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Sunday is “music’s biggest night,” according to the producers of the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, the music industry’s top prize awarded by the Recording Academy.
This year’s telecast, which starts at 8 p.m. on CBS, will offer a first-ever Grammy live performance by Mick Jagger plus performances by Arcade Fire, Justin Bieber, Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, among others.
I used to have a theory that if they ask you to perform, you will go home with some hardware. The fact that all five nominees for Album of the Year will take the stage this year kind of blows that out of the water.
Still, I thought it would be fun to try to predict the winners of the biggest categories (there are more than 100 categories, and most of them don’t make it to TV). Audience participation is encouraged: Jot down your guesses and tune in locally to WYOU to see who’s right.
Record of the Year
• “Nothin’ On You” by B.o.B with Bruno Mars
• “Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem with Rihanna
• “F*** You” by Cee Lo Green
• “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
• “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum
Because Eminem has this year’s most nominations, and he is a longtime Grammy favorite, and the duet with Rihanna is about domestic violence, I’m going with “Love the Way You Lie.” Although it would be kind of cool to see a song that can’t be mentioned on television win an award.
Album of the Year
• Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”
• Eminem – “Recovery”
• Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”
• Lady Gaga – “The Fame Monster”
• Katy Perry – “Teenage Dream”
Lady Gaga is one of the biggest stars on the planet right now, but isn’t this album pretty much the same as her first one, “The Fame,” with some additional songs? I give this one to Eminem also.
Song of the Year
• “Beg Steal or Borrow,” written by Ray LaMontagne; recorded by Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs
• “F*** You,” written by Brody Brown, Cee Lo Green, Ari Levine, Philip Lawrence and Bruno Mars; recorded by Cee Lo Green
• “The House That Built Me,” written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin; recorded by Miranda Lambert
• “Love the Way You Lie,” written by Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey and Marshall Mathers; recorded by Eminem with Rihanna
• “Need You Now,” written by Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott; recorded by Lady Antebellum
This is a songwriter’s award, so it doesn’t need to match up with the Record of the Year. Would love to see Ray LaMontagne take this one, but I think it will be a coin toss between “The House That Built Me” and “Need You Now.” Let’s go with “The House That Built Me.”
Best New Artist
• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Florence & The Machine
• Mumford & Sons
• Esperanza Spalding
Sometimes the Academy gets this really right: The Beatles in 1965 and Crosby, Stills and Nash in 1970; other times, not so much: one-hit wonder Starland Vocal Band in 1977 and Milli Vanilli in 1990. Many online pundits are calling for a Drake victory, but I think the Academy goes with Bieber.
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
• “King of Anything” by Sara Bareilles
• “Halo (Live)” by Beyonce
• “Chasing Pirates” by Norah Jones
• “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga
• “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry
It’s hard to count Norah Jones out, as she is definitely a Grammy darling, but critics pummeled her latest record. Beyonce is up for a live version, so count her out. Give this one to Gaga.
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
• “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble
• “This Is It” by Michael Jackson
• “Whataya Want From Me” by Adam Lambert
• “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars
• “Half of My Heart” by John Mayer
This isn’t really a fair fight: I don’t think there’s any way the Academy doesn’t honor Jackson one last time.
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
• “Don’t Stop Believin’” by the cast of “Glee”
• “Misery” by Maroon 5
• “The Only Exception” by Paramore
• “Babyfather” by Sade
• “Hey, Soul Sister (Live)” by Train
I think Lady Antebellum should win this one, but they are not nominated. Guess they will have to wait for the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category.
So let’s go with the cast of “Glee,” because this was its breakout song in a year in which it put so many tunes on the charts and the show became a phenomenon.
Best Rap Solo Performance
• “Over” by Drake
• “Not Afraid” by Eminem
• “How Low” by Ludacris
• “I’m Back” by T.I.
• “Power” by Kanye West
Yet another trophy for Mr. Mathers.
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
• Rob Cavallo
• Danger Mouse
• Dr. Luke
• RedOne
• The Smeezingtons (Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine)
For his work with Katy Perry, Kesha and Adam Lambert, let’s go with Dr. Luke.