Grammy Awards 2012: Record of the Year

The nominees:

As a slate, this year's list isn't quite as hit-heavy as last year's, in which all five nominees charted no lower on the Hot 100 than #2 (except "Fuck You," which only achieved that feat after being nominated). Rather, this year's list has three massive hits, a modest (but very pro-Grammy) release and a real head-scratcher.

Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"

Of course, there was no question this would be nominated. It's the year's biggest hit, definitely in sales (5.6 million copies sold), if not airplay as well (look for it to top Billboard's year-end Hot 100 list that will be out soon). And everyone loves it...still. This is Adele's second nomination in the category, after "Chasing Pavements" 3 years ago. The song was co-written (with Adele) and produced by Paul Epworth, the British producer behind the latest Florence & the Machine album. [US peak: #1(7 weeks), UK peak: #2]

Bon Iver - "Holocene"

This, then, is the head-scratcher. Many considered Bon Iver's Bon Iver a strong contender for a slot in Album of the Year, but ROTY? Really? It's very odd. It's possible it got a lot of votes because 1) it was the track chosen to compete in ROTY, 2) a lot of people like Bon Iver and voted for it wherever they saw it, and 3) the band just missed out in AOTY, but made it in here. I don't consider it a very interesting song--it's not one I singled out when I reviewed the album (NME, Pitchfork, The Guardian praised it, even AllMusic, which didn't like the album, said it was a highlight, so maybe I just missed the boat on this one). Nevertheless, despite its nonhit status, or perhaps because of it, I would consider this a strong contender, given recent Grammy history (it's been 12 years since a #1 single has won ROTY and generally the lowest-charting nominee has been the one to win). [US peak: --, UK peak: --]

Bruno Mars - "Grenade"

Had Bruno Mars been a bigger name last year and the timing been a little different, his "Just the Way You Are," the first Doo-Wops & Hooligans single, would probably have been a ROTY nominee. "Grenade's" nod makes up for that (as well as Doo-Wop's AOTY nod). I'm not at all surprised to see this song on the list, but I would be surprised if it won, given that I think this is about fourth on the list. Still, in Britain, this is the single that kept Adele's aforementioned megahit from hitting #1. Counting his guest vocal on B.o.B's "Nothin' on You," this is Mars' second ROTY nomination. [US peak: #1(4 weeks), UK peak: #1(2 weeks)]

Mumford & Sons - "The Cave"

There's one main reason this song is on the list and it's a really important one: During last February's Grammys, British indie folk quartet Mumford & Sons, nominated for best new artist and rock song, charmed critics and audiences with their stirring live performance of this song. It generated a lot of buzz, sending their single into the top 40 and making their album, Sign No More, a bestseller (it sold twice as much this year as it did last year when it was released). Good will like that is extremely valuable and thus "The Cave" becomes an unlikely although not unexpected ROTY nominee. [US peak: #27, UK peak: #31]

Katy Perry - "Firework"

In the middle of Perry's five-song streak of #1 hits from Teenage Dream (a 2010 AOTY nominee) came "Firework," the biggest of her singles from the 2011 eligibility period. Despite the cultural significance associated with her singles "I Kissed a Girl" and "California Gurls," neither snagged a ROTY nominee, making this Perry's first. I chalk that up to a bias against big summer hits (although Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" did receive nominations). [US peak: #1(4 weeks), UK peak: #3]

The snubs:

Don't really see any major snubs in ROTY this year; snubs in general are hard to identify, since the field is so wide open. Some people may think Lady Gaga was snubbed for "Born This Way," but she didn't submit the song for contention (she didn't even submit "The Edge of Glory"), and it's really not a surprise that "Judas" or "You and I" weren't nominated.

Among the other AOTY nominees not represented in ROTY, Foo Fighters didn't have a breakout hit like they did in 2007 ("The Pretender," a ROTY nominee from their AOTY-nominated album). And Rihanna didn't submit anything from Loud; she submitted "We Found Love" instead, perhaps too new to draw much attention.

The songs I'd have thought had a chance at getting in here that didn't make it are (in order): 1) Foster the People - "Pumped Up Kicks," 2) Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera - "Moves Like Jagger", 3) Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson - "Don't You Wanna Stay," 4) Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - "The Lady Is a Tramp," 5) Nicki Minaj - "Super Bass," and 6) Taylor Swift "Back to December."

Grammy Awards 2012: Album of the Year

The Nominees:

The nominating slate of Grammy's biggest award held more surprises this year than usual. Remember all that ink I've bled the last few years with my theories about AOTY spreading its nominations across popular music's biggest genres? You can throw that argument aside this year, as four pop albums made the cut this year with not a an R&B, country, rap or folk album in sight (at least my insistence that a rock album always gets nominated held true).

Adele - 21

This is one of two albums I picked as sure-bet nominees this year, so it's no surprise to see it here. Certainly she's the favorite to win, as 21 is the year's best-selling album (and the fastest-selling in the last 6 years)--a true phenomenon of the likes that hasn't been seen in a long time. The album has achieved a level of cultural consciousness few have reached in recent years, sending singles on to multiple radio formats, appealing to all ages, and getting props from the likes of Saturday Night Live and Glee (both in the same week even). Naysayers who say the album is dead were proven wrong this year.

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

Some people might be surprised to see the Foo Fighters' Wasting Light on the list, but I wasn't. The album was heralded as their best work in years, surpassing the acclaim of their 2007 album, Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, which was also an AOTY nominee.




Lady Gaga - Born This Way

I must admit to a little bit of surprise to see Lady Gaga's Born This Way on the list. Gaga experienced a bit of backlash this year, with "Born This Way" being called an "Express Yourself" rip-off and "Judas" flopping on the charts. And the album didn't sell as well as expected. Nonetheless, "The Edge of Glory" and "You and I" generated positive buzz, and "Marry the Night" is quickly looking it could be massive, so I'm glad to see it here, since I think it's her strongest album yet.

Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Two months ago I said that since Adele was a lock that if voters were willing to nominate a second pop album, it would likely be Bruno Mars' Doo Wops & Hooligans, a solid album that generated three big hits this year. Grammy proved last year that it liked Mars, nominating his productions of B.o.B's "Nothing on You" and Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You" for Record of the Year.


Rihanna - Loud

The biggest surprise of what's on the list is Rihanna's Loud. Although Good Girl Gone Bad was a bigger commercial hit and Rated R a more artistic album, neither managed an AOTY nod. Loud, which I would consider inferior to both of those albums, nonetheless scored three #1 hits, and so I think it's commercial appeal is what put it on the list (akin to last year's nod to Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, which has since proven to be one of the all-time biggest producers of big pop hits).

The snubs:

• Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. After 21, this was the other album I was sure would be nominated. West has been nominated three times before, and his latest album was just as acclaimed as those--if not more so, with "masterpiece" being bandied about to some extent. Still, the album produced no major hits on par with a "Gold Digger" or "Stronger," which may have been what sank it against this pop-heavy slate of hit albums. Nevertheless, I consider this a snub on par with the recent omissions of Bruce Springsteen's Magic and Bob Dylan's Modern Times.

• Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What. This isn't a snub against Simon so much as it is against Grammy pillars. Nostalgia has long played an important role in the Album of the Year category (see Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Herbie Hancock, Robert Plant, etc.), but not so much this year or last, when Carole King and James Taylor's album was similarly snubbed. Foo Fighters have been around for awhile, but like 20 years, not the 40+ years for the artists listed above.

• Taylor Swift - Speak Now. This was tipped by some as a pretty hot bet, but frankly, I'm not surprised she didn't make it in. Speak Now wasn't nearly the crossover success that Fearless was and Swift was so well-decorated 2 years ago that voters may feel like honoring someone else this time.

• Bon Iver - Bon Iver. Bon Iver showed up in Best New Artist (despite having put out a popular album 3 years ago) and this was the year's hottest alternative album. So after a win by an alternative album last year (Arcade Fire's Suburbs), I thought this had a good chance of making the cut. Surprisingly, he shows up in ROTY instead for "Holocene."

• Tony Bennett - Duets II. There was some talk that he could get in there, but I'm glad it didn't turn out that way in the end. He's not really that interesting to me.
  

Grammy Awards 2012: My reviews of AOTY nominees

One of the best things about this year's slate of AOTY nominees is that they are all winners--I recommend all of them, an improvement over the last 2 years' slates, which each contained only two albums I gave at least 4 stars to.

Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Reviewed October 10, 2010). "At just 10 tracks, Doo-Wops and Hooligans feels lean and mean. As I always say, I'd rather have a tight album of high points than a longer one with filler. With his debut, Mars firmly solidifies his pop music cred and raises expectations as one to watch in the coming years." (4/5)

Rihanna - Loud (Reviewed November 24, 2010). "Fittingly titled Loud is an assertive pop record from its high-octane production to its leading lady's vocal. Rihanna sounds different these days--there's definitely more heft in her voice, evident from the get-go on first track 'S&M,' a brassy dance pop number over which Rihanna sings that 'sticks and stones may break my bones by chains and whips excite me.'" (4/5)

Adele - 21 (Reviewed February 5, 2011). "In a way, 21 is a concept album like 19 was, documenting a year in the life of a young singer. This time around she's famous of course, but that doesn't mean the heartbreak stings any less. Still, the ability to transform a dead relationship into top 40 gold has to provide some level of consolation. It's certainly given us 2011's first fine pop album." (4.5/5)

Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (Reviewed April 17, 2011). "I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Wasting Light, the group's seventh studio album. Dave Grohl and company excel at muscular guitar rock that doesn't need to result to trends and tricks to be enjoyable." (4/5)

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Reviewed May 29, 2011). "Frankly, it's not the best pop album ever, or even the best pop album released so far this year. But compared to her prior work, it definitely exceeds expectations. Against any meaningful measure, Born This Way is a triumph, continuing to push the boundaries of pop music (as well as a few buttons)." (4.5/5)

Grammy Nominations Announced

Grammy nominees were announced last night, with Kanye West scoring the most nominations (7); however, surprisingly not netting an Album of the Year nod for last year's critical darling, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

In a decidedly pop-heavy slate, Album of the Year nominations went to Adele, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Rihanna (for last year's Loud).

Record of the Year nominations were snagged by Adele ("Rolling in the Deep"), Mars ("Grenade"), Katy Perry ("Firework"), Mumford and Son "(The Cave") and, also surprisingly, Bon Iver ("Holocene"). All but Perry were also honored in Song of the Year, where Kanye West's "All of the Lights" was also nominated.

As expected, Nicki Minaj tops the list of Best New Artist nominees, where she'll compete against The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole and surprise nominee Skrillex.

More to come later!

Singles Serving

Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me. Britney's new single arrived this week, and I'm pleased to say that it's pretty fantastic. The song uses a cliched double entendre that's really an old joke "if I told you I wanted your body, would you hold it against me?" He he he indeed, but with the dance beat as hot as this, who cares. With Max Martin and Dr. Luke behind the studio dials, Spears has crafted her clubbiest single yet.

Avril Lavigne - What the Hell. Also returning with a new single this week is Avril Lavigne, who has been absent for almost 4 years now. It's not bad, but it's not a knockout. It's nod to retro-'60s-via-retro-'80s smacks of a repeat of what she did with "Girlfriend," a clear homage to Toni Basil's "Mickey." This adheres to that formula very closely. Like Britney's "Hold It Against Me" this is also co-produced by Max Martin, along with Shellback. The album, Goodbye Lullaby, is due in early March.

P!nk - F**kin' Perfect. For the second single from her fall greatest hits set, P!nk turns to a pretty rockin' ballad that should be another slam dunk for her. Oh, and as if he wasn't getting enough business, this is also produced by Max Martin (along with Shellback).

Grenade - Bruno Mars. This single gets its UK release this week and looks on track to be the #1 single this weekend. It's darker than "Just the Way You Are," and almost just as good. It is not produced by Max Martin, but rather by Mars himself along with two other guys.

Album Review: Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans (4/5)

Ever since the decline and then the passing of Michael Jackson, the title for biggest male pop star has been up for grabs. Justin Timberlake was up for it at one point, but has lately decided he's not interested in making music. Usher was too, but his high points are too sporadic.

A new contender emerged on the scene this year, Hawaii pop singer/songwriter Bruno Mars. Mars came to prominence as a songwriter on hits like Sugababes' "Get Sexy" and Flo Rida's "Right Round" before stepping up as guest vocalist earlier this year on the hits "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B. and "Billionaire" by Travie Mars. Finally his solo debut emerged this month, capitalizing on his growing popularity while delivering a set of consistent pop songcraft.

"Grenade" doesn't waste any time, diving into the album with a big sound--minor keyed synths, a piano refrain, and sharp beats. International #1 hit "Just the Way You Are" remains as irresistible now as it did when you first heard it months ago. It's hopeful sound matches perfectly with Mars' slightly rough but completely sincere vocal delivery ("when I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change, 'cause you're amazing just the way you are"). How many advertisements will this song be used on? My guess is we're going to be hearing this one for years. "Marry You" is another heart-on-his-sleeve romantic number, but its charged tempo and party vibe--complete with "shots of Patron"--makes it more fun than if it was a sappy ballad.

"Our First Time" slinks in on a slightly Caribbean vibe of late night quiet storm R&B. Mars' tenor vocal recalls Michael Jackson's frequent ballad style, and he sounds as confident on this gentler material as he does belting out "Just the Way You Are." The more reggae-inspired songs, "The Lazy Song" and "Liquor Store Blues" (feat. Damian Marley) aren't as strong and are the only tracks on the album I don't really care for.

"Runaway Baby," an obvious choice for a future single, takes yet another turn toward soulful up-tempo rock--think Maroon 5 or Smash Mouth. "Talking to the Moon" is an admittedly strange lyric, but I actually like this song. It's the album's slowest, a lovelorn piano ballad that finds Mars pining for some girl who's far away.

The album closes on a particularly strong note with "The Other Side," a funky, high-energy, retro soul track that features Mars collaborators B.o.B. and Cee Lo Green (Mars co-wrote and co-produced "Fuck You").

If it weren't for the few reggae-inspired tracks that I don't care for, I'd have given this a 4.5, as I really like most of the other songs a lot. At just 10 tracks, Doo-Wops and Hooligans feels lean and mean. As I always say, I'd rather have a tight album of high points than a longer one with filler. With his debut, Mars firmly solidifies his pop music cred and raises expectations as one to watch in the coming years.

Best: Just the Way You Are, Grenade, Runaway Baby, The Other Side, Our First Time, Talking to the Moon