61st Annual Grammy Awards preview and predictions
The 61st Annual Grammy Awards take place Sunday, and to say it’s a bit light on the rock and roll would be the understatement of 2019.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the sole band from the genre scheduled to perform at last check and they’ll be joined by white-hot rapper Post Malone. That’s not to say it’s going to be a complete bore, as Diana Ross, Lady Gaga are set to take the stage, and Katy Perry will be teaming up with Dolly Parton for a special duet.
The Grammys have notoriously been out of step with music and the world goings on in general, and this year they are doing their best to remain relevant, but time will tell if said efforts come to fruition. Things look hopeful on paper, especially with a clear leverage given to female performers and as nominees in many categories, but come Monday morning, the Recording Academy could be on its traditional place tied to the whipping post for critics and viewers ready to take their pound of flesh for having to sit through the usual three hours plus slog.
Look for a full report on any major happenings in next week’s Rock Music Menu, but truth be told, we’re not holding our breath. Last year the event dropped in the ratings 24 percent from 2018 and had the lowest viewership in the target 18-49 age demographic. Despite all that, here are some “will win/should win” predictions for the show, once again broadcasting live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles:
Best New Artist
Will win: Dua Lipa Should win: Dua Lipa Why: The 23-year-old pop singer/songwriter has been a critic’s favorite both here and in her home country of England. She got a big boost of recognition appearing as the musical guest on ‘Saturday Night Live’ just a little over a year ago and has been on the radar of the mainstream ever since.
Best Rock Song
Will win: St. Vincent - “Masseducation”
Should win: Greta Van Fleet “Black Smoke Rising”
Why: Look for St. Vincent’s collaboration with Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff to take this one, even though Greta Van Fleet’s throwback to 70s-style guitar rock is the controversial fan favorite – but more on that below.
Best Rock Album
Will win: Alice in Chains –
‘Rainer Fog’
Should win: Greta Van Fleet – ‘From the Fires’
Why: Greta Van Fleet are hands down one of the most polarizing rock bands in decades, both because they sound too much like Led Zeppelin and have a reticence about acknowledging Led Zeppelin’s influence. The Grammys tend to be clueless about that sort of thing though, so expect them to shrug their shoulders and avoid the now nine-time nominees with no wins, Alice in Chains.
Best Metal Performance
Will win: Trivium – “Betrayer” Should win: Deafheaven – “Honeycomb”
Why: Last year the Recording Academy nailed it for once in this category by finally recognizing Megadeth after 12 nominations and zero wins for the title track to their LP ‘Dystopia.’ This year, they’ll do no such favors to the genre, likely next to nothing about the nominated acts and picking what they see as the least controversial name. It’s a shame too, because Deafheaven are one of the more exciting artists in recent memory to be associated with metal.
Best Alternative Music Album
Will win: Arctic Monkeys – ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’
Should win: Arctic Monkeys – ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’
Why: The UK have been fawning over Arctic Monkeys since their debut came out in 2006. Typically, the Grammys are late to the party. Thankfully, the Academy won’t look too out of touch this year, as ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ is a stellar effort worthy of any awards that come its way. Record of the Year
Will win: Cardi B – “I Like It” Should win: Brandi Carlile – “The Joke”
Why: The Record of the Year category is stacked for 2019, with favorites like Lady Gaga’s “Shallow” getting rave reviews much like her performance in the film it appears in, ‘A Star Is Born,’ Childish Gambino’s politically tinged “This Is America” and Brandi Carlile’s emotionally intense “The Joke.” Don’t be surprised though when the Grammys go for the soulless but popular flavor of the month in Cardi B’s “I Like It.”
Album of the Year
Will win: Cardi B – ‘Invasion of Privacy’
Should win: Kacey Musgraves – ‘Golden Hour’
Why: The good news in a time when the focal point in society is on women, the Recording Academy isn’t as tone deaf as expected. Females dominate the category of Album of the Year and deservedly so. Five of the eight albums up for the award are female against two males and one soundtrack. Kacey Musgraves fourth LP is a stunner and while it would be great to see her take the most prestigious win of the night, Cardi B again looks to be the favorite.