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https://www.thewrap.com/inside-hip-hop-takeover-grammy-awards/

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Inside Grammy Awards’ Hip-Hop Takeover: Why Country and Rock Albums Got Snubbed

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Steve Pond | Last Updated: November 28, 2017 @ 8:45 AM

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The 2017-2018 Grammy nominations aren’t very balanced, and the Recording Academy is just fine with that.

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In most recent years, the top categories have included a mixture of genres, usually including country and rock performers alongside the hip-hop, R&B and pop artists who dominate the culture and the music charts. Recent nominees in the marquee Album of the Year category, for example, include Sturgill Simpson’s “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” and Beck’s “Morning Phase” among them.

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But this year, contenders like Miranda Lambert’s “The Weight of These Wings” and Metallica’s “Hardwired … To Self Destruct” were bypassed in favor of albums by hip-hop artists Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and hip-hop-tinged R&B singer Bruno Mars; only singer-songwriter Lorde kept it from being a clean sweep for urban music.

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The Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist categories were equally heavy on hip-hop and urban artists; in fact, Lorde and new artist Julia Michaels were the only white artists nominated in the top four categories (though Justin Bieber is featured on the nominated song “Despacito”).

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“The nominations are a reflection of where music is, where society and culture are and where things are moving,” Recording Academy President Neil Portnow told TheWrap.

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“This is an honest reflection of the state and direction of music in 2017 and 2018 — and there are elements about these nominations that do feel historic, in the sense that they show how so much of hip-hop and urban music is proliferating through all kinds of music, not only in America but worldwide,” he added. “It is becoming, more than ever, a solid part of our culture, which you see reflected in these nominations.”

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It would be wrong, said Portnow, to think that the Academy used to push an agenda of recognizing all types of music, or that it has now relaxed that push. “It’s not about genre balance, it’s about excellence,” he said. “There’s no agenda coming from our professional music makers who vote, nor is there one from the Academy.

-

“It’s nice when you see the nominations and you have contributions from a variety of different genres, but it’s not essential. There are some years when the reflection of music just isn’t going to be balanced, if it’s a true measure.”

-

For the first time, Grammy voters were able to cast their ballots online this year, which Portnow suspects increased the number of the Academy’s 13,000 voting members who participated. He doesn’t know for sure, because the Grammy accounting firm doesn’t tell him — but when their sister organization, the Latin Grammys, went to online voting, they reported an increase in the number of voters.

-

“We have a very astute, savvy and current voting membership, because you don’t get these kind of results without that,” he said. “And we’re now incorporating online voting, which gives our voters a tool which is efficient and easy and encourages people to participate. That combination made for a really stellar group of nominations.

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“This looks different from last year, and it may look different next year. What’s important is that it reflects a level of excellence.”

[Edited 11/28/17 9:18am]

Took em long enough.

Watch Lorde walk with the Grammy though.

Musicslave said:

-

https://www.thewrap.com/inside-hip-hop-takeover-grammy-awards/

-

Inside Grammy Awards’ Hip-Hop Takeover: Why Country and Rock Albums Got Snubbed

-

-

“The nominations are a reflection of where music is, where society and culture are and where things are moving,” Academy President Neil Portnow says

-

Steve Pond | Last Updated: November 28, 2017 @ 8:45 AM

-

The 2017-2018 Grammy nominations aren’t very balanced, and the Recording Academy is just fine with that.

-

In most recent years, the top categories have included a mixture of genres, usually including country and rock performers alongside the hip-hop, R&B and pop artists who dominate the culture and the music charts. Recent nominees in the marquee Album of the Year category, for example, include Sturgill Simpson’s “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” and Beck’s “Morning Phase” among them.

-

But this year, contenders like Miranda Lambert’s “The Weight of These Wings” and Metallica’s “Hardwired … To Self Destruct” were bypassed in favor of albums by hip-hop artists Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and hip-hop-tinged R&B singer Bruno Mars; only singer-songwriter Lorde kept it from being a clean sweep for urban music.

-

The Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist categories were equally heavy on hip-hop and urban artists; in fact, Lorde and new artist Julia Michaels were the only white artists nominated in the top four categories (though Justin Bieber is featured on the nominated song “Despacito”).

-

“The nominations are a reflection of where music is, where society and culture are and where things are moving,” Recording Academy President Neil Portnow told TheWrap.

-

“This is an honest reflection of the state and direction of music in 2017 and 2018 — and there are elements about these nominations that do feel historic, in the sense that they show how so much of hip-hop and urban music is proliferating through all kinds of music, not only in America but worldwide,” he added. “It is becoming, more than ever, a solid part of our culture, which you see reflected in these nominations.”

-

It would be wrong, said Portnow, to think that the Academy used to push an agenda of recognizing all types of music, or that it has now relaxed that push. “It’s not about genre balance, it’s about excellence,” he said. “There’s no agenda coming from our professional music makers who vote, nor is there one from the Academy.

-

“It’s nice when you see the nominations and you have contributions from a variety of different genres, but it’s not essential. There are some years when the reflection of music just isn’t going to be balanced, if it’s a true measure.”

-

For the first time, Grammy voters were able to cast their ballots online this year, which Portnow suspects increased the number of the Academy’s 13,000 voting members who participated. He doesn’t know for sure, because the Grammy accounting firm doesn’t tell him — but when their sister organization, the Latin Grammys, went to online voting, they reported an increase in the number of voters.

-

“We have a very astute, savvy and current voting membership, because you don’t get these kind of results without that,” he said. “And we’re now incorporating online voting, which gives our voters a tool which is efficient and easy and encourages people to participate. That combination made for a really stellar group of nominations.

-

“This looks different from last year, and it may look different next year. What’s important is that it reflects a level of excellence.”

[Edited 11/28/17 9:18am]

That's straight horseshit if I ever read it.

Hip-hop has had a stranglehold on US culture since the 90s. The only reason why the Recording
Academy's categories of Record of the Year, and Song of the Year features mostly hip-hop acts is
because of the flack it received recently for shunning Black American artists working mostly within
historically Black American art forms like hip-hop and R&B who released critically acclaimed and/or
big sellers.

I'm certain that those old farts would rather give Bruce Hornsby, Robert Plant, Allison Krauss, Elvis
Costello, and Emmylou Harris Grammies every single year if they could get away with it - yet, Emi-
nem has 15 Grammies?!?!?!?! Besides, I'm willing to wager the farm that most millenials don't
give a fuck about a Grammy anyways!

MotownSubdivision said:

Took em long enough.

Watch Lorde walk with the Grammy though.

Yep.

MotownSubdivision said:

cant someone claim a sex assualt and we can be done with grammy shows?

Shawy89 said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Took em long enough.

Watch Lorde walk with the Grammy though.

Not really though. The race is between Kendrick and Bruno but mostly Bruno will win since Jay Z and Kendrick will split votes, while Bruno has large mass appeal and likely old members will pick him over others.

Look at this retrospectively.

This is the same group of people that elected Jethro Tull to win over Metallica for Best Metal Perfromance, the same group of people who jobbed Kendrick out to Macklemore and Taylor Swift, this is the same group of people who had Taylor Swift be the first female artist to win AotY twice, this is the same group of people who, ever since hip hop has permeated the mainstream, has only elected 2 hip hop albums for AoTY.

I'll be disappointed but not surprised at Lorde winning AotY. It's the sort of short-sighted, illogical decision the NARAS would make and if they do this, it would merely be the latest example of their sheer incompetence.

MotownSubdivision said:

Shawy89 said:

MotownSubdivision said: Not really though. The race is between Kendrick and Bruno but mostly Bruno will win since Jay Z and Kendrick will split votes, while Bruno has large mass appeal and likely old members will pick him over others.

Look at this retrospectively.

This is the same group of people that elected Jethro Tull to win over Metallica for Best Metal Perfromance, the same group of people who jobbed Kendrick out to Macklemore and Taylor Swift, this is the same group of people who had Taylor Swift be the first female artist to win AotY twice, this is the same group of people who, ever since hip hop has permeated the mainstream, has only elected 2 hip hop albums for AoTY.

I'll be disappointed but not surprised at Lorde winning AotY. It's the sort of short-sighted, illogical decision the NARAS would make and if they do this, it would merely be the latest example of their sheer incompetence.

You're completely right. It's why the Recording Academy won't just give Lorde the trophy, after two successive white female AOTY wins, they'll be CRAZY to do it a third time. It's gonna put an end to their reputation as the most credible award show in music, and SJW media will come for blood. I also think that her getting nominated is just to show a female in the category cause 2017 in general was a very underwhelming year for female artists in the mainstream. They don't want to put SZA cause there's enough PoCs in the category, Kesha and Gaga are too polarizing and they're sort of old-news. They had to go with Lorde. I really think the competition is between Bruno and Kendrick. Bruno is the go-to winner, he's safe, everybody loves him, a massive era he's had. No controversy, him winning AOTY will make good TV which is what they're looking for eventually. Or Kendrick might win and everyone will be happy.

But doesn't Lorde deserve AOTY?

I'm just askin'.

Such an equitable awards show

If next year, the Grammy Awards nominate Eminem for 10 awards and he only wins 1 and others rappers are snubbed for the highest prizes or any award, these same rappers who are celebrating their nominations and exclaiming "hip hop is the biggest genre there is" is going to bitch and boycott. It's amazing how Steve Stoute and many hip hop major players will pout about the voting system and boycott like they are anti-establishment. Then as soon as their clients get nominated and win, now the Grammys "get it".

fuck the Grammy Awards twice!

Jay Z is a Rap Legend and a GRAMMY darling, he'll rule the night...Bruno will sweep all three R&B Categories and he'll walk away with Album of the Year....

Bruno should win 4 GRAMMYs by the end of the night...

And next year will be the Taylor Swift show, nothing has changed with the Grammy's same old song and dance, Bruno this year Taylor next year probably U2 filtered in

CynicKill said:

MD431Madcat said:

Is this soley based on sales / streams? Ed Sheran really had a great year with his album, his songs were EVERYWHERE.

What are the grammy nominations based on because if it is just trying to make artists fit in than I do not agree with it.

I give it to Jay and Kendrick though for rap album. Jay Z has put MAJOR effort into this album there are several films attatched to it.

Looking at the nominations its not that black and white there are more white artists involved in other categories just sans some of the major ones (like New Artist and Song Of The Year). I have to give it to those nominations though because those songs and artists seemed to be all over the place.

That is a big difference from the American Music Awards.

GENERAL FIELD

Record Of The Year:
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“The Story Of O.J.” — Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

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Album Of The Year:
“Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino
4:44 — Jay-Z
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar
Melodrama — Lorde
24K Magic — Bruno Mars

Song Of The Year:
“Despacito” — Ramón Ayala, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Erika Ender, Luis Fonsi & Marty James Garton, songwriters (Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber)
“4:44” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)
“Issues” — Benny Blanco, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Julia Michaels & Justin Drew Tranter, songwriters (Julia Michaels)
“1-800-273-8255” — Alessia Caracciolo, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Arjun Ivatury & Khalid Robinson, songwriters (Logic Featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid)
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA

POP FIELD

Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Love So Soft” — Kelly Clarkson
“Praying” — Kesha
“Million Reasons” — Lady Gaga
“What About Us” — P!nk
“Shape Of You” — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Something Just Like This” — The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“Thunder” — Imagine Dragons
“Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man
“Stay” — Zedd & Alessia Cara

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Nobody But Me (Deluxe Version) — Michael Bublé
Triplicate — Bob Dylan
In Full Swing — Seth MacFarlane
Wonderland — Sarah McLachlan
Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 — (Various Artists) Dae Bennett, Producer

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Kaleidoscope EP — Coldplay
Lust For Life — Lana Del Rey
Evolve — Imagine Dragons
Rainbow — Kesha
Joanne — Lady Gaga
÷ (Divide) — Ed Sheeran

DANCE/ELECTRONIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“Bambro Koyo Ganda” — Bonobo Featuring Innov Gnawa
“Cola” — Camelphat & Elderbrook
“Andromeda” — Gorillaz Featuring DRAM
“Tonite” — LCD Soundsystem
“Line Of Sight” — Odesza Featuring WYNNE & Mansionair

Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Migration — Bonobo
3-D The Catalogue — Kraftwerk
Mura Masa — Mura Masa
A Moment Apart — Odesza
What Now — Sylvan Esso

CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL FIELD

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album:
What If — The Jerry Douglas Band
Spirit — Alex Han
Mount Royal — Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge
Prototype — Jeff Lorber Fusion
Bad Hombre — Antonio Sanchez

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen
“The Promise” — Chris Cornell
“Run” — Foo Fighters
“No Good” — Kaleo
“Go To War” — Nothing More

Best Metal Performance:
“Invisible Enemy” — August Burns Red
“Black Hoodie” — Body Count
“Forever” — Code Orange
“Sultan’s Curse” — Mastodon
“Clockworks” — Meshuggah

Best Rock Song:
“Atlas, Rise!” — James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich, songwriters (Metallica)
“Blood In The Cut” — JT Daly & Kristine Flaherty, songwriters (K.Flay)
“Go To War” — Ben Anderson, Jonny Hawkins, Will Hoffman, Daniel Oliver, David Pramik & Mark Vollelunga, songwriters (Nothing More)
“Run” — Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
“The Stage” — Zachary Baker, Brian Haner, Matthew Sanders, Jonathan Seward & Brooks Wackerman, songwriters (Avenged Sevenfold)

Best Rock Album:
Emperor Of Sand — Mastodon
Hardwired…To Self-Destruct — Metallica
The Stories We Tell Ourselves — Nothing More
Villains — Queens Of The Stone Age
A Deeper Understanding — The War On Drugs

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Everything Now — Arcade Fire
Humanz — Gorillaz
American Dream — LCD Soundsystem
Pure Comedy — Father John Misty
Sleep Well Beast — The National

R&B FIELD

Best R&B Performance:
“Get You” — Daniel Caesar Featuring Kali Uchis
“Distraction” — Kehlani
“High” — Ledisi
“That’s What I Like” — Bruno Mars
“The Weekend” — SZA

Best Traditional R&B Performance:
“Laugh And Move On” — The Baylor Project
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“What I’m Feelin'” — Anthony Hamilton Featuring The Hamiltones|
“All The Way” — Ledisi
“Still” — Mali Music

Best R&B Song:
“First Began” — PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton)
“Location” — Alfredo Gonzalez, Olatunji Ige, Samuel David Jiminez, Christopher McClenney, Khalid Robinson & Joshua Scruggs, songwriters (Khalid)
“Redbone” — Donald Glover & Ludwig Goransson, songwriters (Childish Gambino)
“Supermodel” — Tyran Donaldson, Terrence Henderson, Greg Landfair Jr., Solana Rowe & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (SZA)
“That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Free 6LACK — 6LACK
“Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino
American Teen — Khalid
Ctrl — SZA
Starboy — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album:
Freudian — Daniel Caesar
Let Love Rule — Ledisi
24K Magic — Bruno Mars
Gumbo — PJ Morton
Feel The Real –Musiq Soulchild

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance:
“Bounce Back” — Big Sean
“Bodak Yellow” — Cardi B
“4:44” — Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“Bad And Boujee” — Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert

Best Rap/Sung Performance:
“PRBLMS” — 6LACK
“Crew” — Goldlink Featuring Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy
“Family Feud” — Jay-Z Featuring Beyoncé
“LOYALTY.” — Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna
“Love Galore” — SZA Featuring Travis Scott

Best Rap Song:
“Bodak Yellow” — Dieuson Octave, Klenord Raphael, Shaftizm, Jordan Thorpe, Washpoppin & J White, songwriters (Cardi B)
“Chase Me” — Judah Bauer, Brian Burton, Hector Delgado, Jaime Meline, Antwan Patton, Michael Render, Russell Simins & Jon Spencer,
songwriters (Danger Mouse Featuring Run The Jewels & Big Boi)
“HUMBLE.” — Duckworth, Asheton Hogan & M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
“Sassy” — Gabouer & M. Evans, songwriters (Rapsody)
“The Story Of O.J.” — Shawn Carter & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Jay-Z)

Best Rap Album:
4:44 — Jay-Z
DAMN. — Kendrick Lamar
Culture — Migos
Laila’s Wisdom — Rapsody
Flower Boy — Tyler, The Creator

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Solo Performance:
“Body Like A Back Road” — Sam Hunt
“Losing You: –Alison Krauss
“Tin Man” — Miranda Lambert
“I Could Use A Love Song” — Maren Morris
“Either Way” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“It Ain’t My Fault” — Brothers Osborne
“My Old Man” — Zac Brown Band
“You Look Good” — Lady Antebellum
“Better Man” — Little Big Town
“Drinkin’ Problem” — Midland

Best Country Song:
“Better Man” — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Little Big Town)
“Body Like A Back Road” — Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Sam Hunt)
“Broken Halos” — Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
“Drinkin’ Problem” — Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne & Mark Wystrach, songwriters (Midland)
“Tin Man” — Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert & Jon Randall, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)

Best Country Album:
Cosmic Hallelujah — Kenny Chesney
Heart Break — Lady Antebellum
The Breaker — Little Big Town
Life Changes — Thomas Rhett
From A Room: Volume 1 — Chris Stapleton

NEW AGE FIELD

Best New Age Album:
Reflection — Brian Eno
SongVersation: Medicine — India.Arie
Dancing On Water — Peter Kater
Sacred Journey Of Ku-Kai, Volume 5 — Kitaro
Spiral Revelation — Steve Roach

JAZZ FIELD

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
“Can’t Remember Why” — Sara Caswell, soloist
“Dance Of Shiva” — Billy Childs, soloist
“Whisper Not” — Fred Hersch, soloist
“Miles Beyond” — John McLaughlin, soloist
“Ilimba” — Chris Potter, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
The Journey — The Baylor Project
A Social Call — Jazzmeia Horn
Bad Ass And Blind — Raul Midón
Porter Plays Porter — Randy Porter Trio With Nancy King
Dreams And Daggers — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
Uptown, Downtown — Bill Charlap Trio
Rebirth — Billy Childs
Project Freedom –Joey DeFrancesco & The People
Open Book — Fred Hersch
The Dreamer Is The Dream — Chris Potter

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
MONK’estra Vol. 2 — John Beasley
Jigsaw — Alan Ferber Big Band
Bringin’ It — Christian McBride Big Band
Homecoming — Vince Mendoza & WDR Big Band Cologne
Whispers On The Wind — Chuck Owen And The Jazz Surge

Best Latin Jazz Album:
Hybrido – From Rio To Wayne Shorter — Antonio Adolfo
Oddara — Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
Outra Coisa – The Music Of Moacir Santos — Anat Cohen & Marcello Gonçalves
Típico — Miguel Zenón
Jazz Tango — Pablo Ziegler Trio

GOSPEL/ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Performance/Song:
“Too Hard Not To” — Tina Campbell
“You Deserve It” — JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise Featuring Bishop Cortez Vaughn
“Better Days” — Le’Andria
“My Life” — The Walls Group
“Never Have To Be Alone” — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song:
“Oh My Soul” — Casting Crowns
“Clean” — Natalie Grant
“What A Beautiful Name” — Hillsong Worship
“Even If” — MercyMe
“Hills And Valleys” — Tauren Wells

Best Gospel Album:
Crossover: Live From Music City — Travis Greene
Bigger Than Me — Le’Andria
Close — Marvin Sapp
Sunday Song — Anita Wilson
Let Them Fall In Love — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Rise — Danny Gokey
Echoes (Deluxe Edition) — Matt Maher
Lifer — MercyMe
Hills And Valleys — Tauren Wells
Chain Breaker — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album:
The Best Of The Collingsworth Family – Volume 1 — The Collingsworth Family
Give Me Jesus — Larry Cordle
Resurrection — Joseph Habedank
Sing It Now: Songs Of Faith & Hope — Reba McEntire
Hope For All Nations — Karen Peck & New River

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
Lo Único Constante — Alex Cuba
Mis Planes Son Amarte — Juanes
Amar Y Vivir En Vivo Desde La Ciudad De México, 2017 — La Santa Cecilia
Musas (Un Homenaje Al Folclore Latinoamericano En Manos De Los Macorinos) — Natalia Lafourcade
El Dorado — Shakira

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
Ayo — Bomba Estéreo
Pa’ Fuera — C4 Trío & Desorden Público
Salvavidas De Hielo — Jorge Drexler
El Paradise — Los Amigos Invisibles
Residente — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
Ni Diablo Ni Santo — Julión Álvarez Y Su Norteño Banda
Ayer Y Hoy — Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Momentos — Alex Campos
Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas — Aida Cuevas
Zapateando En El Norte — Humberto Novoa, producer (Various Artists)

Best Tropical Latin Album:
Albita — Albita
Art Of The Arrangement — Doug Beavers
Salsa Big Band — Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Gente Valiente — Silvestre Dangond
Indestructible — Diego El Cigala

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC FIELD

Best American Roots Performance:
Killer Diller Blues — Alabama Shakes
Let My Mother Live — Blind Boys Of Alabama
Arkansas Farmboy — Glen Campbell
Steer Your Way — Leonard Cohen
I Never Cared For You — Alison Krauss

Best American Roots Song:
“Cumberland Gap” — David Rawlings
“I Wish You Well” — The Mavericks
“If We Were Vampires” — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
“It Ain’t Over Yet” — Rodney Crowell Featuring Rosanne Cash & John Paul White
“My Only True Friend” –Gregg Allman

Best Americana Album:
Southern Blood — Gregg Allman
Shine On Rainy Day — Brent Cobb
Beast Epic — Iron & Wine
The Nashville Sound — Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Brand New Day — The Mavericks

Best Bluegrass Album:
Fiddler’s Dream — Michael Cleveland
Laws Of Gravity — The Infamous Stringdusters
Original — Bobby Osborne
Universal Favorite — Noam Pikelny
All The Rage – In Concert Volume One [Live] — Rhonda Vincent And The Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album:
Migration Blues — Eric Bibb
Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio — Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio
Roll And Tumble — R.L. Boyce
Sonny & Brownie’s Last Train — Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi
Blue & Lonesome — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album:
Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm — Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm
Recorded Live In Lafayette — Sonny Landreth
TajMo — Taj Mahal & Keb’ Mo’
Got Soul — Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Live From The Fox Oakland — Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album:
Mental Illness — Aimee Mann
Semper Femina — Laura Marling
The Queen Of Hearts — Offa Rex
You Don’t Own Me Anymore — The Secret Sisters
The Laughing Apple — Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Best Regional Roots Music Album:
Top Of The Mountain — Dwayne Dopsie And The Zydeco Hellraisers
Ho’okena 3.0 — Ho’okena
Kalenda — Lost Bayou Ramblers
Miyo Kekisepa, Make A Stand [Live] — Northern Cree
Pua Kiele — Josh Tatofi

REGGAE FIELD

Best Reggae Album:
Chronology — Chronixx
Lost In Paradise — Common Kings
Wash House Ting — J Boog
Stony Hill — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
Avrakedabra — Morgan Heritage

WORLD MUSIC FIELD

Best World Music Album:
Memoria De Los Sentidos — Vicente Amigo
Para Mi — Buika
Rosa Dos Ventos — Anat Cohen & Trio Brasileiro
Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration — Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Elwan — Tinariwen

I like Redbone as much as the next person, but had Prince released that song no one would've paid attention.

CynicKill said:

Musicslave said:

-

https://www.thewrap.com/inside-hip-hop-takeover-grammy-awards/

-

Inside Grammy Awards’ Hip-Hop Takeover: Why Country and Rock Albums Got Snubbed

-

-

“The nominations are a reflection of where music is, where society and culture are and where things are moving,” Academy President Neil Portnow says

-

Steve Pond | Last Updated: November 28, 2017 @ 8:45 AM

-

The 2017-2018 Grammy nominations aren’t very balanced, and the Recording Academy is just fine with that.

-

In most recent years, the top categories have included a mixture of genres, usually including country and rock performers alongside the hip-hop, R&B and pop artists who dominate the culture and the music charts. Recent nominees in the marquee Album of the Year category, for example, include Sturgill Simpson’s “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” and Beck’s “Morning Phase” among them.

-

But this year, contenders like Miranda Lambert’s “The Weight of These Wings” and Metallica’s “Hardwired … To Self Destruct” were bypassed in favor of albums by hip-hop artists Childish Gambino, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and hip-hop-tinged R&B singer Bruno Mars; only singer-songwriter Lorde kept it from being a clean sweep for urban music.

-

The Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist categories were equally heavy on hip-hop and urban artists; in fact, Lorde and new artist Julia Michaels were the only white artists nominated in the top four categories (though Justin Bieber is featured on the nominated song “Despacito”).

-

“The nominations are a reflection of where music is, where society and culture are and where things are moving,” Recording Academy President Neil Portnow told TheWrap.

-

“This is an honest reflection of the state and direction of music in 2017 and 2018 — and there are elements about these nominations that do feel historic, in the sense that they show how so much of hip-hop and urban music is proliferating through all kinds of music, not only in America but worldwide,” he added. “It is becoming, more than ever, a solid part of our culture, which you see reflected in these nominations.”

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It would be wrong, said Portnow, to think that the Academy used to push an agenda of recognizing all types of music, or that it has now relaxed that push. “It’s not about genre balance, it’s about excellence,” he said. “There’s no agenda coming from our professional music makers who vote, nor is there one from the Academy.

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“It’s nice when you see the nominations and you have contributions from a variety of different genres, but it’s not essential. There are some years when the reflection of music just isn’t going to be balanced, if it’s a true measure.”

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For the first time, Grammy voters were able to cast their ballots online this year, which Portnow suspects increased the number of the Academy’s 13,000 voting members who participated. He doesn’t know for sure, because the Grammy accounting firm doesn’t tell him — but when their sister organization, the Latin Grammys, went to online voting, they reported an increase in the number of voters.

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“We have a very astute, savvy and current voting membership, because you don’t get these kind of results without that,” he said. “And we’re now incorporating online voting, which gives our voters a tool which is efficient and easy and encourages people to participate. That combination made for a really stellar group of nominations.

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“This looks different from last year, and it may look different next year. What’s important is that it reflects a level of excellence.”

[Edited 11/28/17 9:18am]

It wil be the lowest rated Grammies ever.

Despacito being nominated for Song Of The Year is really a crime, how in the hell do they dare? Bob Dylan, Prince and Madonna have never been nominated in this category and this garbage song is...

paisleypark4 said:

Chancellor said:

Although the younger crowd will be all about recognizing those who were ignored in the past and trying to be equitable as possible eg. females recognition, racialized groups recognized etc. I would hope a good span of ages and diversity are represented throughout the grammy committees, so that those who were around for decades in the indsutry can also provide input and output and may have broader taste of music and trends in music in order to be sure good music is recognized and rewarded . I know everyone bashes the grammys, but it is considered the oscars of the music industry and once was respected.

Those who get their due shouldn't have to just be recognized by award shows that were obviously created for political reasons, for generated sale numbers, and simply to give due when the bigger networks and youth-oriented ones are not necessarily doing.

[Edited 12/2/17 13:13pm]

alphastreet said:

Chancellor said:

Jay Z is a Rap Legend and a GRAMMY darling, he'll rule the night...Bruno will sweep all three R&B Categories and he'll walk away with Album of the Year....

Bruno should win 4 GRAMMYs by the end of the night...

And the damage control begins already he's full of shit

..and they should get taken away cause tof that prince impersonation tragedy

Empress said:

Wow, most new music really sucks. Call me old, I don't really care. At least I grew up listening to great music that was real and meaningful.

There is still great music that's real and meaningful today. Top 40 radio and mainstream shows are not the source of finding it however, that's a dead end.

alphastreet said: