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

2011's Best Music: The Albums and Songs

The Grammy's really don't know their stuff.  Here are my picks for the best albums of the year and the best singles.  This is my my first list of the "best."  The list of the best TV shows, performances in TV, and TV episodes of the year is up next!

Best Albums 

1-Adele's-21

It's hard to find people who do not love this album.  I have one friend who does, but his argument is he does not like Adele's voice ( I am baffled).  From start to finish this album is beautifully flawless.  Their is pure raw energy and talent.  This is one of my favorite albums of all time

Best Track "Someone Like You"

2-Bon Iver-Bon Iver

The music on this album is hauntingly beautiful.  The songwriting and tone of this somewhat soft pop is terrific.  One of the most soothing albums, while his voice may be unmistakable, there is something about the way his music lulls you into believing you are surrounded by nothing but beauty.

Best Track "Holocene"

3-Beyonce-4 

A lot of people wrote off this album, but I think this is one of Beyonce's strongest albums.  This did not have a lot of success sales wise, but sometimes the best material does not.  Beyonce has put her heart and soul into this album and it shows!

Best Track- "Countdown" 

4-Jay-Z and Kanye West-Watch the Throne

The combination of these two performers could have been explosively bad, with both of their egos.  Yet the music speaks for itself with songs that go into deep subject matters like racism, this album takes hip hop to another level.

Best Track-"Otis"

5-The Black Keys- El Camino

This album keeps up with the trend of their music have an influence with the blues, but also finds inspiration in rock.  The album is their first that has found the best balance in going beyond their overtly sad, and finds more upbeat sounds.

Best Track-"Dead and Gone"

6-Florence + the Machine-Ceremonials

There is no sophomore slump here, in fact this disc may be better than their first.  The music is haunting, and with every track their is new discovery of the talents within this group.  Florence's vocals are some of the best of the year, her voice is just perfection on these tracks.

Best Track: Seven Devils

Best Singles of 2011

1-Beyonce-"Countdown"

2-Adele-"Rolling in the Deep"

3-Nicki Minaj-"Super Bass"

4-Foster the People "Pumped up Kicks"

5-Britney Spears-"I Wanna Go"