52nd Annual Grammy Awards 2010 – My Picks

Posted in Critiques | 15 comments

Here are my thoughts for next year’s Grammy Awards that will take place in January 2010.

Record Of The Year
Beyonce – Halo
Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Taylor Swift – You Belong to Me

This one is a toss between Beyonce and Black Eyed Peas. Personally, I think BEP’s I Gotta Feeling is catchier than Beyonce’s Halo. Grammy is never known to favor popular songs. I would put the Black Eyed Peas just a slight favorite over Beyonce in this one and forget the rest.

Album Of The Year
Beyonce – I Am… Sasha Fierce
Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.
Lady Gaga – The Fame
Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King
Taylor Swift - Fearless

This one I have to tip the balance in favor of Beyonce, although the Black Eyed Peas have 2 solid tracks in “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow”, Beyonce flattens them with “If I Were a Boy”, “Single Ladies”, “Halo” and “Sweet Dreams”. What’s that? Lady Gaga you say? Hahahaha! Beyonce for the win.

Song Of The Year
Lady Gaga – Poker Face
Maxwell – Pretty Wings
Beyonce – Single Ladies
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
Taylor Swift – You Belong to Me

There’s only ONE clear winner by a mile, Beyonce’s Single Ladies. The closest rival here, is Poker Face, a clearly OVERRATED song. Beyonce to win this.

Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

Aiyaiyai, this is a toughie. Commercially, I think Keri Hilson shades it a little, but it’s too close to call. I haven’t a clue on this one.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Adele – Hometown Glory
Beyonce – Halo
Katy Perry - Hot N Cold
Pink – Sober
Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

Katy Perry against Beyonce? My money’s on Beyonce for the win. Halo is vocally powerful compared to Hot N Cold. I dare you to disagree with me.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
John Legend – This Time
Maxwell – Love You
Jason Mraz - Make It Mine
Seal - If You Don’t Know Me By Now
Stevie Wonder - All About The Love Again

Boring. What a dull lineup of nomination. Jason Mraz and John Legend are both overrated. Maxwell is self-indulgent, so if I have to choose, it’ll be the 2 stalwarts of Seal and Stevie Wonder. I’m skipping this prediction.

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
Bon Jovi - We Weren’t Born To Follow
The Fray - Never Say Never
Daryl Hall & John Oates - Sara Smile
MGMT - Kids

As much as I would like my favorite band, Bon Jovi, winning this category, I must accept reality that Black Eyed Peas’ track is way better than Bon Jovi’s track. I don’t even know why they are nominated for that song, when there are at least 6 other songs on Bon Jovi’s new album that is WAY better than this. Oh well. Black Eyed Peas for the win.

Best Pop Vocal Album
Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Colbie Caillat - Breakthrough
Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted
The Fray – The Fray
Pink – Funhouse

I am a little biased towards Pink, because of the quality of her tracks. However, once again, I think the Black Eyed Peas would be the frontrunner for this as Kelly Clarkson could be a darkhorse. Colbie Caillat and The Fray – both have dull albums so I would be very surprised if either win. Black Eyed Peas for the win.

Best Dance Recording
The Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
David Guetta & Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
Madonna - Celebration
Britney Spears - Womanizer

How the fuck did Britney Spears and Madonna make this nomination list? Both have really crap album, and Britney is an all-round crapper that will continue to excite people who have zero taste in music. This is a fight between “Boom Boom Pow” and “When Love Takes Over”.

Best Electronic/Dance Album
The Crystal Method - Divided By Night
David Guetta – One Love
Lady Gaga - The Fame
LMFAO - Party Rock
Pet Shop Boys - Yes

This one is a straightforward one for me, David Guetta for the win. I’ll slap you and call you Suzy if you think Lady Gaga’s album is quality.

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood - Can’t Find My Way Home
Coldplay - Life In Technicolor II
Green Day - 21 Guns
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody
U2 - I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight

Coldplay takes the cake for me, and this is coming from someone who hates Coldplay because they’re so boring it’s not funny. “Life in Technicolor II” is very U2-esque and for that I think it’ll win, or BETTER win this. Green Day’s 21 Guns, though I used to like it, I quickly got bored of it too, because it lacks bite.

Best Hard Rock Performance
AC/DC - War Machine
Alice In Chains - Check My Brain
Linkin Park - What I’ve Done
Metallica - The Unforgiven III
Nickelback - Burn It To The Ground

I’m not sure how Nickelback can be derived as a Hard Rock band, but their song is noisy enough I supposed to be nominated here, and possibly for the win too. Linkin Park, while OK, I feel lacks a little in comparison.

Best Rock Song
Pearl Jam – The Fixer
U2 – I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight
Green Day – 21 Guns
Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream

This is a banana-skin as all have equal chance for their own reasons. Personally, I would like to see Kings of Leon take one home though I feel an old-timer would win this.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Beyonce & Kanye West – Ego
Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo - Knock You Down
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West - Run This Town
The Lonely Island & T-Pain - I’m On A Boat
T.I. & Justin Timberlake - Dead And Gone

I really like “Run This Town” and I’m hoping that it’ll win this nomination, as the combo of Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West worked really well here.

Best Rap Album
Common - Universal Mind Control
Eminem - Relapse
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Flo Rida for the win baby! That’s all I will say. The rest are just pathetic.

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Brooks & Dunn - Cowgirls Don’t Cry
Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried
Lady Antebellum - I Run To You
Rascal Flatts - Here Comes Goodbye
Sugarland - It Happens

This would be a between Lady Antebellum and Sugarland I think, though it’s anyone’s title for the win. I’m not confident enough to pick the winner for this one.

Best Country Album
Zac Brown Band - The Foundation
George Strait - Twang
Taylor Swift - Fearless
Keith Urban - Defying Gravity
Lee Ann Womack - Call Me Crazy

With a number of nominations ending with a possible clean defeat, I think the Grammy would be kind enough to award this to Taylor Swift though I think Kanye West might want to have a say in this.

Please share your thoughts as well if there’s anything from my above selections that you strongly disagree.