NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Grammy Awards celebrated the diversity of music
as six different artists tied for top nominee: Kanye West, Jay-Z, Frank Ocean,
Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons and fun.
Auerbach received five nominations as a member of the Keys and also is up for
producer of the year, earning a spot with the others at the top of the list as
the Grammy's primetime television special came to his hometown Wednesday
night.
The rockers little resemble any of the other acts at the top of the list. The
top nominations for Jay-Z and West, two of hip-hop's most important figures, is
a familiar refrain; each has routinely been at or near the top of the
nominations list for the last several years.
Indie pop band fun., a featured performer during the show, aired live from
Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on CBS, rode the success of its anthemic hit "We
Are Young," featuring Janelle Monae, to sweep of the major categories, earning
nods for best new artist, song and record for "We Are Young" and album of the
year for "Some Nights." The band's producer Jeff Bhasker is up for four
nominations.
"When you call your band fun. with a period at the end of the sentence, you
set a very high standard for yourself and for fun itself," Taylor Swift, the
concert's co-host, said in introducing them. "Fortunately this band from New
York has lived up to the name in the best possible way
R&B singer Ocean made a bold social statement earlier this year when he
noted he had a same-sex relationship in the liner notes of his new album
"channel ORANGE," and The Recording Academy rewarded him with the major
nominations best new artist, record for "Thinkin Bout You" and album of the
year.
And British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, which made an auspicious debut
in front of an international audience during the 2011 Grammys, is up for album
of the year for "Babel," one of 2012's best-selling releases.
Miguel, who helped Ocean shake up the R&B world this year, and jazz great
Chick Correa join the Keys with five nominations apiece. Nas and recording
engineer Bob Ludwig join Bhasker at four apiece.
There were no major snubs among the top nominees. Most of 2012's inescapable
hits are represented in some way -- Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" is up
for record of the year and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" garnered a song of
the year nod. Drake, Rihanna and Nashville residents Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Jack
White and best new artist nominee Hunter Hayes were among 16 nominees with three
nods.
In many ways the nominations reflect a singles-driven year when no album rose
to the level of acclaim as Adele's "21" or West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted
Fantasy," which dominated the Grammys last February.
Rock, relegated to second stage in the era of electronic dance music, made
something of a comeback and young bands are peppered in with the nominees we've
come to expect each year.
The 55th annual Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 10 in Los Angeles. Trophies
will be handed out in 81 categories.
The 5-year-old nominations show was held outside Los Angeles for the first
time and showcased Music City for its growing role in the music industry. The
Bridgestone Arena marked the largest venue the show has been held in and it may
have been a dress rehearsal for a chance to host the main awards show sometime
in the future.
LL Cool J returned as host, sharing duties with Swift, whose hit song "We Are
Never Ever Getting Back Together" earned a nod in the jam-packed record of the
year category. She was joined by fun., Gotye, Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't
Kill You)," The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy" and Ocean's "Thinkin Bout You."
Swift and LL Cool J opened the show by putting together a beat-box version of
Swift's hit "Mean." Hayes displayed his versatility while announcing the best
pop vocal album by singing snippets of each star's hit song. Maroon 5 played
headliner, singing three songs mid-show before finishing off the live broadcast.
The group stuck around for an hourlong performance afterward for the crowd in
attendance.
Assisted by Monae, fun. reimagined "We Are Young" with orchestral strings as
the crowd sang along, Ne-Yo, in wine-colored bowler, kicked things up with a
cadre of dancers on his new club-infused song "Let Me Love You." And the show
tipped it's hat to Nashville with a salute to Johnny Cash by Dierks Bentley and
The Band Perry.
The Black Keys' "El Camino" was nominated for album of the year along with
fun.'s "Some Nights," Mumford & Sons' "Babel," Ocean's "channel ORANGE" and
White's "Blunderbuss." For best new artist, fun. and Ocean were joined by
Alabama Shakes, Hayes, The Lumineers.
Record of the year nominees were "Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys, "Stronger
(What Doesn't Kill You)" by Clarkson, "We Are Young" by fun., "Somebody That I
Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra, "Think Bout You" by Ocean and "We Are
Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Swift.
Song of the year nominees were Ed Sheeran's "The A Team," Miguel's "Adorn,"
Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe," Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" and
fun.'s "We Are Young."
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The Grammy's are a joke in the modern music world. There are bands and artists that hold miles of more talent over these nominees that never get recognition or even a glimpse at the material they put out. It's all about mainstream **** that 70% of people listen to and probably believe is the best music out there... brainwashing is a hell of a thing.
Nothing against Ocean.....but seriously didn't anyone hear Anthony Hamilton "Back to Love". Christ where is the real music lovers. That album was R&B all the way. I stopped watching the Grammy's years ago. No more respect for REAL talent.!!!!!!!
Description:
The Grammys are here, hosted again by LL Cool J. It's going to be a big night for Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean and fun., who are only some of the people who scored six nominations. The big show is Sunday, so check out our thoughts now on who should win the major awards, who got snubbed and the first President to win a Grammy. Also, we solve the eternal debate that is the difference between Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
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