The 48th annual Grammy Awards show hits the red carpets next week, though this year in a midweek slot instead of its usual Sunday night extravaganza.The 48th annual Grammy Awards show hits the red carpets next week, though this year in a midweek slot instead of its usual Sunday night extravaganza.
The Grammys will be broadcast from Los Angeles' Staples Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and will honor some of the best releases between Oct. 1, 2004, and Sept. 30, 2005. This year, the full awards spectrum covers 108 categories (one more than last year).
Topping the list of artists receiving multiple nominations — as he did last year — Chicago's Kanye West garnered an impressive eight nominations, as did Mariah Carey and John Legend. That means West and Carey will likely dominate the Record, Album and Song of the Year categories, despite stronger entries by Green Day and Gwen Stefani, and West likely will edge out the more deserving Keane in the Best New Artist slot.
50 Cent, Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder each received six nominations, while Missy Elliott, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Gwen Stefani and U2 received five. U2 looks to battle for control of the rock categories vs. the multiple nominations of Foo Fighters.
The TV awards show will feature performances by Springsteen, Coldplay, Carey, West and Legend, and members of Maroon 5, Black Eyed Peas, Aerosmith and more will perform a tribute to Sly and the Family Stone.
The Grammy Awards cover everything from pop to polka to rap to classical to children's recordings, but in the interests of space, this year's Pop Stops Grammy checklist only will focus on predictions in some of the key pop and rock categories. For a listing of categories, check the Grammy Web site at www.grammy.com.
So insert your own checkmarks before the show and see who wins the Grammy guessing game.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've updated the original colum with red Xs to show who actually won the awards. My score in guessing - just shy of 50%]
RECORD OF THE YEAR
"We Belong Together," Mariah Carey, from The Emancipation Of Mimi
"Feel Good Inc.," Gorillaz, featuring De La Soul
X
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams," Green Day, from American Idiot
"Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani, from Love. Angel. Music. Baby
"Gold Digger," Kanye West, from Late Registration
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Paul McCartney
Love. Angel. Music. Baby, Gwen Stefani
X How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2
Late Registration, Kanye West
SONG OF THE YEAR
"Bless the Broken Road," Rascal Flatts, from Feels Like Today
"Devils & Dust," Bruce Springsteen, from Devils & Dust
"Ordinary People," John Legend, from Get Lifted
X "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own," U2, from How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
"We Belong Together," Mariah Carey from Emancipation Of Mimi
BEST NEW ARTIST
Ciara
Fall Out Boy
Keane
X John Legend
SugarLand
FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"It's Like That," Mariah Carey from The Emancipation Of Mimi
X "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson from Breakaway
"Good Is Good," Sheryl Crow from Wildflower
"I Will Not Be Broken," Bonnie Raitt from Souls Alike
"Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani from Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
BEST MALE POP VOCAL
"Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," Jack Johnson from In Between Dreams
"Fine Line," Paul McCartney from Chaos and Creation in the Backyard
"Walk On By," Seal from Best: 1991-2004
"Lonely No More," Rob Thomas from Something To Be
X "From The Bottom Of My Heart," Stevie Wonder from "A Time To Love"
POP DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
"Don't Lie," The Black Eyed Peas from Monkey Business
"Mr. Brightside," The Killers from Hot Fuss
"More Than Love," Los Lonely Boys from Los Lonely Boys
X "This Love," Maroon 5 from Live - Friday The 13th
"My Doorbell," The White Stripes from Get Behind Me Satan
VOCAL POP COLLABORATION
"Gone Going," The Black Eyed Peas & Jack Johnson from Monkey Business
"Virginia Moon," Foo Fighters Featuring Norah Jones from In Your Honor
X "Feel Good Inc.," Gorillaz featuring De La Soul from Demon Days
"A Song For You," Herbie Hancock featuring Christina Aguilera from Possibilities
"A Time To Love," Stevie Wonder featuring India Arie from A Time To Love
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
X Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson
Wildflower, Sheryl Crow
Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, Paul McCartney
Love. Angel. Music. Baby, Gwen Stefani
TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
X The Art Of Romance, Tony Bennett
It's Time, Michael Bublé
Isn't It Romantic, Johnny Mathis
Moonlight Serenade, Carly Simon
Thanks For The Memory ... The Great American Songbook Volume IV, Rod Stewart
SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Revolution," Eric Clapton from Back Home
"Shine It All Around," Robert Plant from Mighty ReArranger
X "Devils & Dust," Bruce Springsteen from Devils & Dust
"This Is How A Heart Breaks," Rob Thomas from Something To Be
"The Painter," Neil Young from Prairie Wind
DUO ROCK PERFORMANCE
"Speed Of Sound," Coldplay from X&Y
"Best Of You," Foo Fighters from In Your Honor
"Do You Want To," Franz Ferdinand from You Could Have It So Much Better
"All These Things That I've Done," The Killers from Hot Fuss
X "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," U2 from How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
BEST ROCK SONG
"Best Of You," Foo Fighters from In Your Honor
"Beverly Hills," Weezer from Make Believe
X "City Of Blinding Lights," U2 from How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
"Devils & Dust," Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen) from Devils & Dust
"Speed Of Sound," Coldplay from X&Y
BEST ROCK ALBUM
X&Y, Coldplay
In Your Honor, Foo Fighters
A Bigger Bang, The Rolling Stones
X How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, U2
Prairie Wind, Neil Young
BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
"Doesn't Remind Me," Audioslave from Out Of Exile
"The Hand That Feeds," Nine Inch Nails from With Teeth
"Tin Pan Valley," Robert Plant from Mighty ReArranger
"Little Sister," Queens Of The Stone Age from Lullabies To Paralyze
X "B.Y.O.B.," System Of A Down from Mezmerize
ROCK INSTRUMENTAL
"Beat Box Guitar," Adrian Belew from Side One
"Birds Of Prey," Stewart Copeland from Orchestralli
X "69 Freedom Special," Les Paul & Friends from American Made World Played
"Mercy," Joe Perry from Joe Perry
"Lotus Feet," Steve Vai from Real Illusions: Reflections