Grammys 2013 - Shortlist - Dance Categories

Picking the dance/electronic categories can be a bit tougher, as I don’t follow them nearly as closely as pop or the big four. Granted I’m more concerned with what is happening in the dance realm than, say, R&B, but that doesn’t mean I get to listen to everything. But, we do our best, and I’ll make excuses later when the actual noms are announced in early December.

---

Best Dance Recording
My top 5:
Swedish House Mafia – “Don’t You Worry Child (ft. John Martin)”
Skrillex – “Bangarang (ft. Sirah)”
David Guetta – “Titanium (ft. Sia)”
Avicii – “Levels”
Calvin Harris – “Feel So Close”

What else could be there:
Martin Solveig – “The Night Out”
David Guetta – “She Wolf (ft. Sia)”
Rihanna – “Where Have You Been”
Lady Gaga – “Marry The Night”
deadmau5 – “Professional Griefers (ft. Gerard Way)”
Zedd – “Spectrum (ft. Matthew Koma)”

Picking the winner of this is going to be TOUGH. I mean, look at my top five. Could YOU pick just one of those? Each one of them has done something amazing or was created be someone amazing. Amazing. SHM is breaking up, and they have done more to bring dance music into the mainstream than most of the other people in the industry, so Grammy voters will want to recognize them before they are gone.

On the other hand, “Titanium” may be David Guetta’s chance to grab an award, as this song was actually applauded by critics, and it helped bring Sia to prominence, and everyone loves Sia right now. Avicii’s “Levels” was a worldwide smash, and it was so big even Flo Rida could steal it and make a hit out of it. Skrillex won all the dance Grammys last year, so he’s probably out (give someone else a chance!), but Calvin Harris has exploded, and I can see voters wanting to recognize that.

As for the other possibilities…well, sorry. Next year perhaps. I had to take deadmau5 out of my top five to make room for Swedish House Mafia, but things could change. To my surprise, I left Rihanna and Lady Gaga waiting in the weeds on this one. Love ya, but sorry girls. Also, look out for Zedd and Martin Solveig. Lesser-known names, but they have some fight to them. Zedd is changing things in music, and Solveig was the only good thing that came out of Madonna’s ‘MDNA’ trainwreck.

Best Dance/Electronica Album
deadmau5 – ‘Album Title Goes Here’
Skrillex – ‘Bangarang’
M83 – ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’
Scissor Sisters – ‘Magic Hour’

I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO PUT HERE!!! I told you I don’t really follow dance! Ah! This is a tough category, as there is always something that I never really listened to that finds its way in here. Skrillex and deadmau5 are surely going to grab noms, and I just like the idea of M83 being the wildcard one-timer. Scissor Sisters had the massive “Let’s Have A Kiki” (which I think sadly misses out entirely on the Grammy voters), but they might give them a “certain-not-to-win” slot here instead. I’d almost be ok with that.

What should I have thrown in that I am forgetting? Probably going to kick myself when I see other people’s lists or the actual list. Oh well.