Let me make this clear – I hate the Grammys! But it’s almost sacrilegious to have a music column and not write about the Grammys when they are almost a week away, so here goes nothing. Here are my picks of who I think should win and who will probably win some of the major awards next week.
The contenders for Album of the Year are Mariah Carey, Paul McCartney, Gwen Stefani, U2 and Kanye West.
First, there are way too many bands left off this list so I won’t even go there. I really think the Grammy Association is going to pull the legend card and give this award to Paul McCartney and nobody would get mad – except for maybe Kanye West because well, it’s Paul McCartney.
But Kanye West should actually win, since he told everyone he was going to make the year’s best album and actually followed through with “Late Registration.”
Nominees for Record of the Year are “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey, “Feel Good Inc.” from Gorillaz Featuring De La Soul, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day, “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.”
Sadly, Grammy-favorite Carey’s poppy ballad “We Belong Together” has Grammy written all over it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Green Day took this since they were all over the radio, but my gut says it will go to Carey.
Who should win? Kanye West – I’m still not sick of “Gold Digger.”
The contenders for Best New Artist are Ciara, Fall Out Boy, Keane, John Legend and Sugarland, but does anyone really want to win the same award that Evanescence, Hootie and the Blowfish or Milli Vanilli have won? I doubt it. Out of this group the award will most likely go to John Legend, since he is the “Grammy Type” – not to say that in a bad way.
I believe this is a close call between Mr. Legend and Fall Out Boy, but I really think Fall Out Boy should win – they are such a guilty pop pleasure.
Nominations for the Best Alternative Album are Arcade Fire’s “Funeral,” “Guero” by Beck, “Plans” from Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand’s “You Could Have It So Much Better” and “Get Behind Me Satan” by the White Stripes.
This is my pet category and I actually think the Academy pretty much got this category’s nominees right. I really think this one will go to either Beck or Death Cab, who just have a certain Grammy appeal to them.
Even though I am a huge Beck fan and he was at his best on “Guero,” I really think this should go to the White Stripes. How “Get Behind Me Satan” is not up for Album of the Year is beyond me.
So there you have it. Don’t like it? I really don’t care. Like I said it’s my column, and if I’m wrong I still don’t care. Who watches the Grammys anyway?
Allard can be reached at dallard@campustimes.org.
