The 48th Annual Grammy Awards roll around this Wednesday, and although the Grammys seem to mean less and less each year, we thought we'd give you our predictions. Keep in mind, these are our mere assumptions of who will take home the gold, and do not represent who we actually want to win. Except Kanye, because damnit, he deserves it.
1. Record of the Year
a. "We Belong Together," Mariah Carey
b. "Feel Good Inc.," Gorillaz feat/De La Soul
c. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," Green Day
d. "Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani
e. "Gold Digger," Kanye West
Since what should win ("Gold Digger") doesn't always coincide with what will win, we'll have to predict this award going to the Glitter Queen herself. "We Belong Together" was the first single off The Emancipation of Mimi and led to a whole slew of hits, tying her with Elvis Presley for having the most number-ones by a solo artist.
2. Album of the Year
a. The Emancipation of Mimi, Mariah Carey
b. Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Paul McCartney
c. Love. Angel. Music. Baby., Gwen Stefani
d. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2
e. Late Registration, Kanye West
Surprise, surprise. After nominees for the 2006 Grammy Awards were announced last December, Kanye West freaked out again on national television. But this time, he wasn't making a political statement, just angrily telling the general public why he deserves to win Album of the Year. And though the clip only reminds us of how crazy Kanye was after he lost Album of the Year to Ray Charles in '05, the amount of media buzz that Late Registration stirred up alone makes it worthy of winning the Grammy. Oh, and it's an amazing album. Did we forget to mention that?
3. Best New Artist
a. Ciara
b. Fall Out Boy
c. Keane
d. John Legend
e. Sugarland
Having tied Mariah Carey and Kanye West for most Grammy nominations this year (at eight a piece), it seems pretty impossible for John Legend not to take home the Best New Artist award. Sure, everyone loves singing along to Fall Out Boy's "Sugar, We're Goin Down," but the fact that someone as successful as Kanye West wanted to produce Legend's debut album Get Lifted does actually mean something. Plus, he went to Penn and sang a cappella for Counterparts, so he pretty much has to win.
4. Best Female Pop
Vocal Performance
a. "It's Like That," Mariah Carey
b. "Since U Been Gone," Kelly Clarkson
c. "Good Is Good," Sheryl Crow
d. "I Will Not Be Broken," Bonnie Raitt
e. "Hollaback Girl," Gwen Stefani
Despite its name, Fox's American Idol hasn't exactly produced the most successful artists over the course of its four seasons on air. The only Idol whose career has truly taken off is Kelly Clarkson, and it wasn't until three years after the show's birth in 2002 that the Texas native gained widespread fame. For her second album, Breakaway, Clarkson battled to gain creative control, ultimately producing the pop-rock sound that forces everyone and their mom to sing along to "Since U Been Gone." And even if you're still a little skeptical about Clarkson and her rise to fame as an American Idol, there's no denying her talent when she hits those high notes.
5. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
a. "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," Jack Johnson
b. "Fine Line," Paul McCartney
c. "Walk On By," Seal
d. "Lonely No More," Rob Thomas
e. "From the Bottom of My Heart," Stevie Wonder
Sigh. I truly hate this song. But if you look at the nominations, between Jack-my-fans-are-white-suburban-kids-Johnson and blind-as-a-bat Wonder, there really is no other way for this one to swing. Rob Thomas' other attempt at flying solo (remember "Smooth" with Santana?) led to several Grammys, while he gained none with Matchbox 20. The band really brought him down.
6. Best Pop
Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal
a. "Don't Lie," Black Eyed Peas
b. "Mr. Brightside," The Killers
c. "More Than Love," Los Lonely Boys
d. "This Love," Maroon 5
e. "My Doorbell," The White Stripes
We all know this isn't the best song nominated by any means, and it is true that the Killers have a chance at this one as well, but performance-wise, the Black Eyed Peas know how to please them crowds every time. Between Fergie's energy and the fancy footwork involved in their performances, the Black Eyed Peas will likely take home the statue.
7. Best Pop Vocal
Album
a. Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
b. Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson
c. Wildflower, Sheryl Crow
d. Chaos and Creation in the Backyard, Paul McCartney
e. Love. Angel. Music. Baby., Gwen Stefani
It took three years to create the album, and the controversy surrounding Extraordinary Machine is enough to help push it to a win, with Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway trailing for a close second. However, with a switch in producer halfway through its creation, shelving accusations, and, of course, a damned good album, this one will take it home.
8. Best Alternative
Music Album
a. Funeral, The Arcade Fire
b. Guero, Beck
c. Plans, Death Cab for Cutie
d. You Could Have It So Much Better, Franz Ferdinand
e. Get Behind Me Satan, The White Stripes
Released in September, 2004, Funeral actually doesn't fit the official October eligibility, so the fact that it's nominated says a whole lot. Although not quite as mainstream as other nominees, this favorite has enough cred from music critics everywhere to make this surprise hit, and brilliant album, I might add, a good bet.
9. Best Rap Solo
Performance
a. "Testify," Common
b. "Mockingbird," Eminem
c. "Disco Inferno," 50 Cent
d. "Number One Spot," Ludacris
e. "U Don't Know Me," T.I.
f. "Gold Digger," Kanye West
Each Grammy category consists of five nominations, unless there is a tie, and then the category can contain six. Somehow, two of our nominees for Best Rap Solo Performance received the exact same number of votes, giving Kanye West just a little more competition. But, in the end, Common's "Testify" will most likely come out on top, giving West the satisfaction of knowing that his record label, GOOD, helped produce yet another Grammy-winning artist.
10. Best Rap Album
a. Be, Common
b. The Cookbook, Missy Elliott
c. Encore, Eminem
d. The Massacre, 50 Cent
e. Late Registration, Kanye West
In 2005, Kanye West walked away with the Grammy for Best Rap Album, and one year later, he's probably going to do it again. After claiming that he put more work into his most recent album than any other artist, Kanye might offend a few people in the record industry, denying himself the award for Album of the Year. And even if he rubbed too many people the wrong way, Kanye's only competition for Best Rap Album is from his own protege, Common, and G-Unit's 50 Cent, who couldn't top Kanye on the charts despite releasing a second, suped-up version of The Massacre.
