Last year’s Grammy Awards were, in a word, embarrassing. The 50th Anniversary had nothing to offer to it’s viewing audience. Maybe that was because about this time last year is when we officially entered the recession… I just didn’t know it applied to quality of entertainment. Anyway, the nominees for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards have been announced.

Courtesy of Stereogum.com, here they are:

BEST NEW ARTIST
Adele
Duffy
The Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
Ne-Yo – Year Of The Gentleman
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
Radiohead – In Rainbows

POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
Alicia Keys and John Mayer – “Lessons Learned”
Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland – “4 Minutes”
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – “Rich Woman”
Rihanna and Maroon 5 – “If I Never See Your Face Again”
Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown – “No Air”

COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
Brooks & Dunn – “God Must Be Busy”
Lady Antebellum – “Love Don’t Love Here”
Rascal Flatts – “Every Day”
The Steel Drivers – “Blue Side Of The Mountain”
Sugarland – “Stay”

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
Big Boi feat. Raekwon & Andre 3000 – “Royal Flush”
T.I. feat. Kanye West & Lil Wayne – “Swagger Like Us”
Lil Wayne feat. Jay-Z – “Mr Carter”
Ludacris feat. T.I. – “Wish You Would”
Young Jeezy feat. Kanye West – “Put On”

RECORD OF THE YEAR
Adele – “Chasing Pavements”
Coldplay – “Viva La Vida”
Leona Lewis – “Bleeding Love”
M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” (“I played the cash register on that song” -John Mayer.)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – “Please Read The Letter”

Song Of The Year
“American Boy,” William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle Featuring Kanye West, artist)
“Chasing Pavements,” Adele Adkins & Eg White, songwriters (Adele, artist)
“I’m Yours,” Jason Mraz, songwriter (Jason Mraz, artist)
“Love Song,” Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles, artist)
“Viva La Vida,” Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay, artist)

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay
“Waiting In The Weeds” by Eagles
“Going On” by Gnarls Barkley
“Won’t Go Home Without You” by Maroon 5
“Apologize” by OneRepublic

Best Rock Album
Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends by Coldplay
Rock N Roll Jesus by Kid Rock
Only By The Night by Kings Of Leon
Death Magnetic by Metallica
Consolers Of The Lonely by the Raconteurs

Best Rap Album
American Gangster by Jay-Z
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
The Cool by Lupe Fiasco
Nas by Nas
Paper Trail by T.I.

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Danger Mouse
Nigel Godrich
Johnny Karkazis
Rick Rubin
will.i.am

Thoughts?

I like seeing Lil Wayne get the nod. Maybe they heard him on Tha Carter III bonus track “I’m Me” when he said:

Last year they had the Grammys and left me in Miami
Sleeping on a n*gga like I’m rapping in my jammies
I’m rapping when you sleep, I was rapping when you were in jammies
Mel Gibson flow, Lethal Weapon – book ‘em Danny!

Ouch! Burn!

I’m ready to see The Greatest Rapper Alive (aka Mr. Make It Rain On Them Hoes, aka Weezy F Baby, aka Lil Wayne) take home a Grammy this year. What about you?

Thoughts on the other nominations?

Posted by Joe.