The Grammys are happening! On February 13! As usual - well, at least since the 1990s - there will be a CD compiling the highest-profile nominees. It now has a track list and cover art.
It's a pretty solid cross-section of the best-known artists, songs and nominations. Of course, there are some hilarious questions to ask about the track list. Why are nine of these songs from 2009? (That's probably due to eligibility requirements.) Did we really need to put the censored version of Cee-Lo's catchy hit? (The original version also begins with an F-word; I think you know where this is going.) Where the heck is the live version of Train's "Hey Soul Sister" from? Can we stop giving Taylor Swift featured credit on John Mayer's "Half of My Heart," a song she sings barely perceptible background vocals on?
In any case, this will be in your local store on January 25. Plenty of time to buy it and/or ignore it before the Grammys telecast! Order it here and read the track list and relevant nominations after the jump.
Various Artists, 2011 Grammy Nominees (Jive, 2011)
- Forget You - Cee-Lo Green
- Nothin' on You - B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars
- California Gurls - Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
- Telephone - Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé
- Love the Way You Lie - Eminem feat. Rihanna
- Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
- Ready to Start - Arcade Fire
- Whataya Want from Me - Adam Lambert
- Half of My Heart - John Mayer feat. Taylor Swift
- Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé
- Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
- This is It - Michael Jackson
- Beg Steal or Borrow - Ray LaMontagne and The Pariah Dogs
- The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert
- Babyfather - Sade
- The Only Exception - Paramore
- Hey Soul Sister (Live) - Train
- Misery - Maroon 5
- Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals Version) - Glee Cast
Track 1 from The Lady Killer (Elektra, 2010). Nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Urban/Alternative Performance.
Track 2 from B.o.B. Presents The Adventures of Bobby Ray (Grand Hustle/Rebel Rock/Atlantic, 2010). Nominated for Record of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.
Track 3 from Teenage Dream (Capitol, 2010). Nominated for Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Track 4 from The Fame Monster (Streamline/Cherrytree/Interscope, 2009). Nominated for Album of the Year, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Track 5 from Recovery (Aftermath/Interscope, 2010). Nominated for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album.
Track 6 from Need You Now (Capitol Nashville, 2009). Nominated for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Country Song and Best Country Album.
Track 7 from The Suburbs (Merge, 2010). Nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best Alternative Album.
Track 8 from For Your Entertainment (RCA, 2009). Nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Track 9 from Battle Studies (Columbia, 2009). Nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Track 10 from Crazy Love (143/Reprise, 2009). Nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Track 11 from Doo Wops & Hooligans (Elektra/Atlantic, 2010). Nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Track 12 from Michael Jackson's This is It: The Music That Inspired the Movie (Epic/Legacy, 2009). Nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Track 13 from God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise (RCA, 2010). Nominated for Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Folk Album.
Track 14 from Revolution (Columbia Nashville, 2009). Nominated for Song of the Year, Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Song and Best Country Album.
Track 15 from Soldier of Love (Epic, 2010). Nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Track 16 from Brand New Eyes (Fueled by Ramen, 2009). Nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Track 17 from Save Me San Francisco (Columbia, 2009). Nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Track 18 from Hands All Over (A&M/Octone, 2010). Nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Track 19 from Glee: The Music - Journey to Regionals (Columbia, 2010). Nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
The Grammys... Meh.
There's a few decent people here, like Arcade Fire and Ray LaMontagne, but mostly it just shows how sad the music industry is now. Michael Buble is talented, even though he's not my thing, but the rest of this is just terrible. John Mayer's got chops, but he squanders his talent most of the time.
The Grammys still recognize some real talent, but you have to look to the much smaller categories, like the Best Americana Album category, and the Best Contemporary Blues and Contemporary Folk Album categories. Best solo Rock Performance and Best Rock Album have some worthwhile nominees too. But none of those, not even the Rock categories, are likely to get much attention or airtime during the awards telecast.
Oh, and I was disappointed to find that this "Just The Way You Are" isn't a cover of Billy Joel's song. I was equally disappointed that John Mellencamp's excellent new album didn't get any nominations. Sigh... Maybe I'm out of touch (not to mention getting old), but the music industry seems like a bad joke now.