Plenty of firsts and controversy follow the annual music awards announcement
The Grammy nominations were recently announced for the 2017 calendar year. On Jan. 28, the esteemed award show will give out awards for the 60th time. Throughout those 60 years, we have witnessed memorable performances, PR stunts and controversy during this special night. This year looks to be no different; there is already plenty of controversy and celebration with the nominees that will certainly lead to an exciting night. As a music fan, I am always looking forward to the announcement of the nominees, and this year had me especially excited. So, let’s look at a few of the awards and see what’s so special about this year’s nominees.
Album Of The Year
Nominees:
“Awaken, My Love!” – Childish Gambino
“4:44” – JAY-Z
“DAMN” – Kendrick Lamar
“Melodrama” – Lorde
“24K Magic” – Bruno Mars
The Big Deal: The big headline coming from these nominations is that this is the first time EVER that a white male has not been nominated for the prestigious award. This comes after years of black artists being overlooked in favor of arguably less important work from white artists at times.
My Reaction: I’m so stoked about the nominations for Album of the Year. It’s also one of the first times that I’ve liked almost all the albums nominated. I didn’t listen to “24K Magic,” but all the other albums nominated I thoroughly enjoyed and will be happy to see win.
Who I think will win:
“Melodrama” – Lorde
As much as I’d like to think of all the progress the Grammy’s seem to have made this year in their nominations, I still think the only white person nominated will win it. The Grammy’s have a love for young, likable artists that are easy to give the award to. I personally liked Lorde’s album a lot and think it deserved to be nominated; however, I think in the grand scheme of things, there are more influential and incredible albums up for the award this year like either JAY-Z or Kendrick Lamar’s. In twenty years I think we will still be talking about those albums.
Who got snubbed:
“Ctrl” – SZA
“We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service” – A Tribe Called Quest
Record Of The Year
Nominees:
“Redbone” – Childish Gambino
“Despacito” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
“The Story of O.J.” – JAY-Z
“HUMBLE” – Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” – Bruno Mars
The Big Deal: All the nominees are men of color, and that’s a big deal. This is just one more example of the Grammy’s taking notice of the backlash they have received for not honoring the work of people of color.
Students’ reactions:
“It sucks that it has taken society so long to [nominate people of color], but I’m so glad that it’s happening now. I think it’s a step in the right direction.” – Kat Damschen, freshman art major
Who I hope wins:
“Redbone” – Childish Gambino
This song was instant classic, and I think we will hear this song on the radio when we’re old. It makes any situation that much more cool when it’s playing, and it’s one of the most unique songs I’ve ever heard. I hope that the Academy recognizes the genius that is Donald Glover in this category.
Song Of The Year
Nominees:
“Despacito” – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
“4:44” – JAY-Z
“Issues” – Julia Michaels
“1-800-273-8255” – Logic feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid
“That’s What I Like” – Bruno Mars
The Big Deal: I’d like to see either JAY-Z or Logic take this one. I’m a fan of “4:44” the album, and think there are so great tracks on it, including the title track. However, I also think Logic is very genuine in everything he does, and I’d be happy to see him win this one.
What the nominees think:
“Today I was woken up by my wife calling to tell me I was nominated for Song Of The Year at the Grammys and Best Music Video. I can’t even believe this tweet!” – Logic (Twitter: @Logic301)
Best New Artist
Nominees:
Alessia Cara
Khalid
Lil Uzi Vert
Julia Michaels
SZA
The Big Deal: The trend of either a female or African-American male winning an award continues with Best New Artist. I’m hoping to see SZA or Lil Uzi Vert take this one solely based on the originality of both artists. Both of them are making music that sounds like nothing I’ve ever heard before. They certainly have influences that you can hear throughout their songs, but I think they are truly changing music for the better.