My Music Awards VI

Grammy nominations will be announced tonight.  There have been quite a few category changes in the last couple years and, to be honest, I’m not sure if most of the changes have been fair or make sense, particularly for a year like 2013.  One such change: making Grammy categories genderless.  If ever there were a year where gender separation made sense, it’d be this one.  This year, there have been too many great songs to whittle down and pit into a single category of five or six. 

Because of this, I’m going to guess that this year’s Grammy choices will mostly be about popularity rather than quality.  There just won't be enough categories to nominate the lesser known stuff.  Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Jay Z, and Katy Perry will reap nominations for sure. But I wonder if acts like Rhye, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Tamar Braxton, Haim, and Sara Bareilles will be recognized.  The Grammy’s are notorious for honoring the obscure artist from time to time, but those with bigger names have made much bigger splashes this year than ever before so I don’t see that happening this go around.  

Below are my choices for the best in music of 2013.  For the first time, I don’t think there is a clear frontrunner for most of the categories so I’ll list multiple “winners” instead.  

Album of the Year
The Heist. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
With three hit singles so far, this has proven to be the best hip-hop album of the year.  Forget Kanye West's "Yeezus."  This is it.  This independently produced album has made a great impact critically, socially, and commercially and for good reason.
Honorable Mention: "The Blessed Unrest" by Sara Bareilles.  It's this year's "21" in my opinion.  The album is amazing from start to finish. 

Record of the Year

"Brave" – Sara Bareilles.

The song is an anthem for those of us who need a little push to be, well, brave. It’s an encouraging song that’s catchy, beautiful, and quite frankly a major step away from the trendy stuff on radio—and thank God for that. Say what you will about Katy Perry’s “Roar” but this came first. 

Honorable Mentions: 

“We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus—the girl acts like a joke but her music is incredible.  There’s no way industry folks will nominate this song for Record of the Year but let’s be honest: it’s a great jam and deserves some kudos, in spite of its subject matter.  It’s a shame Miley’s crazy stage antics take away from her good voice.  

"Gorilla" by Bruno Mars—this is another one with very daring lyrics. Singing about sex and drug use is popular this year, apparently. Still, together with his voice and great music, it's a powerful song.  It's honest, too. 

“Royals” by Lorde—was there a bigger song this year? She’s the anti-Miley outcast hero voice of her generation. (Actually, I’m much older and I think she’s the voice of me as well.)  She’s essentially 17 going on 105, with wisdom and courage to boot.

“Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis w/ Wanz—a funny, intelligent, and hip-hop masterpiece. 

Song of the Year

"Brave" – Sara Bareilles.

The words are important at a time when bullying is so popular in America.  

Best New Artist

Tamar Braxton, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Rhye, Phillip Phillips, and Lorde are my favorite new artists this year.  

Best Pop Solo Performance

"Brave" – Sara Bareilles. 

Honorable Mention: "Blurred Lines" – Robin Thicke

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"The Fall" – Rhye

Honorable Mention:  "Don't Save Me" – Haim

Best Pop Vocal Album

"The Blessed Unrest"  – Sara Bareilles

Best Dance Recording

"Applause"  – Lady Gaga

Honorable Mention: "Clarity" – Zedd w/ Foxes

Best Rock Performance

"Still Into You" – Paramore

Best R&B Performance

"Love & War" – Tamar Braxton

Honorable Mention: "Side Effects of You" and "Lose to Win" – Fantasia

Best R&B Album

"Love & War" – Tamar Braxton

Seriously, this is the best R&B album I've heard in a very long time.  

Best Rap Performance

"Thrift Shop" – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Same Love" – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis w/ Mary Lambert

Best Latin Pop, Rock, or Urban Album
"3.0" – Marc Anthony

Producer of the Year
Ryan Lewis

My Music Awards V

It seems like only yesterday we were giving away a handful of Grammys to the one and only Adele.  Music's biggest night is just around the corner and in honor of tomorrow's nominations announcement, here are some of my picks for this year's best.  Let's see if any of these will be Grammy nominated.

Record of the Year:

"Titanium" - David Guetta featuring Sia.

I don't know if David Guetta or his record company submitted this song for contention in this category but here's hoping someone did.  There wasn't a more universal or groundbreaking song out there this year.  It would be a great toast to the EDM community if David were nominated here and, thanks to Sia's impeccable and haunting vocals, I really think it would have a great shot at winning.  Aside from that, Fun. ("We Are Young" w/ Janelle Monáe) and Gotye (Somebody That I Used to Know w/ Kimbra) had tremendous success with their hit songs, too.  So, if they get nominated for Record of the Year, I won't be mad. Of course, there's a ton of speculation regarding Carly Rae Epson's "Call Me Maybe" being nominated. While the song is fun and fantastic, I think that chick ought to thank her lucky stars awards pundits even know her name. Yes, the song is arguably 2012's biggest hit. But, it doesn't merit a Record of the Year nomination.  Keep in mind, this is a category big commercial hits have often been snubbed.  If Britney Spears, LMFAO, and Ke$ha--to name a few--have been overlooked here for their much bigger hits, Carly better not expect a shout out.  If there has to be one pop-princess-type nominated in this category this year, then I think Demi Lavato's "Skyscraper" or Katy Perry's "Part of Me" is it. 

Honorable Mention: "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele.

Song of the Year:

"Thinkin Bout You" - Christopher Breaux & Shea Taylor.

The words slay.  If your heart doesn't skip a beat, read the lyrics slowly.  Check your pulse.  Drink some water.  Have an orange.  Chrisopher Breaux (AKA Frank Ocean) released one of the heaviest songs to shock the R&B airwaves in a very long time. The song is beautiful and although he hasn't had as much commercial success as those who hardly deserve an ounce of the love that they do get--Justin Bieber--I'm so happy that he's gotten any attention at all. It says a lot about the state of America today.  Frank would not have been respected years ago.  This song is a gem and I'm sure this will be nominated for Record of the Year, too.  But, for me, it's 2012's song of the year.

Best New Artist:

Frank Ocean.

We'll see a country act nominated.  There will be a rock group and perhaps even a boy band, too.  But in the end, the best new artist will be Frank Ocean.  He certainly is my new favorite.

Honorable Mention: The Lumineers

Album of the Year:

"Channel ORANGE" - Frank Ocean.

So, I'm kind of anticipating a Frank Ocean Grammy sweep if you haven't noticed. I was moved, I cried, I was inspired, and I slow danced in my bedroom all by myself without a care or worry in the world that first time I listened to Channel ORANGE.  It's that rare classic R&B album that seems to come around every few years, à la The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Back to Black, and Come Away with Me, to name a few.  It's my favorite album of the year and I hope it's every Grammy voter's favorite also.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:

"Rumor Has It" - Adele.

Sing it, girl.  
Honorable Mention:  "Part of Me" - Katy Perry.

Best R&B Album:

"Channel ORANGE" - Frank Ocean.

Best Urban Contemporary Album:

"Talk That Talk" - Rihanna.

Rihanna's last three albums have been full-on knockouts.  She's a rockstar.   This album is epic.

Best Dance Recording:

"Titanium" - David Guetta featuring Sia.

Honorable Mentions: "We Found Love" - Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris and "Timebomb" - Kylie Minogue.

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal:
"Somebody That I Used to Know" - Gotye featuring Kimbra.

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
"Over You" - Miranda Lambert

My Music Awards IV

It's here! Grammy nominations will be announced tomorrow night and I think I'm a lot more excited this year than I was last year. Here's a look at my winners. Will these be nominated? We shall see.

Record of the Year:

"Rolling in the Deep" - Adele.

There wasn't a bigger song, album, or artist this year so anything that goes against this song will have a tough time winning. I think Adele's only real competition, if she has to have one, is Britney Spears' "Till the World Ends." I know that I'm probably the only person in the world gutsy enough to pit these two songs together but, I don't care. "Till the World Ends" is pop genius, pure and simple. No one deserves it more than Adele but Britney definitely deserves to be mentioned here. Interesting tidbit: I think it was senseless and I still cannot understand why Lady Gaga chose not to submit her song "Born This Way" for Record of the Year consideration. The song would have been nominated for sure. It's a pop anthem after all.

Song of the Year:

"Rolling in the Deep" - Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth.

The lyrics are profound and hauntingly affecting. "The scars of your love remind me of us, they keep me thinking that we almost had it all." That's probably the longest and most relevant sentence ever sung.

Best New Artist:

Marsha Ambrosius or Nicki Minaj.

I don't think Marsha will even be nominated but in a perfect world, she will be. I predict Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars, Young the Giant, and The Band Perry will each be nominated here. Who's the Best New Artist of 2011? To me, it's hands down Nicki Minaj. Or Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!

Album of the Year:

"21" - Adele.

Sorry to anyone who thinks they deserve this award more than she. "21" is no sophomore slump and as 2011s best selling album, it ought to win Album of the Year. Period.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:

"Someone Like You" - Adele.

Best R&B Album

"Loud" - Rihanna.

Beyonce's "4" and Marsha Ambrosius' "Late Night & Early Mornings" are my other choices. These three are all so very good. The best of these, however, is Rihanna's "Loud."

Best Dance Recording:

"Titanium" - David Guetta and Sia

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal:
"My Body" - Young the Giant.

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
"Back to December" - Taylor Swift

My Music Awards III

It's here again -- and so fast! Grammy nominations will be announced live Wednesday night on CBS. Take a look at who I think will be nominated and who should actually win. These are my choices.

Record of the Year:
"Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga.
Was there a bigger song out there this year? Probably not. I'm hoping and praying that this is the song Lady Gaga get's nominated for in this category. Hopefully it won't be "Alejandro" or "Telephone" with Beyoncé. While both of those other songs rock too, Lady Gaga will have a better shot at winning with "Bad Romance." Unless of course the other big songs of 2010 don't knock her down. Namely, Jay-Z's two huge hits "Empire State of Mind" with Alicia Keys and/or "Run This Town" with Rihanna and Kanye West. His two songs might cancel each other out though and that's going to mean good news for Lady Gaga.

Song of the Year:
"Soldier of Love" - Sade.
Sade is a beating heart personified.

Best New Arist:
Florence + the Machine.
After last year's boring list, this will be the category to watch. We'll see Drake here. Sadly, I'm sure Justin Beiber will be nominated as well. Hopefully, Florence + the Machine too. For me, I'm going to go with the unpopular choice and say that Florence + the Machine is the best new artist of 2010. Ke$ha is my second choice. She's actually a very, very, very close second because she's definitely proven to be the breakthrough artist of the year. With a bunch of top ten hits and a number 1 album, she may very well win this award at the Grammys in February. Last year I was probably the only one in the world to say that the Glee cast should be nominated as a group here too. Will they get a nomination this year? They surely deserve it so if they're nominated, it's going to be a whole different ballgame altogether.

Album of the Year:
"The Fame Monster" - Lady Gaga.
Hello?! Goodbye.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:
"Alejandro," or "Bad Romance."
Katy Perry, STFU and STFD.

Best Pop Vocal Album:
"The Fame Monster" - Lady Gaga.
Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" is a great pop album too but she's no Lady Gaga whatsoever.

Best R&B Album
"Element of Freedom" - Alicia Keys.
I'm sure Usher is going to be in the mix here but Usher ain't no Alicia.

Best Dance Recording:
"Dancing on my Own" - Robyn.
The first time I listened to this song, I cried. I was sitting at home watching the music video and the tears just came down. There's a scene towards the end of the video when Robyn's dancing alone in the dark - her moves are fierce and that part really gets me going. The song makes feeling alone bearable.

Best Electronic/Dance Album:
"Body Talk, Pt. 1" - Robyn.

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal:
"The End" - Kings of Leon.

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance:
"Everything to Me" - Monica.
This is probably the most underrated gem of the year.

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:
"White Liar" - Miranda Lambert.
It's going to be this one or "The House That Built Me." Miranda has had a great year career-wise and both songs are worth the award. I love "White Liar" the most.

My Music Awards II

It's that time again. Grammy nominations will be announced in just ten days. As always, here are my choices.

Record of the Year:
"I Gotta Feeling" - Black Eyed Peas.
I dare anyone to listen to this and not get the urge to dance. The song makes you feel so good and I'm definitely not the only one who thinks so. With mad weeks at #1, it's clear loads of people love this track. Honorable mentions: "Poker Face" - Lady Gaga, "You Belong With Me" - Taylor Swift, "Use Somebody" - King of Leon, and "Single Ladies" - Beyoncé.

Album of the Year:
"The Fame" – Lady Gaga.
Yes! Honorable mentions: "I Am...Sasha Fierce" - Beyoncé, "The E.N.D." - Black Eyed Peas, and "Fearless" - Taylor Swift.

Song of the Year (songwriters award):
"Use Somebody" – Kings of Leon.
It's magic, through and through.

Best New Artist:
N/A.
I have been thinking about this category for a while now. To be honest, I can't come up with any new artist that's made an impression on me this year. The only true artist wholly deserving of this award is Lady Gaga, but according to ridiculous Grammy rules, she isn't eligible. She received a nomination for Best Dance Recording last year and so that eliminates her from this category this year. Confusing and ridiculous of course. Anyway, I'm betting this will go to a country act. Or probably one of those auto-tuned, processed, and potted singers like Justin Bieber, Kid Cudi, Jason Derulo, Jay Sean, or some other. Who knows? It would be really neat and truly bad ass if Grammy voters nominated the Glee Cast as a group. Certainly, then, this category will be worth a dime. Long shots: Laura Izibor and Janelle Monáe.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:
"Poker Face" – Lady Gaga.
No contest. If Taylor Swift is nominated here, I'm going to be very, very, very, angry. This award belongs to Lady Gaga. Period. Honarable mention: "Please Don't Leave Me" - P!nk.

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance:
"Sweet Dreams" – Beyoncé.
Honorable mentions: "Return the Favor" - Keri Hilson, "Million Dollar Bill" - Whitney Houston.

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance:
"Pretty Wings (Uncut)" – Maxwell.

Best Contemporary R&B Album:
"The E.N.D." – Black Eyed Peas.

Best R&B Album:
"I Am...Sasha Fierce" – Beyoncé.
Honorable mention: "BLACKsummers'night" - Maxwell.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance:
“Love to Love You Less” – Nikka Costa.
Honorable mention: "Many Moons" - Janelle Monáe.

Best Dance Recording:
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga.
All.Hail. Honorable mentions: "When Love Takes Over" - David Guetta & Kelly Rowland, "Dance Bailalo" - Kat DeLuna, and "Sweet Disposition" - The Temper Trap.

Music List '08

In honor of the Grammy awards this weekend, here are my favorite albums of 2008.

1. As I Am - Alicia Keys
2. The Way I See It - Raphael Saadiq
3. Robyn - Robyn
4. 19 - Adele
5. Rockferry - Duffy
6. Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams - Solange
7. Youth Novels - Lykke Li

My Music Awards

So, music’s big day is finally coming:
Grammy nominations will be announced Wednesday.
Although it’s been quite a dismal year in music, I am anxious!
Let’s see who'll rule, who'll be shunned, and who'll be (unfairly) over-praised...
To celebrate, here's what I think ought to be recognized.
These are my winners...

Record of the Year:
"Chasing Pavements" - Adele.
The song is haunting. If it doesn’t move you to pieces, you are a walking corpse.

Album of the Year:
"As I Am" – Alicia Keys.
The set sold more than 700,000 copies its first week out. It’s her best album, period. From the very start until the end, it is quite a profound piece of work. No other album released during the eligibility year should walk away with this award. It is serious stuff. I swear it.
Honorable Mentions: Raising Sand, by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Song of the Year (songwriters award):
"Bleeding Love" – Ryan Tedder & Jesse McCartney.
A show-stopping, colossal of a song. This type doesn’t happen all the time. Brilliant words. I can’t think of a more deserving song this year.

Best New Artist:
Adele.
This is a long shot but I don’t care. She is real. She is young. She writes her own stuff. She plays the guitar. She’s a white Etta James. She’s drug-free and bikini-free. It’s about the music, not the panties. Shall I go on? No new artist had a better album in ’08. Will she be nominated? She better be!

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance:
"So What" – P!nk.
It’s her biggest selling single, with good reason. She’s tough but she manages to break your heart just the same. The bridge tugs the soul.

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance:
"Superwoman" – Alicia Keys.
An ode to the powers that be: the Women.

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal:
"Just One Kiss" – Raphael Saadiq & Joss Stone.
Two of the most underrated stars of R&B music.

Best R&B Album:
"As I Am" – Alicia Keys.
Need more reasons? Gut wrenching, daring, different, just plain amazing.

Best Contemporary R&B Album:
"The Way I See It" – Raphael Saadiq.
Pure and bold. He took a time machine to the 60s and came back with this. A smart and indelible work of art.

Best Urban/Alternative Performance:
“Sandcastle Disco” – Solange.
I don’t like her as a person but she can sing. The track is amazing and so much fun. In fact, the whole album is great. If it weren’t for Amy this wouldn't be.

Best Dance Recording:
“Just Dance” – Lady Gaga.
The song is a knockout. Christina Aguilera should be so lucky.

Best Electronic/Dance Album:
“Robyn” – Robyn.
The comeback album of the year. Ferocious fun filled with beats that stand out.