GRAMMYS 2014 - PREDICTIONS
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Well, we looked at shortlists and the actual nominees, so as the awards draw near, I must do my best to come up with who will actually win.
Taking into account any number of factors (no, it's not all about the music), these are my best guesses as to who will walk home with certain trophies on the special night. I've added the two dance categories in, though they weren't in our original discussions. I have no idea how right or wrong I'll be until January 26th, when the Grammys finally happen! |
ALBUM OF THE YEAR |
The nominees
Sara Bareilles - ‘The Blessed Unrest’ Daft Punk - ‘Random Access Memories’ Kendrick Lamar - ‘Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City’ Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - ‘The Heist’ Taylor Swift - ‘Red’ |
Who will win
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - ‘The Heist’ Who should win Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - ‘The Heist’ |
It’s surprising that the independently released album on this list isn’t even the underdog. No one expected Sara Bareilles to be nominated, and Kendrick Lamar was on many shortlists, but very few actual predictions. Taylor Swift won this award only a few years ago, and she is not in the league of artists who win this twice (U2, etc.). Daft Punk is great, but there was only one hit on that album. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis proved that it can be truly about the music and changed the genre of rap forever while doing it. It’s just too good of a story to pass up.
PS - Since the Grammy for AOTY goes to all the featured artists, we may see something special. All but one (Sara) of the nominees have several featured guests on the album, so if, say, Kendrick Lamar win the coveted trophy, so does Jay Z, Drake, Mary J Blige, Dr. Dre, and several others. Fun!
PS - Since the Grammy for AOTY goes to all the featured artists, we may see something special. All but one (Sara) of the nominees have several featured guests on the album, so if, say, Kendrick Lamar win the coveted trophy, so does Jay Z, Drake, Mary J Blige, Dr. Dre, and several others. Fun!
Record of the Year |
The nominees
Daft Punk - “Get Lucky (ft. Pharell)” Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (ft. Pharell and T.I.)” Imagine Dragons - “Radioactive” Lorde - “Royals” Bruno Mars - “Locked Out Of Heaven” |
Who will win
Lorde - “Royals” or Daft Punk - “Get Lucky (ft. Pharell)” Who should win Daft Punk - “Get Lucky (ft. Pharell)” or Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (ft. Pharell and T.I.)” |
While “Blurred Lines” was the biggest seller of the year, the controversy around it’s racy video and whether or not Pharell stole it from someone else will surely hurt its chances. Instead, voters will likely look to disco throwback “Get Lucky” or the innovation of “Royals”. Both stand out as big risks (and shocking hits), and both deserve a big award. Bonus: Pharell was responsible for some of the biggest hits this year, and “Get Lucky” gives him a win too.
Song of the Year |
The nominees
Pink - “Just Give Me A Reason (ft. Nate Ruess)” Bruno Mars - “Locked Out Of Heaven” Katy Perry - “Roar” Lorde - “Royals” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - “Same Love (ft. Mary Lambert)” |
Who will win
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - “Same Love (ft. Mary Lambert)” Who should win Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - “Same Love (ft. Mary Lambert)” |
“Same Love” is easily the sweetest and most beautiful of the choices, and it’s the only one that has a real, powerful message. Also, take into account that this song was on a RAP album. Such support for the gay community is almost unheard of in any genre, let alone the one that has historically been the least friendly toward the gays. “Same Love” was one hell of a song.
Best New Artist |
The nominees
James Blake Kacey Musgraves Kendrick Lamar Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Ed Sheeran |
Who will win
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Who should win Macklemore & Ryan Lewis |
I don’t want to keep giving awards to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (yes I do), but I genuinely believe they deserve them. Of all the people on this list, the duo deserve it more than anyone else. They broke all the rules, and did so while making the biggest hits of the year. Sure, I’d love to see Ed Sheeran or Kacey Musgraves take this home (James Blake doesn’t stand a chance--nice to be nominated though), but the night belongs to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Pop Vocal Album |
The nominees
Lana Del Rey - ‘Paradise’ Lorde - ‘Pure Heroine’ Bruno Mars - ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ Robin Thicke - ‘Blurred Lines’ Justin Timberlake - ‘The 20/20 Experience’ |
Who will win
Bruno Mars - ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ Who should win Bruno Mars - ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ |
Bruno Mars has a very low ratio of nominations to wins (before this year, it was 14 nominations and only 1 win), so he’s bound to win something this year. While a big category would be nice, I don’t think “Locked Out Of Heaven” has the power to overcome some of it’s opponents, though ‘Unorthodox Jukebox’ was one hell of an album with numerous hits, and this is probably his best chance at an award.
Pop Solo Vocal Performance |
The nominees
Sara Bareilles - “Brave” Lorde - “Royals” Bruno Mars - “When I Was Your Man” Justin Timberlake - “Mirrors” Katy Perry - “Roar” |
Who will win
Justin Timberlake - “Mirrors” or Lorde - “Royals” Who should win Justin Timberlake - “Mirrors” |
These Grammys were supposed to be Justin’s, and he got screwed out of all of the big categories, so he’s bound to win something to make up for it. “Mirrors” was the biggest hit on the album, and the song we’ll remember. Lorde, however, also got screwed out of a Best New Artist nomination, and she most likely won’t win Record or Song. I also don’t see her winning for her album, so this is her time to shine, and voters will want to reward her innovation.
Pop Duo/Group Vocal Performance |
The nominees
Daft Punk - “Get Lucky (ft. Pharell)” Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (ft. Pharell and T.I.)” Rihanna - “Stay (ft. Mikky Ekko)” Justin Timberlake - “Suit & Tie (ft. Jay Z)” Pink - “Just Give Me A Reason (ft. Nate Ruess)” |
Who will win
Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (ft. Pharell and T.I.)” Who should win Robin Thicke - “Blurred Lines (ft. Pharell and T.I.)” or Daft Punk - “Get Lucky (ft. Pharell)” |
“Blurred Lines” was just too big a song not to walk away with something, right? That’s what I want to believe at least. Grammy voters may be turned off by the controversy here, but no one can deny the level this song reached around the world. It may not receive one of the big four prizes, but it certainly deserves recognition, and this would be a perfect place for it.
Dance Recording |
The nominees
Duke Dumont - “Need 100% (ft. A*M*E and MNEK)” Calvin Harris - “Sweet Nothing (ft. Florence Welch)” Zedd - “Clarity (ft. Foxes)” Kaskade - “Atmosphere” Armin Van Buuren - “This Is What It Feels Like (ft. Trevor Guthrie)” |
Who will win
Calvin Harris - “Sweet Nothing (ft. Florence Welch)” Who should win Calvin Harris - “Sweet Nothing (ft. Florence Welch)” |
Calvin Harris had an absolutely massive few years, and he deserves to be recognized for it. “Sweet Nothing” was a hit in the US and his home country, and while it has an amazing EDM drop, it means so much more--this isn’t your typical club-ready smash. I don’t think anything else really compares, but Zedd’s “Clarity” did perform better on the US charts, so it does have that going for it...
Dance/Electronica Album |
The nominees
Daft Punk - ‘Random Access Memories’ Disclosure - ‘Settle’ Calvin Harris - ‘18 Months’ Kaskade - ‘Atmosphere’ Pretty Lights - ‘A Color Map of the Sun’ |
Who will win
Daft Punk - ‘Random Access Memories’ Who should win Daft Punk - ‘Random Access Memories’ or Disclosure - ‘Settle’ |
Daft Punk had too massive a year and is too much a critic’s darling not to win this, whether they deserve it or not. In my opinion, the only other real option (if we’re thinking artistically) is Disclosure, but I fear they aren’t well known enough in the US for voters to select them. Plus, Daft Punk HAS to win something, even if it’s only this category (which they’ve won before).