The Grammy Bastardization – The Modern Music Conundrum

More Like the Overly Conventional Yawn Awards

Excuse my horrendous photo editing, but, I believe it gets the point across quite nicely. The 53rd Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 13, 2011, and I could not be less excited. Seriously, over the last few years we have seen the Grammys honor bad musicians with awards they did not deserve. And, there has been no other category that has been more debased, defiled and debilitated, than the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The scariest part is this bastardization has just been over the last couple of years.

Last year, this once prestigious award was given to Taylor Swift for her album “Fearless,” which is washed down, mainstream garbage. To take a page out of Kanye West’s “get drunk and make a fool out of yourself” playbook, Swift’s album was child-like and not as good as several other options. I don’t beat around the bush Kanye. I just say it. The album sucked.

I'm sorry for interrupting you, but, you and Taylor Swift both play to the same manipulated audience of young kids who do not know good music from bad. And, sorry, but you are both bad

So, with a chance to redeem themselves, the Grammy Nomination Committee, which I presume looks something like this:

The Grammy Committee put together a nominations list that includes albums by Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga and Kady Perry. So, we all cross our fingers and hold out hope for the last choice The Suburbs by Arcade Fire to pull off a win. It’s always terrible when you have to hold out hope for the talent to win. That’s when you know there is an issue. So, why, Grammy Committee, why? There was so much more talent out there. This morning, I delved into the depths of my mind to think of what has happened here. Before I get into my correct nominations for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, I want to talk a little about a burgeoning issue that is sprouting in our ever-changing music world. How about a little side-by-side comparison

In 1968, this is who won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year:

In 2010, this is an artist who is nominated for the same award:

It is almost nonsensical. The reason it is so funny is because any comparison made would be so out of place and utterly wrong. The fact that I am even including both of these songs in the same post upsets me terribly. So, what the heck has happened? Is it that the Grammy Awards are simply screwing up, or is the music just that bad. I think it is both.

I have noticed a rising trend, especially in the award nominations this year.

Here is some official nominations from the Albums of the Year award.

This is how Lady Gaga or Kady Perry's album should look...All of the supporting musicians should get a spot

And this is why they sold 2 million songs in one week on iTunes

The rising trend of hundreds of featured musicians has completely destroyed the concept of bands. The term itself has been played with. Simon and Garfunkel won a Grammy for Album of the Year in 1971 with “Bridge of Troubled Water.” It was just them. They were the band. No featured musicians. No supporting cast. What has happened to bands. Well, they still do exist, but just not in the spotlight of most media attention. The majority of today’s music is solo artists with a marketable name who barely even create their music at all. The supporting cast of around 100 musicians act almost as those people you read in movie credits. You will never know their name but they are behind the scenes making it all go. So, next time you listen to Kady Perry, just keep in mind that there are a lot of people creating that music…not just her. So, shouldn’t the Album of the Year go to bands or musicians that put in work and actually deserve the title? I would think so. But, why does the Grammy selection committee refuse to give credit to these exceptional bands that release very good albums? Well, it is a product of mainstream musics takeover of the industry. Now, I understand. Music is struggling. Live acts like Lady Gaga produce so much revenue that you must immerse the populace with their name so you can produce cash. But, at what cost. Are you not jeopardizing those who make good music? The question is purely rhetorical. I don’t know the answer. Any which way, he would be my list of Albums of the Year. I do not include Arcade Fire because they were nominated by the Grammy committee. Bolded is my choice for album of the year.

Tags: 53rd Grammy Awards, Grammy Award, Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Lady Gaga, Staples Center, Taylor Swift