV writer. Wild's books include He Is…I Say: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Neil Diamond and Diary Of A Player, with Brad Paisley. Follow him on Twitter @wildaboutmusic.

I've been working on the GRAMMY Awards — Music's Biggest Night — for more than a decade, and yet for me, and for many millions of viewers all around the world, the GRAMMYs never grow old. Indeed, there are times when the show recalls a paraphrase of those lines by Bob Dylan in "My Back Pages" — "the GRAMMYs were so much older then, they're younger than that now." In truth, working with our longstanding — and only occasionally sitting — Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich and our production team along with Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow and his whole winning team as well as our heroic yet still bada** host LL Cool J, I've enjoyed an all-access pass to a new golden era when the GRAMMY Awards has gotten better and better at celebrating our present, honoring our past, and building toward the future.

That may help explain why on Sunday night a groundbreaking group like Daft Punk will on Sunday night make their second TV appearance ever on the same show that they made their first — the GRAMMY Awards. This year, for instance, I am tremendously excited to see everyone from a 17-year-old from New Zealand named Lorde to two guys from Liverpool named Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr who helped redefine the very concept of a teenager way back in the '60s.

With all the changes and challenges in the music business today, I remain thoroughly convinced that our passion for music and our need for the inspiration, the solace and the pure creative joy it provides are stronger than ever.

This year has been especially thrilling — and unusually exhausting — since for the first time we’re shooting a second GRAMMY TV event this coming Monday — "The Night That Changed America: A GRAMMY Salute To The Beatles." This celebration of all that the Beatles mean to us yesterday and today airs Feb. 9 — 50 years to the day and hour of the Fab Four's historic first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," and on the same network — CBS.

I sincerely hope you will all watch and love both shows just as much as we love working on them. All kidding aside, it is a true honor to work on shows that honor great music and the men and women who make it. All that said, here are 10 reasons to watch the GRAMMY Awards Sunday night. As always, please add your reasons or favorite past GRAMMY Moments below.

1) We have two — count 'em two — Beatles performing on the GRAMMY stage. We hope this fabulously thrilling turn of events will make viewers forgive the fact that we don't have Freddie & The Dreamers or any of Herman's Hermits.

2) It's technically possible that a really cool and wildly talented superstar power couple could surprise us and join the GRAMMY festivities — and that neither one of them will be a Kardashian.

3) In terms of other world leaders, we're keeping things classy: President Vladimir Putin likely won't be there, but her majesty Queen Latifah probably will.

4) As far as the world's great spiritual leaders, Lorde herself will walk with us on Sunday. Lorde has a really cool voice — and from what I hear, she moves in mysterious ways.

5) As far as we know, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would never threaten to close down any of the roads to Staples Center.

6) We have some very bright musicians performing on the bill this year. For example, Taylor is Swift. Robin is not at all Thicke. And Keith is actually rather Urbane.

7) Recent research proves televisions give off a considerable amount of heat, and for many of you on the East Coast, that will be a good thing because, to quote a great song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

8) How about Carole King with Sara Bareilles? Metallica with classical piano great Lang Lang? Highwaymen Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson with Merle Haggard and Blake Shelton? Robin Thicke with Chicago? Kendrick Lamar with Imagine Dragons? Also Queens Of The Stone Age rocking the GRAMMYs with Nine Inch Nails, Lindsey Buckingham and Dave Grohl?

9) You want more? Okay, how about Katy Perry singing a smash at the top of the charts? Hunter Hayes with a great new song you have to hear, and the amazing Pink creating another great GRAMMY Moment for the ages. Also, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and some amazing guests will come together for a performance that I guarantee you everyone will be talking about on Monday morning.

10) Because despite somehow getting to No. 10 on this list, when it comes to the GRAMMY Awards, you really have to see it all, hear it all and tweet it all for yourself.

See you Sunday night.

Taylor Swift

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

News

GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions Launches 56th GRAMMYs Auction

Auction featuring signed memorabilia from current GRAMMY nominees to benefit MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation

Crystal Larsen

GRAMMYs

Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm

The GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions has launched an auction offering exclusive music memorabilia and VIP experiences to celebrate the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards, taking place Jan. 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Now through Feb. 6, the auction will be open for two cycles featuring nearly 100 exclusive items, including the first opportunity to bid on tickets to the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2015; official GRAMMY merchandise autographed backstage during rehearsals for the 56th GRAMMYs; guitars autographed by current nominees Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Pink, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Robin Thicke, and Pharrell Williams, among others; VIP concert and meet-and-greet experience with GRAMMY winner Celine Dion in Las Vegas; and music memorabilia autographed by current nominees Hunter Hayes, Alicia Keys, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and Rihanna, among others.

To place your bids, visit www.ebay.com/grammy. Presented in partnership with Kompolt, proceeds from GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions provide essential support for MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation.

News

'2018 GRAMMY Nominees' Album, Featuring 21 Hits, Available Now

Get your copy of the genre-spanning compilation featuring 60th GRAMMY nominees Bruno Mars, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Pink, Kesha, Kenny Chesney, and more

Tim McPhate

GRAMMYs

Jan 12, 2018 - 6:30 am

Available now, the 2018 GRAMMY Nominees album features a 21-deep track listing reflecting the world's top recording artists and emerging talent.

The collection commemorating the 60th GRAMMY Awards nominees includes Album Of The Year nominees Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, and Bruno Mars; and Song Of The Year nominees Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid, and Julia Michaels, among others. See the full track listing below.

1. Bruno Mars, "24K Magic"
2. Kelly Clarkson, "Love So Soft"
3. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Feat. Justin Bieber, "Despacito" (Remix)
4. Kendrick Lamar, "HUMBLE."
5. Lorde, "Green Light"
6. Childish Gambino, "Redbone"
7. Jay-Z, "The Story Of O.J."
8. Zedd & Alessia Cara, "Stay"
9. Lady Gaga, "Million Reasons"
10. Imagine Dragons, "Thunder"
11. Portugal. The Man, "Feel It Still"
12. The Chainsmokers & Coldplay, "Something Just Like This"
13. P!nk, "What About Us"
14. Logic Feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid, "1-800-273-8255"
15. Julia Michaels, "Issues"
16. Kesha, "Praying"
17. Chris Stapleton, "Broken Halos"
18. Little Big Town, "Better Man"
19. Thomas Rhett Feat. Maren Morris, "Craving You"
20. Lady Antebellum, "You Look Good"
21. Kenny Chesney, "All The Pretty Girls"

Pick at your copy at any of the below links:

A portion of album proceeds benefits the year-round work of the GRAMMY Museum and MusiCares — two charitable organizations founded by the Recording Academy that focus on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need.

The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on CBS Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.