Ye, Elton are among overlooked A-listers
Sometimes, the Grammy Awards nominations irritate us.
There are years when they prompt an acknowledgment that, OK, maybe Recording Academy voters got it right. Or at least close to right.
And then there are times like this, when ABBA inexplicably lands four nominations – including album of the year – about 40 years after they should have been recognized for truly groundbreaking pop.
(Hi, “Mamma Mia” and “Waterloo” – you have not been forgotten, even if you were never fittingly awarded.)
The 65th annual awards ceremony will take place in the Grammys’ longtime home of Los Angeles on Feb. 5.
The nominees, announced Tuesday, are rife with expected major names in pop, rap and R&B, including Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Adele and Harry Styles.
There are a few surprises sprinkled in, such as Bonnie Raitt tucked into the song of the year lineup with “Just Like That” and the oddly large number of Christmas albums in the best traditional pop vocal album category.
But there are even more significant snubs. Here are the biggest rebukes.
Elton John
That an artist as influential and enduring as John possesses only five competitive Grammy Awards from his illustrious career is galling enough. But to ignore his continued creative output – evidenced by “The Lockdown Sessions,” his chameleonic collection of collaborations with artists from Lil Nas X to Stevie Nicks – is shameful. His attempt to revitalize Britney Spears’ career with “Hold Me Closer,” their modified duet of 1971’s “Tiny Dancer,” also yielded zero recognition.
Kanye West
With plenty of material to submit including “Life of the Party” featuring Andre 3000 and selections from “Donda 2” (“True Love,” “City of Gods”), Ye perhaps deserves an award for productivity. But amid his antisemitic rants, controversial racial commentary and relationship drama, maybe Recording Academy voters, like most of us, have tired of the endless Kanye-ness of it all.
Carrie Underwood
With eight Grammys on her shelf – including 2022’s best roots gospel album for “My Savior” – Underwood has
hardly been ignored. But given the warm reception to her ninth studio album, “Denim & Rhinestones,” as well as the success of single “Ghost Story,” her name was expected in a country category or two.
Ed Sheeran
The Brit has an erratic relationship with the Grammys. Sometimes, they shower him with kudos (“Thinking Out Loud,” “Shape of You”) and other times, when he’s released some of the most poignant work of his career, he’s unduly ignored. Though he’s up for best pop duo/group performance with Camila
Cabello for “Bam Bam,” Sheeran’s fifth studio album, “Equals,” should have been recognized not only for ubiquitous hits “Shivers” and “Overpass Graffiti,” but real gems “The Joker and The Queen,” “Tides” and “Visiting Hours.”
Alicia Keys
Along with her Ye collaboration (“City of Gods”), the Grammy darling also released an album in December. “Keys” offered a duet with Brandi Carlile (“Paper Flowers”) and “Best of Me,” a seemingly obvious R&B song contender.
Demi Lovato
Arguably the most potent album of her career, “Holy Fv--” should have gobbled up nominations merely for its raw honesty. And then remember that the 16 songs on the album are bold, melodic rockers that ebb and flow under the guidance of Lovato’s volatile emotional states and, really, where is the love?
Nicki Minaj
The “Super Freaky Girl” recently complained that she wanted her work recognized in rap. As it turned out, Minaj was blanked on her submissions in any genre.