By shelz.
The 54th Grammy Awards are right around the corner and per our normal custom, Planet Ill is going to take a shot at predicting the winners. It’s not rocket science. Country is always weighted heavier than pop, but takes a back seat to Rock. Hip-Hop is the red headed step-child and R&B only exists in the non-televised portion of the ceremony. Commerce is king and “new” artists have been around for at least five years. Now that you know the rules, let’s get busy.
There are 896,013 categories but I’ve narrowed it down to my favorite 10. Someone call Miss Cleo, I’m coming to take her crown. Wait. Don’t call her. If she’s psychic, she already knows.
Record Of The Year
Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”
Bon Iver – “Holocene”
Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
Katy Perry – “Firework”
This selection of songs from the Grammy committee is safe, but not bad. Two pop stars who won’t pick up any big awards (outside of Adele, the pop category will stay self-contained this year), the obligatory Country selection, an off the beaten path pick that displays the Grammys’ ability to keep up with the times and the power house pick that everyone assumes is going to take home the award. And you would be right. Denying Adele’s complete demolition of everyone else who made music last year would be silly. Not only did she move units, the quality was there as well. “Holocene” might be the romantic pick, but after Arcade Fire’s showing last year, alternative musicians will probably take a back seat. The Grammys aren’t that cool.
Planet Ill pick: “Rolling In The Deep”
Album Of The Year
Adele – 21
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Lady Gaga – Born This Way
Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Rihanna – Loud
The nominations for Born This Way and Loud are laughable. I listened to a lot of music last year and folks like The Decemberists, Kanye West, Florence Welch being pushed aside for “S&M” and Gaga’s ode to Madonna is pitiful. Doo-Wops and Hooligans was good, but not legitimate Grammy good. That leaves 21 and Wasting Light. Rock critics weren’t fond of Wasting Light, but the replay value of this album is through the roof. 21 is the barometer by which all other artists were measured this year and they failed miserably. If it was my award to give, Dave Grohl and company would win, but it’s not.
Planet Ill pick: 21
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Song Of The Year 
Kanye West – “All Of The Lights”
Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
Bruno Mars – “Grenade”
Bon Iver – “Holocene”
Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”
I remember when a very rough draft of the track for “All of The lights” hit the net and the general consensus was, “Haaaaated It!” Who but Kanye could, a year and some change later, be nominated for a Grammy for that same song. (When I said I felt it, I was met with a stern, you don’t really like that do you? Yup, I remember sir.) Anyway that’s neither here nor there because Kanye isn’t going to take this award home. One of the underdogs will get this so Adele Day won’t look so contrived.
Planet Ill Outside The Box Pick: Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”
Best New Artist
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex
I’m not going to say too much about this one because I don’t know who The Band Perry is and Bon Iver isn’t new. Then again Esperanza Spalding won this award last year and she had been recording for almost a decade when she accepted her trophy, so I guess as long as you are new to the Grammy’s it’s all good. I’m so afraid of what Nicki Minaj will wear her name is holding weight like Candyman in these parts and J. Cole bores me. Skrillex? Whatever.
Planet Ill pick: Who cares.
Best R&B Performance
Pieces – Ledisi
Far Away – Marsha Ambrosius
Not My Daddy – Kelly Price
Is This Love – Corrine Bailey Rae
You Are – Charlie Wilson
Yo, I had to google some of these songs. Traditional R&B has been ushered to the back row and I don’t see it making a return for a while. The more modern version, which is commercial rap’s kissing cousin, is just gawd awful so I’m glad there are no Miguel or Trey Songz songs on this list. I love Ledisi, she has been nominated before, but she’s never won. I say this is her year.
Planet Ill pick: Ledisi – “Pieces”
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