The Grammy Award for Best New Artist is notorious for using a fuzzy definition of the word “new.” Officially, nominees have to have released “the first recording which establishes the[ir] public identity” in the eligibility window — even if their actual debut came out years earlier, which can lead to some confusion. But it turns out the Best New Artist category does enforce certain rules. As Variety points out, this year’s biggest breakout act, Lady Gaga, won’t even get a shot at the award, since her hit “Just Dance” was already nominated for Best Dance Recording last year. Other rules disqualify Kid Cudi and Phoenix. So if none of those artists can even be nominated, who should?
Variety picked out a few possibilities, including Keri Hilson, Owl City, Kevin Rudolf, Diane Birch, and others. With the exception of Keri Hilson, none of those choices quite thrill me, to be honest. How about, say, Grizzly Bear? (Yes, Veckatimest is their third album, but it’s the one that likely put them on Grammy voters’ radar for the first time. They could be this year’s Feist.) Or the Dead Weather, who had an actual debut album that made it into the Billboard 200’s Top 10? Or, taking things in a poppier direction, Jeremih? I can’t be the only person who thinks the genius of “Birthday Sex” deserves to be noted in the Recording Academy’s historical record — or then again, maybe I can.
You must have some even better suggestions, so have at it. Who should get a Best New Artist nomination this year? The nominees will be announced in a live telecast on Dec. 2, so you still have a couple of weeks to sway the Academy’s voters…
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Hands down, Florence + The Machine.
Yesssssssss. Awesome = the first two comments/bands mentioned.
I was surprised David Cook was not nominated. His first album did great. I think he totally deserves to win!
i couldn’t agree more!
Agreed!
They forgot David Cook, that dude is sexy. I love his band, great CD 2!
I agree. David Cook should have been nominated and he should win this. Who else came closer to the Beatles’ record on Top Billboard 200 charts? David had 14 hits on there post idol for 1 week until I-tunes ripped all of the AI show hits from sales. David new cd went platinum 3 months after it went up for sale, and 2 songs (TOML and Light On) went platinum as well. Then 2 of hits hits were #1 videos on VH1 Top Twenty Countdown. David has also been active in donating his time and efforts for cancer research. David has many fans that want to see him get this award. Please consider David for this award and make many many people very very happy!
That is EXACTLY what I was going to say! Florence + the Machine FOR SURE!
Who?
Exactly who I thought of, too!
Kevin Rudolf! hand down! Let it Rock is the song of the year!!!!
Florence and the Machine, sure deserve a nomination. David Cook deserves both a nomination and a win.
Ok, not real sure who Florence and the Machine are but then their fans probably don’t know who David Cooks is. How ’bout y’all watch a tour performance of a song he & his guitarist wrote that was a mere bonus track on his platinum-selling album and let the man “speak” for himself:
Empire of the Sun
Yessssssssssssss to this too.
Scott, lay off the “s” key.
You suck big time!!!! Go back to your mummy!!
Adam lambert!
He’s not eligible this year… “The eligibility period for the 2010 Grammy awards is October 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009.”
plus hes a fake talentless whore
But don’t the Idols’ singles that were released via iTunes during the AI season count?
But does singing a bunch of cover songs make one deserving of this award?
I think not.
He’s probably got more talent in his pinky finger than any of the other people mentioned on this page.
Why Adam Lambert? I think David Cook was the best Idol. I saw him and his band in Newport Beach, Ca. They Rocked it!
David Archuleta!
He’s not eligible… because he sucks.
Get lost you are screwed up!!!
LOVE archie but his debut album came out over a year ago… don’t think he qualifies as “new”.
wrong article oops lol. disregard that.
Florence + the Machine
Cage the Elephant
Would like to see Cage The Elephant nominated. But unfortunately the Grammys don’t consider Alternative Rock mainstream no more. How Sad
Cage the Elephant for sure
Sux that lady gaga can’t be in the running. She has exploded this year. And is the best out of the people you mentioned.maybe drake? he’s the only other one i can think of. he made a huge splash even though he hasn’t released a full length album yet.Dont know if he’d be on the grammys radar though.
I bet Lady Gaga will be nominated for the other major categories, though. The New Artist award is a joke. It doesn’t represent staying power or artistic vision. And the arbitrary nature of the nominations – i.e., how Lady Gaga can’t be nominated because she established her public image and presence before this year but Lauryn Hill, who had a great album but was already present with the Fugees, can be… – makes them useless.
HOW DARE YOU compare Lauryn Hill to gaga? LH RIGHTLY won Best New Artist bc ‘Miseducation’ was her SOLO album. It was “the first recording which establishes the public identity”!
@ ben: This was gaga’s beakout year. But Im surprised that her cd has only sold 1mill in the US. She has had 2 #1 & every1 talks about her. With her WW sales has she sold 5mill cds?
@lilkunta: Most people buy digital now. The albums they take into the account are physical albums not digital. Her digital album sales are around 20m.
I agree with all of you guy’s statements. Hopefully Gaga is nominated for other categories… and wins, furthermore.
actually, her debut album The Fame has old more than 2.5 million copies in the Us alone and over 8 million worldwide, and her 2nd cd The Fame Monster is already close to sellin 1 million in the Us alone, and its only be out for about a month.
and it doesnt matter if the album is digital or physical they count towards album slaes and it isnt at 20 million quite yet
marina and the diamonds! i’m obsessed.
I wouldn’t dismiss Diane Birch so quickly! Most people who own the record would point out that it should not only get Best New Artist, but Album of the Year!
La Roux, MOST DEFINITELY La Roux!!
Completely agree, but in order for them to get a major break here, they need a high profile gig in the U.S. like SNL. They’re not even playing in NYC til Feb. which is wayyyyyy too close to the Grammys, or may actually even be afterwards. They’re playing the Thursday before President’s Day/Valentine’s Day weekend. They’re on Interscope here in the U.S., which is also Gaga’s label. I love both, but you know who currently the label is lavishing with promo support…EVEN if Gaga can’t be nominated for Best New Artist they’ll push for her to be nominated for a bunch of the Pop categories.
I was just going to post that! I totally agree!
Agreed! I was totally going to suggest them too.
White Lies
agreed!
MOST DEFINITELY David Cook!
Miike Snow
That would be so awesome!
Absolutely!!
Imelda May or Diane Birch.
I would say Drake. But really should we be nominating anyone for this? I always thought it was a little bit of a curse though there are some who won that did just fine (i.e. Christina Aguilera).
Zac Brown Band
Yes! I love them
But they probably won’t win, the Grammys stink at recognizing country artists.
Not this year! Can you imagine how many nominations little miss Taylor Swift is probably going to get with the way things are going for her?
diane birch is a good call. it would be stupid to nominate bands like phoenix and gizzly bear, who arent new, just because they might be more popular now. i definitely vote for Florence and the Machine to win, even if lady gaga was in the running. Also La Roux and Band of Skulls deserve noms