Grammys a battle of the superstars
Beyoncé, Adele set to face off as frontrunners in top categories
It’s a battle of the superstars at the Grammy Awards Sunday.
In one corner, there’s Adele, whose “25” became the first album to sell more than 3 million copies in its first week, back in November 2015. Her primary opponent is Beyoncé, who eviscerated her previous singles-focused success with “Lemonade,” an artistic leap, clickbait fodder and Black Lives Matter statement all rolled into one.
They’re both frontrunners in three of the four primary categories. Who’ll end up victorious? Here are my predictions and thoughts on the deserving winners. Album of the Year
Nominees: “25,” Adele; “Lemonade,” Beyoncé; “Purpose,” Justin Bieber; “A Sailor’s Guide to Earth,” Sturgill Simpson; “Views,” Drake
What will win: “25” may have been a sales generator unlike any other modern album, but Adele was gushing about “Lemonade” at one of her shows. “Lemonade” was a blockbuster, too, in addition to being a remarkable album. Beyoncé also has more Grammy nominations than any other woman in history, 62, but has never won Album of the Year. That should finally change Sunday.
What should win: “Lemonade,” my favorite album of 2016 and a frontrunner for favorite album of the decade. Record of the Year
Nominees: “7 Years,” Lukas Graham; “Formation,” Beyoncé; “Hello,” Adele; “Stressed Out,” Twenty One Pilots; “Work,” Rihanna
What will win: If the Academy’s going to give Album of the Year to Beyoncé, you better believe it will reserve another honor for Adele. Adele’s revered abilities alongside a simple but unforgettable piano melody make “Hello” a stronger contender than the overall album it came from.
What should win: “Hello.” This award recognizes performance and production, and no piece of music has better demonstrated Adele’s vocal talent than this track. Song of the Year
Nominees: “7 Years,” Lukas Graham; “Formation,” Beyoncé; “Hello,” Adele; “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” Mike Posner; “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber
What will win: There’s been no shortage of questionable Grammy winners, but the Recording Academy wouldn’t be foolish enough to hand the prize to the sappy “7 Years” or bro-friendly EDM anthem “Ibiza.” Bieber’s “Yourself” is too similar to last year’s Song of the Year winner, “Thinking Out Loud” from Ed Sheeran. While “Formation” made a lasting statement, the simpler “Hello” is more memorable.
What should win: “Formation.” It takes a special song to become a Super Bowl halftime show standout less than 24 hours after its release. Best New Artist
Nominees: Anderson. Pa ak, The Chain smokers, Chance the Rapper, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris
What will win: You’d think rappers .Paak and Chance, and country singers Ballerini and Morris, would cancel each other out. Yet Chance stands out, not just for his music, but for getting seven nominations for “Coloring Book,” which benefited from amendments that now allow streaming-only albums to be eligible for nominations. He’ll win, and deserves to.
Who should win: Chance. Wisconsin nominees to watch for
Sunday probably won’t be Bon Iver’s night; the Eau Claire act is competing against the late David Bowie in the Best Alternative Album and Best Recording Packaging categories. But Snarky Puppy, with Wauwatosa native Mike Maher, is a Grammy favorite, winning twice since 2014. It’s up for Best Contemporary Musical Album.
The Record Company, with Wisconsin native Chris Vos on guitar and vocals, is a strong contender for Best Contemporary Blues Album for its breakout debut album “Give It Back To You.” Tierney Sutton, a Nicolet High School alum, is up for Best Jazz Vocal Album, for reinterpreting the works of Sting on “The Sting Variations.”
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards airs locally at 7 p.m. on WDJT-TV (Ch. 58). Follow Piet Levy’s commentary throughout the show at twitter.com/pietlevy.