Grammy Nominees

[Levis]

[big]Grammy Nominations Include Six for Winehouse[/big]

[smaller]By JEFF LEEDS

Published: December 7, 2007[/smaller]

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 6 — Amy Winehouse, the British soul singer whose continued troubles with substance abuse have turned her into a tabloid regular, drew six Grammy nominations, including nods in the four premier categories, as the contenders for the 50th annual awards ceremony were announced here on Thursday.

Kanye West's new album, "Graduation," draws on a wide range of influences, including classic rock and dance music.

Ms. Winehouse, who scored a hit with her modern twist on soul music but has suffered repeated setbacks including a drug seizure and cancellations of her tour, received nominations for album of the year, for “Back to Black†as well as for record and song of the year for the self-referential hit single, “Rehab,†about her refusal to enter treatment. This 24-year-old singer, whose well-publicized problems raised questions about how Grammy voters would view her, will also be in contention for best new artist when the awards are handed out Feb. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast on CBS.

Though Ms. Winehouse was the only performer to appear in all four of the most prestigious categories, she fell short of drawing the most nominations. That distinction went to the rap star Kanye West, who led the field with eight nominations, including his third for album of the year for the latest CD in his college-themed trilogy, “Graduation.†Mr. West’s nominations also included those for best rap album and two of the five slots in the best rap song field, “Good Life†and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.â€

The biggest surprise may have been the relatively low profile of Bruce Springsteen, whose new album, “Magic,†with the E Street Band, had been praised by critics as a return to his classic rock style. Mr. Springsteen did draw four nominations, but none in the marquee categories. “Magic†had been seen as a favorite for the album of the year category, which Mr. Springsteen has never won.

Instead the album of the year field included surprise entries from recordings far removed from the pop mainstream, including the country singer Vince Gill’s “These Days,†and the jazz composer Herbie Hancock’s “River: the Joni Letters.†In addition to Ms. Winehouse and Mr. West, the competition will include the new album, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,†from a previous Grammy favorite, the Foo Fighters.

Nominees for song of the year included “Before He Cheats,†recorded by Carrie Underwood, Ms. Winehouse’s “Rehab,†Rihanna’s hit “Umbrella,†and two unexpected contenders, Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Like a Star†and the hit song “Hey There Delilah†by the Plain White T’s.

The contenders for best new artist — four female solo performers and a female-fronted band — yielded some unexpected names, including the R&B singer Ledisi and the pop-punk act Paramore. Also nominated were the Canadian singer-songwriter Feist, Ms. Winehouse and the teenage country star Taylor Swift. (Not all the nominees were exactly new: Paramore garnered fame this year with its second album; this was Feist’s third solo work.)

The nominations came as the event’s organizer, the National Academy of Recordings Arts and Sciences, is aiming to add weight to the ceremony, which over the years has come under fire for hewing too closely to the music industry’s commercial priorities. Grammy organizers already have undertaken an effort to create a historic feel for the event, including the broadcast of a two-hour special on CBS last week, “My Night at the Grammys,†spotlighting past performances, and the creation of a seven-CD series collecting Grammy-winning songs from the major genre fields.

Though the academy did not disclose who might be performing on the broadcast, critics expect it to use the 50th anniversary as a rationale to enlist any number of high-wattage past Grammy stars. Such drawing power might be pivotal if the academy hopes to sustain its recent ratings rebound and attract mainstream viewers who might otherwise find some of this year’s top nominees too obscure. After a weak showing two years ago, according to Nielsen Media Research, the Grammy broadcast jumped roughly 18 percent in last year’s ratings, drawing an estimated 20 million people.

[smaller]courtesy: The New York Times [/smaller]

List Of Nominees

[Tenacious_Peaches]

Daughtry was nominated for 4 Grammys!

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: "Home"

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: "It's Not Over"

Best Rock Song: "It's Not Over"

Best Rock Album: DAUGHTRY

Additional congrats go to Howard Benson, producer of DAUGHTRY, who was nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical.

Commence with the Daughtry bashing, you pack of hateful jackals.

[Farin]

"Oh wow, a real award! oh wait, no, it's just a Grammy "

[Tenacious_Peaches]

[Batman]

damn, Justice is up against LCD Soundsystem, I wonder who will win? I'm rooting for Justice, personally.

Other than a few exceptions, the nominees are bad as usual.

[RonJonSurfer]

It is embarrassing that I had to go to category 15 before I even saw a song mentioned that I heard. (It was Radio Nowhere by Bruce). the blues categories had some interesting stuff. but i think Album of the year should be:

Dueling Polkas

Walter Ostanek And His Band & Brian Sklar And The Western Senators

From the Polka category.

[Shawna]

"Nominees for song of the year included Ms. Winehouse’s “Rehab,â€"

I find this ironic.

[blind-fitter]

Why?

[TheLizard]

damn, Justice is up against LCD Soundsystem, I wonder who will win? I'm rooting for Justice, personally.

Other than a few exceptions, the nominees are bad as usual.

Really? I like LCD Soundsystem a lot more.

But I agree with you on the general crappiness of the nominations. I'll probably still watch it, though.

[Shawna]

Why?

because she's been nominated for an award for a song she wrote about life-threatening problems she's experiencing currently, I suppose. It's almost as if she's being rewarded for substance abuse.

The twisted logic in the little cave where I reside.

[blind-fitter]

"Rehab" is a really good song, which is why it has been nominated for awards. It's also an honest song, rooted in the writer's personal experiences. Which makes it even better.

[Sweet Jane 61]

because she's been nominated for an award for a song she wrote about life-threatening problems she's experiencing currently, I suppose. It's almost as if she's being rewarded for substance abuse.

The twisted logic in the little cave where I reside.

I agree and understand your point on this Shawna. I won't give my personal opinion of Amy, not in the mood for an attack, but I see where you are coming from girl. Guess we live in caves side by side....

[blind-fitter]

because she's been nominated for an award for a song she wrote about life-threatening problems she's experiencing currently, I suppose. It's almost as if she's being rewarded for substance abuse.

The twisted logic in the little cave where I reside.

I don't think your logic is "twisted", and I do understand where you're coming from. (I'm sure it's not really a cave). But I don't think she is particularly being rewarded for substance abuse, either.

Unlike, say, Pete Doherty- a marginally-talented "artist" whose drug-addiction and associated exploits have been consciously exploited to promote his frankly mediocre output (otherwise the public would have lost interest long ago, I suspect)- Amy Winehouse is a genuinely talented person, whose potential for greatness is being murdered at the very outset, by an uncontrollable and unwelcome media interest in her every move. If there is anything ironic about the situation, it is that when she actually wrote the song "Rehab", the media interest had mainly focussed only on her excessive drinking: not perceived as "ladylike behaviour" for such a young lass, you see? Her problems with "the harder stuff" seem to have arisen since then, as I understand it. Though not being a regular reader of the tabloid press or the glossy gossip magazines, I could well be mistaken.

[Sweet Jane 61]

I was going to bite my tongue on this, but I can't, so let me have it b-f. She is a mess, and I have no respect for her, I was told to listen to her a while back and I did and loved her voice...then I read about her behavior and not just the drugs. She did bizzare stuff like cut herself with glass during an interview, come on, talented or not, this chick is in need of help and I don't agree with all the Grammy noms. It is sad, because her voice is great, and she is just pissing away her career. She will be a big joke like Britney or Courtney Love, she needs to get clean, sober, and mentally stable.

[RonJonSurfer]

This poll is on a New York radio website. The %'s are the results so far:

Will Amy Winehouse live long enough to receive her Grammys?

If she gets to Rehab, she will

14.29 %

Probably not, since Chasing the Dragon seems to suit her well

57.14 %

That's just wrong man...

28.57 %

[Sweet Jane 61]

[blind-fitter]

Gosh, S-J...and you such a big fan of Janis Joplin, too.

Yes, she is a mess right now...but she wasn't such a mess a couple of years ago. Then she was just a talented, feisty young lass with a great sense of humour, living life to the full, probably drinking a bit excessively.... Then, when everbody started sticking their judgemental oar in; that's when it all started going t*ts up. She's neither Courtney nor Britney (more gifted than the two put together?). I believe she can recover from this state she's in, if people- especially the vultures of the media- would give her a break. Regrettably, they have more to gain from her ruin than her recovery, so such mercy is unlikely.

[Sweet Jane 61]

b-f....there is NO comparison between Amy and Janis...NONE!! Janis yes had her drinking and drug problems, but she didn't act like a twit in public and cut herself with glass during an interview. And she was a sweet person, look at some of her interviews on youtube, she is like a child almost, shy and giddy at times. Not grabbing something to slice herself with!

Janis Interview

As for people and press being judgemental, she is bringing that on herself. I mean if she drank some and did a few drugs here and there odds are she would not be slammed so in the press, but she is out of control and harming herself. That is just f*cked up!

[blind-fitter]

So let's get this straight: it's ok for a sweet young thing to do excessive drink and drugs- quite cute even- but when this gets out of control and results in self-harm, it's condemnation all round? If I thought I was confused before, I certainly am now...

[_Laurie_]

Wow all of this because of our dear Shawna saying she found the title ironic....which I totally thought the title was ironic too...I'm sure she didn't mean for it to get so analyzed....geesh...

[Sweet Jane 61]

Her drinking and drug use is out of control, you have to see that, she is way past recreational use...she is using hard drugs and seems not to be able to do without them from what I have read. And you did not read what I said, I never said it was ok to do them to excess, I said to do some...when it becomes your way of life, that is wrong and in need of therapy or some kind of help. And if you don't think hurting yourself is wrong b-f, then you are confused.

[Sweet Jane 61]

Final say on this, Amy is in need of help, for her own safety and mental health. She is too young to let drugs and drink ruin her career. And she is talented, so it would be a waste. She has only herself to blame and she is the only one who can help herself out of this terrible place she is in, and hopefully she will for her own sake. But what do I know, I'm just an old hippie chick who took to many drugs in the 70's.

[blind-fitter]

I don't think people hurting themselves is right- in many cases, it's very regrettable- but I do not think condemnation is necessarily the most appropriate response.

Janis Joplin died from a drugs overdose, aged 27. You do not think this may be indicative of substance abuse gone out of control? The ultimate in self-harm?

[Sweet Jane 61]

Well she had been clean for 6 months and no one knows how or why she had herion and OD from it, it's sad and yes self-harm in some way.

IMO Amy needs help as I said and her self harm is out of control, cutting is something that means she has many problems. Unless she did it for fun and that still is wrong. But as I said, what do I know...

[blind-fitter]

I fully agree that Amy Winehouse is a deeply troubled individual, and that she needs help: but not judgement/condemnation, etc.