for A&E
There has never been a year where the Grammys have fully lived up to what they claim to be: inclusive and relevant. Released on November 15, the list for the 2023 Grammy nominations, to say the least, resulted in long sighs and disappointing 30-second reflections. However, when you contextualize the true nature of the Grammys, noticing that they never really get it right, this year's list is tolerable.
As expected, Harry Styles, Adele, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Doja Cat and Kendrick Lamar were all nominated for Record Of The Year, producing well-crafted records with many memorable moments that should eventually become considerably nostalgic. ABBA, Brandi Carilile, and Mary J. Blige were also nominated in this category, but their presence is not as strong as some of the newer artists. To be honest, if you’re not an avid listener of these three artists I guarantee you didn't know they still released music. Already, the Grammys show that they can’t help but recycle old artists that are far past their prime. Despite this, the Grammys seem to redeem themselves with a surprising nomination for Record Of The Year with “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy. This choice is something I think the Grammys should continue to live up to: picking relevant artists that have managed to gain new fans due to the release of their new music.
Similarly, in the category of Album Of The Year, the Grammys make sure to include the undeniably biggest artists of this year, again nominating Beyoncé, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, and Harry Styles, and still are unable to forget about older artists, nominating Coldplay, Brandi Carilile, Mary J. Blige, and ABBA. Out of all these nominations, while considering the fact that the Grammys failed to include a considerable amount of albums just as good or better then some of these picks, I think that Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, and Harry Styles have the best chance of winning this award.Personally, I hope that Kendrick Lamar wins this category because he is able to successfully utilize so many aspects of music, including powerful societal commentary while taking a different, more sonically experimental route compared to his previous works.
Reflecting upon this year's nominations in a more general sense, I think the Grammys are truly and plainly outdated, but they did manage to get in some surprising nominations. For example, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” KAYTRANADA’s “Intimidated” for Best Dance/Electronic Recording, “F.N.F (Let’s Go)” by GloRilla for Best Rap Performance, and I Never Liked You by Future for Best Rap Album.
They also managed to include some confusing picks (along with the over nominated artists like Mary J. Blige). Jack Harlow’s Come Home the Kids Miss You is nominated for Best Rap Album, which, in my opinion, is nothing more than a pick by the out of touch members of the Academy trying to appeal to young people. This album is hardly able to compete with Kendrick’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers but, considering the Grammys history of snubbing the undoubtedly best artist, Jack Harlow still has an upsettingly good chance at winning this category.
Overall, the Grammys continue to prove that they have no idea what artists, albums, or songs are deserving of awards as they nominate overplayed, lackluster artists, and bring back old musicians because they have no desire to step out of the box. Because music is inherently subjective, the Grammys will never live up to everyone’s expectations. Awarding artists for being the ‘best’ of a category will never work. I believe the Grammys will never get out of the endless loop of nominating irrelevant music, so here are some artists that released outstanding work this year that certainly deserve a Grammy, but sadly may never win: JID, Smino, Westside Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, Boldly James, Denzel Curry, FKA Twigs, and so many more.
Ultimately, the Grammys should never be used as an argument for determining what makes music good. In fact, there should not be anything that uplifts mediocre work and hides musical gems, as it contributes to an uncreative system. Music should be meant for enjoyment, insight, and discovery, so let it be just that, and don’t watch the Grammys this year.
There has never been a year where the Grammys have fully lived up to what they claim to be: inclusive and relevant. Released on November 15, the list for the 2023 Grammy nominations, to say the least, resulted in long sighs and disappointing 30-second reflections. However, when you contextualize the true nature of the Grammys, noticing that they never really get it right, this year's list is tolerable.
As expected, Harry Styles, Adele, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Doja Cat and Kendrick Lamar were all nominated for Record Of The Year, producing well-crafted records with many memorable moments that should eventually become considerably nostalgic. ABBA, Brandi Carilile, and Mary J. Blige were also nominated in this category, but their presence is not as strong as some of the newer artists. To be honest, if you’re not an avid listener of these three artists I guarantee you didn't know they still released music. Already, the Grammys show that they can’t help but recycle old artists that are far past their prime. Despite this, the Grammys seem to redeem themselves with a surprising nomination for Record Of The Year with “Bad Habit” by Steve Lacy. This choice is something I think the Grammys should continue to live up to: picking relevant artists that have managed to gain new fans due to the release of their new music.
Similarly, in the category of Album Of The Year, the Grammys make sure to include the undeniably biggest artists of this year, again nominating Beyoncé, Adele, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, Bad Bunny, and Harry Styles, and still are unable to forget about older artists, nominating Coldplay, Brandi Carilile, Mary J. Blige, and ABBA. Out of all these nominations, while considering the fact that the Grammys failed to include a considerable amount of albums just as good or better then some of these picks, I think that Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, and Harry Styles have the best chance of winning this award.Personally, I hope that Kendrick Lamar wins this category because he is able to successfully utilize so many aspects of music, including powerful societal commentary while taking a different, more sonically experimental route compared to his previous works.
Reflecting upon this year's nominations in a more general sense, I think the Grammys are truly and plainly outdated, but they did manage to get in some surprising nominations. For example, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” KAYTRANADA’s “Intimidated” for Best Dance/Electronic Recording, “F.N.F (Let’s Go)” by GloRilla for Best Rap Performance, and I Never Liked You by Future for Best Rap Album.
They also managed to include some confusing picks (along with the over nominated artists like Mary J. Blige). Jack Harlow’s Come Home the Kids Miss You is nominated for Best Rap Album, which, in my opinion, is nothing more than a pick by the out of touch members of the Academy trying to appeal to young people. This album is hardly able to compete with Kendrick’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers but, considering the Grammys history of snubbing the undoubtedly best artist, Jack Harlow still has an upsettingly good chance at winning this category.
Overall, the Grammys continue to prove that they have no idea what artists, albums, or songs are deserving of awards as they nominate overplayed, lackluster artists, and bring back old musicians because they have no desire to step out of the box. Because music is inherently subjective, the Grammys will never live up to everyone’s expectations. Awarding artists for being the ‘best’ of a category will never work. I believe the Grammys will never get out of the endless loop of nominating irrelevant music, so here are some artists that released outstanding work this year that certainly deserve a Grammy, but sadly may never win: JID, Smino, Westside Gunn, Freddie Gibbs, Boldly James, Denzel Curry, FKA Twigs, and so many more.
Ultimately, the Grammys should never be used as an argument for determining what makes music good. In fact, there should not be anything that uplifts mediocre work and hides musical gems, as it contributes to an uncreative system. Music should be meant for enjoyment, insight, and discovery, so let it be just that, and don’t watch the Grammys this year.