Grammys turn 50, grow old, boring and irrelevant

The nominees are in! Please try to contain your excitement. And remember, the white zone is for loading and unloading only!

On Thursday morning, the music industry dog & pony show announced the recordings it deemed worthy of honoring this year, when the Grammys turn 50 and throw a party in their own honor, to be televised on February 10th. As has been increasingly the case over the past decade, the Academy has chosen to celebrate mediocrity in the big, flashy, headline-grabbing categories, while sticking the good stuff in the obscure slots, where it's less likely to do any real damage, or point out the inherent lameness of the whole shebang.

One need look no further than the "Album of the Year" list to feel the bile rising. The Foo Fighters (average), Vince Gill (good), Herbie Hancock (outstanding), Kanye West (ridiculously over-rated), and Amy Winehouse (well-deserved), are in the running. So, how many of you out there think Herbie Hancock will take it? Don't be shy -- raise up that hand! Why the world's finest living jazz pianist is being pitted against Kanye West -- who is clearly the world's finest Kanye West, and if you don't believe me, just ask him -- is beyond me.

My guess is, it's an attempt to throw Hancock a bone, since he's far and away the boldest, most relevant musician on this list, even though he stands zero chance of winning. Whatever. Let's just cut right to the chase, shall we? "And the Grammy goes to - Kanye West!" There. Now you can channel-surf during this segment.

Here are a few of the best records to be released this year, in my opinion:
Wilco, "Sky Blue Sky" Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Rasing Sand"; Bruce Springsteen, "Magic"; Joni Mitchell, "Shine"; Paul McCartney, "Memory Almost Full"; Richard Hawley, "Lady's Bridge"; Wyclef Jean, "Carnival II"; Neil Young, "Chrome Dreams II"; Pinback, "Autumn Of the Seraphs"; Dwight Yoakum, "Dwight Sings Buck"; Radiohead, "In Rainbows". This is a mere fraction of the worthile stuff that hit the streets. A few of these records did make the Grammy nomination cut, but not in the "Album Of the Year" category, where they belong. Half the albums mentioned above didn't even get the "damning with faint praise" treatment. They don't show up at all.

Check out the list, then send in your thoughts on omissions, or defend the Academy's choices. And watch this space for more on the 2007 nominations between now and the February 10th broadcast.

Comments

[BIG LEAGUE BOB]

Have got to laugh...CBS is running a commercial for the Grammmy's using the Rolling Stones "Sympathy For The Devil....when did the Grammy's get so hip ?....

[Coda]

Amy Whorehouse is a one-trick pony (or is that a turning-one-trick pony). She sucks.

[Casey]

Definitely the best Metallica album Mike? DEFINITELY?

I don't think so. With it's bone dry production, lack of bass, and slightly meandering moments, I think Justice does not qualify as the BEST Metallica album.

But yes, it was certainly more deserving than Jethro Tull that year and should have won.

Bottom line: these awards are meaningless and hollow.

But I still hope Machine Head wins for Best Metal Performance this year. They've earned it, and The Blackening is my favorite album of the year by far.

[denis]

I stopped believing in Santa in Kindergarden; & stopped with the Grammy Awards in High School--30 years ago. It's just a giant commercial for the record companies with little (abeit some)to do about the best in music.
PS Wouldn't it be great if Nashville won best Classical?

[nowhereman]

the grammy's are a joke. next?

[Sam S.]

"In Rainbows" is not eligible to be nominated because no one in the record industry made any money off of it.

[Mike]

I lost all respect for the Grammys in 1989, too. "...And Justice For All" is one of the top five metal albums of all time, in my opinion, and definitely the best Metallica album. Should have won, hands down. I loved Lars Ulrich's remark the following year.

As far as Amy Winehouse goes, I think she's got a great voice. She could put her career over the top, however, if she stopped doing the same socially deviant crap Keith Richards did thirty years ago. Right now, she's on track to become a semicoherent parody of herself like Ozzy Osbourne.

[Dave]

The Grammys lost credibility long ago, even before the Jethro Tull as Best Hard Rock Album winner of 1989.

[Don H]

The Grammys are like the Oscars, Athletic Halls of Fame or any other award programs. The older they become and the more winners selected, the easier it seems to crown moderate achievement. More selective judging through the years would have set higher standards of excellence.

[CDub]

Amy Winehouse will win Album of the Year. Kanye will rush the stage, and Amy will claw his face off and then light one up...