Put on your thinkin’ caps, Mixers: This year’s Grammy Nomination Special — the exciting megamix version of what used to be a plain ol’ nominations announcement — is airing live on CBS tomorrow night. Who will hear their name called? It’s a crapshoot, and only one thing is for sure: We’ll be back here arguing about the results on Thursday!
There are several inevitabilities within the field of honorees, starting with the obvious: Seeing as how the Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and Sugarland are all slated to appear on the broadcast, it’s a safe bet we’ll see nominations for all three. (Unlikely to be feted: Nick Jonas and the Administration.) Another safe bet: Taylor Swift. After dominating the CMAs, AMAs, CMTs, VMAs, and every other acronymed ceremony, 2008′s Best New Artist nominee (and a performer who actually did walk away from the megamix empty-handed last year) will almost certainly get the chance to finally win something with a fully-spelled-out name. Only real suspense should come in how many nods she gets outside of the country categories — and how long it takes for her to get a MySpace video up documenting her flabbergasted reaction to the news.
We’ve also now determined that Lady Gaga officially cannot be your Best New Artist, but that doesn’t mean she can’t pick up plenty of noms for The Fame, above and beyond the dance ghetto where “Just Dance” lost last year. Meanwhile, smart guesses among those who are eligible for the Kiss of Career Death Award™ include Keri Hilson and Owl “Not The Postal Service” City. EW’s Simon Vozick-Levinson is pulling for Grizzly Bear as “this year’s Feist.” I won’t be surprised to see the Zac Brown Band filling this year’s Lady Antebellum slot — though if the Grammys really wanted to mess with people, they would nominate Darius Rucker.
What about Album of the Year? The field seems even more mainstream-centric than usual, given strong voter-bait showings from U2, Green Day, the freakishly dominant Black Eyed Peas, and the sympathetically-resurgent Whitney Houston. Lots of folks out there are predicting a Maxwell nod; Allen Toussaint seems most likely to receive the Herbie Hancock Memorial Elder Statesman spot. I like the idea of the Decemberists and their epic, ambitious, gorgeously flawed Hazards of Love as a long shot. And no one should rule out Swift. Ever.
What are your predictions, Mixers? Get those picks in now so you can lord it over people when your Brad Paisley-for-Best Album prediction comes true. Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. ET/PT for the Grammy nominations special, live on CBS. And then don’t forget to watch the actual Grammys, which will also be live on CBS: Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, at 8 p.m. ET/PT!
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
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Lambert on ‘Ellen’: An almost-apology for his controversial AMA performance
Michael Jackson tops 2009 Google and Yahoo searches
Lupe Fiasco raps over Radiohead’s ‘National Anthem’
Nick Jonas leaves the nest for solo tour
HBO airs Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concerts: Your favorite moments?
Photo Credit: Swift: Chris Hatcher/PR Photos; Lady Gaga: John Spellman/Retna Ltd
I would love to see Gaga nominated. She has made me dance like nobody this year. Her songs just make me HAPPY and that’s the best thing music can do. As she says, POP MUSIC WILL NEVER BE LOWBROW!
But I feel like they will slight her b/c she does pop!
Love Gaga, maybe she’ll actually win considering there aren’t a million tweenage girls voting endlessly for Swift.
Yes, I third Gaga! And I am also getting really tired of Swift….
Please use another Ga Ga photo. There are tons to choose from.
Another photo? Why?
THAT’S what your a fan of: a hideous she-male.
There’s only so many ways to disguise that fact.
She is not a she male…however, if she was, what is the problem with that?
I like her music, work ethic, and fun preformances. My point is that, more than any other artist, EW should be able to find another photo of Gaga. She has a new outfit on everyday.
You know, all this “she male” talk is stupid because it’s used to discredit any accomplishments she may have made in her life because of a rumored sexual organ she may or may not have. I wish some people would grow up.
I’m hoping that Shakira gets recognized for “Best Dance Recording” nomination for “She Wolf”
While I’m sure the Taylor Swift bashing will begin soon, I’m glad to see that she’ll probably get a Grammy nod. She has done A LOT this year for Country music and deserves to be recognized, while everyone is entitled to their own opinion you cannot deny that she is extremely popular. She is also a very wholesome young artist who has yet to be corrupted by fame, good to see that there is still a decent person among the music stars.
The name I expected to see was Micheal Jackson, I’m sure we will see some sort of honorary award for him.
I still can’t help but wonder how many awards Jackson would have won if he hadn’t died…
Yes she is extremely popular. And she does seem like a decent person who hasn’t let the fame go to her head. But for the life of me I cannot see how she has gotten so many awards this year…especially Female Vocalist of the Year. I’m sorry but she has a kareoke voice and nothing more.
I think that Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Eminem, Jay-Z, T.I., U2, Maxwell and Taylor Swift will receive multiple nominations. But I believe that Whitney Houston will get several nominations as well. The Grammys like to see this perfect comeback , and they’ll get it from Whitney. She will most likely get an Album of the Year nomination, but mostly get R&B category nominations. I don’t think she’ll get pop nominations like in the past.
I don’t think she’ll get THAT much Grammy love. Maybe R&B. She hasn’t had a hit off the album. Sure, it went number 1, but Best Album? Not likely.
Kelly Clarkson and Paramore. Please. They both deserve serious props.
Seconded.
“my life” is a shoo-in for pop female as is a nom for pop album. she’ll probably lose to lady gag though, but maybe just for album.
I’d agree, except the label submitted Already Gone for consideration, not My Life Would Suck Without You. I think Already Gone is the stronger song, though not as much of a shoe-in as My Life would have been.
Taylor Swift deserves ONE nod and nothing more. She does not deserve to win an award as there are many more talented artists, especially ones that can sing and put on a performance.
Thank you! Please no more celebration of mediocrity.
Hallelujah to that!
agree wholedheartedly…let’s reward some other artists
She need only be nominated for Country Album or whatever they are calling the category this year. Because her album sold very well. But she should NOT be nominated for any category with Vocalist of the Year in it…period. EVER.
Britney Spears: Best Hand waving and Walking Pop Female.
Good one, Chichi!
the Killers, Wilco and Pearl Jam should be nominated, but then good music would be getting nominated and that is never going to happen
I really hope I hear Green Day’s name called tomorrow, not only for Best Rock Album but also for Album of the Year. They spent the last 5 years putting together an actual album, a cd that isn’t just a bunch of songs surrounding a couple of singles. All the songs connect and relate to each other resulting in one of their best Albums to date. If the Grammys can’t recognize and appreciate this amazing band and the work they have done, I will be really shocked. At the very least please nominate an artist who actually deserves the praise, such as Pearl Jam, Jay-Z, or U2.
They nominated American Idiot, i can’t see why the wouldn’t nominate 21st Century Breakdown for at least best rock album.
Taylor Swift is a fan favorite, but not deserving of Grammy Nominations, based on her singing ability and paint by numbers lyrics (which seems to be an exuse for her one note voice). That being said I am a teenage girl who is easy to please, and I enjoy her music.
Best Pop Vocal Performance Female:
LADY GAGA- Paparazzi
BEYONCE-Halo
KELLY CLARKSON- Already Gone
You forgot Katy Perry for “Waking Up in Vegas!”
And Pink for “Please Don’t Leave Me” or “Sober!”
And they were forgotten for good reason.
Please don’t let the Black Eyed Peas sells allow them to become nominees.
agreed. talentless artists shouldn’t be honored at the Grammys
god, they are awful!
i agree they are not all that but i hate to say it, record of the year and album of the year are all but guaranteed, unfortunately.
Kelly Clarkson deserves some nods!!!!
Agreed, Ray~ All I Ever Wanted is a terrific album – “My Life Would Suck Without You” made the biggest jump in billboard history from 97 to 1… Already Gone is doing so well on radio and is a tremendous song… Kelly so deserves some nods this year! Keeping my fingers crossed!
I don’t think Kelly should get a nomination for Already Gone. She is the most ungrateful artist out there. When I heard her complaining that her song sounded too much like Beyonce’s Halo and that the songwriter should be ashamed I chucked whatever respect I had for Kelly down the river. Write you own sh**. If she gets nominated and wins i’m sure she will march her heavenly body up to the stage and act like she is so deserving. Ugh.
Um, hill, check your facts, dude. Kelly’s Already Gone was written and produced *before* Halo. Ryan Tedder gave something simliar to Beyonce, and it became Halo. Beyonce’s album debuted first, so everyone just assumes it was done first. And then, when the label pushed for AG as a third single off All I Ever Wanted, Kelly said no because of its similarity to Halo. However, the label didn’t listen and released it anyway. Kelly’s been doing a very differently arranged version of AG (like the one she sang at the AMAs) at all her concerts. And one more thing – girls does write her own stuff. Ever hear of a little song called Because of You? Come on, next time you rail on an artist, at least do a little research first. Kelly can *sing* and write. And she’s pretty darn good at both.
She’s a bad songwriter! Awesome singer, but her songs are all about the boy who left her, or she wanting to hook up with a boy. That’s not great songwriting material, including the fact that she co-wrote most of the tracks, she didn’t write alone, some of them were written with more than 3 people,i’m talking about her whole discography, not the all i ever wanted album.
I think I read that “Already Gone” was submitted for Kelly and not “My Life Would Suck Without You”. Either way, I’m hoping for at the very least Best Female Pop Vocal and Pop Vocal Album nominations.
Agree and I would like to see David Cook get the nom for Best New Artist…
Single Ladies should clean up. Song and Record of the Year. Seems like it was released FOREVER ago, but it’s eligible for this year.
Hoping for Wilco in Rock or Alternative album.
Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and Jay Z/Alicia Keys (for sure) will clean up.
And I hope they won’t change the nomination rules JUST to make sure that Lady Gaga wins the best new artist award. Rules are rules. She’ll be fine with or without that award.
Jay-Z/Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” was released after the eligibility date so no nominationss there.
In the pop single categories, I think Pink “Sober” deserves recognition.
I think Maxwell is a sure thing for multiple nominations, along with Sugarland. Black Eyed Peas and Beyonce will likely also be repeat nominees.
Hoping for some surprises.
pink is completely UNDER-rated. she makes some of the BEST pop music out there and gets passed over all the time. “sober” and “please don’t leave me” are awesome. “funhouse” for AT LEAST pop album, album of the year would make me jump for joy, but that will NEVER happen
“Sober” is (I think) Pink’s best song she has ever released. I hope she gets some Grammy love for her solo work (she won a Grammy for “Lady Marmalade” but that doesn’t really count since it was a group act)
agree, and I don’t know why. Pink is an excellent performer and singer!
Pink has won at least one other Grammy for pop vocal performance by herself.
Best rock female vocals for trouble. but that category doesn’t exist anymore so it would be cool if she actually win a true a grammy