Everyone knows that the Grammys don’t really mean anything, despite all the hype they attract each year. The nominations for the 56th Grammy Awards are out and nevermind Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, this organization, the so-called Recording Academy, has got some serious problems.
A couple of nameless committees decide what they like best, vote on it, vote again, then vote one more time before choosing an artist or group that they see fit to win an award. (If you’re still confused on the voting process you can check out their snazzy infographic.
Who makes up these committees? What’s their age range? Their personal background? Members are required to have music experience, but other than that no one knows for sure who they are, and maybe it’s that mysterious secrecy that keeps viewers coming back for more year after year. At least with the Golden Globes and their wacky nominations, we know the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is entirely stocked with complete lunatics.
This time around, we’re at least pretty sure the committee members are old, white folks who want to party like it’s 1975, as Led Zeppelin and David Bowie both received two nominations in the same categories, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Album.
This is where we get confused. Led Zeppelin released Celebration Day, the film/CD combo in honor of the 45-year anniversary since the band played their very first concert. The CD is made up entirely of previously released tracks dating back decades while the film, and performance that was nominated was shot in 2007 and not released until September of this year. While we would never doubt Led Zeppelin’s greatness, we just don’t feel that 2013 was a good year to honor them at the Grammys because, well, they didn’t do anything.
Similar can be said for Bowie. Although he did release “The Next Day,” this year and also performed “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” in 2013, neither made huge waves like his previous material and performances. Again, while not denying his talent and revolutionary effect on music, 2013 just wasn’t a big year for Bowie.
So, what gives, Grammys? Do you know anything about the current affairs of music? Were you living on a remote desert island for all of 2013? Maybe this year’s nominations were just a mix-match of huge radio hits and the dying gasps of some of the last true rock stars left on the planet. At this rate, it looks as if we may never know.
Music news is streaming non-stop on The Best of VH1 Podcast via FilmOn.
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