GRAMMYS 2013 - PREDICTIONS
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Now that all the nominations are out and the Grammys are coming up (AKA only a few days away), it is time for us to pick who will win and who will go home empty handed. Only one person can win in each category (usually), so here are our best guesses.
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Album of The Year |
The Nominees
Black Keys – ‘El Camino’ Jack White – ‘Blunderbuss’ fun. – ‘Some Nights’ Mumford & Sons – ‘Babel’ Frank Ocean – ‘Channel Orange’ |
Who will win
Mumford & Sons – ‘Babel’ or Black Keys – ‘El Camino’ Who should win Mumford & Sons – ‘Babel’ |
This year is surprisingly rock-oriented, especially when you look at last year, where four of the five nominees were pop (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and someone named “Adele”).
I guess it was a good year for rock, and by looking at the nominees, it was clearly a groundbreaking year for the mainstream. Congrats to all the nominees, but sadly only one can walk away with the top prize. |
Picking just one of the four great rock albums may split Grammy voters, thus giving Frank Ocean a slight advantage…if they didn’t already feel satiated for giving him the Best New Artist trophy. Mumford and Sons had the second biggest debut in terms of album sales this year, and they were completely passed over in the past two ceremonies. Their time has come. Although, ‘El Camino’ has been getting a LOT of Grammy buzz, and though the two won for their last album, this might be the year that they take him a big four award.
Record of the Year |
The Nominees
The Black Keys – “Lonely Boy” Frank Ocean – “Thinkin Bout You” fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” Gotye – “Somebody That I Used To Know (ft. Kimbra)” Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger” Taylor Swift – “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” |
Who will win
fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” Who should win fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” or Gotye – “Somebody That I Used To Know (ft. Kimbra)” |
I actually didn’t really care for either of these songs, but I am aware that they stand out as better contenders for ROTY than their competition. Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift may have made big splashes on the Hot 100 (although both were smaller than Gotye or fun.), but that doesn’t give them gravitas. My third choice here was The Black Keys, but I don’t know that “Lonely Boy” grabbed enough ears, fantastic as it was.
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Song of the Year |
The Nominees
fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe” Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)” Miguel – “Adorn” Ed Sheeran – “The A Team” |
Who will win
fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” Who should win fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” or Miguel – “Adorn” |
It is hard to tell if fun. will sweep Record and Song (à la Lady Antebellum a few years back), but it deserves one of them. The song is expertly written, composed, and performed. It holds a timeless quality of energetic and desperate youth to it, and that might be enough to edge out Miguel’s beautiful baby-making killer.
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Best New Artist |
The Nominees
Alabama Shakes fun. Hunter Hayes The Lumineers Frank Ocean |
Who will win
Frank Ocean Who should win Frank Ocean |
Frank may get his hands on a whole bunch of Grammys this year, and this is his most certain. While this year’s category is especially full of deserving nominees, none has earned it more than Ocean. Not only was his album groundbreaking and boundary-pushing, but the singer matched it. Getting nominated for Album of the Year doesn’t hurt his chances either.
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Pop Solo |
The Nominees
Kelly Clarkson – “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)” Rihanna – “Where Have You Been” Katy Perry – “Wide Awake” Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe” Adele – “Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” |
Who will win
Adele – “Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” Who should win Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe” |
I don’t think Grammy voters will be able to say no to another Adele nomination. At this point I’d say it is fair to expect her to win whatever she is nominated for…from now on. While the song is great, let’s play a bit of politics here. She won EVERYTHING last year, so maybe let’s give someone else a chance? I want to give this to Carly, as it is really her only chance to win an award, and to be honest, that was a fantastic POP performance.
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Pop Duo/
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The Nominees
Florence + the Machine – “Shake It Out” Maroon 5 – “Payphone (ft. Wiz Khalifa)” Gotye – “Somebody That I Used To Know (ft. Kimbra)” fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” LMFAO – “Sexy and I Know It” |
Who will win
fun. – “We Are Young (ft. Janelle Monae)” Who should win Florence + the Machine – “Shake It Out” |
Grammy voters are surely going to give something to both fun., and if they can’t award them anything in the big four categories, something like this is a great way to send them home with something in their goodie bag. Voters can go many ways – they might decide that fun. was the best and have them sweep, or they may only get one trophy. Florence + the Machine should collect this one, as the song was epic and was highly overlooked (as she is in this award ceremony).
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Pop Vocal Album |
The Nominees
Maroon 5 – ‘Overexposed’ Kelly Clarkson – ‘Stronger’ Florence + the Machine – ‘Ceremonials’ Pink – ‘The Truth About Love’ fun. – ‘Some Nights’ |
Who will win
Pink – ‘The Truth About Love’ or Florence + the Machine – ‘Ceremonials’ Who should win Pink – ‘The Truth About Love’ or Florence + the Machine – ‘Ceremonials’ |
Again, this might be when the Grammy voters award fun. for their massive year. It is bound to happen at least once during the telecast…but when? While ‘Some Nights’ was a really interesting and uniquely crafted pop album, it isn’t my choice. I am torn between the baroque beauty of Florence + the Machine or ‘The Truth About Love’, one of Pink’s best (and her first #1). I think that since fun. will probably take home something else – pop/duo performance if nothing else – this is one where a lady is going to reign.
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Dance Recording
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The Nominees
Avicii – “Levels” Swedish House Mafia – “Don’t You Worry Child (ft. John Martin)” Skrillex – “Bangarang (ft. Sirah)” Calvin Harris – “Let’s Go (ft. Ne-Yo)” Al Walser – “I Can’t Live Without You” |
Who will win
Skrillex – “Bangarang (ft. Sirah)” Who should win Avicii – “Levels” |
I love “Bangarang”, don’t get me wrong, but I’d like to give this award to someone else. “Bangarang” follows in the footsteps of his previous singles, one of which was already awarded last year. Avicii started a massive career on this song alone, and not only did it chart in many countries, it was strong enough to become the basis for a second hit (Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling”).
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Dance/
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The Nominees
Steve Aoki – ‘Wonderland’ The Chemical Brothers – ‘Don’t Think’ Deadmau5 – ‘Album Title Goes Here’ Kaskade – ‘Fire & Ice’ Skrillex – ‘Bangarang’ |
Who will win
Skrillex – ‘Bangarang’ Who should win The Chemical Brothers – ‘Don’t Think’ |
Much like with Adele, I don’t know if Grammy voters can resist giving as many awards as is possible to this guy. He won three last year, and there is a very good chance that he will take something home on Sunday. Again, I think that he has already been rewarded for creating the genre that he did, and ‘Bangarang’ wasn’t quite as great as his last EP. The Chemical Brothers are a great option for sticking with the more artistic, seriously-minded EDM.
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RemixNote: this award goes to the remixer (the person in parentheses) and not the original artist.
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The Nominees
Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl – “In My Mind (ft. Georgi Kay) (Axwell Remix)” Moby – “Lie Down In Darkness (Photek Remix)” M83 – “Midnight City (Eric Prydz Private Remix)” Nero – “Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)” Deadmau5 – “The Veldt (ft. Chris James) (Tommy Trash Remix)” |
Who will win
Nero – “Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)” or Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl – “In My Mind (ft. Georgi Kay) (Axwell Remix)” Who should win Ivan Gough & Feenixpawl – “In My Mind (ft. Georgi Kay) (Axwell Remix)” |
This matters because Skrillex is nominated as a remixer, and thus Grammy voters have ANOTHER chance to give him an award. I thought the mix he did was great, but we’ve heard it before. Axwell (one of three members of Swedish House Mafia)’s take on “In My Mind” was really well received and even charted in some countries. Plus, if SHM get passed over again (which is very possible), this would be a nice consolation prize for at least one of them. Since Skrillex is going to win dance song (most likely), Grammy voters might not feel bad about not giving him three awards in one night again, and thus Axwell can get his.
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Short Form Music Video |
The Nominees
Foster The People – “Houdini” Kanye West & Jay-Z – “No Church In The Wild (ft. Frank Ocean & The-Dream)” M.I.A. – “Bad Girls” Rihanna – “We Found Love (ft. Calvin Harris)” Woodkid – “Run Boy Run” |
Who will win
Rihanna – “We Found Love (ft. Calvin Harris)” Who should win Woodkid – “Run Boy Run” |
Rihanna’s “We Found Love” came out at a weird time, so it wasn’t nominated last year (when it was eligible). It should have gotten something for dance (if not Record or Song of the Year), so this is a great way for Grammy voters to rectify this injustice. While it’s a fantastic video and song, Woodkid is one of the best out there, and “Run Boy Run” is a stunning visual. Sadly the no-names never win this category.
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