Either your hyped up to see Usher and the ghost of Ray Charles win big or want the "Joan & Melissa" on what Beyonce is wearing. It's Grammy Night. For the 47th year, the recording industry will honor nearly everyone that recorded music last year. Really. The way that Grammy categories are classified, there is an award for anyone who made noise in 2004.
Tonight's telecast begins at 8/7 (ET/CT), but for west coasters you must wait until the tape delay on CBS at 8 p.m. our time. Of course the Internet is there to spoil your surprise. But really, will there be any surprises? Usher, Kanye, Green Day, Jay-Z and Prince will all take home statues and the more interesting awards (Rap, Electronica, Hard Rock, Dance) will be handed out in an earlier ceremony that does not make the airwaves.
Will Win (X)
Should Win (Y)
Album of the Year
Usher - Confessions (X,Y)
Kanye West - College Dropout
Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company
Green Day - American Idiot
Brian Wilson - Smile
Record of the Year
Black Eyed Peas - "Let's Get it Started"
Ray Charles & Norah Jones - "Here We Go Again"
Los Lonely Boys - "Heaven"
Green Day - "American Idiot" (X)
Usher - "Yeah" (Y)
Best New Artist
Los Lonely Boys
Maroon 5
Joss Stone
Kanye West (X,Y)
Gretchen Wilson
Song of the Year
John Mayer - "Daughters" (John Mayer, songwriter)
Alicia Keys- "If I Ain't Got You" (Alicia Keys, songwriter) (X)
Kanye West - "Jesus Walks" (C. Smith & Kanye West, songwriters) (Y)
Tim McGraw - "Live Like You Were Dying" (Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman, songwriters)
Hoobastank - "The Reason" (Daniel Estrin & Douglas Robb, songwriters)
Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
Elvis Costello & The Imposters - "Monkey To Man"
Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out"
Green Day - "American Idiot" (X)
The Killers - "Somebody Told Me" (Y)
U2 - "Vertigo"
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
great job Chip, thaks - you really think "Vertigo" won't win anything?
2 - Matt
Usher "should" win? Is this a joke? Over SMiLE? Over Kanye West? "Yeah" should be the record of the year? The Grammys suck as it is, since they pretty much ignore 99% of good music in deference to a bunch of radio friendly horseshit like Usher. The could restore some confidence in me by going with quality over record sales.
3 - SFC SKI
Matt, I couldn't have said it bettr myself.
4 - Matt
Thanks Ski. Personally, I am pulling for SMiLE. Its a fantastic album, and while it wasn't my favorite in 2004, it is certainly better than most of what its up against. The Kanye West album is also pretty remarkable.
5 - Chip
"SMiLE" is a great and classic album and I think it will win "Best Pop Vocal Album" but not the general category of "Album of the year." Usher was the guilty pleasure of 2004 and "Yeah!" was everywhere, you have to admit it. I realize for a lot of people that is hard to bear, and Usher represents all that is wrong with pop music. That's your opinion.
"Vertigo" could very well win "Best Rock Song," which goes to the songwriters, but I think that momentum is on Green Day's side to take the "Best Rock Performance." But next year, U2 will sweep since the full-length album was released after the 2004 Grammys cut-off date.
6 - Matt
So Chip, lemme get this straight. Usher should win because Usher was a guilty pleasure and "Yeah" was everywhere? So by those standards, Lou Bega should have won for Mambo No. 5?
I do not think that Usher is wrong with pop music. I think anyone who listens to tripe like Usher deserves it.
7 - Chip
A lot of people liked Usher in 2004 including me. That is why I said would win/should win in that category. I am admitting the cheese factor in his music with the guilty pleasure label. Though it is nowhere near "Mambo No. 5" or "Macarena." I'm not sure what I "deserve" for that, but who cares?