Tuesday, December 06, 2016

2017 Grammy Nominations

Every year, when The Grammy nominations come out, I debate whether a post about them is worth my time, or whether I'll just be promoting the garbage pop that does not need, nor deserve, any more promotion. I eventually come to the conclusion that there are enough deserving artists nominated to warrant a post. So here I go, I'll list the nominees from each category relevant to this blog, give my two cents, then write in my own nomination. I'll also place my bets on who should win from those nominations, and who I think will actually win, but I'm almost always wrong, cause you know, I'm obviously not on the same level as those in charge of the Grammys. See last year's predictions post.

Song Of The Year

  • Beyonce - Formation
  • Adele - Hello
  • Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza
  • Justin Bieber - Love Yourself
  • Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Why is "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" on this list? Isn't it too old to be included? I definitely remember Benzi playing it in his Get Right Radio 2015 mix. Anyway, it'd be hard to argue with any of these tracks being nominated for this category. Must say I'm not sure I've ever heard "7 Years," but there's always at least one track per category that I'm clueless about.
Who Should Win: Formation
Who Will Win: Hello
My Write In Nomination: Flume - Never Be Like You

Best New Artist
  • Anderson .Paak
  • Chance The Rapper
  • Maren Morris
  • The Chainsmokers
  • Kelsea Ballerini
What constitutes a new artist? While I'm not sure who Morris or Ballerini are, the other three have been on my radar for at least at least two years. This is a group of heavy hitters, and perhaps one of the best/most deserving list of nominees, despite my disdain for anything Chainsmokers. But that's why this is the Grammys, and that's why I write a blog about underappreciated art, not pop refuse.
Who Should Win: Anderson .Paak
Who Will Win: The Chainsmokers
My Write In Nomination: Flume

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
  • The Chainsmokers - Closer (ft. Halsey)
  • Lukas Graham - 7 Years
  • Rihanna - Work (ft. Drake)
  • Sia - Cheap Thrills (ft. Sean Paul)
  • Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out
Best? This is really the best? Or most poppy... How about we call a spade a spade? I've never heard a track more widely hated than "Closer" and "Work," what's with all the mumbling? I can at least stomach, and understand its appeal. No question Sia had a massive year, and I like Sean Paul so I get that.
Who Should Win: Cheap Thrills
Who Will Win: Closer
My Write In Nomination: Flume - Never Be Like You

Best Dance Recording
Okay, we're really starting to get into the good stuff here. I've got huge love for Bob Moses, and their nomination is perhaps the best thing the Grammys did with this years nomination. Again, with the Chainsmokers though, yet another track that I just don't get; it's rather awful, but not as bad as "Closer." Here's where I'll also address the reasoning behind Flume being my write in for each of the previous categories. I feel Flume is perfectly suited for music award shows, specifically the Grammys. His productions are poppy and easily accessible, yet far from mindless drivel. His near clean sweep of the ARIA Music Awards were well deserved, as Skin is a true work of art. Rounding out the category I'm blown away by the last two nominees, for different reasons. I absolutely love "Rinse & Repeat," but had never heard Drinkee until today.
Who Should Win: Rinse & Repeat
Who Will Win: Never Be Like You
My Write In Nomination: Pusher - Clear (ft. Mothica)

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Why is this category dance/electronic while the above is only dance? The Grammys usually do a good job with the album category, and this year is no exception. That is to say there's usually one odd ball, and it certainly seems to be Louie Vega. There's no questioning Flume's inclusion here, nor the triumphant return of Jean-Michel Jarre and Underworld, but it seems like the Grammys are leaning a little bit too hard on prior accomplishments and name recognition. Apart from the inclusion of Bob Moses above, Tycho's appearance in this category is the Grammys greatest success.
Who Should Win: Tycho
Who Will Win: Flume
My Write In Nomination: Machinedrum - Human Energy

Best Remixed Recording
This category is almost always way out there. Sometimes it's full of popular mixes and other times it's like this, littered with mixes and artists I've never heard of. Once again we see the Grammys going for name recognition, with the obligatory inclusion of Kaskade and RAC. The Paul McCartney track is really weird, seems like voters just went "Oh that guy was from The Beatles, he can do not wrong," WRONG! The Psionics remix has 159 views on soundcloud, seriously. SERIOUSLY, what is up with this category? At least Bob Moses, Chemical Brothers and Joe Goddard got nods, but I'm basically at a loss for this one.
Who Should Win: Joe Goddard
Who Will Win: RAC

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
  • Benny Blanco
  • Greg Kurstin
  • Max Martin
  • Nineteen85
  • Ricky Reed
This is always a funny category for me, because it's always a bunch of names basically nobody knows, with the exception of Diplo, who for some reason was not nominated this year, despite being a perennial contender. So now, I'll give a little backstory for each unknown. Blanco's credits this year include "Love Yourself," "Cold Water" among various productions for Vance Joy, Selena Gomez and Passion Pit. Kurstin was responsible for many Adele, Sia, Ellie Goulding, and Tegan & Sara tracks, including "Hello" and "Cheap Thrills." Max Martin may even be more prolific than Kurstin, authoring tracks from Starboy, and Dangerous Woman, as well as the likes of "Can't Feel My Face," "Hands To Myself," "Love Me Like You Do," "Into You" and "Can't Stop The Feeling!" Nineteen85 is best known for his work with Drake, producing "One Dance," "Hotline Bling," and DJ Khaled's "For Free" with of course, Drake. Ricky Reed's credits include productions for Meghan Trainor, Robin Thicke and Twenty One Pilots.
Who Should Win: Max Martin
Who Will Win: Greg Kurstin
My Write In Nomination: Shaun Frank

Winners will be announced February 12th on CBS, but most of these categories will be announced earlier in the day with little to no fanfare, because as is likely obvious by now, The Grammys still have disdain for electronic music and clearly do not consider it that highly. But the question then is, do electronic music fans even care about the Grammys? And therefore does it matter what they do?
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