This is my strange version of Christmas morning. For some reason, I slept through my alarm clock and missed the live annoucement on TV. Then I had to drop off my sister at school and was stuck in traffic. But while I was in the car, I came up with some thoughts about all of this. Here we go.
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER finally boasts an Oscar nominee, even if it's one who never shows up for the reunions.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
5 Surprises for Oscar Nominations
Every year there are always a couple of surprises when the Oscar nominations are announced, whether someone is snubbed or someone locks a nomination at the 11th hour. Last year, Gary Oldman earned a Best Actor nomination for the skillful and slow-moving Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (it took this long for him to earn any recognition for his talent) while Tilda Swinton was not nominated for Best Actress for the creepy We Need to Talk About Kevin. Here are five possible surprises that could occur tomorrow morning.
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt-Looper
In this bizarre and innovative sci-fi thriller, a ''looper'' (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) must hunt down his older self (Bruce Willis), who decides to kill the one they call the "rainmaker", a man who wreaks havoc in the future and sentences him to death. Emily Blunt is the mother of this future-evildoer, a smart and observant boy who resemblances Damien from "The Omen." As the single mother trying to raise her child in a good home, it's not easy, since she is terrified of what he is capable of.
Best Supporting Actor
Erza Miller-The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Though the story is about Charlie (Logan Lerman), a painfully shy high school freshmen struggling with himself and society, the highlight of this remarkable film was Patrick, portrayed by the promising and entertaining Ezra Miller. As the lone-out guy in circa 1991 Pittsburgh, Patrick does not let his sexuality define him and refuses to be pushed around by anybody.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Judd Apatow-This is 40
Comedy is the underdog as few have been nominated (and literally a handful of people winning for comedic fare). But the first two pages of Apatow's insightful script should be more than enough to recognize his talent for storytelling.
Best Picture
Amour
The most surprising film from Michael Haneke's canon is this painful and unsentimental look at a elderly couple as the husband (Jean-Louis Trintignant) cares for his wife (Emmanuelle Riva, who just might earn an Oscar nod for Best Actress), after she has been paralyzed from a stroke. Few foreign-language films have been nominated for Best Picture, so it's chances at the top prize are very slim. But possible.
Best Picture
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This won't happen at all, but this was my favorite movie of 2012, (and yes, I have seen Lincoln, Les Mis, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, etc.) and I can't wait until it's out on DVD, so I can buy it and watch it over and over.
Emily Blunt-Looper
In this bizarre and innovative sci-fi thriller, a ''looper'' (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) must hunt down his older self (Bruce Willis), who decides to kill the one they call the "rainmaker", a man who wreaks havoc in the future and sentences him to death. Emily Blunt is the mother of this future-evildoer, a smart and observant boy who resemblances Damien from "The Omen." As the single mother trying to raise her child in a good home, it's not easy, since she is terrified of what he is capable of.
Best Supporting Actor
Though the story is about Charlie (Logan Lerman), a painfully shy high school freshmen struggling with himself and society, the highlight of this remarkable film was Patrick, portrayed by the promising and entertaining Ezra Miller. As the lone-out guy in circa 1991 Pittsburgh, Patrick does not let his sexuality define him and refuses to be pushed around by anybody.
Judd Apatow-This is 40
Comedy is the underdog as few have been nominated (and literally a handful of people winning for comedic fare). But the first two pages of Apatow's insightful script should be more than enough to recognize his talent for storytelling.
Amour
The most surprising film from Michael Haneke's canon is this painful and unsentimental look at a elderly couple as the husband (Jean-Louis Trintignant) cares for his wife (Emmanuelle Riva, who just might earn an Oscar nod for Best Actress), after she has been paralyzed from a stroke. Few foreign-language films have been nominated for Best Picture, so it's chances at the top prize are very slim. But possible.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This won't happen at all, but this was my favorite movie of 2012, (and yes, I have seen Lincoln, Les Mis, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook, etc.) and I can't wait until it's out on DVD, so I can buy it and watch it over and over.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Best TV Performances of 2012
This year was a nonstop parade of suspense and
surprises on television. A child pageant participant and her family took the
country by storm, allowing increasingly-trashy TLC to document and exploit
their lives. People condemned them and TLC for programming like this to exist
while others (including mega-fans Anderson
Cooper, Rosie O'Donnell, and several friends of mine) were entertained
and fell head over heels with Honey Boo-Boo and her family of misfits. (And for
brief moment, that little teacup pig.) Even people who were already in the
spotlight excelled in reality TV. The (now sadly late) singer/entrepreneur
Jenni Rivera managed to not only have a successful reality series for herself
but also one of her daughters.
The presidential candidates may not appear on this list but a couple of souvenirs from the Election have made it onto this list, recognizing the best performances on TV this year. For the first time, comedy
performances outnumber dramatic performances. There is a fictional vice president and a real-life vice presidential contender. A woman whose job is to cover up mysteries and scandals and a man whose obsessed with solving them. We will go behind the scenes in the nation's capital, the private quarters of Downton Abbey, and a weird little shop in Gravity Falls.
One of
the funniest podcasts was adapted for TV, as the surreal adventures of Scott
Aukerman's "Comedy Bang! Bang!" were visualized for IFC. On Comedy
Central, the sketch series "Key & Peele" became an instant hit
thanks to the duo's outstanding performances--and their most popular segment,
President Obama and Luther, the Angry Translator. Fred Armisen and Carrie
Brownstein returned to "Portlandia", introducing us to new faces and
other quirks about the Northwestern paradise. Sitcoms didn't do too shabby. The
most talked-about (but strangely not the most-watched) comedy series of the
year was Lena Dunham's "Girls", which sparked controversy and
conversations from the messages boards on AV Club to daytime chatfest "The
View", as well as in coffeehouses, bars, classrooms, and text messages
across the country. Julia Louis-Dreyfus
continued her sitcom streak with "Veep", winning rave reviews and her
third Emmy Award. "Louie", "Parks & Recreation",
"30 Rock", and "Happy Endings" kept hitting it out of the
ballpark week after week with its go-for-broke craziness, pathos humor, and
engaging characters and one-liners.
But the
biggest TV event of the year was the debauchery that was Presidential Election
provided so much entertainment that the debates should be packaged and
submitted for consideration for next year's Primetime Emmys for Outstanding
Reality Programming. The elections took a toll on everyone from the president
to us, the viewers. Even people who didn't watch TV were attacked, thanks to
Facebook, pop-up ads, the billions of emails sent by the Obama camp, etc.
Watching TV shows online was a hassle, since a banner for a candidate was
likely to appear at some point during last night's "Once Upon a Time"
or "The Colbert Report."
The presidential candidates may not appear on this list but a couple of souvenirs from the Election have made it onto this list, recognizing the best performances on TV this year. For the first time, comedy
performances outnumber dramatic performances. There is a fictional vice president and a real-life vice presidential contender. A woman whose job is to cover up mysteries and scandals and a man whose obsessed with solving them. We will go behind the scenes in the nation's capital, the private quarters of Downton Abbey, and a weird little shop in Gravity Falls.
The rest of the list: Best Songs of 2012
The rest of the Best Songs of 2012.
11-Carly Rae Jepsen | Call Me Maybe
12-Best Coast | The Only Place | The Only Place
13-Kelly Clarkson | Stronger | Stronger
14-Cults | Abducted | Cults
15-Frank Ocean | Thinkin' About You | Channel Orange
16-Jack White | Love Interruption | Blunderbuss
17-Empires | Can't Steal Your Heart Away | Garage Hymns
18-Trailer Trash Tracys | Candy Girl | Ester
19-Alex Clare | Too Close | The Lateness of the Hour
20-Nicki Minaj | Starships | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded
21-Florence & The Machine | No Light, No Light | Ceremonials
22-Imagine Dragons | Radioactive | Night Visions
23-The Lumineers | Ho Hey | The Lumineers
24-Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo | Let's Go
25-tUnE-yArDs | Bizness | W H O K I L L
26-Sophie Ellis Bextor | Revolution (Federico Scavo Radio Edit)
27-Ed Sheeran | The A Team | The A Team
28-Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen | Good Time
29-David Byrne and St. Vincent | Who | Love This Giant
30-Imagine Dragons | It's Time | Night Visions
31-Cloud Nothings | Stay Useless | Attack On Memory
32-Neon Trees | Everybody Talks | Picture Show
33-Adele | Set Fire to the Rain | 21
34-Rihanna | Where Have You Been | Talk The Talk
35-Garbage | Man on a Wire | Not Your Kind of People
36-AWOLNATION | Sail | Megalithic Symphony
37-Emeli Sandé | Next To Me | Our Version of Events
38-Cat Power | Cherokee | Sun
39-Katy Perry | Part of Me
40-Civil Twilight | Fire Escape | Holy Weather
41-Calvin Harris | Feel So Close | 18 Months
42-Flo Rida featuring Avicii | Good Feeling | Wild Ones
43-No Doubt | Settle Down | Push And Shove
44-Alicia Keys featuring Nicki Minaj | Girl On Fire | Girl On Fire
45-Skrillex featuring Sinah | Bangarang | Bangarang EP
46-Psy | Gangnam Style | Gangnam Style
47-Hunter Hayes | Somebody's Heartbreak | Hunter Hayes
48-M.I.A. | Bad Girls
49-Muse | Madness | The 2nd Law
50-Class Actress | Weekend | Rapprocher
51-Beach House | Myth | Bloom
52-Grouplove | Itchin' on a Photograph | Never Trust a Happy Song
53-Adele | Skyfall | Skyfall Soundtrack
54-The Walkmen | Heaven | Heaven
55-Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean | As Long As You Love Me | Believe
56-Metric | Speed the Collapse | Synthetica
57-Nas | Daughters | Life is Good
58-Breathe Carolina | Blackout | Hell Is What You Make Of It
59-Miike Snow | The Devil's Work | Happy To You
60-Ne-Yo | Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)
61-Stars | The Theory of Relativity | North
62-Jack White | Freedom at 21 | Blunderbuss
63-David Guetta featuring Sia | Titanium | Nothing But The Beat
64-Bloc Party | Octopus | Four
65-Taylor Shift | We Are Never, Never Getting Back Together | Red
66-Santigold | Disparate Youth
67-Mumford & Sons | Babel | Babel
68-The Wanted | Glad You Came | The Wanted
69-Frank Turner | Reasons Not To Be An Idiot | Last Minutes and Lost Evenings
70-Young the Giant | Cough Syrup | Young the Giant
71-Pink | Blow Me (One Last Kiss) | The Truth About Love
72-Emperors | Be Ready When I Say Go | Stay Frosty
73-Kimbra | Settle Down | Vows
74-Midnight Youth | Who Says You're Free | World Comes Calling
75-Duck Sauce | Big Bad Wolf
76-Miguel | Adorn | Kaleidoscope Dream
77-The Vaccines | Teenage Icon | Teenage Icon
78-Fiona Apple | Every Single Night | The Idler Wheel...
79-Now, Now | Thread | Threads
80-Beck | Looking for a Sign | Jeff, Who Lives at Home Soundtrack
81-Saint Motel | Puzzle Pieces | Voyeur
82-The Wombats | Jump Into The Fog | The Wombats Proudly Presents...This Modern Glitch
83-Azealia Banks | 1991 | 1991 EP
84-Karmin | Brokenhearted | Hello
85-JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound | I Am Trying to Break Your Heart | Want More
86-Silversun Pickups | Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings) | Neck of the Woods
87-The Decemberists | One Engine | The Hunger Games Soundtrack
88-Martin Solveig | The Night Out
89-Say Anything | Burn A Miracle
90-Shakira | Addicted To You
91-Two Door Cinema Club | Sleep Alone | Sleep Alone
92-Sleigh Bells | Comeback Kid | Reign of Terror
93-Kylie Minogue | Timebomb
94-Kayne West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz | Mercy
95-Pitbull | Back In Time | Men In Black 3 Soundtrack
96-Coldplay | Charlie Brown | Mylo Xyloto
97-The Weeknd | House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls
98-The xx | Angels | Co-exist
99-Foster The People | Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) | Foster The People
100-Ladyhawke | Black White & Blue | Black White & Blue
101-The Shins | September | Port of Morrow
Monday, December 31, 2012
Best Songs of 2012
Here is a selection of my favorite songs of 2012, which was a very active year in super-catchy songs, from fun's "We Are Young", Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know", and Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe." And that was the first half of the year. For the second half, the whole nation was dancing "Gangnam Style", trying to figure out why No Doubt even bothered to return to music, and discovering new bands and music acts that weren't manufactured in a factory (Frank Ocean, The Lumineers, Alabama Shakes, Of Monsters and Men, Emeli Sandé, etc.)
BEST
SONGS OF 2012
Top 10: For the rest, check out this list.
10-Gotye featuring Kimbra | Somebody That I Used to Know | Making Mirrors
9-Of Monsters and Men | Little Talks | Into the Woods
8-Passion Pit | Take a Walk | Gossamer
7-Alabama Shakes | Hold On | Boys & Girls
6-tUnE-yArDs | Gangsta | W H O K I L L
5-Japandroids | Younger Us | Celebration Rock
4-Sharon Van Etten | Serpents | Tramp
3-Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe | We Are Young | Some Nights
2-The Black Keys | Gold on the Ceiling | El Camino
1-Grouplove |
Tongue Tied | Never Trust a Happy Song
Friday, December 7, 2012
8 Definitive Ellen Burstyn Performances
"I am living my own life, not some man's life I'm helping him out with."
-Ellen Burstyn
To commemorate actress Ellen Burstyn's 80th birthday, here are eight of her finest roles on the silver screen and on television. (Plus a bonus section at the end, which features the future ex-Mrs. Ron Swanson.) Born Edna Rae Gillooly on December 7, 1932 in Detroit, she worked as a short-order cook before she became a model and TV actor in the early 1950s in New York. One of the shows she appeared in was "The Jackie Gleason Show." She received the name Burstyn from her third husband, Neil, who was also an actor, though she didn't use that name professionally until shortly before they divorced in 1972.
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Her first major on-screen role as the mother of the town beauty (Cybil Shepherd), she reveals to Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) about her long-time affair with Sam The Lion (Ben Johnson), the owner of the town's sole movie theatre. "Oh, Sam the Lion...I gave him that name," she admits, on the verge of tears. "He was so pleased." She earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. (Co-star Cloris Leachman, who portrayed Sonny's much-older lover won the trophy.)
The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
While this little-known gem focuses on the estrangement of brothers radio DJ David (Jack Nicholson) and con-man Jason (Bruce Dern), Burstyn stands out as Jason's girlfriend, a faded beauty queen who can't quite admit to herself that her best days are behind her. The film was shot on location in Altantic City, shortly before it was given a major makeover as the East Coast's flashy and eye-catching answer to Vegas.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
After her husband dies in an accident, Alice sells his belongings and the house, and gets in the car with her son Tommy to California in search of a better life. She wishes to be a singer, even getting a decent gig as a lounge singer in Phoenix. After a couple of mishaps, they head to Tucson, Arizona. She gets work at Mel's Diner and Tommy befriends a child tomboy version of Jodie Foster, where she teaches him how to steal guitar strings at a music store. It is at the diner where she encounters David (Kris Kristofferson, who is a musician in real-life), a ranch owner who has fallen head over heels for this widowed singer who is quite not ready for another relationship. The film was directed by an up-and-comer named Martin Scorsese, who impressed Burstyn with "Mean Streets."
After two nominations (Supporting Actress, The Last Picture Show and Actress, The Exorcist), Burstyn did not attend the Academy Awards to accept her Best Actress Oscar. It seemed logical, since she was a dark horse candidate that year (Faye Dunaway and Gena Rowlands were nominated for their signature powerhouse roles for "Chinatown" and "A Woman Under the Influence", respectively) "I won't win. I never do. I just get nominated." Scorsese accepted the trophy on her behalf.
Same Time, Next Year (1978)
Originally a play by Bernard Slade, Burstyn won the Tony for her portrayal of Doris, a married housewife who spends a weekend every year (for 26 years altogether) at a charming, coastal inn in northern California, with George (Alan Alda), an accountant who is also married. The film adaptation received mixed reviews but Burstyn and Alda's performances were praised. Burstyn won the Golden Globe for Best Actress also well as an Oscar nomination.
Resurrection (1980)
This religious-themed drama earned Burstyn a nomination for Best Actress for her performance as a woman who through some sort of divine intervention (despite not being a religious herself) gains healing powers. After healing several people, she attracts the attention of the medical and religious communities, which either are in awe or are skeptical.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed what is possibly the scariest non-horror movie in history. "Requiem for a Dream" focuses on four people whose lives are connected with the big, bad world of addiction. Burstyn is Ella Goldfarb, a lonely, elderly woman who spends her time watching informericals and eating. She wants to lose weight and appear on TV. When she receives a phone call that she is going to appear on TV, she begins taking diet pills and sedatives. As the dosage increases, she becomes erratic. At one point, she believes her refrigerator is going to eat her. This is a movie that you only need to watch once, especially since the last few scenes are very frightening. Co-stars Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans.
The Stone Angel (2007)
This Canadian drama features Burstyn as a old woman reflecting on the many mistakes and events that shaped her unconventional yet exciting life while dying at a nursery home. Co-stars Ellen Page, Dylan Baker, Kevin Zegers, and Cole Hauser.
Political Animals (2012)
Often the best part of this uneven soap opera, Burstyn was the no-nonsense mother of Hillary Clinton stand-in Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver) and the family's often stable rock. She attempted to support her daughter despite disagreeing with her, helped his drug-addicted and suicidal grandson (Sebastian Stan) by nursing him back to health, and gave trophy fiancée/wife Anne (Brittany Ishibashi) something to do besides throw up in the bathroom or stand by her man (James Wolk) when they raided the liquor cabinet, ate junk food, smoked pot, and laughed the evening away.
Bonus
The Ellen Burstyn Show (1986)
For some reason, she headlined an NBC sitcom in 1986, which lasted a single season before being cancelled. Her character was a college professor who attempts to juggle her work and family. Elaine Stritch (who would later become Jack Donaughy's mother on "30 Rock") appeared as her mother and Megan Mullally as her grown-up daughter.
-Ellen Burstyn
To commemorate actress Ellen Burstyn's 80th birthday, here are eight of her finest roles on the silver screen and on television. (Plus a bonus section at the end, which features the future ex-Mrs. Ron Swanson.) Born Edna Rae Gillooly on December 7, 1932 in Detroit, she worked as a short-order cook before she became a model and TV actor in the early 1950s in New York. One of the shows she appeared in was "The Jackie Gleason Show." She received the name Burstyn from her third husband, Neil, who was also an actor, though she didn't use that name professionally until shortly before they divorced in 1972.
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Her first major on-screen role as the mother of the town beauty (Cybil Shepherd), she reveals to Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) about her long-time affair with Sam The Lion (Ben Johnson), the owner of the town's sole movie theatre. "Oh, Sam the Lion...I gave him that name," she admits, on the verge of tears. "He was so pleased." She earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. (Co-star Cloris Leachman, who portrayed Sonny's much-older lover won the trophy.)
The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
While this little-known gem focuses on the estrangement of brothers radio DJ David (Jack Nicholson) and con-man Jason (Bruce Dern), Burstyn stands out as Jason's girlfriend, a faded beauty queen who can't quite admit to herself that her best days are behind her. The film was shot on location in Altantic City, shortly before it was given a major makeover as the East Coast's flashy and eye-catching answer to Vegas.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
After her husband dies in an accident, Alice sells his belongings and the house, and gets in the car with her son Tommy to California in search of a better life. She wishes to be a singer, even getting a decent gig as a lounge singer in Phoenix. After a couple of mishaps, they head to Tucson, Arizona. She gets work at Mel's Diner and Tommy befriends a child tomboy version of Jodie Foster, where she teaches him how to steal guitar strings at a music store. It is at the diner where she encounters David (Kris Kristofferson, who is a musician in real-life), a ranch owner who has fallen head over heels for this widowed singer who is quite not ready for another relationship. The film was directed by an up-and-comer named Martin Scorsese, who impressed Burstyn with "Mean Streets."
After two nominations (Supporting Actress, The Last Picture Show and Actress, The Exorcist), Burstyn did not attend the Academy Awards to accept her Best Actress Oscar. It seemed logical, since she was a dark horse candidate that year (Faye Dunaway and Gena Rowlands were nominated for their signature powerhouse roles for "Chinatown" and "A Woman Under the Influence", respectively) "I won't win. I never do. I just get nominated." Scorsese accepted the trophy on her behalf.
Same Time, Next Year (1978)
Originally a play by Bernard Slade, Burstyn won the Tony for her portrayal of Doris, a married housewife who spends a weekend every year (for 26 years altogether) at a charming, coastal inn in northern California, with George (Alan Alda), an accountant who is also married. The film adaptation received mixed reviews but Burstyn and Alda's performances were praised. Burstyn won the Golden Globe for Best Actress also well as an Oscar nomination.
Resurrection (1980)
This religious-themed drama earned Burstyn a nomination for Best Actress for her performance as a woman who through some sort of divine intervention (despite not being a religious herself) gains healing powers. After healing several people, she attracts the attention of the medical and religious communities, which either are in awe or are skeptical.
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed what is possibly the scariest non-horror movie in history. "Requiem for a Dream" focuses on four people whose lives are connected with the big, bad world of addiction. Burstyn is Ella Goldfarb, a lonely, elderly woman who spends her time watching informericals and eating. She wants to lose weight and appear on TV. When she receives a phone call that she is going to appear on TV, she begins taking diet pills and sedatives. As the dosage increases, she becomes erratic. At one point, she believes her refrigerator is going to eat her. This is a movie that you only need to watch once, especially since the last few scenes are very frightening. Co-stars Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans.
The Stone Angel (2007)
This Canadian drama features Burstyn as a old woman reflecting on the many mistakes and events that shaped her unconventional yet exciting life while dying at a nursery home. Co-stars Ellen Page, Dylan Baker, Kevin Zegers, and Cole Hauser.
Political Animals (2012)
Often the best part of this uneven soap opera, Burstyn was the no-nonsense mother of Hillary Clinton stand-in Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver) and the family's often stable rock. She attempted to support her daughter despite disagreeing with her, helped his drug-addicted and suicidal grandson (Sebastian Stan) by nursing him back to health, and gave trophy fiancée/wife Anne (Brittany Ishibashi) something to do besides throw up in the bathroom or stand by her man (James Wolk) when they raided the liquor cabinet, ate junk food, smoked pot, and laughed the evening away.
Bonus
The Ellen Burstyn Show (1986)
For some reason, she headlined an NBC sitcom in 1986, which lasted a single season before being cancelled. Her character was a college professor who attempts to juggle her work and family. Elaine Stritch (who would later become Jack Donaughy's mother on "30 Rock") appeared as her mother and Megan Mullally as her grown-up daughter.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
(Alternative) Grammy Award Nominations
Tonight, during a live show in Nashville, the nominations for the 2013 Grammy Awards ceremony will be announced. No matter who gets a nod in the Top 4 categories, it's going to be an interesting year. For the first time in several years, there are no true frontrunners. Last year Adele swept the awards with 21, taking home Grammys for Record, Song, and Album of the Year.
In 2011, it was Eminem vs. the 4 others for Album of the Year (with Arcade Fire taking home the top prize for The Suburbs, one of the Recording Academy's most surprising and brilliant choices).
In 2010, Taylor Shift became the youngest artist to win (at age 20) for Fearless, which was possible because A) that is genuinely her best album so yet and B) it was a weak year for that category.
In addition to predicting who is going to get nominated, I have complied a list of artists who I believe should be recognized for their work over the past year. The real-life predictions will be listed first in each category for the Top 4 Awards, followed by an alternate list. For the categories following "Best New Artist", there are merely my picks for those categories.
The 55th Grammy Awards will be televised live on CBS on February 10, 2013.
ALBUM OF YEAR
The Black Keys-El Camino
Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel...
Frank Ocean-Channel Orange
fun.-Some Nights
Jack White-Blunderbuss
Alternate list
The Black Keys-El Camino
Frank Ocean-Channel Ocean
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Sharon Van Etten-Tramp
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Adele "Set Fire to the Rain"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Gotye featuring Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"
Alternate list
The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinking About You"
Grouplove "Tongue Tied"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"
SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruce Springsteen "We Take Care of Our Own"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinkin' About You"
Mumford & Sons "I Will Wait"
Alternate list
Frank Ocean "Thinkin About You"
fun. "We Are Young"
Japandroids "The House That Heaven Built"
Sharon Van Etten "Serpents"
Jack White "Love Interruption"
BEST NEW ARTIST
Alabama Shakes
Frank Ocean
fun.
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé
Alternate list
Alabama Shakes
Azealia Banks
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé
Of Monsters and Men
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Florence + The Machine-Ceremonials
fun.-Some Nights
Gotye-Making Mirrors
Justin Bieber-Believe
One Direction-Up All Night
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Feist-Metals
Mumford & Sons-Babel
Nada Surf-The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
Of Monsters and Men-Into the Woods
Jack White-Blunderbuss
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
Alabama Shakes "Hold On"
The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
Of Monsters and Men "Little Talks"
The Walkmen "Heaven"
Jack White "Freedom at 21"
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Beach House-Bloom
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Passion Pit-Gossamer
The Shins-Port of Murrow
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L
BEST DANCE RECORDING
Alex Clare-Too Close
Calvin Harris-Let's Go (featuring Ne-Yo)
Duck Sauce-Big Bad Wolf
Rihanna-Where Have You Been
Skrillex-Bangarang (featuring Sirah)
BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Aziz Ansari-Dangerously Delicious
Jimmy Fallon-Blow Your Pants Off
Jim Gaffigan-Mr. Universe
Kevin Hart-Laugh at My Pain
Patrice O'Neal-Mr. P
In 2011, it was Eminem vs. the 4 others for Album of the Year (with Arcade Fire taking home the top prize for The Suburbs, one of the Recording Academy's most surprising and brilliant choices).
In 2010, Taylor Shift became the youngest artist to win (at age 20) for Fearless, which was possible because A) that is genuinely her best album so yet and B) it was a weak year for that category.
In addition to predicting who is going to get nominated, I have complied a list of artists who I believe should be recognized for their work over the past year. The real-life predictions will be listed first in each category for the Top 4 Awards, followed by an alternate list. For the categories following "Best New Artist", there are merely my picks for those categories.
The 55th Grammy Awards will be televised live on CBS on February 10, 2013.
ALBUM OF YEAR
The Black Keys-El Camino
Fiona Apple-The Idler Wheel...
Frank Ocean-Channel Orange
fun.-Some Nights
Jack White-Blunderbuss
Alternate list
The Black Keys-El Camino
Frank Ocean-Channel Ocean
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Sharon Van Etten-Tramp
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L
RECORD OF THE YEAR
Adele "Set Fire to the Rain"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Gotye featuring Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"
Alternate list
The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
fun. featuring Janelle Monae "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinking About You"
Grouplove "Tongue Tied"
Nicki Minaj "Starships"
SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruce Springsteen "We Take Care of Our Own"
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe"
fun. "We Are Young"
Frank Ocean "Thinkin' About You"
Mumford & Sons "I Will Wait"
Alternate list
Frank Ocean "Thinkin About You"
fun. "We Are Young"
Japandroids "The House That Heaven Built"
Sharon Van Etten "Serpents"
Jack White "Love Interruption"
BEST NEW ARTIST
Alabama Shakes
Frank Ocean
fun.
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé
Alternate list
Alabama Shakes
Azealia Banks
Hunter Hayes
Emeli Sandé
Of Monsters and Men
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
Florence + The Machine-Ceremonials
fun.-Some Nights
Gotye-Making Mirrors
Justin Bieber-Believe
One Direction-Up All Night
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Feist-Metals
Mumford & Sons-Babel
Nada Surf-The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy
Of Monsters and Men-Into the Woods
Jack White-Blunderbuss
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
Alabama Shakes "Hold On"
The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling"
Of Monsters and Men "Little Talks"
The Walkmen "Heaven"
Jack White "Freedom at 21"
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Beach House-Bloom
David Byrne and St. Vincent-Love This Giant
Passion Pit-Gossamer
The Shins-Port of Murrow
tUnE-yArDs-W H O K I L L
BEST DANCE RECORDING
Alex Clare-Too Close
Calvin Harris-Let's Go (featuring Ne-Yo)
Duck Sauce-Big Bad Wolf
Rihanna-Where Have You Been
Skrillex-Bangarang (featuring Sirah)
BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Aziz Ansari-Dangerously Delicious
Jimmy Fallon-Blow Your Pants Off
Jim Gaffigan-Mr. Universe
Kevin Hart-Laugh at My Pain
Patrice O'Neal-Mr. P
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