2009 Grammy noms spread love but focus on stars

[Above: The Foo Fighters perform at the 2008 Grammys]

There are 110 categories spanning 31 fields in the Grammy Awards, though you'd never have known it watching the hour-long nomination special last night. CBS's prime-time spectacular featured six sets of nominee announcements (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Pop Collaboration with Vocals, Country Performance By a Duo or Group, Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Record of the Year) sprinkled amongst past Grammy-loved artists performing songs from the Grammy catalogue. Grammy-tastic.

And, yes, a sensible production decision. (The night also served as an inauguration ceremony for the Grammy Hall of Fame opening next door.) But it did make for a mix of the bizarre and the absurd:  Mariah Carey traded in her own "All I Want For Christmas" for the Phil Spector-produced Darlene Love hit "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home," strutting about in go-go boots and a mini-skirt. 40-year-old Celine Dion gave Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" a go. The scraggled Foo Fighters milked Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" for some rock 'n' roll. And while Taylor Swift, John Mayer and B.B. King showed up on stage as well, the true moment of zen came from Christina Aguilera's take on George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess."

Numerically, Lil Wayne's blockbuster year of Tha Carter III led the pack with eight nods. Coldplay's crowd-pleasing Viva la Vida garnered seven; Jay-Z, Kanye West and Ne-Yo six; Alison Kraus & Robert Plant, John Mayer, Radiohead and R&B newcomer Jazmine Sullivan five; and Adele, Danger Mouse, Eagles, George Strait, Lupe Fiasco and T.I. four.

But with so many categories, the stories come not just in the digits. Paste readers will note that Janelle Monae finds herself in the running for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Many Moons," while the best rock song category pits Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, Death Cab For Cutie, Kings of Leon and Coldplay against one other. Juno's Kimya Dawson-featuring soundtrack brought independent music a smile with a nomination. Even the art-punkers of No Age saw some love—if only for Nouns' packaging.   

In the running for the much-coveted Record of the Year are a clean sweep of British acts, including Adele, Coldplay, Leona Lewis, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (who already got some love at the Americana Music Awards) and M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," which could bring to the stage the soon-to-be-mother along with her producer extraordinaire, Diplo.

Dance recording mainstay Madonna will get some competition from Hot Chip's "Ready For The Floor" and Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger," even though the latter was originally released eight years ago on Discovery. And in the dance album runnings, Robyn's self-titled comeback will face-off with Brazilian Girls' New York City and Daft Punk's Alive 2007—along with Kylie Minogue, Moby and the never-say-die Cyndi Lauper.

Yes, the Grammys do it all. There's blues (with Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Taj Mahal and Solomon Burke getting nods). There's country/folk (with Kathy Mattea, Pete Seeger, Ry Cooder, Joan Baez, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack, Brad Paisley and Jamey Johnson involved). There are questions: Will the Jonas Brothers lose in the Best New Artist category like hero Elvis Costello did to Starland Vocal Band in 1976? Will the genius folk archivalists of Dust-to-Digital win for Best Liner Notes? There are hopes: If Kings of Leon win Best Rock Performance for "Sex on Fire?" could the presenter please do it in a Sean Connery accent?

And there's so much more in the full listings. But we'd be remiss not to share our favorite reminder that it truly takes a village to raise an album. Yes, that would be courtesy of none other than Lil Wayne:

Tha Carter III
Lil Wayne
Babyface, Brisco, Fabolous, Jay-Z, Kidd Kidd, Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana, D. Smith, Static Major, T-Pain & Bobby Valentino, featured artists; Alchemist, David Banner, Vaushaun "Maestro" Brooks, Cool & Dre, Andrews "Drew" Correa, Shondrae "Mr. Bangladesh" Crawford, Darius "Deezle" Harrison, Jim Jonsin, Mousa, Pro Jay, Rodnae, Skillz & Play, D. Smith, Swizz Beatz, Robin Thicke, T-Pain & Kanye West, producers; Angel Aponte, Joshua Berkman, Andrew Dawson, Joe G, Darius "Deezle" Harrison, Fabian Marasciullo, Miguel Scott, Robin Thicke, Julian Vasquez & Gina Victoria, engineers/mixers; Vlado Meller, mastering engineer
[Universal Motown/Cash Money]

See all the nominations here. And while you're waiting the full two months for the actual Grammy awards (which air on CBS Feb. 8), check back for Paste's projections of Grammy winners, coming soon.

Related links:
Grammy.com
Idolator: Live-blogging the 2009 Grammy nomination special
Signs of Life: Paste's Best Music of 2008

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