It is that time again. The Grammy Awards are upon us. That special time of year when the Macklemores beat out the Kendricks, and the J. Los wear strange green dresses that leave nothing to the imagination.
Aside from the drama and crazy fashion, the real focus of the night is the music.
Here are my picks for who will win at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, on February 15th.
Record of the Year (recognizes the performance of the song as well as the producers)
“Really Love” – D’Angelo and the Vanguard
“Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
“Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran
“Blank Space” – Taylor Swift
“Can’t Feel My Face” – The Weeknd
This is the record of the year. The production was tight, and the whole song is packed with energy from start to finish. While “Can’t Feel My Face” and “Thinking Out Loud” are also well produced and performed, “Uptown Funk” is just one of those songs that has been everywhere. It’s pervasiveness makes it beat out the others in this category.
Album of the Year
Sound & Color – Alabama Shakes
To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
Traveller – Chris Stapleton
1989 – Taylor Swift
Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd
For me album of the year needs to have a varied sonic profile. Beauty Behind The Madness is the only album that manages to do this. It mixes club bangers with some more mellow, laid-back songs. It captures the artistic versatility that The Weeknd has. Traveller would also be a good pick, but at about three-quarters of the way through it just began sounding like one long song.
Song of the Year (recognizes the songwriter or songwriters)
“Alright” – Kendrick Lamar
Writers: Kendrick Duckworth, Kawan Prather, Mark Anthony Spears, and Pharrell Williams
“Blank Space” – Taylor Swift
Writers: Max Martin, Shellback, and Taylor Swift
“Girl Crush” – Little Big Town
Writers: Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna, and Liz Rose
“See You Again” – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth
Writers: Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth, and Cameron Thomaz
“Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran
Writers: Ed Sheeran, and Amy Wadge
“Alright” is my pick for best song. In terms of the lyrics, it is miles ahead of what the other nominees are doing. It also manages to convey a social message without going over the top. I wouldn’t be too terribly disappointed if “Thinking Out Loud” won, but if “Blank Space” wins I will be convinced that Max Martin is personally responsible for picking all the Grammy winners.
Best New Artist
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor
Best new artist has to be James Bay. His voice is perfection and also has the range that could be very versatile if he chooses to experiment later on in his career. While there is buzz surrounding Courtney Barnett, most people haven’t heard of her. The other three nominees, who bring something to the industry I’m sure, just don’t have the ability to stick around as artists: their music is as best generic, and worst aural torture.
Best Pop Vocal Album
Piece By Piece – Kelly Clarkson
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – Florence and The Machine
Uptown Special – Mark Ronson
1989 – Taylor Swift
Before This World – James Taylor
As much as it pains me to give anything to Taylor Swift, this is pretty much her category. While Florence’s vocals are incredibly strong, it is less ‘Pop’ and more rock. Swift has also had an incredibly successful year, even if she does drive me nuts.
Best Rock Album
Chaos And The Calm – James Bay
Kintsugi – Death Cab For Cutie
Mister Asylum – Highly Suspect
Drones – Muse
.5: The Gray Chapter – Slipknot
Yet again, James Bay is my pick. He brings something new to rock, that the others on this list can’t. While other albums on this list are more “rock,” there is nothing more rock ‘n’ roll than completely changing what is expected of the genre.
Best Alternative Music Album
Sound & Color – Alabama Shakes
Vulnicura – Björk
The Waterfall – My Morning Jacket
Currents – Tame Impala
Star Wars – Wilco
Currents is my pick for this category, not necessarily because it typifies what alternative music is, but because is sounds the most different from its competitors. The electronic based sound is different from the guitar heavy sounds of Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket, and Wilco. Björk would be my second choice, but she doesn’t seem to have done anything earth-shattering, other than staying weird.
Best Rap Album
2014 Forest Hills Drive – J. Cole
Compton – Dr. Dre
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake
To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
The Pinkprint – Nicki Minaj
For me this category really was only ever between Kendrick and Drake, but my bet is that Drake will come out on top. If To Pimp A Butterfly was on the same level as good kid, M.A.A.D. City this would be a different conversation. Did Kendrick get screwed over by losing to Macklemore in 2013? Yes, but this year is not his year to make up for that because Drake actually did make a better album.
