GRAMMY Watch - General Music Categories - Picks & Predictions

The only sure thing about the major categories for this year's Grammy Awards is that Justin Bieber will win Best New Artist, even if I am kicking and screaming about it. Not saying the kid don't have talent, just that at least 2.5 of the nominees seem so obscure that it is kind of a joke to even still have the category, if they are gonna nominate some of these virtual nobodies. Drake technically isn't even a new artist, considering he had TWO PREVIOUS NOMINATIONS last year (this is the reason I made the choice for my pick the way I did)! And where the hell is Kesha?! So, all that being taken into consideration, it is almost like it is by design for Bieber to get the win here.

As for Record, Album and Song - the Academy got ballsy with some of the nominees in these categories - they will either stop it there or go all the way. I say RUN WITH IT!

Please...take the Granny out of Grammy - for once in your lives!

Record of the Year

This has to be one of the best contests ever at the Grammy Awards - there are so many ways they could go.

My Pick: EMPIRE STATE OF MIND - Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Angela Hunte, Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic & Shux, producers;

Ken "Duro" Ifill, Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton & Ann Mincieli,

engineers/mixers

Track from: The Blueprint 3

[Roc Nation]

My Prediction: NOTHIN' ON YOU - B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars

The Smeezingtons, producers; Ari Levine, engineer/mixer

Track from: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray

[Rebel Rock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic]

So, like, where have you gone this past year where you haven't heard these two songs booming out of somebody's speakers. THAT is what Record of the Year should be about. Sure, I could get lazy and predict Lady Antebellum here. Because if the Academy stays safe, as they probably will, then YES, Lady Antebellum will get Record, Song and Album - something tells me that isn't gonna be the case this time around - we already had that surprise sweep a few years back a la Dixie Chicks and haven't heard a peep from them since.

Album of the Year

My Pick & Prediction: Recovery - Eminem [Aftermath/Shady Records/Interscope]

Grammy loves career defining albums and this is one of them. Not counting any of the other nominees out here, just that Eminem has the momentum this year is all.

Song of the Year

My Pick: F*** YOU - Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters

(Cee Lo Green) [Elektra]

My Prediction: NEED YOU NOW - Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott,

songwriters (Lady Antebellum) (Track from: Need You Now) [Capitol Records Nashville; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing/DWHaywood Music/Radiobulletspublishing, EMI

Foray Music/Hillary Dawn Songs, Year of the Dog Music, Darth Buddha Music]

I really will squeal with delight if Cee Lo Green actually wins here. What a statement the Academy would make by embracing this. They may think the nomination is enough. though.

Best New Artist

My Pick: Florence & the Machine (wouldn't mind Drake, although he had 2 nods LAST year)

My Prediction: Justin Bieber