Each year I struggle with whether I am more excited for the Grammys or for the Superbowl. This year there is not contest. I care very, very little about the Superbowl this year. [As a Chiefs fan, that is my prerogative. Current AFC West rivals Denver vs. former AFC West rivals Seattle (any ACF West team current or former is considered a rival, obviously). It’s lose-lose for me. For the record I’ll be cheering for Seattle, because there is nothing in this world that could bring me to cheer on Denver.] But I care very, very much about the Grammys (as much as someone who has no actual investment in the show or music industry can care).
I feel like this year, they might have done a fairly decent job with the nominations (minus the fact that JT wasn’t present on the list for Album of the Year). I think they manage to not choose the most obscure stuff possible, which is the norm for the Recording Academy. If you watch the show, and you keep up with music in any sense, you will most likely recognized 3/4 of the people, which is a fantastic concept!
I always like to make my picks prior to the actual give aways…because who doesn’t like to do that? Below you fill find the list of people I think will go home with the award, and people I want to/should take home the gramophone (of course you will notice I only choose winner for the awards I have interest in…because I don’t want to get involved in 0ver 80 awards).
******I will be live-tweeting this event. You can follow me here: @mistydawnclay******
RECORD OF THE YEAR (goes to the performer)
- Get Lucky -Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
- Radioactive-Imagine Dragons
- Royals-Lorde
- Locked Out Of Heaven-Bruno Mars
- Blurred Lines –Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell
There is no way that “Blurred Lines” shouldn’t go home with this award. IT WAS THE MOST PLAYED SONG IN THE HISTORY OF EVER. And I’m hoping the academy recognizes this.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- The Blessed Unrest -Sara Bareilles
- Random Access Memories -Daft Punk
- Good Kid, M.A.A.D City -Kendrick Lamar
- The Heist -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Red -Taylor Swift
I think that The Heist is a safe Grammy bet. I mean, it was independently released and has a “message.” It’s Grammy bait. But I think Taylor Swift should be the victor here. I mean, seriously. Did any of the rest of the nominees sell over ONE MILLION albums in a week? And did any of the other nominees have an album with more diversity? The answer is no.
SONG OF THE YEAR (goes to the writer)
- Just Give Me A Reason -Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
- Locked Out Of Heaven -Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
- Roar -Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
- Royals -Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
- Same Love -Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
“Royals” should have this in the bag. It’s easily the most unique song and the cleverest. Which I’m pretty sure is what this award is about. I’m just fearful that the Academy will once again side with the message of “Same Love”.
BEST NEW ARTIST
- James Blake
- Kendrick Lamar
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Kacey Musgraves
- Ed Sheeran
I want Ed Sheeran to win. Because he is the bomb, and clearly the best artist out of this bunch, but I just don’t think it’s fair. He’s not really a new artist. Last year “A Team” was nominated for Song of the Year, and I feel like the fact that he’s been nominated before should disqualify him. With him out the running, I think Kacey Musgraves should win, but I think Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will sweep.
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
- Brave -Sara Bareilles
- Royals -Lorde
- When I Was Your Man -Bruno Mars
- Roar -Katy Perry
- Mirrors -Justin Timberlake
Quick fact: I want JT to win everything he’s ever nominated for.
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
- Get Lucky -Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
- Just Give Me A Reason -Pink Featuring Nate Ruess
- Stay -Rihanna Featuring Mikky Ekko
- Blurred Lines -Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell
- Suit & Tie -Justin Timberlake & Jay Z
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
- Paradise -Lana Del Rey
- Pure Heroine -Lorde
- Unorthodox Jukebox -Bruno Mars
- Blurred Lines -Robin Thicke
- The 20/20 Experience – The Complete Experience –Justin Timberlake
This is the best they can do after snubbing him in for Album of the Year. Give JT’s comeback album some real love.
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM
- Random Access Memories –Daft Punk
- Settle -Disclosure
- 18 Months -Calvin Harris
- Atmosphere -Kaskade
- A Color Map Of The Sun -Pretty Lights
To be totally honest, I only recognize Daft Punk and Calvin Harris. And out of those two I like Daft Punk more.
BEST ROCK ALBUM
- 13 –Black Sabbath
- The Next Day -David Bowie
- Mechanical Bull -Kings Of Leon
- Celebration Day -Led Zeppelin
- …Like Clockwork -Queens Of The Stone Age
- Psychedelic Pill -Neil Young With Crazy Horse
So many old guys in one category. But I think no one is more true, real rock than Black Sabbath. The Kings of Leon don’t even deserve to be nominated with Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
- The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You -Neko Case
- Trouble Will Find Me -The National
- Hesitation Marks -Nine Inch Nails
- Lonerism -Tame Impala
- Modern Vampires Of The City -Vampire Weekend
I’m seeing a nostalgia win in this category. But I like Vampire Weekend more.
BEST R&B SONG
- Best Of Me -Anthony Hamilton & Jairus Mozee, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
- Love And War -Tamar Braxton, Darhyl Camper, Jr., LaShawn Daniels & Makeba Riddick, songwriters (Tamar Braxton)
- Only One -PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton Featuring Stevie Wonder)
- Pusher Love Girl -James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
- Without Me -Fantasia Barrino, Missy Elliott, Al Sherrod Lambert, Harmony Samuels & Kyle Stewart, songwriters (Fantasia Featuring Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliot)
The truth is I have no idea who the Academy will choose, since I know none of these songs, but I do know who Stevie Wonder is, and I think his name will/should pull some votes. But once again, I ALWAYS want JT to win.
BEST R&B ALBUM
- R&B Divas -Faith Evans
- Girl On Fire -Alicia Keys
- Love In The Future -John Legend
- Better -Chrisette Michele
- Three Kings -TGT
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
- Started From The Bottom -Drake
- Berzerk -Eminem
- Tom Ford -Jay Z
- Swimming Pools (Drank) -Kendrick Lamar
- Thrift Shop -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz
Just so we are all clear, I know little to nothing about rap music. I know that I like Drake, because he seems to have feelings and in general is less offensive to me, not to mention he is incredibly attractive and also sings. But that is where my knowledge ends. I know who all of these people are, but I can’t tell you a single thing about what makes a rap song good. I do know that Jay-Z and Eminem seem to be crazy respected though…so there’s that. I’m calling it a toss up between them.
BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
- Power Trip -J. Cole Featuring Miguel
- Part II (On The Run) -Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
- Holy Grail -Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
- Now Or Never -Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J. Blige
- Remember You -Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd
Oh look, it’s Jay-Z vs. Jay-Z. Side note: Maybe it’s just me, but aren’t alllllll rap songs collaborations???
BEST RAP SONG
- F***in’ Problems -Tauheed Epps, Aubrey Graham, Kendrick Lamar, Rakim Mayers & Noah Shebib, songwriters (ASAP Rocky Featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
- Holy Grail -Shawn Carter, Terius Nash, J. Harmon, Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl & Krist Novoselic, songwriters) (Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake)
- New Slaves -Christopher Breaux, Ben Bronfman, Mike Dean, Louis Johnson, Malik Jones, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, Che Smith, Kanye West & Cydell Young, songwriters (Anna Adamis & Gabor Presser, songwriters)
(Kanye West) - Started From The Bottom -W. Coleman, Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Bruno Sanfilippo, songwriter) (Drake)
- Thrift Shop -Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)
BEST RAP ALBUM
- Nothing Was The Same -Drake
- Magna Carta…Holy Grail -Jay Z
- Good Kid, M.A.A.D City -Kendrick Lamar
- The Heist -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Yeezus -Kanye West
Personally I find Kanye West to be incredibly offensive. But I also recognize that everyone sees him as kind of a crazy genius.
BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE
- I Drive Your Truck -Lee Brice
- I Want Crazy -Hunter Hayes
- Mama’s Broken Heart -Miranda Lambert
- Wagon Wheel -Darius Rucker
- Mine Would Be You -Blake Shelton
“I Drive Your Truck” is the sentimental favorite. And I feel like “Wagon Wheel” shouldn’t be allowed because it’s not an original song. This year feel like all of the country nominees are pretty dead even this year. That’s the beauty of country music, it’s all good. These are the hardest categories for me to choose, because not only do I like them all, but I also see them all as equally likely to win.
BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
- From This Valley -The Civil Wars
- Don’t Rush -Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill
- Your Side Of The Bed -Little Big Town
- Highway Don’t Care -Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
- You Can’t Make Old Friends –Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton
“Your Side of the Bed” is hands down the best song in this category. Buuuuut, Vince Gill has 20 Grammys, so they obviously like him.
BEST COUNTRY SONG
- Begin Again –Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
- I Drive Your Truck -Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Jimmy Yeary, songwriters (Lee Brice)
- Mama’s Broken Heart -Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
- Merry Go ‘Round -Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
- Mine Would Be You -Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Deric Ruttan, songwriters (Blake Shelton)
The Academy likes Taylor, and for good reason. She embodies everything that they promote. Regardless of whether you like her or not, you can’t really deny her song writing ability (which is what this award recognizes). Also, she is the only one single writer nominated, so that should count for something. She is possibly the best writer of my generation. Also, I am partial to this song because it’s rumored to be about the love of my life, one Will Anderson.
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
- Night Train –Jason Aldean
- Two Lanes Of Freedom –Tim McGraw
- Same Trailer Different Park –Kacey Musgraves
- Based On A True Story –Blake Shelton
- Red –Taylor Swift
Anyone who knows me knows that I adore Taylor Swift, but “Red” is not a country album. Yes, it has a few country songs on it, but in general, it’s a pretty pop album. The fact that my bffff Tara likes it is all the verification I need. Other than “Red” I think this is a solid batch of country albums, it could go to anyone, but I think the Academy is going to send Kacey Musgraves home with the award.
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