Grammy Awards Spread the Wealth Between fun., Gotye, Kanye West, The Black Keys, and Mumford and Sons.

The Grammy Awards were a bit mellow this year with regard to there performances, while T-Swift tried to kick things off with an upbeat note her live performance of "We are Never Getting Back Together" just baffled, and was odd.

Of the performances the person who stole show was Justin Timberlake and his instagram like performance for his new song "Suit and Tie" with Jay-Z.  Along with JT many of the performances while mellow kept the spirit of music alive from Mumford and Sons enchanting "I will Wait" to Kelly Clarkson's powerful vocals.

While the performers often steal the show from the actual awards, this may be one of the years where the Grammy's did a great job spreading the wealth.  fun. took home two major Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best New Artist.  

While many not realize this but the big winners of the night were Gotye, and The Black Keys, Kanye West with three each.  Gotye won for Record of the Year, Best Performance by a Pop Duo or Group, and Best Alternative Album.  The Black Keys stole rock categories winning Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Performance.  Kanye won three awards in the rap categories Best Rap Song, Performance, and Performance by a Duo or Group.  Although Dan Auerbach won 4 trophies (lead vocalist an guitarist for The Black Keys) because he also won Producer of the Year (Non-Classical).  While these artists split most of the wins Mumford and Sons went on to win Album of the Year, after winning only one other award.

My favorite moment of the evening was Kelly Clarkson's genuinely shocked expression/hilarious speech as she won Best Pop Vocal Album, and while her win was a shock, she was hilarious and loved the way she did a shout out to Miguel.  I also loved to hate on Taylor Swift as the camera flashed to her knowing everyone's songs and singing and dancing awkwardly.

GRAMMY AWARDS SHOW WINNERS:

Album of the Year-Mumford and Sons-Babel
 Record of the Year: Gotye featuring Kimbra-Somebody that I used to Know

Best New Artist: fun.
Best Country Album: Uncaged, Zac Brown Band
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "No Church in the Wild," Jay-Z and Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean and The-Dream
Best Pop Vocal Album: Stronger, Kelly Clarkson
Best Rock Performance: "Lonely Boy," The Black Keys
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Channel Orange, Frank Ocean
Song of the Year: "We Are Young," fun.
Best Country Solo Performance: "Blown Away," Carrie Underwood
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Set Fire to the Rain [Live]," Adele

PRE-GRAMMY AWARDS SHOW WINNERS:
Producer of the Year: Dan Auerbach
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Somebody That I Used To Know," Goyte feat. Kimbra
Best Alternative Music Album: Making Mirrors, Goyte
Best Rock Album: El Camino, The Black Keys
Best Rock Song: "Lonely Boy," The Black Keys
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: "Love Bites (So Do I)," Halestorm
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Kisses on the Bottom, Paul McCartney
Best Country Song: "Blown Away," Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "Poonton," Little Big Town
Best World Album: The Living Room Sessions Part 1, Ravi Shankar
Best R&B Song: "Adorn," Miguel
Best R&B Performance: "Climax," Usher
Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Love On Top," Beyonce
Best Pop Instrumental Album: Impressions, Chris Botti
Best Rap Album: Take Care, Drake
Best Rap Song: "N****s In Paris," Jay-Z and Kanye West
Best Rap Performace: "N****s In Paris," Jay-Z and Kanye West
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Safe and Sound," Taylor Swift for Hunger Games
Best R&B Album: Black Radio, Robert Glasper
Best Dance/Electronica Album: Bangarang, Skrillex
Best Dance Recording: "Bangarang," Skrillex featuring Sirah
Best Regional Roots Album: The Band Courtbouillon, Wayne Toups, Steve Riley & Wilson Savoy
Best Folk Album: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile
Best Bluegrass Album: Nobody Knows You, Steep Canyon Rangers
Best Blues Album: Locked Down, Dr. John
Best Americana Album: Slipstream, Bonnie Raitt
Best Musical Theater Album: Once: A Musical, Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti, principal soloists; Steven Epstein & Martin Lowe, producers (Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova, composers/lyricists)
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album: Midnight In Paris
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Unity Band, Pat Metheny Unity Band
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You), Arturo Sandoval
Best Latin Jazz Album: ¡Ritmo!, The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Radio Music Society, Esperanza Spaulding
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Hot House," Gary Buron & Chick Corea
Best New Age Album: Echoes of Love, Oakram
Best Comedy Album: Blow Your Pants Off, Jimmy Fallon
Best Spoken Word Album: Society's Child: My Autobiography, Janis Ian
Best Children's Album: Can You Canoe?, The Okee Dokee Brothers
Best Reggae Album: Rebirth, Jimmy Cliff
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Hartke, Stephen: Meanwhile - Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays," Stephen Hartke
Best Classical Compendium: "Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis," Antoni Wit
Best Choral Performance: "Life & Breath—Choral Works By Rene Clausen," Charles Bruffy, conductor (Matthew Gladden, Lindsey Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sarah Tannehill & Pamela Williamson; Kansas City Chorale)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Meanwhile," Eighth Blackbird
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Kurtag & Ligeti: Music For Viola," Kim Kashkashian
Best Classical Vocal Performance: "Poemes," Renee Fleming
Best Producer of the Year, Classical: Blanton Alspaugh
Best Orchestral Performance: "Adams Harmonielehre and Short Ride In A Fast Machine," Michael Tilson Thomas
Best Opera Recording: "Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen,"James Levine and Fabio Luisi
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Life & Breath, Tom Caufield and John Newton
Best Tropical Latin Album: Retro, Marlow Rosado Y La Riqueña
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Pecados Y Milagros, Lila Downs
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Imaginaries, Quetzal
Best Latin Pop Album, Rock or Urban Album: MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition, Juanes
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Eye on It, TobyMac
Best Gospel Album: Gravity, Lecrae
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)," Matt Redman, & "Your Presence is Heaven," Israel and New Breed
Best Gospel Song: "Go Get It," Mary Mary
Best Gospel Contemporary Christian Musical Performance: "10,000 Reason (Bless the Lord)," Matt Redman
Best Surround Sound Album: Modern Cool, Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Michael Friedman, surround producer (Patricia Barber)
Best Remixed Recording, Non Classical: "Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)," Skrillex, remixer (Nero)
Best Engineered Album, Non Classical: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Richard King, engineer, Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile)
Best Historical Album: The Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set), Alan Boyd, Mark Linett, Brian Wilson & Dennis Wolfe, compilation producers; Mark Linett, mastering engineer (The Beach Boys)
Best Album Notes: Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles, Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection, Fritz Klaetke, art director (Woody Guthrie)
Best Recording Package: "Biophilia," Michael Amzalag & Mathias Augustyniak, art directors (Björk)
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist: "City of Roses," Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding)
Best Instrumental Arrangement: "How About You," Gil Evans, arranger (Gil Evans Project)
Best Instrumental Composition: "Mozart Goes Dancing," Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Gary Burton)
Best Long Form Music Video: "Big Easy Express," Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros & Old Crow Medicine Show
Best Short Form Music Video: "We Found Love," Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

Grammy Predictions 2013

Album of the Year
The Black Keys-El Camino
fun.-Some Nights
Mumford and Sons-Babel
Frank Ocean-Channel ORANGE
Jack White-Blunderbuss

Who will win?  Tough call many of the artists blends genres of pop/rock/alternative with a hint of folk thrown in there and some R&B.  There are many artists with 6 nominations, and many of them are in this category.  I have not been as good at predicting the Grammy's lately although I predicted Adele's sweep last year, but who didn't?  My gut tells me that the best selling, and most audience friendly Mumford will win here in this category, but their lack of attention in the Record and Song categories are surprising.  I am proud of the Grammy Awards this year this is a solid list of nominees.

Will Win: Mumford and Sons-Babel
Should Win: Frank Ocean-Channel ORANGE
Spoiler:Anyone! fun. is the biggest in my book

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 featuring Kimbra-Somebody that I used to Know
Frank Ocean-Thinkin bout You
Taylor Swift-We are Never Getting Back Together

All great songs in their own right, but fun. has this in the bag, and I would be shocked if they lost this award.  Gotye and Kelly Clarkson are the bigger spoilers in my book.

Will Win-fun. featuring Janelle Monae
Should and Spoiler Win-Gotye-Somebody that I used to Know

Song of the Year

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

fun. featuring Janelle Monae-We Are Young

Carly Rae Jepsen-Call Me Maybe

Miguel-Adorn

Ed Sheeran-The A Team

fun. has this one in the bag as well, this track is the exact type of song that wins in both these categories like many before them, and most recently Lady Antebellum, Adele, Amy Winehouse, and the Dixie Chicks.  Will fun. join these names?  Maybe I do think people are underestimating the support for Kelly Clarkson, and the song was a big hit.

Will Win: fun. featuring Janelle Monae-We Are Young

Should Win-Miguel-Adorn

Spoiler-Kelly Clarkson-Stronger

Best New Artist

The Alabama Shakes

fun. 

Hunter Hayes

The Lumineers

Frank Ocean

Never underestimate a good country artist in this category, but my prediction is this is the category for Frank Ocean to win.  Yet honestly this a wide open category where surprises always happen look at past winners Esperanza Spaulding (beating Justin Bieber and Drake), and Shelby Lynne (although I predicted her).

Will and Should Win: Frank Ocean

Spoiler: Anyone, but fun. and Hunter Hayes are most likely

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

Pop Performance by a Duo or Group-fun. featuring Janelle Monae-We are Young

Pop Vocal Album-fun.-Some Nights

Dance Recording-Skrillex-Bangarang

Dance/Electronica Album-Demau5-Album title goes Here

Rock Performance-Mumford and Sons-I Will Wait

Rock Song-The Black Keys-Lonely Boy

Rock Album-The Black Keys-El Camino

Alternative Album-Gotye-Making Mirrors

R&B Performance-Miguel-Adorn

Traditional R&B Performance-Beyonce-Love on Top

R&B Song-Miguel-Adorn

R&B Album-R Kelly-Write Me Back 

Rap Performance-The Throne-Ni**as in Paris

Rap Sung Collaboration-Nas featuring Amy Winehouse-Cherry Wine

Rap Song-The Throne-Ni**as in Paris

Rap Album-Drake-Take Care

Urban Contemporary Album-Frank Ocean-Channel ORANGE

Country Solo Performance-Carrie Underwood-Blown Away 

Country Duo or Group Performance-Taylor Swift and the Civil Wars-Safe and Sound

Country Album-Miranda Lambert-Four the Record 

Comedy Album-Jimmy Fallon-Blow Your Pants Off

Spoken Word Album-Michelle Obama-American Grown

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