The 52nd annual Grammy awards are handed out tonight, so let’s take a look at the nominees for the major awards that people care about. Below are my predictions for who will win, along with who should actually win. Prediction of the night: There will be plenty of opportunities for Kanye to interrupt Taylor Swift.
Album of the Year
Nominees:
Beyonce – “I Am … Sasha Fierce”
Black Eyed Peas – “The E.N.D.”
Dave Matthews Band – “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King”
Lady Gaga – “The Fame”
Taylor Swift – “Fearless”
Who will win: This one is really tough to call. Normally, the Grammy people like to throw in one non-mainstream (usually old) artist in the nominees and it’s always a safe bet that they will come out on top (see Herbie Hancock last year). This time, all of these albums are by people who get plenty of radio airplay. While it would be nice to see Dave Matthews Band win because they lost their saxophonist, this one is more than likely to come down between Beyonce and Taylor Swift (sound familiar?). I’m going with Taylor Swift. Lady Gaga is a possibility but remains the third most likely to win, while the Black Eyed Peas and Dave Matthews Band will most likely not win.
Who should win: Although most of these albums are decent, I wouldn’t give this award to any of them. If I had to pick from these 5, I would go with Beyonce. The fact that the Black Eyed Peas are nominated for album of the year is an atrocity, as “Boom Boom Pow” and “Meet Me Halfway” are two of the worst songs I’ve ever heard in my life, and the entire album is ruined by auto-tune and lame background beats.
Should have been nominated: So many to choose from, but I’ll go with my favorite album of 2009, Silversun Pickups – Swoon.
Record of the Year
Nominees:
Beyonce – “Halo”
Black Eyed Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”
Who will win: Also hard to predict. The Grammy Academy loves Beyonce, but I just get the sense that this is Taylor Swift’s year. Lady Gaga is once again a wildcard, and don’t be surprised if Kings of Leon make a splash in the big categories either.
Who should win: It’s hard not to give this one to Beyonce, because Halo is a very well written, beautiful song. “Use Somebody” is a very catchy and upbeat song that made it all over the pop charts, which is very rare for a alternative rock band, which is who Kings of Leon are at heart.
Should have been nominated: MGMT – Kids.
Song of the Year
Nominees:
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Pretty Wings – Maxwell
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) – Beyonce
You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift
Who will win: The difference between song of the year and record of the year is always confusing, but song of the year is an award for the songwriters, where record of the year is more about the finished product. Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” sounds great, but isn’t the best written song. I wouldn’t be shocked if Kings of Leon or Lady Gaga won, but I think Beyonce beats Taylor in something, so I’m saying it’s this one.
Who should win: Kings of Leon
Should have been nominated: Pearl Jam – The Fixer.
Best New Artist
Nominees:
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings
Who will win: Unless the academy loosens up, this is Keri Hilson’s to lose.
Who should win: While Silversun Pickups are the better band, the year MGMT had should be rewarded.
Should have been nominated: Phoenix has been around too long to be eligible, so how about we go with Kid Cudi.
Best Pop Vocal Album
Nominees:
The E.N.D. – Black Eyed Peas
Breakthrough – Colbie Caillat
All I Ever Wanted – Kelly Clarkson
The Fray – The Fray
Funhouse – Pink
Who will win: Ugh. Black Eyed Peas
Who should win: Kelly Clarkson
Best Rock Album:
Nominees:
AC/DC – “Black Ice”
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – “Live From Madison Square Garden”
Green Day – “21st Century Breakdown”
Dave Matthews Band – “Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King”
U2 – No Line on the Horizon
Who will win: Grammy people love love love U2, but I think even that won’t stop this from going to Dave Matthews Band.
Who should win: Dave Matthews Band
Should have been nominated: Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures. Hands down best pure rock album of 2009.
Best Rock Song:
Nominees:
Pearl Jam – “The Fixer”
U2 – “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”
Green Day – “21 Guns”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Bruce Springsteen – “Working on a Dream”
Who will win: Could there be an upset? No. Kings of Leon make it 2 years in a row with a “Best Rock Song” Grammy.
Who should win: I have no problem with either Pearl Jam or Kings of Leon winning, and since the latter will, that’s okay with me.
Should have been nominated: Alice in Chains – Check My Brain.
Best Alternative Album:
Nominees:
David Byrne & Brian Eno – “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today”
Death Cab For Cutie – “The Open Door”
Depeche Mode – “Sounds of the Universe” (will win)
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (should win)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Should have been nominated: So Silversun Pickups get nominated for Best New Artist, but their album, “Swoon”, doesn’t get nominated in it’s genre?
Best Rap Album
Nominees:
Common – Universal Mind Control
Eminem – Relapse
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Mos Def – The Ecstatic (should win, will win)
Q-Tip – Renaissance
Should have been nominated: P.O.S. – Never Better
Best Rap Song
Nominees:
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N Nite”
T.I. feat. Justin Timberlake – “Dead and Gone”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West – “Run This Town”
Who will win: This should be interesting. T.I. just finished a sentence, and “Dead and Gone” is about how he’s changed. Will that be enough for the academy? Or will Kid Cudi steal the award in an upset? I’m going with Jay-Z for D.O.A.
Who should win: Kid Cudi
Should have been nominated: I always find it weird when the best album of a genre doesn’t get a best song nomination for that genre. I think Mos Def’s “Quiet Dog” will fall victim to that this year.
That's it for now, en
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