Wow, this is going to make Kanye West's head explode …
Beyonce and Taylor Swift, the pop princesses who infamously shared a stage at this year's tumultuous MTV VMAs, will duel for album of the year, song of the year and record of the year at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 31.
Will Kanye bum-rush Music's Biggest Night? Will foot once again find mouth? Maybe. "He will probably be there, as he's up for six trophies. (They looove him at the Grammys. Or at least they used to …)
Then again, it could be freak-o upstart Lady Gaga who steals the night, as the elfin oddity is up for all the big categories, as well. Her album The Fame, Beyonce's I Am … Sasha Fierce and Swift's Fearless are three of the year's biggest-selling albums. Appropriately enough, B. is this year's noms leader with 10. Swift has eight, and Gaga has five.
During a one-hour special on CBS Wednesday, several Grammy nominees were announced between clunky performances by such acts as the Black Eyed Peazzzzz (oh c'mon, you're tired of them, too!) and a suddenly solo Nick Jonas (how soon until Kevin Jonas starts slumming on Celebrity Rehab?)
The Recording Academy, the peer-based voting body, leaned toward pure pop acts this year, but all genres will play at the show, to be broadcast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In these shaky days, the Grammys are more important as a sales tool than a mark of validation.
Closer to the ceremony, I'll provide deep analysis, fearless predictions and glam shots from my modeling career. For now, here are a few knee-jerk reactions. (For a full list of the finalists, go to www.grammy.com.)
1) If you're wondering whether the Grammys love the Black Eyes Peas, who scored six total noms, look at their competition for best pop duo or group: Hall & Oates, Bon Jovi, the Fray and MGMT. Note to self: Bet house on Fergie & Co.
2) The kudzu-rockin' Kings of Leon are the kind of band the Grammys drool over. They're handsome, hip, unique. I'm not sure if these sons (and nephew) of a Pentecostal preacher will gobble up any hardware; Use Somebody is up for both song of the year and record of the year. But they'll get a chance to perform.
3) Grammy heads will explode when U2's No Line on the Horizon battles Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown for best rock album. These two bands are huge Grammy crushes. Maybe there will be a tie. Or maybe … AC/DC's Black Ice will pull off the upset of the century! Go get 'em, Angus!
4) The best new artist category this year is a battle between country's Zac Brown Band, hip-hop's Keri Hilson, techno's MGMT, dance-pop's Ting Tings and alt-rock's Silversun Pickups. That's an eclectically cool mix for the Grammys. Well done, kids! Me? I'm pulling for the Ting Tings.
Sean Daly can be reached at sdaly@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8467. Read his PopLife column every Sunday in the Floridian section.
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