Grammy Nominations Announced

Nominations for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards were announced today. I'm going to go category by category and talk about them. First though, some overall observations. Mary J. Blige got the most nominations (eight), although surprisingly not the expected one for Album of the Year, although The Breakthrough was nominated for R&B Album of the Year. "Be Without You" was nominated for Record and Song of the Year, Female R&B Vocal, and Best R&B Song. "One," her collaboration with Bono and remake of the U2 hit was nominated in the Pop Collaboration category, "I Found My Everything," which features Raphael Saadiq, was nominated for Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Blige was also nominated along Jamie Foxx in the R&B Duo/Group with Vocals category for appearing on his "Love Changes."

The most interesting story was the industry's great show of support for the Dixie Chicks, who earned five nominations including Album of the Year and Country Album for Taking the Long Way and Record and Song of the Year for "Not Ready to Make Nice." These accolades come despite the rather public manner in which country radio has turned its back on the band during the last two years, despite the girls having been one of the biggest things in country music prior to that. Taking the Long Way is considered more of a rock/AC-oriented album than country, so it's nomination for Country Album of the Year is a surprise. Their previous three albums, Home, Fly, and Wide Open Spaces all won the Country Album grammy, while Home and Fly were nominated for Album of the Year. This is the group's first year being nominated in the song and record categories.

British pop artists fared quite well this year. James Blunt and Corinne Bailey Rae were both nominated from Record and Song of the Year for "You're Beautiful" and "Put Your Records On." Both were also nominated for Best New Artist, as was British singer Imogen Heap. Blunt was also nominated for Male Pop Performance for "You're Beautiful," and his album Back to Bedlam was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Natasha Bedingfield and KT Tunstall picked up nominations for Female Pop Performance for "Unwritten" and "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree." I was surprised Tunstall didn't receive more nominations. Finally it was nice to see Keane nominated for Duo/Group Pop Performance for "Is It Any Wonder?" Last year they were a New Artist nominee.

Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds was nominated for Best Album and Best Pop Album. He was nominated in both categories 3 years ago for Justified, winning the latter award. Although "Sexyback" wasn't nominated for Record of the Year, it was nominated in the Dance category. His other recent hit, "My Love," was nominated for Rap/Sung Collaboration with Vocal. He's the only other veteran Album of the Year nominee, besides the Dixie Chicks. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have previously won only one Grammy (for "Give It Away") were nominated for Album of the Year for Stadium Arcadium.

Largely overlooked this year were Nelly Furtado, whose megahit "Promiscuous" was honored only with a Pop Collaboration nomination, and Bob Dylan, whose Modern Times had been expected to be nominated for Album of the Year, but has to settle for a nomination for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album. His song "Someday Baby" was nominated for Solo Rock Performance and Rock Song.

Last year's American Idol winner Carrie Underwood scored an impressive 4 nominations, including Best Female Country Vocal, Song of the Year, and Best Country song for "Jesus, Take the Wheel," and Best New Artist. That puts her one nomination ahead of the three earned so far by American Idol goddess Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson received her first nomination in 2003, forFemale Pop Vocal nomination for "Miss Independent." Last year she was nominated twice and won both awards, Best Pop Album for Breakaway and Female Pop Vocal for "Since U Been Gone."