It’s that time of year again where every song or album we have loved in the past year is refined down to the best.
This year’s big contenders are Taylor Swift, The Black Keys, Fun., and Frank Ocean. Swift has won at least two Grammy awards for each album she has put out, so expect her to win at least one this year.
Eagle News has asked the opinion of freshmen Lyndsey Cormier and Julie Klein to weigh in their opinions of who will be winning. The record of the year nominees are “Lonely Boy” (The Black Keys), “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (Kelly Clarkson), “Somebody I Used To Know”(Gotye), “Thinkin’ About You”(Frank Ocean), and “We Are Never Getting Back Together”(Taylor Swift). All three of us agreed Swift is most likely to win this award.
We also all agreed on the album of the year award going to “Babel” by Mumford and Sons. Their first album took a long time to really hit mainstream, their sophomore album came out with Mumford and Sons well established. I heard one song from the Jack White’s solo album “Blunderbuss” and was extremely indifferent. Frank Ocean’s album “Channel Orange” was also nominated. He is seen multiple times as a nominee, but I have never heard a song by him.
There is one song worse than “Friday.” Unfortunately, “Call Me Maybe” will most likely win the song of the year award. “You heard it everywhere you went,” weighs in Julie Klein. When your song gets covered on an episode of “Glee,” and are the top selling song on iTunes for 2012, awards will be won. Not all radio hits have been by super pop groups. Gotye and Fun. hit big at the beginning of 2012 bringing a very fresh and needed indie sound to the airwaves. My prediction for the best new artist will be Fun. These harmonizing hipsters are not leaving anytime soon and will continue to grow.
Although the purpose of this article is Grammy predictions, best pop duo/group performance is completely up in the air. We have “Shake It Out” (Florence and the Machine), “We Are Young” (Fun.), “Somebody That I Used To Know” (Gotye), “Sexy and I Know It” (LMFAO), and “Payphone” (Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa). These nominees cover most genres heard on the radio and all have very distinct sounds and styles from each other. Best pop vocal album will be going to Florence and the Machine or P!nk. None of the other nominees had a thoroughly good album and I refuse to accept that “Overexposed” by Maroon 5 is actually by Maroon 5.
The best rock album nominations are tricky ones. “They’re not really a rock band, but of the ones you said it was the best album I guess,” says Lyndsey Cournier putting in her vote for Coldplay’s album “Mylo Xyloto.” This was one of my favorite albums of the year and has a new electronic sound Coldplay seems to have a great understanding of. I have this weird feeling that Bruce Springsteen’s album “Wrecking Ball” will be the winner. The Boss has been around for decades and most likely has a special place in the hearts of those who decide the winners.
The last big nominations are the best rap performance nominations. This was the first category that Lyndsey and Julie did not agree on a winner. I, meanwhile, have no idea who these songs are by and will place my vote with which rapper is wearing the most bling at the show. Julie chose the song “N****s In Paris” (Jay-Z and Kanye West) while Lyndsey chose “Mercy” (Kanye West ft. Big Sean, Pusha T & 2 Chainz). Be sure to watch the Grammys this Sunday at 8 on CBS.