Thursday, December 07, 2006

Grammy Predictions

The Grammy nominations were announced this morning, but rather than discuss who should or shouldn't have been nominated, blah blah blah, I'm going to announce my picks. Well, at least for the categories that I listen to, or know something about, or care about -- or whatever. Because, in all honesty, I know nothing about Polka or Hawaiian music. And, as a disclaimer, I'm willing to admit that my only qualification to make these picks is that I buy a lot of albums, so I'm as likely to be wrong as much as anyone else. But still, everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Here's mine:


  1. Best Short Form Music Video

    8th Of November -- Big & Rich
    When You Were Young -- The Killers
    Here It Goes Again -- OK Go
    Dani California -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Writing On The Walls -- Underoath

    To me, this is an easy choice. I've seen all but one of these, and honestly, the only one that stood out at all is OK Go. I mean, I devoted an entire blog entry to how awesome this video is. If it doesn't win, it was robbed. Best. Video. Ever.

  2. Best Country Song

    Every Mile A Memory -- Dierks Bentley
    I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today -- Gretchen Wilson
    Jesus, Take The Wheel -- Carrie Underwood
    Like Red On A Rose -- Alan Jackson
    What Hurts The Most -- Rascal Flatts

    Alright. I admit it. I occasionally listen to country music that is not the Dixie Chicks. And I really like two of these songs -- I Don't Feel Like Loving You Today and What Hurts the Most. But neither will win. Heck, if Carrie Underwood won the Country Music Award (or whatever the heck those things are called), she'll probably win this too. Maybe Gretchen Wilson will win something else.


  3. Best Country Collaboration With Vocals

    Who Says You Can't Go Home -- Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles
    Tomorrow Is Forever -- Solomon Burke & Dolly Parton
    Calling Me -- Kenny Rogers & Don Henley
    Midnight Angel -- Rhonda Vincent & Bobby Osborne
    Love Will Always Win -- Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks

    I just put this in so I could vote for Bon Jovi. Whatever.


  4. Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

    Not Ready To Make Nice -- Dixie Chicks
    Heaven's My Home -- The Duhks
    Boondocks -- Little Big Town
    What Hurts The Most -- Rascal Flatts
    Leave The Pieces -- The Wreckers

    Love the Dixie Chicks. Love the Wreckers. Like Rascal Flatts. I think the latter will win this one, though.


  5. Best Alternative Music Album

    Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not -- Arctic Monkeys
    At War With The Mystics -- The Flaming Lips
    St. Elsewhere -- Gnarls Barkley
    Show Your Bones -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
    The Eraser -- Thom Yorke

    I have no idea why Gnarls Barkley is in this category. They won't win, will they?


  6. Best Rock Album

    Try! -- John Mayer Trio
    Highway Companion -- Tom Petty
    Broken Boy Soldiers -- The Raconteurs
    Stadium Arcadium -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Living With War -- Neil Young

    I love the John Mayer Trio album, but it's blues, not rock. I think the Raconteurs will win this, because they're critical darlings. And it's a pretty good album.


  7. Best Rock Song

    Chasing Cars --Snow Patrol
    Dani California -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Lookin' For A Leader -- Neil Young
    Someday Baby -- Bob Dylan
    When You Were Young -- The Killers

    This is one of those categories where I like each song for completely different reasons, so none of them stand out. I sort of hope that Snow Patrol win this one, because they're like nothing else out there right now. But I can't get When You Were Young out of my head lately.


  8. Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

    Talk -- Coldplay
    How To Save A Life -- The Fray
    Steady, As She Goes -- The Raconteurs
    Dani California -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
    The Saints Are Coming -- U2 & Green Day

    See #3 and substitute "U2" for "Bon Jovi." No, seriously, even though the song was supposed to benefit Katrina victims, I don't think it'll win. I love How to Save a Life, but it won't win either (too "pop"). Coldplay is so last year, so give my vote, again, to the Raconteurs. And it's a great song.


  9. Best Dance Recording

    Suffer Well -- Depeche Mode
    Ooh La La -- Goldfrapp
    Get Together -- Madonna
    I'm With Stupid -- Pet Shop Boys
    Sexy Back -- Justin Timberlake & Timbaland

    Still trying to figure out how Depeche Mode wound up in this category. Give my vote to J.T.


  10. Best Pop Vocal Album

    Back To Basics -- Christina Aguilera
    Back To Bedlam -- James Blunt
    The River In Reverse -- Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
    Continuum -- John Mayer
    FutureSex/LoveSounds -- Justin Timberlake

    I really like the John Mayer album, but it won't win. And James Blunt is annoying. And as much as I like Elvis Costello . . . It'll be between Xtina and J.T. I think Xtina will win.


  11. Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals

    For Once In My Life -- Tony Bennett & Stevie Wonder
    One -- Mary J. Blige & U2
    Always On Your Side -- Sheryl Crow & Sting
    Promiscuous -- Nelly Furtado & Timbaland
    Hips Don't Lie -- Shakira & Wyclef Jean

    I didn't like the new version of One the first time I heard it, but it's starting to grow on me. Just the same, I think it's going to go to Promiscuous or Hips Don't Lie. I vote for the latter.


  12. Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal

    My Humps -- The Black Eyed Peas
    I Will Follow You Into The Dark -- Death Cab For Cutie
    Over My Head (Cable Car)-- The Fray
    Is It Any Wonder? -- Keane
    Stickwitu -- The Pussycat Dolls

    Just for the record, My Humps is a seriously dumb song. I think it's going to be between The Fray and Keane. I don't care which.


  13. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

    You're Beautiful -- James Blunt
    Save Room -- John Legend
    Waiting On The World To Change -- John Mayer
    Jenny Wren -- Paul McCartney
    Bad Day -- Daniel Powter

    I'd like to see either of the Johns win this one. Mostly because I'm sick of James Blunt and Daniel Powter.


  14. Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

    Ain't No Other Man -- Christina Aguilera
    Unwritten -- Natasha Bedingfield
    You Can Close Your Eyes -- Sheryl Crow
    Stupid Girls -- Pink
    Black Horse And The Cherry Tree -- KT Tunstall

    There is something about each of these that annoys me. KT Tunstall is the least annoying.


  15. Best New Artist

    James Blunt
    Chris Brown
    Imogen Heap
    Corinne Bailey Rae
    Carrie Underwood

    Since this is the kiss of death, I sincerely hope that James Blunt wins this. He is whiny and malnourished-looking.


  16. Song Of The Year

    Be Without You -- Mary J. Blige
    Jesus, Take The Wheel -- Carrie Underwood
    Not Ready To Make Nice --Dixie Chicks
    Put Your Records On --Corinne Bailey Rae
    You're Beautiful -- James Blunt

    Please, God, let the Dixie Chicks win this. This song kicks ass.


  17. Album Of The Year

    Taking The Long Way -- Dixie Chicks
    St. Elsewhere -- Gnarls Barkley
    Continuum -- John Mayer
    Stadium Arcadium -- Red Hot Chili Peppers
    FutureSex/LoveSounds -- Justin Timberlake

    I can think of reasons that any of these artists can or should win this, or why they won't. I originally was tempted to say Gnarls Barkley would win this, but honestly, they're all about the song, not the album. I hope the Dixie Chicks win.


  18. Record Of The Year

    Be Without You -- Mary J. Blige
    You're Beautiful -- James Blunt
    Not Ready To Make Nice -- Dixie Chicks
    Crazy --Gnarls Barkley
    Put Your Records On -- Corinne Bailey Rae

    When I close my eyes and think of the theme song to this year, it's Crazy. Not only is it awesome, but it can't be classified into any one genre. If it doesn't win I'll be surprised.



So, there you go. My list.

What do you think?

10 comments:

Miss Scarlet said...

I think the Arctic Monkeys album is great.

The Raconteurs vs. RHCP is a good one and tough to call.

Best Rock Song is a tough category!

Xtina is soooo good vocally.

I'm going to be pissed if Mary J Blige wins anything. I LOATHE HER!

Justin S. said...

The U2 - Mary J Blige duet is growing on you, huh? I knew you'd come around. I think they have a shot at winning the pop collaboration category, but anything could win that, really... you can't underestimate Tomy Bennett and Stevie Wonder's ability to pull in votes either.

I don't understand why Mary J inspires loathing, but Miss Scarlet isn't the first person I've heard have that reaction. I think she's incredibly talented in a way that overcomes a genre I usually don't care for.

I'd like to see a big night for the Dixie Chicks in general. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a favorite band of mine but I don't think this past album was that great.

I thought My Humps was a dumb song... then I heard Fergilicious.

I think Gnarls Barkley WILL win alternative album... the real question is why that category even exists anymore.

DSL said...

Justin, Justin, Justin, I can't believe you think that Mary J Blige duet was any good! She's great on her own but the whole duet thing is beyond her. Grammy night was terrible for her.

And why do the Dixie Chicks have to win everything? There are other talented country stars.

I wish Fergie would do us a favor and not do any more albums on her own.

If we didn't have an alternative category, where would we put all the random stuff that doesn't quite fit into rock or pop? :-p

And I do love Christina's voice. (Sorry, can't call her xtine because that's how I am.)

dara said...

Scarlet: I haven't heard the entire Arctic Monkey's album yet. I'll have to listen to it soon.

And I totally understand the Mary J. Blige loathing. I think that's why I was so resistant to her version of One. But Bono's vocals are better on this version than the original . . .

Justin: The alternative category is a mess and needs to be reworked.

My loathing of Mary J. Blige goes back years. She seems to have toned it down some lately, but when she first came on the scene, she seemed like this total annoying worse-than-Mariah-Carey diva bitch, who had done nothing to deserve it.

As far as I'm concerned, the only smart thing Fergie has ever done is land herself Josh Duhamel.

Debby: I didn't know you liked country music or Christina Aguilera so much. I am now completely intrigued by your upcoming PH4H CD club entry.

Justin S. said...

I stand by my liking of U2 and Mary J Blige.

I didn't have much opinion one way or another of her early in her career (other than a general distaste for overproduced R&B). No More Drama (than song that sampled the Young and the Restless theme) is the song that really won me over. Also the duet she did with Wyclef.

Justin S. said...

Dara: I'm not some huge country music fan. I don't own any country music so don't expect any on the CD (although I do wish I had a few songs by Reba and Winona Judd). But one of my stations in the car is set for a country music station. Blame or give credit to an exboyfriend. As for Christina, I loved the Genie in a Bottle song, I admit it.

DSL said...

crap, Justin stop leaving your identity on my computer! Obviously that last one was mine.

Beakerz said...

Thanks for making me aware of the realize of the list. I've had my head up my own butt so kewl of ya.

And I love Snow Patrol and that song, but best Rock song? I can't believe that's even in it.

Anonymous said...

I don't care much about the Grammy Awards, but I'll leave you with this prediction:

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will win three of the five categories for which they're nominated, including best video. The Grammies (Grammys?) are notorious for rewarding sub-par efforts by time-tested artists. The Raconteurs will likely be shut out.

Ron said...

Hi Dara,

You should enjoy this site: www.rankopedia.com. They just launched a category for "Best rock song ever". I voted for Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.