The nominations for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards were revealed earlier this month, with some old faithfuls, and a few new surprises among the nods for the music industry’s most sought after gongs.
The awards are notable in that they’re given by the musicians themselves or those with a close connection to the business – voting members are all music industry professionals, including artists, producers, and creative and technical professionals. To be nominated for a Grammy is as much an honour as to win one, because is it is industry recognition that your work is of high standard.
Who will take away the most gongs in 2017? Well, there’s already speculation that Queen Bey is set to break the record for most Grammy awards won by a female performer next year, and given she’s been nominated in no fewer than seven categories, there’s every chance she might well beat her own record, which she set in 2010, when she took away six awards.
Adele is going to give Beyoncé a run for her money, but not in the record breaking stakes, as she’s only been given the nod in four categories for next year – yet it’s still worrying for Mrs Carter, as three of Adele’s noms are in the same ones as hers: Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and Song Of The Year. Adele’s fourth category is Best Pop Vocal Album, for her album ’25’.
The sentimental vote for Best Alternative Music Album would surely go to the late David Bowie, whose album, ‘Blackstar’ was released mere days before his death from cancer earlier this year. But even so, Bowie is in tough company, with the likes of Bon Iver, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, and Bowie friend and collaborator, Iggy Pop, with what he has declared will be his final album, ‘Post Pop Depression’, in the same category.
Irish reclusive singer Enya will also be hoping to add to her pile of Grammys. Her album, ‘Dark Sky Island’, nominated for Best New Age Album, will if successful, be her fifth album win, the first since ‘Aramantine’ in 2006.
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the nominations would have to be Justin Timberlake, whose song ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling!’, was the runaway hit of the summer. It’s sad to see a song can be a Billboard smash and yet not be up for Song Of The Year, although it has been nominated for Best Song Written For Visual Media. Let’s hope it takes the award it’s up for, but given the Academy ignored his very excellent ‘The 20/20 Experience’ a few years back, it’s not looking too promising.
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 12, 2017.
