The 2019 Grammys

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Franz Ferdinand
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

Post by Franz Ferdinand »

A nerdy, fascinating look at the rarity of this year's top 3 winners aligning with critical consensus.
Franz Ferdinand
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

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danfrank wrote:
Franz Ferdinand wrote:Did anyone else watch the awards? I assume BAFTA's would have won out, as with Bradley Cooper, so on this board.

MICHELLE OBAMA. Her single utterance of "Motown..." brought the house down.
Just to be clear, the audience's rousing ovation had nothing to do with Motown. Rather it was Michelle Obama's mere presence that had them going nuts. She had not been introduced, so the audience was waiting for her to speak to show their appreciation. It just so happened that "Motown" was among the first few words she spoke, at which point she needed to pause due to the incredibly loud ovation. She is perhaps the most beloved and respected figure in our country, and I think the audience of musicians was thrilled and honored that she came to pay respect to their craft.
Haha I know, it just seemed funny. I was wondering why the reaction seemed so muted at first (I recognized her immediately and nearly fell off my couch), but it makes sense for people to wait until she actually spoke to show their love.
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

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Franz Ferdinand wrote:Did anyone else watch the awards? I assume BAFTA's would have won out, as with Bradley Cooper, so on this board.

MICHELLE OBAMA. Her single utterance of "Motown..." brought the house down.
Just to be clear, the audience's rousing ovation had nothing to do with Motown. Rather it was Michelle Obama's mere presence that had them going nuts. She had not been introduced, so the audience was waiting for her to speak to show their appreciation. It just so happened that "Motown" was among the first few words she spoke, at which point she needed to pause due to the incredibly loud ovation. She is perhaps the most beloved and respected figure in our country, and I think the audience of musicians was thrilled and honored that she came to pay respect to their craft.
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

Post by OscarGuy »

Post Malone is awful.

Janelle Monae was fantastic, the Dolly Parton tribute was solid. Kacey Musgraves' solo performance was good. The opening Havana event was terrific. Lady Gaga was mediocre at best and her rocked-up version of the non-rocked-up song Shallow was a misfire. I thought H.E.R. was also quite good. I don't know who it was who performed with the feathered peacock tail, but that was a good production, not necessarily a good song.
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Franz Ferdinand
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

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Did anyone else watch the awards? I assume BAFTA's would have won out, as with Bradley Cooper, so on this board.

I caught the last half an hour or so and read up on the winners.

- Glad to see Kacey Musgraves win Album, probably the best choice in that particular list. Alicia Keys' pregnant pause before reading the winner made me think that she was about to say "Kendrick Lamar" but thankfully that didn't pan out.
- "This Is America" - people forget that it's a deeply mediocre song elevated by an iconic video: it will make a sad trivia answer one day ("What was the first rap song to win EITHER/BOTH Song or Record of the Year?"). Good on Donald Glover to not be there; he is the first person since George Michael in 1989 to not be present to accept one of the major awards.
- St. Vincent and Dua Lipa's performance made me forget my name for a minute.
- Immediately after impregnating me, Dua Lipa made a sly dig at women really "stepping up" this year during her New Artist speech - and was immediately played off stage.
- Actually, every winner I caught on TV was played off, yet outgoing president Neil Portnow (he of the "step up" comments last year) gave himself a very moving multi-minute tribute, with very heartfelt video messages of best wishes from many female performers.
- Alicia Keys made for a very laid-back host, and in lieu of a monologue she brought out some friends to hang out and speak of the power of music: Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, J.Lo and....MICHELLE OBAMA. Her single utterance of "Motown..." brought the house down.

From what I saw, not a trainwreck. But then again, I missed Post Malone performing with Red Hot Chili Peppers, so I didn't get the full picture to make a judgment.
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

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Alicia Keys will be the first female Grammy host in quite some time.
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Re: The 2019 Grammys

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A critical overview of the nominees can be found here.

The expansion of the main categories results in good and bad, as is to be expected. Much as I chafe against seeing mediocre streaming giants like Drake and Post Malone so well represented, I can't fault the Grammys for recognizing what the mainstream wants (ugh).

Album
For once I am rooting against Kendrick winning AOTY, because to win for the Black Panther soundtrack after his previous masterpieces lost would be...just wrong. Cardi B has proven to be more durable that we might have expected, and her album is a solid affair, but we would look back and say "really...?". Give this award to either Janelle Monae or Kacey Musgraves - both are among the actual best works of the year, though Kacey's album is slightly better (if only because Monae has done better in the past).

Record
I miss the monoculture. None of these songs are Great: "This Is America" is really not much without its incendiary video; "The Shallow" is made by the unshackling scream, but I can't recall a single moment outside of it; screw Drake and Post Malone and double-screw Zedd's EDM garbage; "All the Stars" is hardly Kendrick's best moment in a career of absurd greatness. I guess this could go to Cardi B's "stealing this song back" moment, or Brandi Carlile if only because I have not heard her song.

Song
Yuck. Pass.

Best New Artist
YUCK. Double pass. I will say that if Greta Van Fleet wins here, you can officially (after 20-something years), FINALLY, say that rock n' roll is truly dead. Fuck Greta Van Fleet. Also, look at the actual Rock categories and try not to vomit uncontrollably.

- After a long year of "poop scooping" and MAGA-ing, Kanye West gets a sole nod for Producer of the Year - Non-Classical. Gotta say, after his whirlwind Wyoming summer that birthed at least one fantastic album (Pusha T's DAYTONA, he deserves at least this much.
- T. Swift's long reign of terror appears to be over after she released YET another mediocrity.
- Curiously missing is U2, a Grammy mainstay whose latest mediocre work begged to be nominated.
- Ariana Grande's Sweetener was one of the biggest critical mainstream hits of the year, and she has generally been heavy in the pop culture conversation - where is she?
- Pretty happy to see the Electronic Album category recognize SOPHIE and Jon Hopkins, and to see a Metal nomination for Deafheaven.
- Best Alternative Album (usually one of my favorite categories because it corresponds to what I listen to) is mired in stasis and looks like it's out of the late 90's: a knee-jerk nod for Beck's so-so yacht-rock album? Bjork's latest (only mildly deserving)? Some rote nominations for Arctic Monkeys and St. Vincent? Has this scene really stagnated so much?

Overall, underwhelmed by the Grammys as usual. Any place that sees fit to nominate utter dreck like Post Malone and Greta Van Fleet can kindly toss off.
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The 2019 Grammys

Post by anonymous1980 »

The nominees for those of you who are interested.

I've forgotten they expanded the Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist to EIGHT nominees.
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