Grammy Nominations for 2016

The Grammy nominations for the February 2016 show have been released, and of course I have a few opinions.

• Kendrick Lamar, the Weeknd, and Taylor Swift are cleaning up, and that makes some sense.
• The Grammy categories are dumb and confusing, so in case you are like me and need a refresher every time you hear this, I found some FAQs out there:
• The Song Of The Year category recognizes the songwriter(s).  "Performance" of the year goes to everyone involved, the performer and the writer and everyone. Weird, right?
• The "Record Of The Year" category recognizes the artist’s performance as well as the overall contributions of the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) if other than the artist. And this is not about an entire album, "record" in this context is just about a single.  I guess it would be really hard to just call this "Single of the Year?"
• The "Album of the Year" category recognizes the entire album, not just one single.
• The rules for timing are also always weird.  For example, Swift's 1989 came out on October 27, 2014, so it seems like it shouldn't be up for awards for the 2016 Grammy's. But the Grammy year goes from October 1 to September 30, so while 1989 will be considered this year, we can't yet give Adele all of the awards in every category because her 25 came out after September 30.

Record of the Year: 

• D'Angelo - Really Love
• Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk
• Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
• Taylor Swift - Blank Space
• The Weeknd - Can' Feel My Face

I think it goes to The Weeknd, in a close race with Ronson.  Swift may deserve it as well.  I don't understand the Ed Sheeran love.

Album of the Year:

• Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color
• Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
• Chris Stapleton - Traveller
• Taylor Swift - 1989
• The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness

Pretty solid set of artists and albums.  I freaking love that Alabama Shakes album, and the fact that Stapleton made this list is amazing and shows that maybe these Grammy people can get this stuff right.  His album is amazing.  But looking back at the last 5 winners, you have Beck (with a surprise win last year), Daft Punk, Mumford & Sons, Adele, and Arcade Fire.  If it wasn't for the Daft Punk sneak attack in there, you'd think that Alabama Shakes have a great chance to take the award of the album most listened to by frumpy old traditionalists who think they like to mix things up.  But I think the critical darling and times are right for Lamar to win this one.

Song of the Year:

• Kendrick Lamar - Alright
• Taylor Swift - Blank Space
• Little Big Town - Girl Crush
• Wiz Khalifa - See You Again
• Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

Huh.  Kind of a weird slate of choices - but maybe if you think of this as trying to reward songwriters, it makes sense?  I don't think "Alright" is even in my top five of tracks from Lamar's album.  I've never heard, in my life, that song by Little Big Town.  I just went and played it on Spotify, and literally, I've never even heard a snippet on TV or on the pop radio the kids listen to. And its just any old love song with a boring 50's sway. "I want her magic touch, because maybe then you'd want me just as much."  Yaaaawwwnnn.  Can't stand the Wiz Khalifa song (even if the end of Fast and Furious 7 was pretty cool with that song and the goodbye to Paul Walker), and I think Ed Sheeran is Jason Mraz with an accent.  So I guess I'll give it to TayTay.

Best New Artist:

• Courtney Barnett
• James Bay
• Sam Hunt
• Tori Kelly
• Meghan Trainor

Well, being that I know two of those artists, and wish Meghan Trainor would disappear, then I'll have to go with Barnett.  And she kicks ass, so hopefully she wins.  I'll put the others into my Q.

Best Rock Performance:

• Alabama Shakes - Don't Wanna Fight
• Florence + the Machine - What Kind of Man
• Foo Fighters - Something from Nothing
• Elle King - Ex's and Oh's
• Wolf Alice - Moaning Lisa Smile

That Elle King track is not what I would consider rock, but we've had this discussion before. I also hate it because it is on every radio station all the time without ceasing.  Die.  The other four songs on here all kick ass, and I'd be happy with any of them winning.  I doubt Wolf Alice will, although that song is freaking awesome:

Don't you kind of wish you could go back to 1992 and rediscover grungy badass rock again? You damn right.  Pretty cool that four of five here are fronted by ladies, but I fully expect a safe pick from the Grammy's, which means Foo Fighters.

Best Rock Album:

• James Bay - The Chaos and the Calm
• Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi
• Highly Suspect - Mister Asylum
• Muse - Drones
• Slipknot - .5 The Gray Chapter

What the hell, man?  How would you not nominate any of the same bands for Performance and Album?  I've heard two of those albums (and have never even heard of a band called Highly Suspect, which is ironic).  I think four of the albums containing the nominations for Performance would whip these five albums easy. Weird.  I can't even provide any useful context here - I'll have to go listen to these albums and report back.

Best Alternative Music Album:

• Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
• Bjork - Vulnicura
• My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall
• Tame Impala - Currents
• Wilco - Star Wars.

Strong group of artists here, although I've previously explained how I can't get behind the Wilco album.  I love Bjork, but have yet to listen to that album (because I thought it wasn't on Spotify until I just found it).  Love MMJ but think they've had stronger albums in the past. I think I have to give Tame Impala the nod on this one, although the Shakes might take it.

I'll post again about Rock Album once I listen to those guys, but otherwise I'll be back in February to discuss the winners.