It's time for Part 2 of the Ghost of Grammys Past, where I dig through the last twenty ceremonies and give my own awards to the best and worst nominees in major categories. This time, I'll be tackling Song of the Year and Best New Artist. Don't forget to check out Part 1, where I take on Record of the Year and Album of the Year, and for another take these "hindsight awards," check out Joe at Low Resolution.
And now... on with the show!
SONG OF THE YEAR
(all winners and nominees)
Note: This award goes to the songwriter(s) of a single track
Sappiest Nominee: John Mayer's 2004 hit "Daughters," which won the award, is sappier than a Vermont maple, but that's mostly because of the oh-so-breathy vocals. The lyrics are solid, especially since the whole "take responsibility for the rearing of young women" angle isn't as overused as you'd think.
But 2000's "I Hope You Dance" is not so original. The carpe diem lyrics are so inoffensively "inspirational" that they've been slapped on every imaginable souvenir, including a teddy bear in a pink hat and matching boa. When that many marketers love an "uplifiting" song, then you can bet it's sappy. (Just so you know: I did buy that bear, but I bought it because proceeds went to charity. That's the only reason. I swear!)
Least Appropriate Winner: "Unforgettable' was published in 1951, yet it won a songwriting award for Natalie and Nat "King" Cole's version in 1992. Why? How? Anyone know?
Best Example of Brilliant Songwriting in a Nominee: To be fair, plenty of well-written songs have been nominated in this category, but a few still stand out. There's Bruce Springsteen's spare, haunting work on "Streets of Philadelphia" and Paula Cole's layered loveliness on "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" The sixteen authors of "We Belong Together" also did great work, and Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird" is really very sophisticated for a pop ditty. But my pick for the best nominee of the last twenty years is "Nothing Compares 2 U," made famous by Sinead O'Connor in 1990 and written by Prince. Exquisite lyrics, mournfully affecting music... what else do you need? And to think that this song lost to the decades-old "Unforgettable." (See above.)
Best Field: Last year was pretty great, since "Umbrella," "Rehab" and "Before He Cheats" all got some love, and in 2004 the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences wisely saw fit to nominate "Beautiful" and "Lose Yourself."
Across the board, though, I'm calling 2007 as the best field in recent memory. "Not Ready to Make Nice" is a genius bit of songwriting (second only to "Nothing Compares 2 U" among recent nominees), and "Be Without You" is a delicious R&B jam. I also like this field because it includes the country-gospel flavor of "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and the smooth soul of "Put Your Records On." James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" delivers cheese, but four out of five definitely ain't bad.
Worst Field: No question: 1990. "Wind Beneath My Wings" may be a heart-tugging guilty pleasure, but "The Living Years" and "The End of the Innocence?" Please. The angst of aging baby boomers is not for me. And "Don't Know Much" is just. Too. Treacly. That leaves "We Didn't Start the Fire," but one undeniably awesome song (and history lesson!) can't save a field.
Worst U2 Nomination: Another year, another reflexive nomination for a U2 song. Except the academy's mindless U2 worship didn't start until the aughts, when they were cranking out forgettable stuff like "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," which I've heard at least twenty times but cannot remember. Why this and not "One," which is not only a great U2 song, but also one of the greatest rock songs ever? If that song can get snubbed, but "Sometimes You Can't Make It..." can get nominated, then I have to question the benevolence of the universe.
BEST NEW ARTIST
(all winners and nominees)
Most Justified Winner: This category gets all kinds of flack. The award comes with a supposed curse, since winners like Rickie Lee Jones and Starland Vocal Band disappeared almost immediately after winning it. But sometimes, the Grammys get it right. After all, the Beatles stuck around, as did Bette Midler and Tracy Chapman.
And recently, despite your occasional Marc Cohn or Arrested Development, the award has mostly gone to artists with staying power. In hindsight, Carrie Underwood, Leann Rimes, Alicia Keys, and Christina Aguilera were all prescient choices.
But there's no topping the accuracy of Mariah Carey. Considering her endless stream of hits, she definitely earned her warm welcome to the music business.
Least Justifiable Nominee: Only one? Because how can you justify Papa Roach? Or SWV? Or Ace of Base, despite the enduringly awesome cheesiness of their songs?
However, I won't take the easy route and give this hindsight award to Milli Vanilli, since they fooled us all and were ultimately stripped of their Grammy. Looking at recent lists, I'd say the least justifiable Best New Artist nominee is... Sisqo. Because when your solo career peaks with "Thong Song," you may merit a Speedo commercial, but you certainly don't deserve such a huge sign of industry respect.
Least Recognizable Nominee: Again... only one? Does anyone outside Nashville remember The Kentucky Headhunters? If you're not a Broadway baby, do you know Heather Headley? And who is this Ledisi?
Of course, I think it's cool that the Academy often nominates a complete unknown, because a new artist doesn't need a top ten hit to be great. And no one epitomizes that fact better than Susan Tedeschi, the blues rocker who scored a surprise nod in 2000. I would never have heard her fantastic records without this recognition, but now I have. And I'll bet the nomination is directly responsible for the fact that someone auditioned with one of her songs in this season of American Idol. And if that helps Susan Tedeschi sell a few more records... so much the better.
Best Field: I'm going with 2004, since the nominees are uniformly talented but cover a broad range of styles. Winners Evanescence mastered goth-pop, while Fountains of Wayne are a great example of literate alt-rock. The aforementioned Heather Headley is a wicked-good R&B/gospel singer, while Sean Paul is pretty much the voice of contemporary dancehall. And 50 Cent? He's still proving himself to be a charismatic rapper.
Worst Field: For my taste, the nadir was 2003. I just can't handle John Mayer's self-serious crooning, despite his knack for lyrics, and all Norah Jones songs sound the same to me. Ashanti didn't have real personality until her third album, so this nomination is hardly defensible, and the same goes for Michelle Branch, who didn't find an arresting voice until she released a country record. And as for Avril Lavigne? Well, she's a guilty pleasure of mine, but when that's the best a field can offer me, it's not a good sign.
Most Awesome Field: See, "awesome" in this instance is not the same as "good." And it's awesome that in 1992 both Color Me Badd and C+C Music Factory got Best New Artist nominations. They're like the alpha and omega of my middle school years, so dated yet so delicious. If one of their songs comes on, anyone who was a teenager in this period will probably scream "oooooh!" and raise his or her hands in the air. Because that's what this music is for... remembering a time when parachute pants and throbbing dance beats where all you needed to feel free. So like I said, awesome. Plus, Boyz II Men got nominated, and they're awesome because they taught me what romance sounds like.
Biggest U2 Potential: In other words, who seems destined to get nominated for everything they release for the rest of time? Corinne Bailey Rae is a good bet, since even her obscure singles get major nominations, and if she released more material, I'd give the prize to Norah Jones. But if you look at their track record, the Dixie Chicks clearly have a lock on nominations ad infinitum. Nominated for Best New Artist in 1999, they've won record and song of the year, and three of their four studio albums have gotten album of the year nods. (They won all three of those big prizes in 2007).
So far, the Chicks have released nothing but great records, but even if they deliver something mediocre, you can expect to see it lavished with Grammy love.