L. Kent Wolgamott: How the Grammys can get some attention
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BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT / Lincoln Journal Star
For decades, it was good critical sport to make fun of the Grammy Awards, ridiculing the music industry for nominating safe, ultra-mainstream artists and songs over edgier, more relevant fare.
But with the record biz circling the drain, such an approach would be mean-spirited. Since the mainstream ain’t what it used to be, it’s kind of irrevelant as well.
Instead, let’s head down a more useful track.
This year’s set of nominations tells much about the industry as it struggles to get out of the quicksand that is rapidly pulling it down, down, down.
So how to get at least some attention for the Grammys and, by extension, records in general?
1. Announce the awards during a televised concert. I can’t say anything about Wednesday night’s show; I was watching a horrid basketball game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center when the awards were announced. But a few more million people had to see it than caught the nominations in the past when they were annouced at the crack of dawn on the morning TV shows.
2. Nominate big sellers or publicity generators
The biggest-selling albums of 2008 have been, by far, Lil’ Wayne’s “Tha Carter III,” the only album to sell 1 million copies in its first week of release, and Coldplay’s “Viva la vida.” Lo and behold, they’re both nominated for album of the year.
So is Radiohead’s “In Rainbows.” If you recall, that record got tons of attention when it was released as a pay-what-you-will digital download late last year (Grammy’s aren’t awarded by strict year-to-year chronology).
One of the first attempts to find a way out of the industry’s digital doldrums, “In Rainbows” “sold” well digitally and did OK on its CD release and was critically hailed. Not that the latter matters: “Tha Carter III” got mediocre reviews from the largely white cadre of critics. But Grammy seems to have paid more attention to critical opinion of late.
3. Cover all your bases and hit as many niches as possible.
The other two “album of the year” nominations fit that criteria.
Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s “Raising Sand” manages to double up, getting the country/bluegrass crowd and the fans of the aging rock screamer, while Ne-Yo’s “Year of the Gentleman” covers the R&B crowd and gives a nod toward singer/songwriterdom as well.
The same sort of demographic consideration fills the best new artist category with country’s Lady Antebellum, British neo-soul singers Adele and Duffy, R&B/soul singer Jasmine Sullivan and the Jonas Brothers.
The teen sensations have been eligible for the award for at least a couple years; their album actually came out in time for last year’s Grammys. But the Jonas boys became hot, hot, hot this year and the Grammy folks were clever enough to try to cash in on their success.
The Jonas Brothers are an interesting case. They’re teen idols who are considered to be a real band - a daily double of sorts, bringing, hopefully, the screaming young girl crowd along with those who appreciate the group for its music.
4. Drop in a surprise or two.
In the major categories, that role belongs to M.I.A., who had a surprise hit with her bullet-filled “Paper Planes” from 2007’s “Kala,” one of the best albums of last year. It’s nominated for record of the year, which is different than album of the year.
But the Grammys are never going to get too risky, hence the safe options for song of the year. Or, to put in another way, there’s no way that “Lollipop,” Lil’ Wayne’s raunchy smash, is going to win any award that’s broadcast on TV. Wouldn’t be prudent.
5. Honor the usual suspects.
Given the aim at mass appeal, the Grammys have returned to some old favorites to help keep interest: Paul McCartney, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Kid Rock and James Taylor are the male nominees for pop vocal performance. The Eagles, who were thankfully overlooked for album of the year, etc., make their appearance in the pop group category, along with Maroon 5. Good luck to Lincoln’s own James Valentine in getting yet another little Gramophone for “Won’t Go Home Without You.”
That trend continues through most of the rest of the nominations -- Moby and Daft Punk in the dance album category; Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Neil Young, Mayer and McCartney in the solo rock category; AC/DC, The Eagles, Coldplay and Radiohead, rock group; Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Rob Zombie, hard rock; Beck, Gnarls Barkley, Death Cab for Cutie, My Morning Jacket and Radiohead, alternative album. ... You get the idea.
6. Find ways to recognize hits.
Hence the nomination of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl,” OneRepublic’s “Apologize” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Going On” in the pop song category; Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Possess Your Heart” in rock song; Beyonce’s “Me, Myself and I”; female R&B performance, Chris Brown’s “Take You Down,” male R&B performance, Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” in multiple categories. Again, you get the idea.
Even “Lollipop” gets its due in the rap song category -- it won’t be on the live show -- guaranteed.
Looking through the nominations, there are no obvious embarassments that were common Grammy fare for years, and a few categories have been realigned to reflect what they really honored. For example, contemporary folk has now been amended to add Americana.
But those kind of tweaks don’t matter much. The American Music Association has already handed out its awards. So the Blues Music Awards have already been presented and the Country Music Association awards mean far more in that world than any crummy Grammy.
So what does all this portend for the Grammys, which will be presented on Feb. 8 on CBS?
I’m guessing it’s not going to do much to stem the erosion of viewers. Last year, 17.2 million people watched, making it one of the least-watched Grammys. Nor will recognizing the big sellers and usual suspects do anything to ignite record sales or breathe anything resembling new life into the major label dinosaurs that are dying off because of the meteor-crash that was the Internet.
In short, the Grammys’ slide into irrelevance continues. The awards have never recognized as critical faves, but they once had commercial power. Now they have neither, and it’s just hard for anyone outside the industry to care.
Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com
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