The 55th Annual Grammy Awards will air live on CBS on Sunday, February 10th, 2013. Normally, I try to predict, but this year I am going to share my absolute favorites for this post. So, here - or HEAR - they are, for better or worse, are my picks for this years best in recorded music (and otherwise). Some, of which, I will absolutely jump up and down for, *Drum roll* here are my prediction/picks in each category.
for full list of nominees CLICK HERE
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson
Greg Kurstin, producer; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Greg Kurstin & Jesse Shatkin, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
Label: RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Channel Orange - Frank Ocean
André 3000, John Mayer, Earl Sweatshirt & Tyler, The Creator, featured artists; Om'Mas Keith, Malay, Frank Ocean, Pharrell & Shea Taylor, producers; Calvin Bailif, Andrew Coleman, Jeff Ellis, Doug Fenske, Om'Mas Keith, Malay, Frank Ocean, Ken Oriole, Philip Scott, Mark "Spike" Stent, Pat Thrall, Marcos Tovar & Vic Wainstein, engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
Label: Def Jam
SONG OF THE YEAR
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
Label: RCA/19 Recordings; Publishers: Universal Music Publishing MGB Scandinavia, Perfect Storm Music Group/Sony ATV Music Publishing Scandinavia, BMG Gold Songs, Kurstin Music/EMI April Music
BEST NEW ARTIST
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
Track from: Live At The Royal Albert Hall
Label: XL/Columbia
Track from: Making Mirrors
Label: Universal Republic
Best Pop Instrumental Album
Live At The Blue Note Tokyo - Dave Koz
Label: Just Koz Entertainment
Best Pop Vocal Album
The Truth About Love - Pink
Label: RCA Records
Best Dance Recording
Let's Go - Calvin Harris Featuring Ne-Yo
Let's Go - Calvin Harris Featuring Ne-Yo
Calvin Harris, producer; Calvin Harris, mixer
Label: Ultra Music
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Bangarang - Skrillex
Bangarang - Skrillex
Label: OWSLA/Big Beat/Atlantic
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Kisses On The Bottom - Paul McCartney
Kisses On The Bottom - Paul McCartney
Track from: Babel
Label: Glassnote
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
No Reflection - Marilyn Manson
No Reflection - Marilyn Manson
Track from: Born Villain
Label: Cooking Vinyl
Best Rock Song
We Take Care Of Our Own
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
We Take Care Of Our Own
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
Track from: Wrecking Ball
Label: Columbia Records; Publisher: Bruce Springsteen
Label: Nonesuch
Best Alternative Music Album
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do - Fiona Apple
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do - Fiona Apple
Label: Epic/Clean Slate
Best R&B Performance
Adorn - Miguel
Label: RCA Records / Bystorm Entertainment
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Lately - Anita Baker
Lately - Anita Baker
Label: Blue Note
Best R&B Song
Adorn -Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Adorn -Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Label: RCA/Bystorm Entertainment; Publisher: Art Dealer Chic
Label: Def Jam
Best R&B Album
Write Me Back - R. Kelly
Write Me Back - R. Kelly
Label: RCA Records
Track from: Watch The Throne
Label: Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Wild Ones - Flo Rida Featuring Sia
Wild Ones - Flo Rida Featuring Sia
Track from: Wild Ones
Label: Poe Boy/Atlantic
Best Rap Song
Daughters - Nasir Jones & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Patrick Adams, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer & Paul Leka, songwriters) (Nas)
Best Country Song
Blown Away - Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Daughters - Nasir Jones & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Patrick Adams, Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer & Paul Leka, songwriters) (Nas)
Track from: Life Is Good
Label: Def Jam; Publishers: Rich Daily Since '71, Universal Music Publishing, Unichappell Music
Best Rap Album
Undun - The Roots
Undun - The Roots
Label: Island Def Jam
Best Country Solo Performance
Blown Away - Carrie Underwood
Blown Away - Carrie Underwood
Track from: Blown Away
Label: 19 Recordings Limited/Arista Nashville
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Label: Big Machine Records/Universal Republic
Best Country Song
Blown Away - Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
Track from: Blown Away
Label: 19 Recordings Limited/Arista Nashville; Publishers: Global Dog Music/Lunalight Music, Big Loud Songs/Angel River Songs
Best Country Album
Four The Record - Miranda Lambert
Four The Record - Miranda Lambert
Label: The RCA Records Label Nashville
Best New Age Album
Troubadours On The Rhine - Loreena McKennitt
Troubadours On The Rhine - Loreena McKennitt
Label: Verve
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Alice In Wonderland - Chick Corea, soloist
Alice In Wonderland - Chick Corea, soloist
Track from: Further Explorations (Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez & Paul Motian)
Label: Concord Jazz
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Radio Music Society - Esperanza Spalding
Radio Music Society - Esperanza Spalding
Label: Heads Up International
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Unity Band - Pat Metheny Unity Band
Unity Band - Pat Metheny Unity Band
Label: Nonesuch
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You) - Arturo Sandoval
Dear Diz (Every Day I Think Of You) - Arturo Sandoval
Label: Concord Jazz
Best Latin Jazz Album
Flamenco Sketches - Chano Domínguez
Flamenco Sketches - Chano Domínguez
Label: Blue Note
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
Take Me To The King - Tamela Mann
Take Me To The King - Tamela Mann
Label: Tillymann Music Group
Best Gospel Song
My Testimony - Aaron Lindsey & Marvin Sapp, songwriters (Marvin Sapp)
My Testimony - Aaron Lindsey & Marvin Sapp, songwriters (Marvin Sapp)
Track from: I Win
Label: Verity Gospel Music Group; Publishers: Universal Music-Brentwood Benson Songs/Marvin L. Sapp Music/Ardent Media
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners - Mark Hall & Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners - Mark Hall & Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
Track from: Come To The Well
Label: Beach Street/Reunion Records
Best Gospel Album
I Win - Marvin Sapp
I Win - Marvin Sapp
Label: Verity Gospel Music Group
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Come To The Well - Casting Crowns
Come To The Well - Casting Crowns
Label: Beach Street/Reunion Records
Best Latin Pop Album
MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition - Juanes
MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition - Juanes
Label: Universal Music Latino
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album
Imaginaries - Quetzal
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Pecados Y Milagros - Lila Downs
Pecados Y Milagros - Lila Downs
Label: Sony Music
Best Tropical Latin Album
Formula Vol. 1 - Romeo Santos
Formula Vol. 1 - Romeo Santos
Label: Sony Music
Label: Glassnote
Best Bluegrass Album
Beat The Devil And Carry A Rail - Noam Pikelny
Beat The Devil And Carry A Rail - Noam Pikelny
Label: Compass Records
Best Blues Album
Bring It On Home - Joan Osborne
Bring It On Home - Joan Osborne
Label: Saguaro Road
Best Folk Album
The Goat Rodeo Sessions - Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile
The Goat Rodeo Sessions - Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile
Label: Sony Classical
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) - Keola Beamer
Malama Ko Aloha (Keep Your Love) - Keola Beamer
Label: 'Ohe Records
Best Reggae Album
Tomahawk Technique - Sean Paul
Tomahawk Technique - Sean Paul
Label: VP/Atlantic
Best World Music Album
The Living Room Sessions Part 1 - Ravi Shankar
The Living Room Sessions Part 1 - Ravi Shankar
Label: East Meets West Music
Best Children's Album
Little Seed: Songs For Children By Woody Guthrie - Elizabeth Mitchell
Little Seed: Songs For Children By Woody Guthrie - Elizabeth Mitchell
Label: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Best Spoken Word Album
Society's Child: My Autobiography - Janis Ian
Society's Child: My Autobiography - Janis Ian
Label: Audible, Inc.
Best Comedy Album
Cho Dependent (Live In Concert) - Margaret Cho
Cho Dependent (Live In Concert) - Margaret Cho
Label: Clownery Productions, Rocket Science
Best Musical Theater Album
The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess - David Alan Grier, Norm Lewis & Audra McDonald, principal soloists; Tommy Krasker, producer (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward & DuBose Heyward, lyricists)
The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess - David Alan Grier, Norm Lewis & Audra McDonald, principal soloists; Tommy Krasker, producer (George Gershwin, composer; Ira Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward & DuBose Heyward, lyricists)
(New Broadway Cast With Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis, David Alan Grier & Others)
Label: PS Classics
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Marley (Bob Marley & The Wailers) - Chris Blackwell & Barry Cole, producers
Marley (Bob Marley & The Wailers) - Chris Blackwell & Barry Cole, producers
Label: UMe/Island/Tuff Gong
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers
Label: Null/Madison Gate
Best Song Written For Visual Media
Safe & Sound (From The Hunger Games) - T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars)
Safe & Sound (From The Hunger Games) - T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars)
Label: Big Machine Records/Universal Republic; Publishers: Sony ATV Tree Publishing, Taylor Swift Music, Sensibility Songs, Absurd Music, Shiny Happy Music, Baffle Music, Henry Burnett Music
Best Instrumental Composition
Mozart Goes Dancing - Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Gary Burton)
Mozart Goes Dancing - Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Gary Burton)
Track from: Hot House
Label: Concord Jazz
Best Instrumental Arrangement
Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite For Ellington - Michael Philip Mossman, arranger (Bobby Sanabria Big Band)
Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite For Ellington - Michael Philip Mossman, arranger (Bobby Sanabria Big Band)
Track from: Multiverse
Label: Jazzheads
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
City Of Roses - Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding)
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix) - Skrillex, remixer (Nero)
Best Orchestral Performance
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances - Valery Gergiev, conductor (London Symphony Orchestra)
City Of Roses - Thara Memory & Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding)
Track from: Radio Music Society
Label: Heads Up International
Label: ATO Records
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
Some Girls: Super Deluxe Edition - Stephen Kennedy & Jimmy Tilley, art directors (The Rolling Stones)
Some Girls: Super Deluxe Edition - Stephen Kennedy & Jimmy Tilley, art directors (The Rolling Stones)
Label: UMe/Universal Republic
Best Album Notes
Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles - Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles)
Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles - Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles)
Label: Concord
Best Historical Album
Ram - Paul McCartney Archive Collection (Deluxe Edition) - Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Simon Gibson, Guy Massey & Steve Rooke,
Ram - Paul McCartney Archive Collection (Deluxe Edition) - Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Simon Gibson, Guy Massey & Steve Rooke,
mastering engineers (Paul & Linda McCartney)
Label: MPL/Hear Music/Concord
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
The Goat Rodeo Sessions - Richard King, engineer; Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile)
The Goat Rodeo Sessions - Richard King, engineer; Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile)
Label: Sony Classical
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical
Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi
- Back To Love (Anthony Hamilton) (T)
- Between The Cheats (Amy Winehouse) (T)
- Girl On Fire (Alicia Keys & Nicki Minaj) (S)
- How Many Drinks? (Miguel) (T)
- Life Is Good (Nas) (A)
- Like Smoke (Amy Winehouse Featuring Nas) (T)
- Running (Melanie Fiona Featuring Nas) (T)
- Sins Of My Father (Usher) (T)
- A Song For You (Amy Winehouse) (T)
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix) - Skrillex, remixer (Nero)
Joseph Ray, Skrillex & Daniel Stephens, remixers
Label: Cherry Tree/Interscope
Best Surround Sound Album
Rupa-Khandha - Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores, surround mastering engineer; Marina Ledin & Victor Ledin, surround producers (Los Angeles Percussion Quartet)
Rupa-Khandha - Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores, surround mastering engineer; Marina Ledin & Victor Ledin, surround producers (Los Angeles Percussion Quartet)
Label: Sono Luminus
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Beethoven: The Late String Quartets, Op. 127 & 131 - Bruce Egre, engineer (Brentano String Quartet)
Beethoven: The Late String Quartets, Op. 127 & 131 - Bruce Egre, engineer (Brentano String Quartet)
Label: Aeon
Producer Of The Year, Classical
Marina Ledin, Victor Ledin
Marina Ledin, Victor Ledin
- Americana (Modern Mandolin Quartet)
- Brubeck & American Poets (Lynne Morrow & Pacific Mozart Ensemble)
- Delibes: Sylvia; Coppélia (Martin West & San Francisco Ballet Orchestra)
- Mind Meld (ZOFO Duet)
- Rupa-Khandha (Los Angeles Percussion Quartet)
- Weigl: Isle Of The Dead; Six Fantasies; Pictures & Tales; Night Fantasies (Joseph Banowetz)
Best Orchestral Performance
Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances - Valery Gergiev, conductor (London Symphony Orchestra)
Label: LSO Live
Best Opera Recording
Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen
James Levine & Fabio Luisi, conductors; Hans-Peter König, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel & Deborah Voigt; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen
James Levine & Fabio Luisi, conductors; Hans-Peter König, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel & Deborah Voigt; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Best Choral Performance
Handel: Israel In Egypt - Julian Wachner, conductor (Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Choir Wall Street)
Handel: Israel In Egypt - Julian Wachner, conductor (Trinity Baroque Orchestra; Trinity Choir Wall Street)
Label: Musica Omnia
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Rupa-Khandha - Los Angeles Percussion Quartet
Rupa-Khandha - Los Angeles Percussion Quartet
Label: Sono Luminus
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Kurtág & Ligeti: Music For Viola - Kim Kashkashian
Kurtág & Ligeti: Music For Viola - Kim Kashkashian
Label: ECM New Series
Best Classical Vocal Solo
Poèmes - Renée Fleming (Alan Gilbert & Seiji Ozawa; Orchestre National De France & Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France)
Poèmes - Renée Fleming (Alan Gilbert & Seiji Ozawa; Orchestre National De France & Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France)
Label: Decca Records
Best Classical Compendium
Une Fête Baroque - Emmanuelle Haïm, conductor; Daniel Zalay, producer
Une Fête Baroque - Emmanuelle Haïm, conductor; Daniel Zalay, producer
Label: Virgin Classics
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Stucky, Steven: August 4, 1964 - Steven Stucky, composer; Gene Scheer, librettist (Jaap Van Zweden, Dallas Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)
Stucky, Steven: August 4, 1964 - Steven Stucky, composer; Gene Scheer, librettist (Jaap Van Zweden, Dallas Symphony Chorus & Orchestra)
Label: DSO Live
Best Short Form Music Video
We Found Love - Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris
We Found Love - Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris
Melina Matsoukas, video director; Juliette Larthe, Ben Sullivan, Candice Ouaknine & Inga Veronique video producers
Label: Def Jam
Best Long Form Music Video
Bring Me Home - Live 2011
Sade; Sophie Muller, video director; Roger Davies, Grant Jue & Sophie Muller, video producers
Sade; Sophie Muller, video director; Roger Davies, Grant Jue & Sophie Muller, video producers
Label: Epic
