MUSIC BUZZLIST: GRAMMY AWARDS 2012

From Adele, Bennet & Winehouse, to Mumford, Iver & Mars

By: Jesse Livingston

February 9, 2012

(Sunday, February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California) The Grammys have received a lot of criticism over the years. Are they outdated? Do they understand new media? Is the judging system effective? Do they accurately reflect the world of music, or are they too industry specific? Let's put all of that aside and focus on the fact that there are some genuinely talented people nominated this year. These are people who deserve to win awards and, although it's impossible to say for certain what goes on in the mind of a Grammy judge, we can make some predictions about who's likely to walk away with a little gold gramophone on February 12th.

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has restructured their system for 2012, reducing the number of categories from 109 to 78. That's still a hell of a lot of categories, so we'll focus on the “top six” that most people care about. Also, we'll do it in reverse order to generate some of that awards-show excitement.

Best Pop/Duo Group Performance

This year, we've got some pretty serious variety going on, from Coldplay's heavy and orchestral “Paradise” to Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera's ridiculous but also-a-lot-of-fun pop jam “Moves Like Jagger.” We've also got The Black Keys doing a sparse and atmospheric rendition of Buddy Holly's “Dearest.” The song that deserves to win on pure pop perfection is Foster the People's insanely catchy “Pumped Up Kicks”; however, the smart money is on Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse's duet, “Body and Soul.” It's hard to see how the judges will be able to resist paying tribute to the beloved and much-missed English soul singer Winehouse, who died last year. Read the Buzzine review of Amy's posthumous release, Lioness: Hidden Treasures.

Best Pop Solo Performance

This year, we've got two surprisingly similar songs about finding your own self-worth: Pink's “F*ckin' Perfect” and Katy Perry's “Firework.” We've also got Lady Gaga doing “Yoü and I” — an over-the-top pop-country ballad. Adele's melancholy “Someone Like You” is an excellent song, but she's probably going to win in a couple of other categories. Unless she completely sweeps the awards, Hawaiian producer and singer Bruno Mars' cleverly written “Grenade” seems the obvious choice.

Best New Artist

This is a tricky one. We've got two hip-hop artists: J. Cole and Nicki Minaj. Then we have The Band Perry's heartfelt Southern rock. Electronic producer Skrillex gives us bombastic dance jams with names like “Kill EVERYBODY.” However, the Grammy will most likely go to indie favorite Bon Iver. He's been tearing it up recently, in his own delicate, shimmery way. Plus, he's done high-profile work with Kanye West. He's also gone on record saying that he thinks the Grammys are silly, but he's still planning to go, so it'll be interesting to hear what he has to say in his acceptance speech. Read the Buzzine review of Bon Iver.

Song of the Year

This one is essentially for best composition, independent of any recording. Bon Iver is nominated here too, with “Holocene.” Bruno Mars' “Grenade” shows up as well. Kanye West's mega-collaboration, “All of the Lights,” features vocals from John Legend, The-Dream, Elly Jackson, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John, and Rihanna. Adele's “Rolling in the Deep” is a fantastic song, but again, unless she sweeps everything, the judges will probably go with Mumford & Sons' “The Cave.” The West London band found near-instant international stardom with their powerful rootsy folk-rock. They've already won an ARIA Music Award and a Brit Award in 2010 and 2011, respectively, so this seems like their time. By all accounts, they're a bunch of nice guys as well. Check out the Buzzine Gallery of Mumford & Sons.

Album of the Year

In many people's minds, this is the big one. Recording an album represents a significant artistic endeavor, no matter who you are, and, as these kinds of measurements go, it's probably the best way to sum up the quality of an artist's work in a particular year. In 2012, we have The Foo Fighters' Wasting Light, Lady Gaga's Born This Way, Bruno Mars' Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Rihanna's Loud, and Adele's 21. It's hard to imagine a world in which Adele doesn't win this category. She has a list of credits too long to go into, but suffice it to say that her music has been setting records worldwide, and she's already received multiple awards, including two Grammys in 2009. 21 has been at the top of the charts in many countries for a while now, and, what's more, it's a great album. Add to that the fact that Adele herself couldn't come across as a more humble, down-to-earth person in interviews, and you've got a bona fide Cinderella story. Read the Buzzine review of 21.

Record of the Year

This award is for the recording of a song, rather than its composition, and it goes to the artist, the producer, and the engineer/mixer. Here we have “Firework,” “The Cave,” “Grenade,” “Holocene,” and “Rolling in the Deep.” It's a good bet that Adele and her team will win this too. “Rolling in the Deep” is just a stunning all-around recording — the kind that grabs you and makes you say, “What is this?” Vocals, arrangement, and production are all powerful. Not bad for a shy English girl whose demos were posted on MySpace by a friend. We're rooting for her all the way. Read the Buzzine review of 21.

That's the rundown. Basically, this year's Grammy ceremony will consist of waiting to see how many awards Adele will win. Mumford & Sons will surely get a nod for their hard work and talent, and Bon Iver will hold down the indie end of things. Do the awards matter? Well, of course they do. As long as people watch them and attend them, they will hold meaning and affect careers. It's just nice to have some deserving musicians up for consideration this year. Good luck to all.

The Grammy Awards 2012 will take place on Sunday February 12th 2012.  Broadcast live at 8/7c on CBS.