Nobody likes a sore loser.
But sometimes a loss is so grossly unjust, so flagrantly lacking in common sense, that it is impossible to ignore. In this situation, all decorum becomes irrelevant, and whining justifiably ensues.
At the 51st Grammy Awards on Sunday night, such a situation seemingly arose: in the category of "Best Dance Recording," Rihanna's energetic hit "Disturbia" lost to less well-known Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger."
It is impossible to guess how Rihanna would have reacted to this travesty -- she was M.I.A. from the awards ceremony, even cancelling her performance (unlike the real, and very pregnant, M.I.A., who performed with a milieu of hip-hop heavyweights). I imagine, however, that she is scratching her head.
There is nothing wrong with "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger." On the contrary, it is a well conceived and influential track. Sampled in Kanye West's hit single "Stronger" and endowed with a music video almost as impressive as Beyonce's "Single Ladies," it should not surprise anyone that the track was a strong contender for an award.
Yet, consider the case for "Disturbia."
Simultaneously upbeat and terrifying, with formidable staying power -- after half a year the song still receives regular airplay -- and a hook more infectious than the common cold, "Disturbia" has impacted American music in the last year to a far greater extent than the song that won.
Despite this, I suspect that "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," though not as popular, is the better dance song, possessing a pure dance floor pulsation that "Disturbia" lacks. In fact, this might explain the Rihanna track's greater mainstream appeal; certainly, most think of "Disturbia" as a pop song first and a dance track by coincidence. In this view, "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was in actuality the rightful winner. For once, in a manner uncharacteristic of award shows, critical opinion eclipsed mob mentality.
Many of the Grammy awards appear to have been well-chosen this year. By passing over mediocre releases by heavyweights Radiohead and Coldplay for album of the year, and selecting instead Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' critically acclaimed release "Raising Sand," the ceremony communicated a welcome message of substance over style.
Despite approving of the "Best Dance Recording" selection on an intellectual level, however, I still harbor a bit of resentment and disappointment.
While I normally criticize awards shows for focusing too much on popularity, in this case, I would have celebrated the victory of a less worthy competitor.
So call me a sore loser if I put my headphones on and turn up "Disturbia" when Daft Punk is mentioned (although I doubt they will be mentioned again at all).
I reserve my right to be stubbornly indignant about the Grammys -- at least until the Oscars come along and I have something better to worry about.
