~ New Music Monday ~ December 12th, 2016 ~ Grammy Noms 2017 ~

Last week the Recording Academy announced their 2017 Grammy nominations. Per usual, there are some surprises, some expected, and some WTF??!! Leading the pack this year is none other than Queen Bey, Beyoncé with what I think is 9 noms. Also, representing particularly strong this year is the country music genre. Whether you agree or disagree with the actual nominee's I think it is UHHHMAAAYYYZZZINNNGGG that country is repping so strong at an all genre awards show.

Below is the list of noms and my ideals on winners in the categories I actually listen to. I didn't comment on categories I know nothing about. You're welcome. I look forward to watching in February to see how close I am. I feel like I should maybe start betting on these awards shows. Performers have not been announced yet so, look for that #NewMusicMonday post in 2017.

Record Of The Year ~
Hello - Adele - I think that to expect anyone other than Adele to Win this One is Delusional.
Formation - Beyoncé
7 Years - Lukas Graham
Work - Rihanna featuring Drake
Stressed Out - 21 Pilots

Album of the Year ~
25 - Adele
Lemonade - Beyoncé
Purpose - Justin Bieber
Views - Drake
A Sailor's Guide to Earth - Sturgill Simpson

This is a solid category, I mean, if you ignore the Justin Bieber nod. I LOVE that Sturgill Simpson is on this list. You can check #NewMusicMonday #PastPosts to listen to some of the songs from his latest and nominated, "A Sailor's Guide to Earth". I would love to say that because he is the underdog he has a solid chance of winning, but with Adele and Beyoncé as competitors I really do not know. Also, this nomination further shows the distance between radio, artists, fans, and the industry.

Song of the Year ~
Formation - Beyoncé
Hello - Adele
I Took a Pill in Ibiza - Mike Posner
Love Yourself - Beiber
7 Years - Lukas Graham

I read that Beyoncé pushed the release of "Lemonade" out of respect to Adele's "25". I'm unsure if this is some unspoken musical heavy weight rule or if it is just how Queen Bey rules. Either way, I like this idea and the kind of unspoken respect that it allures to. Adele killed nearly every record and chart with the release of "Hello". I really think she is going to be difficult to beat, even for Queen Bey.

Best New Artist  ~
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance the Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson Paak

Can I just say that I LOVEEEEE that this category has TWO, New, Country genre, females representing. I see none of the male crooners that seem to saturate the waves represented here and no disrespect, but I seriously love it!!!! GIRL POWER!!!! I think that both Kelsea and Maren are solid competition in this category, but Kelsea has a bit more notoriety in the pop community given her connections to T. Swift. She has also collaborated with several other pop artists such as Nick Jonas. Maren won this category last month at the CMA's so, who knows??!! By the time the Grammy's air she will have performed on Saturday Night Live, finished as opener on Keith Urbans American leg of the Ripcord tour and begun her own headlining tour. I would like to see Maren win, but I would be alright with Kelsea winning as well.

Best Pop Solo Performance ~
Hello - Adele
Hold Up - Beyoncé
Love Yourself - Bieber
Piece By Piece - Kelly Clarkson as Performed on AI
Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

Again, I think Adele is nearly impossible to beat even with Beyoncé as her competition.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ~
Closer - The Chainsmokers Feat. Halsey
7 Years - Lukas Graham
Work - Rhiana feat. Drake
Cheap Thrills - Sia Feat. Sean Paul
Stressed Out - 21 Pilots

Closer is basically EVERYWHERE!!!! Everyone is covering it. The radio doesn't stop playing it. I think it's a obvious winner.

Best Pop Vocal Album ~
25 - Adele
Purpose - Bieber
Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande
Confident - Demi Lovato
This is Acting - Sia

Best Rock Performance ~
Joe (Live from Austin City Limits) - Alabama Shakes
Don't Hurt Yourself - Beyoncé feat. Jack White
Blackstar - David Bowie
The Sound of Silence (Live on Conan) - Disturbed
Heathens - 21 Pilots

I LOVE Jack White so, I would kind of like for him and B to win, but I also adore "Heathens". I'm torn. I'm unsure either of my preferences matter seeing as Bowie is in this category. Often when a star passes they win sorda as a last respects kind of thing. Besides it's Bowie, he is real competition no matter the category.

Best Country Solo Performance ~
Love Can Go to Hell - Brandy Clark
Vice - Miranda Lambert
My Church - Maren Morris
Church Bells - Carrie Underwood
Blue Ain't Your Color - Keith Urban

I am GIDDY that this category is dominated by females!!! Take that country boys club!! No disrespect to Keith. He is always a promoter of female country artists, but I just adore that he is the only male in this category. I also LOVE that Brandy Clark, another radio absent, Country Award Show MIA artist, and here she sits, for the SECOND time, Grammy nominated. I think if any of these folks win I will be alright with it, but I fear that simply out of pop culture, Miranda or Carrie may win. I don't mind their winning. They both have put out great singles in 2016, but I hate the thought that they might win simply due to exposure in the over all music community. Brandy and Maren, at this point, are more known to just their genre.

Best Country Duo/Group Performance ~
Different for Girls - Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
21 Summer - Brothers Osborne
Setting the World on Fire - Kenny Chesney & Pink
Jolene - Pentatonix Feat. Dolly Parton
Think of You - Chris Young Feat. Cassadee Pope

Again, my fear is that due simply to exposure, that Kenny and Pink will win this category. I like the song. It isn't my favorite. I like both artists, but the collab just feels like an attention getter for me. It was added to the album late which pushed back it's release date getting it even more attention. Then it was the second single released from Chesney's newest album, "Noise". My heart would like to see Brothers Osborne win, but I think that considering their chart success Chris Young and Cassadee Pope have a stellar chance. This all assuming that notoriety doesn't choose the winner.

Best Country Song ~
Blue Aint Your Color
Die A Happy Man
Humble and Kind
My Church
Vice

Die A Happy Man, by Thomas Rett has taken country genre award shows so, it is possible it could take a all genre show like the Grammy's. Humble and Kind won at the CMA's so ya never know, Lori McKenna and Tim McGraw could take it here as well. Again, for the one thousandth time I point back to the idea of non genre specific popularity making Keith, Miranda and Carrie top contenders. I would pass right out if Maren, who in this category would be considered an underdog, won this. "My Church" has swept air waves and folks that didn't consider themselves country music fans prior to it are now tuning into country because of it. We shall see.

Best Country Album ~
Big Day in a Small Town - Brandy Clark
Full Circle - Loretta Lynn
Hero - Maren Morris
A Sailor's Guide to Earth - Sturgill Simpson
Ripcord - Keith Urban'

I REPEAT!!!! I LOVE THAT BRANDY CLARK AND STURGILL SIMPSON are in this category. AGAIN I say, this just goes to show that radio air play and country genre specific awards shows, do not have any play or prediction powers when it comes to the music community over all. This is Brandy's second year of being nominated for her own work and I think it'd be great if she won. I adore Loretta and she for sure would deserve the award. If Sturgill won this would be a big ol' middle finger to many in the country community who have shunned him or turned their noses up. He is not "new" country, but he isn't exactly "traditional" either. With influences like the Hag and covering tunes by Nirvana he is going to be a difficult one to pigeon hole. He is currently on a sold out headlining tour and I will be anxious to see if he even appears at the actual ceremony. I can see him staying on the road or at home. Again, we shall see. Also, as I said earlier, by the time for voting comes around Maren will have appeared on Saturday Night Live and will be out on her own headlining tour. Both of those things could shift her in popular public opinion.

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song ~
Trust in You - Lauren Daigle
Priceless - For King & Country
King of the World - Natalie Grant
Thy Will - Hillary Scott & The Scott Family
Chain Breaker - Zach Williams

I think that Hillary Scott and The Scott Family are going to win both categories that they are nominated in. "Thy Will", is an amazing song and it has taken the Lady Antebellum vocalist into a new genre along with her family. Daughter of Linda Davis who famously sang with Reba on "Does He Love You" in the country genre. Linda has been singing gospel/Christian music for years so I can see this familial collaboration getting them a win.

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media ~
Amy - Various Artist
Miles Ahead - Miles Davis & Various Artists
Straight Outta Compton - Various Artists
Suicide Squad (Collector's Edition) - Various Artists
Vinyl: The Essentials Season 1 - Various Artists

Movie soundtrack, I have loved the Suicide Squad soundtrack from the first note. I think it is a solid compellation and holds it own against bio pic sound tracks like Amy and Miles.

Best Song Written for Visual Media ~
Can't Stop the Feeling fr Trolls

Heathens fr Suicide Squad
Just Like Fire fr Alice Through the Looking Glass
Purple Lamborghini fr Suicide Squad
Try Everything - Zootopia
The Veil - Snowden

Single from a movie, Justin Timberlakes "Can't Stop the Felling" from Trolls was kind of a Summer hit from the get. It's up beat. It's this Summer's version of Pharrell Williams, "Happy". But again, I point back to Suicide Squad's, "Heathens". I LOVE IT!!! Perhaps because all my friends are heathens??!!! LOL!! Just kidding....sorda.

For a Full List of 2017 Nominee's click HERE.

To See if I Should Become an Awards Show Gambler Follow Me on Facebook on February 12th, 2017 for Play by Play on the 59th Annual Grammy's Ceremony. Yes, most people do live streams via Twitter, but I can only pretend to care about so many things at one time and I chose Instagram, Facebook and m'blog!!! I'm sure you understand.