Adele stays at number one for yet another week, and Foster the People finally top the singles chart.
It’s 2011 déjà vu all over again, with Adele hopping back atop the album chart last week and staying there this week too.
Added to that, there were exactly zero new entries on the chart
today, but it makes sense since new releases were very thin on the
ground last week.
There was a bit of movement though. 360’s Falling & Flying is up to 11 from 22, Skrillex’s ‘Bangarang’ EP shot up from 44 to 14, the Alvin & The Chipmunks Chipwrecked soundtrack comes up to 23 from 42, and Grouplove’s visit put their Never Trust A Happy Song back in the chart at 30.
The big story, and relief, is that Foster The People have finally hit number one on the singles chart with ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, over a year since the song was officially released. Their Torches album also got a bump to number five, through ad placement and a BDO visit.
Also on the singles chart, Flo Rida’s ‘Wild Ones’ with Sia is in at number two from 24, and Timomatic’s ‘Set It Off’ climbs to four from 12.
Nothing particularly high-profile was released on Friday so we can
assume that Adele will hold number one next week as well, unless the
‘Pumped Up Kicks’ juggernaut can get Torches up there after almost nine months in the chart.
Check out our chat with Grouplove below.
Showing posts with label Adele. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adele. Show all posts
1/08/2012
Adele Returns To The Top Of The ARIA Chart
Adele returns to number one in 2012, in this week’s uninspiring (apart from Foster The People) ARIA chart.
The queen of the chart in 2011 has reclaimed her throne in 2012, 21 returning to number one this week. It’s a flashback all around (not least due to the dearth of new releases): LMFAO at number two, Reece Mastin at three, Coldplay at four and Bruno Mars at five.
Triplej’s Like a Version, Gotye’s Making Mirrors and the Black Keys shoot back up to the next three spots, with One Direction and Florence + The Machine rounding out the top ten.
The only new entries are the Chipwrecked soundtrack at 42 and Skrillex’s Bangarang EP at 44.
Unsurprisingly, Buble’s Christmas album plummeted from number one last week to number 29, but that still means people were buying it in the week after Christmas.
LMFAO’s ‘Sexy And I Know It’ retains the top spot on the Singles Chart.
But the big story is Foster The People’s incessant ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ single is finally all the way up at number two, 15 months since its initial release.
Can they make it to number one? We’ll have to wait until next week.
The queen of the chart in 2011 has reclaimed her throne in 2012, 21 returning to number one this week. It’s a flashback all around (not least due to the dearth of new releases): LMFAO at number two, Reece Mastin at three, Coldplay at four and Bruno Mars at five.
Triplej’s Like a Version, Gotye’s Making Mirrors and the Black Keys shoot back up to the next three spots, with One Direction and Florence + The Machine rounding out the top ten.
The only new entries are the Chipwrecked soundtrack at 42 and Skrillex’s Bangarang EP at 44.
Unsurprisingly, Buble’s Christmas album plummeted from number one last week to number 29, but that still means people were buying it in the week after Christmas.
LMFAO’s ‘Sexy And I Know It’ retains the top spot on the Singles Chart.
But the big story is Foster The People’s incessant ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ single is finally all the way up at number two, 15 months since its initial release.
Can they make it to number one? We’ll have to wait until next week.
1/03/2012
Top music moments of 2011
The music biz is in the middle of a very long and painful transition
from one business model to a new and undefined one. But it does feel
like the music biz turned a corner in 2011.
Despite some hard bumps the music business has taken during the past decade -- bumps that the film, book and video-game worlds are just beginning to experience -- the industry is more present, ubiquitous and more available than ever before. Nothing breeds innovation like disruption, and we're seeing plenty of both.
For the first time since 2004, overall album sales were up, to the tune of 4 per cent. Of that, digital album purchases increased by nearly 20 per cent and track sales by 9 percent. CD sales were down 5 per cent, but it was a far less toxic number than the double-digit declines of the past decade.
Top music stories of 2011
Google, Spotify, Facebook:
This trio underscored the digital surge in 2011-- and the immediate gratification of paying to download a track. Yet people still embraced albums. HMV Canada is now hopeful that a new online streaming subscription service will take off in Canada, joining Rdio, Slacker Radio, Rara and Deezer.
Five women who rocked the world:
Rihanna, Adele, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry helped dig the music business out of its seven-year sales slump. Adele was the sindustry's hining star of in 2011. She sold five million copies of her Grammy-nominated sophomore effort, and 21 to 33 percent of them were digital. The album has sold in excess of 100,000 for more than 30 weeks, the first time that has happened since 2006. From undergoing throat surgery to cleaning up in Grammy nominations, Adele provided story after story for the music world. "Rolling In The Deep" also sold more digital copies than any song in history, landing Adele on just about everyone's "best of 2011′ lists.
Swift moved 3.8 million copies of her third album.
Perry saw five singles from her second full-length album top the charts, tying Michael Jackson for the record and totalling 15 million downloads.
Rihanna also released two hit albums to bookend the year, racking up sales of 1.9 million.
In terms of pop, 2011 was clearly the year of the female singer.
Adele, Lady Gaga, Perry, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears pulled off radio hits and sold 52.5 million downloads combined. They also toured their vocal cords raw, spent millions on videos and performed at every awards show imaginable.
Arcade Fire's Grammy:
Arcade Fire rocked the music world when their album "The Suburbs" won the Grammy for Album Of The Year. While many critics thought the accolade was a well-earned choice, the pop-music community retaliated in disbelief and outrage. The win, however, paved the way for other cult musicians and lesser known artists to enter the mainstream arena.
Canadians ruled the world:
For the first time, four of the Top Five albums on the Billboard pop charts were by Canadians at the start of Dec., 2011. Michael Bublé had the second biggest selling album of the year with "Christmas," joined by Drake, Justin Bieber and Nickelback. The Weekend scored massive play, with more than 500,000 free downloads for this record (hyped by Drake). Deadmau5 broke attendance records in NYC's Roseland Ballroom, which they followed up by throwing a stadium rave filled with 20,000 people at Toronto's Rogers Center. The Sheepdogs, the Saskatoon retro-rockers, also became the first unsigned band to grace the cover of the Rolling Stone. The Sheepdogs became the second Canadian band in history to score that honour.
In short, it's been quite the end to a year that began with the Grammys handing its first-ever Best Album award to a Canadian band, Arcade Fire.
Steve Jobs, Amy Winehouse die:
Amy Winehouse has been greatly missed by her fans since she passed away on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. The release of her posthumous album, "Lioness: Hidden Treasures," allowed the world to glimpse into the raw, unfinished works of the troubled singer.
Steve Jobs also passed away and received a Trustee Award from the music industry. The honour was bestowed upon a man that every label hated. Jobs held the music industry in a stranglehold for years. But death changes the world's perspective on people.
Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray is jailed:
Conrad Murray became known around the world after Michael Jackson's untimely death on June 25, 2009. Murray attended Jackson at the time of his death. In November, Murray was jailed for four years for involuntary manslaughter. The judge who delivered the sentence told Murray that he had "abandoned his patient, who was trusting him." Fifty-year-old Jackson died on the eve of his much anticipated comeback shows, which were due to take place over 50 nights at London's O2 Arena.
Breakups and reunions:
The White Stripes, LCD Soundsystem, R.E.M. and (hiatus) Black Eyed Peas all called it a day in 2011. Stone Roses, Black Sabbath and Van Halen with original lead singer David Lee Roth reformed. Prince also performed a cross-Canada tour which sold out.
Nostalgia:
Record labels and fans celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Nirvana's "Nevermind," Pearl Jam's "10," U2's "Achtung Baby" and The Beach Boys' "Smile" box set.
Beyonce's pregnancy
It seemed like all anyone was talking about in 2011 was Beyonce's pregnancy, from the initial reveal during her VMAs performance of "Love On Top," (which broke the Tweets per second record) to the controversy surrounding the realness of her baby bump. Now the world waits for the chosen one to emerge from the most revered womb on earth.
It's Friday, Friday:
Rebecca Black's "Friday" was the runaway sensation of 2011. The strangely hypnotic tune and low-budget video made for the most talked about song of the year, though many ridiculed Black's efforts. Still, with 180 million YouTube views, Black's "Friday" was the Internet hit of the year.
The Black Keys, Coldplay won't share:
The Black Keys not only found mainstream fame and appreciation in 2011, they also refused to share their new album, "El Camino." The Black Keys announced that they wouldn't be offering "El Camino" on music file sharing devices like Spotify, claiming that it wasn't feasible at this point in the band's career to do so since the band makes its living selling music. Fans spoke out from both sides, marking The Black Keys as the second major act behind Coldplay to shun streaming services.
Bon Iver, Skillrex get Grammy Nods:
"Alternative" cult artists Bon Iver and Skillrex scored nominations for 2012′s Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. Controversy surrounded the nominations, as Bon Iver front man Justin Vernon slammed the Grammys by calling them "unimportant."
Skrillex scored a whopping five Grammy nominations and became the first DJ to land a Best New Artist nod. The former Sonny Moore's musical background -- both on his own and as a member of his former group, From First to Last -- carried over into Skrillex's brand of fiery electronica.
Despite some hard bumps the music business has taken during the past decade -- bumps that the film, book and video-game worlds are just beginning to experience -- the industry is more present, ubiquitous and more available than ever before. Nothing breeds innovation like disruption, and we're seeing plenty of both.
For the first time since 2004, overall album sales were up, to the tune of 4 per cent. Of that, digital album purchases increased by nearly 20 per cent and track sales by 9 percent. CD sales were down 5 per cent, but it was a far less toxic number than the double-digit declines of the past decade.
Top music stories of 2011
Google, Spotify, Facebook:
This trio underscored the digital surge in 2011-- and the immediate gratification of paying to download a track. Yet people still embraced albums. HMV Canada is now hopeful that a new online streaming subscription service will take off in Canada, joining Rdio, Slacker Radio, Rara and Deezer.
Five women who rocked the world:
Rihanna, Adele, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry helped dig the music business out of its seven-year sales slump. Adele was the sindustry's hining star of in 2011. She sold five million copies of her Grammy-nominated sophomore effort, and 21 to 33 percent of them were digital. The album has sold in excess of 100,000 for more than 30 weeks, the first time that has happened since 2006. From undergoing throat surgery to cleaning up in Grammy nominations, Adele provided story after story for the music world. "Rolling In The Deep" also sold more digital copies than any song in history, landing Adele on just about everyone's "best of 2011′ lists.
Swift moved 3.8 million copies of her third album.
Perry saw five singles from her second full-length album top the charts, tying Michael Jackson for the record and totalling 15 million downloads.
Rihanna also released two hit albums to bookend the year, racking up sales of 1.9 million.
In terms of pop, 2011 was clearly the year of the female singer.
Adele, Lady Gaga, Perry, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears pulled off radio hits and sold 52.5 million downloads combined. They also toured their vocal cords raw, spent millions on videos and performed at every awards show imaginable.
Arcade Fire's Grammy:
Arcade Fire rocked the music world when their album "The Suburbs" won the Grammy for Album Of The Year. While many critics thought the accolade was a well-earned choice, the pop-music community retaliated in disbelief and outrage. The win, however, paved the way for other cult musicians and lesser known artists to enter the mainstream arena.
Canadians ruled the world:
For the first time, four of the Top Five albums on the Billboard pop charts were by Canadians at the start of Dec., 2011. Michael Bublé had the second biggest selling album of the year with "Christmas," joined by Drake, Justin Bieber and Nickelback. The Weekend scored massive play, with more than 500,000 free downloads for this record (hyped by Drake). Deadmau5 broke attendance records in NYC's Roseland Ballroom, which they followed up by throwing a stadium rave filled with 20,000 people at Toronto's Rogers Center. The Sheepdogs, the Saskatoon retro-rockers, also became the first unsigned band to grace the cover of the Rolling Stone. The Sheepdogs became the second Canadian band in history to score that honour.
In short, it's been quite the end to a year that began with the Grammys handing its first-ever Best Album award to a Canadian band, Arcade Fire.
Steve Jobs, Amy Winehouse die:
Amy Winehouse has been greatly missed by her fans since she passed away on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. The release of her posthumous album, "Lioness: Hidden Treasures," allowed the world to glimpse into the raw, unfinished works of the troubled singer.
Steve Jobs also passed away and received a Trustee Award from the music industry. The honour was bestowed upon a man that every label hated. Jobs held the music industry in a stranglehold for years. But death changes the world's perspective on people.
Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray is jailed:
Conrad Murray became known around the world after Michael Jackson's untimely death on June 25, 2009. Murray attended Jackson at the time of his death. In November, Murray was jailed for four years for involuntary manslaughter. The judge who delivered the sentence told Murray that he had "abandoned his patient, who was trusting him." Fifty-year-old Jackson died on the eve of his much anticipated comeback shows, which were due to take place over 50 nights at London's O2 Arena.
Breakups and reunions:
The White Stripes, LCD Soundsystem, R.E.M. and (hiatus) Black Eyed Peas all called it a day in 2011. Stone Roses, Black Sabbath and Van Halen with original lead singer David Lee Roth reformed. Prince also performed a cross-Canada tour which sold out.
Nostalgia:
Record labels and fans celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Nirvana's "Nevermind," Pearl Jam's "10," U2's "Achtung Baby" and The Beach Boys' "Smile" box set.
Beyonce's pregnancy
It seemed like all anyone was talking about in 2011 was Beyonce's pregnancy, from the initial reveal during her VMAs performance of "Love On Top," (which broke the Tweets per second record) to the controversy surrounding the realness of her baby bump. Now the world waits for the chosen one to emerge from the most revered womb on earth.
It's Friday, Friday:
Rebecca Black's "Friday" was the runaway sensation of 2011. The strangely hypnotic tune and low-budget video made for the most talked about song of the year, though many ridiculed Black's efforts. Still, with 180 million YouTube views, Black's "Friday" was the Internet hit of the year.
The Black Keys, Coldplay won't share:
The Black Keys not only found mainstream fame and appreciation in 2011, they also refused to share their new album, "El Camino." The Black Keys announced that they wouldn't be offering "El Camino" on music file sharing devices like Spotify, claiming that it wasn't feasible at this point in the band's career to do so since the band makes its living selling music. Fans spoke out from both sides, marking The Black Keys as the second major act behind Coldplay to shun streaming services.
Bon Iver, Skillrex get Grammy Nods:
"Alternative" cult artists Bon Iver and Skillrex scored nominations for 2012′s Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. Controversy surrounded the nominations, as Bon Iver front man Justin Vernon slammed the Grammys by calling them "unimportant."
Skrillex scored a whopping five Grammy nominations and became the first DJ to land a Best New Artist nod. The former Sonny Moore's musical background -- both on his own and as a member of his former group, From First to Last -- carried over into Skrillex's brand of fiery electronica.
1/02/2012
Amazing songs
The year 2011 saw many artists release amazing songs and some, well, not so amazing. Either way, we enjoyed them!
From the amazing Adele to new entrants such as Bon Iver, Skrillex and Nicki Minaj, all fought profusely for the top spot. No questions asked, it belongs to Adele, obviously.
I decided to find out the top 20 songs of 2011 as we don't have much of year-end charts in Bahrain.
So here they are, and remember they are based on the music, not popularity.
I'm sure most of you haven't heard some of these songs. If you haven't, then you must. They are amazing. The Top 20 Songs Of 2011:
1. Adele - Rolling In The Deep
2. Adele - Someone Like You
3. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks
4. Jay-Z & Kanye West - Niggas In Paris
5. Frank Ocean - Novacene
6. Bon Iver - Holocene
7. Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory
8. Chris Brown Ft Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne - Look At Me Now
9. Nicki Minaj - Superbass
10. The Joy Formidable - Whirring
11. Katy Perry - Firework
12. Beyonce - Countdown
13. Radiohead - Lotus Flower
14. Nicola Roberts - Beat Of My Heart
15. Lady Gaga - You And I
16. Drake Ft Rihanna - Take Care
17. SBTRKT - Wildfire
18. Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels
19. Rihanna - We Found Love
20. Tony Bennet & Amy Winehouse - Body & Soul
12/15/2011
MTV names Katy Perry its 1st artist of the year
NEW YORK (AP) — Katy Perry's run of No. 1 singles has earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year.
Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.
MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.
Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.
Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.
"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."
"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."
Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," ''Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."
"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.
Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.
MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.
MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.
Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.
Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.
"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."
"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."
Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," ''Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."
"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.
Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.
MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.
12/12/2011
New Genres, Talents Keep Grammy Awards Relevant
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards are turning out to be a race between
musical powerhouses. While commercial success is always a factor in the
Grammy nominations, talent was clearly the ultimate decider for this
year’s nominations.
Kanye West leads with seven nominations, most of them in the Rap category, but he did achieve a Song of the Year nomination with his hit “All of the Lights.” Perhaps West deserved more major nominations, especially for his critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but there’s no doubt he will walk away with Grammy gold, even if it is categorical gold. Kanye’s multiple nominations prove that while the man obviously has personality issues, his musical prowess cannot be denied.
Adele and Bruno Mars each snagged 6 nominations and will go head to head for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Album. Mars has done well this year; his album Doo-Wops and Hooligans has spawned several chart-topping singles. While his lyrics may not be deeply moving, people like his music and the man has got staying power. His popularity in the music industry certainly makes him worthy of Grammy nominations.
However, Adele is definitely set up to win it all: her album 21 was a commercial and a critical darling and her hit single “Rolling in the Deep” dominated the charts this year. It is no wonder that Adele is nominated in all of the major categories, for the singer’s vocal range is out of this world and her lyrics are poignant and relatable. Adele’s combination of vocal talent and vast commercial appeal will surely guarantee well deserved Grammy night success.
Pop mainstays Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga fill out the Record of the Year and Album of the Year categories as expected. While these ladies may not be the most lyrically or vocally gifted, they each have massive followings and their catchy songs define the music of our time. How could the Grammy’s recognize musical achievement without acknowledging the year’s major pop acts? Even while rewarding these entertainers with nominations, the 2012 Grammy's come with major recognition of other genres as well.
Folk band Bon Iver and rock band Mumford and Sons have each earned Song of the Year and Record of the Year nominations. Mumford and Sons’ unique blend of folk and rock, as well as their hopeful lyrics, on their hit single “The Cave” certainly deserves Grammy recognition. The peaceful melodies and soothing lyrics on Bon Iver’s “Holocene” garnered worthy acknowledgment for the band’s innovative style.
Bon Iver also earned a Best New Artist nomination along with The Band Perry, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole and (surprise!) electronic dub step group Skrillex. Skrillex actually has 5 nominations total, but the fact that an electronic group is up for Best New Artist reiterates the Grammys’ commitment to recognizing talent on all fronts, and not just in pop music.
This year’s nominations show that the Grammy's remain relevant, but are willing to reward musical achievement and talented artists across various genres. The range of artists in each of the major categories will make the 2011 Grammy Awards an interesting race to watch.
Kanye West leads with seven nominations, most of them in the Rap category, but he did achieve a Song of the Year nomination with his hit “All of the Lights.” Perhaps West deserved more major nominations, especially for his critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but there’s no doubt he will walk away with Grammy gold, even if it is categorical gold. Kanye’s multiple nominations prove that while the man obviously has personality issues, his musical prowess cannot be denied.
Adele and Bruno Mars each snagged 6 nominations and will go head to head for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Album. Mars has done well this year; his album Doo-Wops and Hooligans has spawned several chart-topping singles. While his lyrics may not be deeply moving, people like his music and the man has got staying power. His popularity in the music industry certainly makes him worthy of Grammy nominations.
However, Adele is definitely set up to win it all: her album 21 was a commercial and a critical darling and her hit single “Rolling in the Deep” dominated the charts this year. It is no wonder that Adele is nominated in all of the major categories, for the singer’s vocal range is out of this world and her lyrics are poignant and relatable. Adele’s combination of vocal talent and vast commercial appeal will surely guarantee well deserved Grammy night success.
Pop mainstays Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga fill out the Record of the Year and Album of the Year categories as expected. While these ladies may not be the most lyrically or vocally gifted, they each have massive followings and their catchy songs define the music of our time. How could the Grammy’s recognize musical achievement without acknowledging the year’s major pop acts? Even while rewarding these entertainers with nominations, the 2012 Grammy's come with major recognition of other genres as well.
Folk band Bon Iver and rock band Mumford and Sons have each earned Song of the Year and Record of the Year nominations. Mumford and Sons’ unique blend of folk and rock, as well as their hopeful lyrics, on their hit single “The Cave” certainly deserves Grammy recognition. The peaceful melodies and soothing lyrics on Bon Iver’s “Holocene” garnered worthy acknowledgment for the band’s innovative style.
Bon Iver also earned a Best New Artist nomination along with The Band Perry, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole and (surprise!) electronic dub step group Skrillex. Skrillex actually has 5 nominations total, but the fact that an electronic group is up for Best New Artist reiterates the Grammys’ commitment to recognizing talent on all fronts, and not just in pop music.
This year’s nominations show that the Grammy's remain relevant, but are willing to reward musical achievement and talented artists across various genres. The range of artists in each of the major categories will make the 2011 Grammy Awards an interesting race to watch.
A Grammy Nominations Rundown
The 2012 Grammy nominations were released Wednesday Nov. 30:
Kanye West topped the charts receiving seven nominations, including "Song of the Year," "Best Rap Album," "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" and "Best Rap Performance."
Following West's seven nominations, Adele, Bruno Mars and Foo Fighters all received six nominations.
Coming in third in number of nominations, DJ Skrillex and rapper Lil Wayne tied with five nominations each.
Amusingly enough, this year's Grammy crowd is actually carried by one of the oldest members of the crew, West, who is 34.
With four of five of the artists up for "Album of the Year" under the age of 26, Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars, it seems that the Grammy Awards may finally be shifting to the younger generation of artists picking up the year's largest prizes.
Nominations for "Best New Artist" include:
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex
J. Cole
Bon Iver
The Band Perry
And for "Song of the Year:"
Adele
Bruno Mars
Bon Iver
Mumfor & Sons
Kanye West ft. Rihanna
Fergie
Despite West's impressive seven nominations, spotlights have actually been shining on Adele, as her six nominations shout loud and proud as she recovers from vocal surgery after cancelling her remaining shows for this year.
One of America's beloved sweethearts, Taylor Swift, actually slipped under the radar this year picking up only two nominations, for "Best Country Solo Performance" and "Best Country Song."
Nominations for "Best Rap Performance" include:
Lupe Fiaso
Wiz Khalifa
Nicki Minaj and Drake
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Chris Brown with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
And for "Best Rap Album:"
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Lil Wayne
Lupe Fiasco
Nicki Minaj
Kanye West
Two of the largest controversies surrounding this year's nominations actually include two of the top recipients, as well as America's country sweetheart once again.
The world was shocked to find out Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" was not nominated for "Song of the Year," and equal emotions were felt as West and Swift both missed nominations for "Album of the Year."
According to a poll on CBS.com, fans believe Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" will end up as the "Album of the Year" winner, as all other nominees trail her high percentage in the poll. Metrolyrics.com has similar predictions; "Song of the Year Predictions" names "Rolling in the Deep" as the top contender.
Apparently, West's high number of nominations won't make a difference, according to The Atlantic. Their predictions appear quite similar to others with Adele taking home the top prizes and West's songs coming out far from the top.
Although some shocks and surprises were shared, as they are every year, this year's Grammy's look to be a competitive, exhilarating and monumental competition that will match some very talented artists up against one another.
Kanye West topped the charts receiving seven nominations, including "Song of the Year," "Best Rap Album," "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" and "Best Rap Performance."
Following West's seven nominations, Adele, Bruno Mars and Foo Fighters all received six nominations.
Coming in third in number of nominations, DJ Skrillex and rapper Lil Wayne tied with five nominations each.
Amusingly enough, this year's Grammy crowd is actually carried by one of the oldest members of the crew, West, who is 34.
With four of five of the artists up for "Album of the Year" under the age of 26, Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Bruno Mars, it seems that the Grammy Awards may finally be shifting to the younger generation of artists picking up the year's largest prizes.
Nominations for "Best New Artist" include:
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex
J. Cole
Bon Iver
The Band Perry
And for "Song of the Year:"
Adele
Bruno Mars
Bon Iver
Mumfor & Sons
Kanye West ft. Rihanna
Fergie
Despite West's impressive seven nominations, spotlights have actually been shining on Adele, as her six nominations shout loud and proud as she recovers from vocal surgery after cancelling her remaining shows for this year.
One of America's beloved sweethearts, Taylor Swift, actually slipped under the radar this year picking up only two nominations, for "Best Country Solo Performance" and "Best Country Song."
Nominations for "Best Rap Performance" include:
Lupe Fiaso
Wiz Khalifa
Nicki Minaj and Drake
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Chris Brown with Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
And for "Best Rap Album:"
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Lil Wayne
Lupe Fiasco
Nicki Minaj
Kanye West
Two of the largest controversies surrounding this year's nominations actually include two of the top recipients, as well as America's country sweetheart once again.
The world was shocked to find out Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" was not nominated for "Song of the Year," and equal emotions were felt as West and Swift both missed nominations for "Album of the Year."
According to a poll on CBS.com, fans believe Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" will end up as the "Album of the Year" winner, as all other nominees trail her high percentage in the poll. Metrolyrics.com has similar predictions; "Song of the Year Predictions" names "Rolling in the Deep" as the top contender.
Apparently, West's high number of nominations won't make a difference, according to The Atlantic. Their predictions appear quite similar to others with Adele taking home the top prizes and West's songs coming out far from the top.
Although some shocks and surprises were shared, as they are every year, this year's Grammy's look to be a competitive, exhilarating and monumental competition that will match some very talented artists up against one another.
12/07/2011
Guessing the 2012 Grammys
Predictions on who will be honored on “music’s
biggest night”, based on a mixture of rumors, critical acclaim, and the
academy’s voters.
Adele’s 21 vs. Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops And Hooligans, Foo Fighters’ Wasting Light, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, and Rihanna’s Loud
Adele is one of those rare artists that both critics and music fans adore. You don’t have to be psychic to foresee her leaving the ceremony with an armful of trophies, which will include this nod to the most-lauded album of the year.
Record of the Year
Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” vs. Bon Iver’s “Holocene”, Mumford & Sons’ “The Cave”, Katy Perry’s “Firework”, and Bruno Mars’ “Grenade”
“Rolling in the Deep” was THE song of 2011. You heard it in commercials, on multiple radio stations every five minutes, and repeatedly covered on TV talent shows.
Song of the Year
Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” vs. Mumford & Sons’ “The Cave”, Bon Iver’s “Holocene”, Kanye West feat. Rihanna, Kid Cudi, and Fergie’s “All of the Lights”, and Bruno Mars’ “Grenade”
Being that this is a songwriter’s award, the voters love to see it go to a song performed by its main songwriter. Not to mention, it would be a shame to see it not go to Adele’s modern classic.
Best Pop Solo Performance
Lady Gaga’s “You and I” vs. Adele’s “Someone Like You”, Katy Perry’s “Firework”, Pink’s “F***in’ Perfect”, and Bruno Mars’ “Grenade”
A combination of the former “Best Male Pop Vocal” and “Best Female Pop Vocal” categories, look for the best track off of Gaga’s latest album to take the prize. (Especially after this performance aired on the 2011 Grammy Nominations Concert special.)
New Artist
Niki Minaj vs. the Band Perry, Bon Iver, Skrillex, and J. Cole
This year’s Grammy’s will be another “ladies’ night”, with Minaj being another big winner. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if the voters chose the up-and-coming country group instead.
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse’s “Body & Soul” vs. Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks”, Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera’s “Moves Like Jagger”, the Black Keys’ “Dearest”, and Coldplay’s “Paradise”
A few years ago, Amy Winehouse brought a lot of excitement to the awards, which helped introduce her talent to a nationwide audience. Though her promising career was put to an end by her tragic death, voters still have the chance to honor her one more time, with this duet with a Grammy favorite.
Best R&B Album
Kelly Price’s Kelly vs. Ledisi’s Pieces of Me, R Kelly’s Love Letter, Chris Brown’s F.A.M.E, and El DeBarge’s Second Chance
The academy’s new rules made controversial changes in the R&B categories, merging “traditional” R&B with the more well-known acts. So look for one of those lesser-known, critically acclaimed artists to be honored instead.
Best Rap Album
Niki Minaj’s Pink Friday vs. Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne, Kanye West’s My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy, Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter IV, and Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers
Niki Minaj was one of last year’s biggest success stories. Voters love to see a woman take charge in a typically male-dominated field, and given that this album was the introduction to her career, they will easily choose to honor it.
Best Country Album
Lady Antebellum’s Own the Night vs. Taylor Swift’s Speak Now, George Strait’s Here for a Good Time, Blake Shelton’s Red River Blue, Eric Church’s Chief, and Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party
Lady Antebellum are the country darlings of the awards, and since they haven’t had a “Need You Now”-sized hit recently, this is their category.
Best Country Song
Taylor Swift’s “Mean” vs. Thompson Square’s “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”, Vince Gill’s “Threaten Me With Heaven”, Dave Barnes’ “God Gave Me You”, Kenny Chesney & Grace Potter’s “You and Tequila”, and Trace Adkins’ “Just Fishin’”
Due to lack of other nominations, the Academy seems to be feeling a little Swift fatigue, but chances are that they will like this self-written ode to critics.
Best Rock Album
Foo Fighters’ Wasting Light vs. Red Hot Chili Peppers’ I’m With You, Kings of Leon’s Come Around Sundown, Wilco’s The Whole Love, and Jeff Beck’s Rock N Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
The Foos are Grammy favorites, but haven’t had the chance to be honored in several years. Look for their first #1 album to also please the voters.
Best Rock Performance
Mumford & Sons’ “The Cave” vs. Foo Fighters’ “Walk”, Radiohead’s “Lotus Flower”, the Decemberists “Down by the Water”, and Coldplay’s “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
Mumford & Sons are obviously loved by the academy, as proved with their many nominations this year. While they won’t take home any of the big categories, they will certainly pick something up.
Best Alternative Music Album
Bon Iver’s Bon Iver vs. Foster the People’s Torches, Radiohead’s The King of Limbs, Death Cab for Cutie’s Codes and Keys, and My Morning Jacket’s Circuital
A favorite of many “best of the year” lists, this award clearly belongs to Bon Iver’s sophomore breakthrough.
Best Dance Recording
Duck Sauce’s “Barbra Streisand” vs. Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend”, Skrillex’s “Scary Monsters and Nice Spirits”, Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech’s “Raise Your Weapon”, Swedish House Mafia’s “Save the World”, and David Guetta & Avicii’s “Sunshine”
Call me crazy, but isn’t it likely that the vast majority of the Academy’s older voters will vote for “Barbra Streisand” based on its name (and lyrics) alone?
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