Friday, December 4, 2009

The Fierce, The Fearless, and the Heartless




Beyonce led nominations for the 52nd Grammy Awards announced Thursday with 10 nods.

Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is nominated for Song of the Year, but was not submi
tted for Record of the Year. She is represented in this category, however, by "Halo." This is her fourth nod for Record of the Year, having been nominated before for "Say My Name" (when she was still with Destiny's Child), "Crazy in Love" (with Jay-Z), and "Irreplaceable."

She is nominated for Album of the Year for the first time with "I Am... Sasha Fierce," her third solo album.

Beyonce and Taylor Swift are competing for the top three categories, along with Lady Gaga. Madonna did n
ot get bids in the top three in the same year until "Ray of Light" (1999).

Swift is second with eight nominations. She is the first female country solo artist to be tapped for the top three since Shania Twain in 1999 (for the album "Come on Over" and the song "You're Still the One). She is also the youngest solo artist ever to be a finalist for Album of the Year (for "Fearless," the best-selling album of the year). She will be 20 years and one month old on Grammy night. The record was previously held by Janet Jackson, who was 20 years and n
ine months old in 1987 when she was in the running for "Control."

The nominees for Album of the Year are:

I Am...Sasha Fierce (Beyonce)
The E.N.D. (Black Eyed Peas)

The Fame (Lady Gaga)
Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King (Dave Matthews Band)

Fearless (Taylor Swift)


This is the first time that the Black Eyed Peas have been nominated for Album of the Year. Dave Matthews Band has been one of the best-selling artists in the last 15 years, but this is their first Album of the Year nomination. Kings of Leon could have been nominated for Album of the Year, but "Only by the Night" was released before the eligibility period (October 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009).



The nominees for Record of the Year are:

Halo (Beyonce)
I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)
Use Somebody (Kings of Leon)
Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift)


This is the third nomination for Black Eyed Peas in this category, having been previously nominated for "Where is the Love?" (with Justin Timberlake in 2004) and "Let's Get It Started" (in 2005).


The nominees for Song of the Year are:

Poker Face (Lady Gaga and RedOne)
Pretty Wings (Maxwell Musze and Hod David)
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) [Beyonce Knowles, Thaddis Harrell, Terius Nash and Christopher Stewart]
Use Somebody (Kings Of Leon)
You Belong With Me (Taylor Swift and Liz Rose)


Lady Gaga could have been nominated for best new artist, but was ineligible because she had been nominated for best dance recording last year for "Just Dance," when her album was not yet eligible.


The nominees for Best New Artist are:

Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings


David Cook, the latest American Idol, did not get nominated for best new artist. Carrie Underwood won the category in 2006, the only one to be nominated from among eight American Idols. Also not making the cut are Owl City, who had a number one single recently with "Fireflies," and the Lonely Island, the comedy troupe of Adam Samberg (he of Sat
urday Night Live).



Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell, and Kanye West each received six nods. Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, and DJ David Guetta each have five.


Surprisingly- perhaps not- Kanye West was shut out of the top three. Surprising because his first three albums all won best rap album and were nominated for Album of the Year. "808s and Heartbreak" is not even a finalist for best pop vocal album. The year saw his hit "Heartless" covered by The Fray and Kris Allen, yet it was snubbed for Record of the Year. However, it may not be much of a surprise if his poor showing is read as a backlash from the MTV Vid
eo Music Awards fiasco.

Others passed over were Bruce Springsteen for best rock album ("Working on a Dream"), Diana Krall for best jazz vocal album ("Quiet Nights"), and Whitney Houston for best R&B album ("I Look to You").

The Grammy Awards will be held January 31.

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