CUE MODERATE OUTRAGE
Grammy snubs and surprises are not much to get worked up about
You know what happens at the end of every Grammys telecast: Cue the outrage. Except this year, the number of clearly embarrassing or risible major winners was zero. About the best huff most veteran Grammy watchers will be able to work up is over one deserving nominee losing out to an almostas-deserving nominee.
Still, there were some picks that came about unexpectedly or unpleasantly for at least some of us.
SNUB: MAC MILLER
Let’s face it — probably no one but Ariana Grande expected the late rapper’s album, however beloved, to beat the behemoth that was Cardi B’s hip-hop-world-changing debut. Grande transferred the ire over her own MIA status from the Grammys, which was either a righteous cause or self-inflicted wound, to upset over her ex’s shutout. “Trash,” she tweeted and then immediately deleted after Cardi’s win for rap album. Asked about it by fans on social media, she pointed out that she hadn’t meant to apply the term to Cardi specifically. “Nothing to do w her,” Grande responded. “Good for her. i promise. i’m sorry.” In truth, voters faced a very tough call here, and it’s not a great look to posthumously reward Chris Cornell while not affording the same consideration to Miller. On the other hand, rewarding him over Cardi could have been seen as sexism in denying a groundbreaking woman her place in history.
SURPRISE: KACEY MUSGRAVES
There were eight nominees for album of the year in this firsttime expansion of the top categories, and there was a case to be made for seven of them. Who would have bet against Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Cardi B or even late-rising dark horse Brandi Carlile? Also, consider the number of times in history that an album that anyone considered a country record won album of the year. That would be twice: Taylor Swift’s Fearless preceded by the Dixie Chicks’ Taking the Long Way. So let’s hear it for Kacey at the bat, hitting the home run for Golden Hour.
SNUB: BJORK
The social media anger over Bjork missing out on alternative album may fall on the low end of the scale, as she falls into true Susan Lucci territory by failing to win for the 15th nomination in a row. Beck made a fun album, but you have to wonder how many voters just check off Beck, because he’s Beck. In the year of the woman, it might have been nice to see this category take a less predictable, more feminist spin, too. Honestly, this one was never Bjork’s — Utopia, though fascinating as ever, was not her most beloved effort — but St. Vincent would have provided the worthy victory we craved.
SNUB: TAYLOR SWIFT AND PINK
This pair made two of the best albums of any kind in the eligibility period, but their paltry nominations portended a predictable but still ridiculous lack of wins. It was great that the Year of the Woman brought in so many slightly left-of-centre nominees, but sad that it couldn’t be extended to women who happen to be commercially huge, as well as popular. Yes, this extends to the under-nominated Grande, too.
SNUB: ALL THE STARS
Even if this practically year-defining Kendrick and SZA ballad-jam was going to lose out in the record and song of the year categories — and to Childish Gambino, so no one was going to charge anti-hip-hop bias — it should have had a shot for best song written for visual media. But in that category it ran into a little juggernaut called Shallow, the same obstacle it faces at the Oscars. Lamar probably made the right call in staying home this year, pride-wise, although we can’t help but wish he’d swallowed it and performed on the show anyway.
SURPRISE: DRAKE ON THE GRAMMYS
Canadian rapper Drake went from being boycotter of the year to being a non-no-show as he popped up from some mysterious underworld to accept for rap song of the year. Even a cutoff of his speech, which the Grammys claimed was inadvertent because they legit thought he was taking a pause, couldn’t dampen the high spirits of the moment, although conspiracy theorists who thought he got zapped because of his mild “awards don’t matter” shade had all the grist they needed.
It’s understandable why someone like Drake is reluctant to show up and play nice when huge numbers of nominations, here or at other awards shows, result in so few wins. But you know what? Playing nice happens to be a good look on him.