The music industry is too diverse and far-reaching -- from salsa idols to "American Idol," from a Miami recording studio to your neighbor's garage -- to see the Grammy Awards as anything other than a popularity contest among the most commercial artists of the year.
Indeed, the only reason that the 49th annual Grammy Awards caught my eye was that the Police are reuniting to kick off the show. Before Sting's questionable solo career, the Police played reggae-infused punk with a technical skill and catchy pop sensibility that wasn't found anywhere else in the 1970s and '80s. And I am not ashamed to admit that I am spending far too much of my free time thinking about what the set list might be.
The point of the Grammys, though, is not the performances but the pats on the back -- all 108 of them. Most of the awards are contained within 20 genres. However, the most prestigious, the Big Four, cover all genres. They are Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist.
Awarding both Record and Song of the Year may seem redundant, but that's just because you are outside that awards ceremony frame of mind. The former is awarded to the performing artist, producer, recording engineer and mixer for the song, while the recipient of the latter is solely the songwriter. See? It makes complete sense.
In this "choose your own adventure" era of music listening (thanks iTunes!), the highlight of the ceremony seems to be Record of the Year. Proving that people with English accents can get away with anything, James Blunt is up for the award for "You're Beautiful." The other nominees, each as ubiquitous on the airwaves as the next, are "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, "Be Without You" by Mary J. Blige and "Put Your Records On" by Corinne Bailey Rae.
The Dixie Chicks came back from their fan-induced purgatory to be nominated for their single, "Not Ready To Make Nice." Further cementing their status as rewarded victims of the red states, the group is also nominated for Best Album of the Year for "Taking the Long Way."
In a surprising nod to talent as well as profit, the rest of the field for Best Album represents a diverse group of well-respected artists. Even Justin Timberlake, nominated for "FutureSex/LoveSounds," is appreciated, perhaps ironically, by hipsters. Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere," John Mayer's "Continuum" and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Stadium Arcadium" round out the pack.
The list of nominees for Song of the Year is, oddly enough, almost exactly the same as that for Record of the Year. Just substitute Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel" for "Crazy." And my commentary on that is done.
Finally, the bright young stars that the industry has decided to recognize this year are James Blunt, Chris Bown, Imogen Heap, Corinne Bailey Rae and Carrie Underwood. To some, the award is a curse that brings years of B-list celebrity. Past winners include John Legend, Maroon 5, Evanescence and Milli Vanilli.
The Grammy Awards will be televised on CBS on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.
