Grammy Nominees

The Grammy nominees were announced yesterday. There were some big surprises, most notably in the Album of the Year category, where Bruce Springsteen's Magic was passed over. This was an even bigger surprise than last year when Bob Dylan's The Modern Times didn't get a nod. Everyone was predicting a Springsteen nomination, that it would be his year. But it wasn't to be. Here's who did make the cut:


Album of the Year


Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters
These Days - Vince Gill
River: The Joni Letters - Herbie Hancock
Graduation - Kanye West
Back to Black - Amy Winehouse


I predicted West and Winehouse, but the rest weren't on my radar screen at all. It's nice to see a rock album here, and I'm glad it's not Linkin Park. Vince Gill's album is a sprawling 4-disc set, and Hancock's is a jazz collection of Joni Mitchell covers that sounds like it might be pretty good. This is West's third nomination in this category, which is pretty remarkable. Other recent artists to score three best album nods in a row include the Dixie Chicks and Bonnie Raitt. The only artist to score more nods in the last 25 years is U2, who's been nominated four times (and won twice). With Springsteen out of the race, Winehouse moves to the front of the pack.


Record of the Year


Irreplaceable - Beyoncé
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
What Goes Around…Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
Rehab - Amy Winehouse


Some surprises here too, but not as shocking. I predicted Rihanna and Winehouse. Springsteen got shut out here too for "Radio Nowhere," as did Alicia Key's "No One," which I'm actually glad didn't get it. Try as I might to like that song, I just don't. Beyoncé is not a surprise; it would have been my 6th place pick. Justin Timberlake is a nice surprise. His flashier 2006 single, "Sexyback," was passed over last year, so I didn't expect to this--the best single from his latest album--among the nominees. Interesting that besides Winehouse, the only other artist to get nods both here and the albums category is Foo Fighters. Their song isn't that great. I'm rooting for Winehouse, but the award could probably go to anybody except Foo Fighters.


Song of the Year


Before He Cheats - Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Hey There Delilah - Tom Higgenson, songwriter (Plain White T's)
Like A Star - Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Rehab - Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Umbrella - Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart,songwriters (Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z)


Ah, the elusive songwriters award. I thought for sure "Before He Cheats" would be a record nominee, but at least at ended up here. What is "Hey There Delilah" doing here though? It's not that great of a song, and is only passably enjoyable because of how sincere the performance is. I think this race is between "Rehab" and "Before He Cheats." I didn't predict this category.


Best New Artist


Feist
Ledisi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse


I predicted Feist, Swift, and Winehouse, and I've never heard of the other two. I think Lily Allen should have gotten it over Feist, so it's too bad not to see her. Amy Winehouse has this one locked up for sure.


Female Pop Vocal Performance


Candyman - Christina Aguilera
1234 - Feist
Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
Rehab - Amy Winehouse


No surprise here to see Winehouse, Fergie, or Feist, who I predicted. Nelly Furtado isn't a surprise either, although Christina Aguilera's kitschy "Candyman" is. I had predicted Lily Allen and Norah Jones, who have been shut out here as well as other categories. Again, I think Winehouse is the leader here.


Male Pop Vocal Performance


Everything - Michael Bublé
Belief - John Mayer
Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney
Amazing - Seal
What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake


Timberlake, Mayer, and McCartney get nods as I predicted. I thought Mika might get it for "Grace Kelly," but he got his nod in the dance category for "Love Today." Thankfully Elliott Yamin was passed over for Seal, although that was a surprise, as was Michael Bublé. This could be a tough race between Timberlake, the obvious frontrunner because he got a record nod, and McCartney, an old Grammy favorite who didn't. I wouldn't count Mayer out either.


Pop Duo/Group Performance


(You Want To) Make A Memory - Bon Jovi
Home - Daughtry
Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5

Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
Window in the Skies - U2

Three seems to be my lucky number with the pop categories this year, as again, I predicted Daughtry, Maroon 5 and U2. I was hoping they wouldn't give a nod to Plain White T's, but my hope they'd nominate The Killers instead was overruled. They there's Bon Jovi, which was a surprise.

Pop Collaboration Performance

Steppin' Out - Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
Beautiful Liar - Beyoncé & Shakira
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani & Akon
Give It To Me - Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake

Again I predicted three right, but it should've been four (I picked the wrong Alison Krauss collaboration, forgetting that her new album is a collaboration with Robert Plant, not John Waite). Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera is a surprise--I've never even heard of this song--but given his pedigree, it just could be a frontrunner, along with Plant & Krauss.

Pop Vocal Album

Lost Highway - Bon Jovi

The Reminder - Feist

It Won't Be Soon Before Long - Maroon 5

Memory Almost Full - Paul McCartney

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

Have you figured out how many of these I predicted right? 2? 4? No, 3 again! Crazy. Maroon 5, McCartney and Winehouse. No surprise to see Feist here, given the shunning of Norah Jones. But Bon Jovi? I was hoping Annie Lennox would get a nod. Again, this should be Winehouse's to collect, that is if she doesn't O.D. before the ceremony on February 10th. I'll revisit this again before then to see who's leading in the races.