2013 Grammy Nominations Prove to be a Man's Game with fun, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Mumford and Sons, and Frank Ocean Leading the Pack

The Grammy Awards seem to always have a well balanced amount of men and women nominated for their awards, in fact there seems to be a few more women who dominate these awards with high number tallies.  This year has proven to be the opposite.  This year Kanye West, Jay-Z, fun, Frank Ocean, Mumford and Sons, and Dan Auerbach lead the pack with 6 nominations.  Not a woman in site!  The next highest nomination recipient is the Black Keys with 5 nominations.  Even the Album of the Year category has no women, with The Black Keys, fun, Mumford and Sons, and Jack White nominated in this category.

Before I get into the lack of women nominated, there is also one new thing that has happened this year, 6 nominees in the Record of the Year category, this has never happened.  This also sets an interesting precedent.  Does this mean an increased number of nominations coming down the line?  Are the Grammy's trying to see how folks react, or if they can do something similar to the Emmy Awards?  Maybe there was just a tie.  All six nominees are solid, and that's why this category is the best of the General Field.  Now on to the women.

Did the NARAS forget the women?  Sure Kelly Clarkson has 4 nominations, and has the most in the major categories (a pleasant surprise).  The only other women in the major categories is Carly Rae Jepsen, Taylor Swift, Janelle Monae (as a featured artist), and even the Best New Artist category which is usually dominated by women only has The Lumineers Neyla Pekarek.  I swear there were women who released albums, Florence + the Machine would have been a welcome nominee to the major categories, but she was regulated to the pop genre (although I am not sure she fits there).  The country Solo Performance category is also only men, and there is no Miranda Lamber or Carrie Underwood, which is shocking.    This may prove that getting rid of the gender divide is a problem for this award show.

Many of the artists seem outside of the genre, but that may have been to get a nomination, many of these artists in the major categories like fun., Gotye, Mumford and Sons, Jack White, and The Black Keys have alternative roots but they were placed elsewhere.  This is going to be an interesting Grammy year, and at the moment I would state that the winners are, up in the air, with no clear front runners.

Many of the genres were entirely entirely forgotten in the major four categories, like there is not a single Rap nomination, which is telling because the genre nominations are extremely competitive, what happened?  R&B only has a Song of the Year nomination that came out of nowhere for Miguel.  Country also has a small showing with Hunter Hayes as a Best New Artist nominee.  

While in some respect this group of nominees represents this year well, maybe it also proves this was one of the weakest years for new material, hell Carly Rae Jepsen has 2 Grammy nominations, that is frightening to me.  While this year's nominees may be somewhat impressive, this will also be known as the year Grammy forgot women!

Here is a list of the majority of the nominations:

Album of the Year

The Black Keys-El Camino

fun-Some Night

Mumford and Sons-Babel

Frank Ocean-Channel Orange

Jack White-Blunderbuss

Record of the Year

The Black Keys-Lonely Boy

Kelly Clarkson-Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)

fun featuring Janelle Monae-We Are Young

Gotye-Somebody That I Used to Know

Frank Ocean-Thinkin Bout You

Taylor Swift-We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Song of the Year

A Team-performed by Ed Sheehan

Adorn-performed by Miguel

Call Me Maybe-performed by Carly Rae Jepsen

Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)-performed by Kelly Clarkson

We Are Young-performed by fun featuring Janelle Monae

Best New Artist

Alabama Shake

fun

Hunter Hayes

The Lumineers

Frank Ocean

Pop Vocal Album

Kelly Clarkson-Stronger

Florence + the Machine-Ceremonials

Fun-Some Nights

Maroon 5-Overexposed

P!nk-The Truth about Love

Pop Vocal Performance

Adele-Set Fire to the Rain (Live)

Kelly Clarkson-Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)

Carly  Rae Jepsen-Call Me Maybe

Katy Perry-Wide Awake

Rihanna-Where Have You Been

Pop Vocal Duo or Group

Florence + the Machine-Shake it Out

Fun feauring Janelle Monae-We Are Young

Gotye featuring Kimbra-Somebody that I Used to Know

LMFAO-Sexy and I Know it

Maroon 5 &Wiz Kahlifa-Payphone

Best Dance Recording

Avicil-Levels

Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo-Let’s Go

Skrillex featuring Sirah-Bangarang

Sweedish House Mafia featuring John Martin-Don’t You Worry Child

Al Waiser-I Can’t Live without You

Best Dance/Electronica Album

Steve Aoki-The Wonderland

The Chemical Brothers-Don’t think

Deadmau5-Album Title Goes Here

Kaskade-Fire & Ice

Skrillex-Bangarang

Best Rock Performance

Alabama Shakes-Hold On

Black Keys-Lonely Boy

Coldplay-Charlie Brown

Mumford and Sons-I Will Wait

Bruce Springsteen-We Can Take Care of Our Own

Best Rock Song

Black Keys-Lonely Boy

Mumford and Sons-I will Wait

Muse-Madness

Bruce Springsteen-We Take Care of Our Own

Jack White-Freedom at 21

Best Rock Album

Black Keys-El Camino

Coldplay-Mylo  Xyloto

Muse-The 2^nd Law

Bruce Springsteen-Wrecking Ball

Jack White-Blunderbuss

Best Alternative Album

Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do

Bjork-Biophilia

Gotye-Making Mirrors

M83-Hurry Up We’re Dreaming

Tom Waits-Bad As Me

Best R&B Album

Estelle-Thank You

Robert Glasper featuring Ledisi-Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.)

Luke James-I Want You

Miguel-Adorn

Usher-Climax

Best R&B Song

Miguel-Adorn

Tarnia-Beautiful Surprise

Trey Songz-Heart Attack

Anthony Hamiliton-Pray for Me

Elle Varner-Refill

Best Urban Contemprary Album

Chris Brown-Fortune

Miguel-Kaleidescope Dream

Frank Ocean-Channel Orange

Best R&B Album

Robert Glasper Experiment-Black Radio

Anthony Hamilton-Back to Love

R. Kelly-Write me Back

Tamia-Beautiful Surprise

Tyrese-Open Invitation

Best Rap Performance

Drake featuring Lil Wayne-HYFR (Hell Yeah F***ing Right)

Jay-Z featuring Kanye West-N****s in Paris

Nas-Daughters

Kanye West featuring Big Sean Pusha T, and 2 Chainz-Mercy

Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z and Andree 3000-I Do

Best Rap Sung Collaboration

Flo Rida featuring Sia-Wild Ones

Jay-Z featuring Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and the The Dream-No Church in the Wild

John Legend featuring Ludacris-Tonight (Best You Ever Had)

Nas featuring Amy Winehouse-Cherry Wine

Rihanna featuring Jay-Z-Talk that Talk

Best Rap Song

Daughters-Nas

Mercy-Kanye West featuring Big Sean Pusha T, and 2 Chainz

The Motto-Drake featuring Lil Wayne

N****s in Paris- Jay-Z and Kanye West

Young and Wild and Free-Snoop Dogg, Wiz Kahlifa, and Bruno Mars

Best Rap Album

Drake-Take Care

Lupe Fiasco-Food & Liquor: The Great American Rap Album Part 1

Nas-Life is Good

Rick Ross-God Forgives I Don’t

2 Chainz-Based on a T.R.U. Story

Best Country Solo Performance

Dierks Bentley-Home

Eric Chruch-Springsteen

Ronnie Dunn-Cost of Living

Hunter Hayes-Wanted

Blake Shleton-Over

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group

Ell Young Band-Even if it Break Your Heart

Little Big Town-Pontoon

Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars-Safe and Sound

The Time Jumpers-On the Outskirts of Town

Don Williams featuring Allison Krause-I Just Come Here for the Music

Best Country Song

Carrie Underwood-Blown Away

Ronnie Dunn-Cost of Livin

Ell Young Band-Even if it Break Your Heart

Allan Jackson-So You Don’t Love me Anymore

Eric Church-Springsteen

Best Country Album

Zac Brown Band-Uncaged

Hunter Hayes-Hunter Hayes

Jamey Johnson-Living for a Song: A Tribute Hank Cochran

Miranda Lambert-For the Record

The Time Jumpers-The Time Jumpers

Best Comedy Album

Jimmy Fallon-Blow Your Pants Off

Lewis Black-In God we Rust

Margaret Cho-Cho Dependent (Live in Concert)

Kathy Griffin-Kathy Griffin: Seaman 1^st Class

Jim Gaffigan-Mr. Universe

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
The Descendants
Marley
Midnight in Paris
The Muppets
Rock of Ages

Best Soundtrack Score for Visual Media
The Adventures of Tin Tin-John Williams
The Artist-Ludovic Bource
The Dark Knight Rises-Hans Zimmer
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Hugo-Howard Shore
Journey-Austin Wintory

Best Song Written for Visual Media
Abraham's Daughter-performed by Trent Reznor (from The Hunger Games)
Lean Me Right-performed by Mumford and Sons (from Brave)
Let Me Be Your Star-performed by Katherine McPhee and Megan Hilty (from Smash)
Man or Muppet-performed by Jason Segal and Walter (from The Muppets)
Safe and Sound-performed by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars (from The Hunger Games)

Best Musical Theatre Album
Follies
The Gershwin's Porgie and Bess
Newsies
Nice Work if You Can Get it
Once: A New Musical