My Grammy Nomination Picks 2011

This coming Grammy nominations will be announced December 1^st , and I thought it'd be fun to put together my own tentative picks for the coming Grammy nominations. 

NOTE: I am not a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and this list is in no way OFFICIAL or reflective of their attitudes.  In fact, many of my nominations will probably not correlate to the actual nomination list.  Typically, there are five nominations spots in each category but I've left some blank.  Nomination eligibility period was September 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

 

Album of the Year:

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

The Fame Monster [EP], Lady Gaga

Recovery, Eminem

Record of the Year:

"California Gurls," Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg

"Bad Romance," Lady Gaga

"I Like It," Enrique Iglesias ft. Pitbull

"TiK ToK," Ke$ha

"Imma Be," Black Eyed Peas

Song of the Year:

"California Gurls," Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg; Written by Katy Perry, Bonnie McKee, Calvin Broadus, Max Martin, and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald

"Bad Romance," Lady Gaga; Written by Stefani Germanotta and Nadir Khayat

“Fireflies,” Owl City; Written by Adam Young and Matthew Thiessen

 

Best New Artist:

Ke$ha

La Roux

Bruno Mars

Best Female Pop Performance:

“Teenage Dream,” Katy Perry

Best Male Pop Performance:

“Just the Way You Are,” Bruno Mars

“Haven't Met You Yet,” Michael Bublé

“Fireflies,” Owl City

“Heartbreak Warfare,” John Mayer

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals:

"Hey Soul Sister," Train

“Misery,” Maroon 5

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals:

“California Gurls,” Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg

“Telephone,” Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé

“Half of My Heart,” John Mayer ft. Taylor Swift

“Sign Your Name,” Sheryl Crow ft. Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Vocal Album:

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

Animal, Ke$ha

Bionic, Christina Aguilera

Hands All Over, Maroon 5

100 Miles from Memphis, Sheryl Crow

Battle Studies, John Mayer

Best R&B Female Vocal Performance:

“Rude Boy,” Rihanna

Best R&B Male Vocal Performance:

“Whatcha Say,” Jason Derülo

 

Best Contemporary R&B Album:

Rated R, Rihanna

Rokstarr, Taio Cruz

Best Rap Solo Performance:

“Not Afraid,” Eminem

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group:

“Imma Be,” Black Eyed Peas

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:

“Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem ft. Rihanna

“Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys

“OMG,” Usher ft. will.i.am

Best Rap Album:

Recovery, Eminem

Best Dance Recording:

"All the Lovers," Kylie Minogue

"Bad Romance," Lady Gaga

"Bulletproof," La Roux

"Rock that Body," Black Eyed Peas

"3," Britney Spears

Best Electronic/Dance Album:

Aphrodite, Kylie Minogue

The Fame Monster [EP], Lady Gaga

Nightwork, Scissor Sisters

La Roux, La Roux

Best Female Country Vocal Performance:

“Mine,” Taylor Swift [or in Female Pop Performance]

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal

“Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum [or in Pop Duo or Group Performance]

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals:

“As She's Walking Away,” Zac Brown Band, ft. Alan Jackson

Best Country Song:

“Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum; Written by Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, and Hillary Scott

“Mine,” Taylor Swift; Written by Taylor Swift

Best Country Album:

Need You Now, Lady Antebellum

Freight Train, Alan Jackson

Best Recording Package:

Aphrodite, Kylie Minogue

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry

Best Music Video, Short Form:

“California Gurls,” Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg

“Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga

Adventure #1: Dumbing Down for the World

When I was in grade school, as soon as I knew the answer to a question, I excitedly raised my hand to share what I had to say. As I came closer to junior high age, this trait was seen as an irritant to some of my peers, who mocked and labeled me as an arrogant know-it-all, especially when I was nearly the only interactive student in the class that day. Being a sensitive individual, I started withholding my ideas, but when the new school year started, I forgot my previous problem and returned to my old habits of enthusiastically answering every question.

As I got even older, others would mention me hogging classroom attention. By this time, I was more aware of the welfare of those around me and feared I may be impeding on others’ opportunity to think and learn, so I returned to keeping my peace. Now, I rarely, if ever, add to the classroom conversation out of laziness and habit.

Further, as I’ve grown and become more socially apt and open with people and understanding them, I find myself asking questions I already figured the answer to, just to help smooth and continue a social interaction. Also, as I’ve tried to explain some intriguing concepts that, to me, are simple and easy to understand, some people get confused and tell me I’m a very deep person. To me, things are never “deep;” they just are what they are and should not be shied away from. As I’ve considered the phenomenon of “depth,” I find that even water is not necessarily deep unless it is over your head. When I feel myself delving into discussing a "deep" or complicated matter and if my audience is one whom I'd consider possibly unable to really comprehend it or if I'm not in the mood for technical explanations, especially if it may lead to confusion, I say, "I'm sure there's more to it than that," or something similar (but I also say this when I'm keeping a secret; somewhat ironic, eh), even if I know what the "more" is.

Most recently, some of my professors, in describing some assignments, ask us to write as if we are writing to a group of people who have twenty more IQ points than us. When I have written in this manner, some of my peers or professors who have read my drafts basically ask me to dumb down my papers, even though I’ve written in a manner that I consider would be comprehendible by someone with an IQ of 170. Regardless, these classroom editors do not understand what I am talking about. However, other peers have read the same paper and admire it.

First Order of Business

There are some few orders of business to get this blog going.  First of all, (A joke I made when I was six:  Q: What do you call someone who wears underwear on their head?) everything that has order and organization needs a leader.  Therefore, no leader for this blog is necessary, but in attempt to project fanciful excellence, I push for the establishment of a king and propose…......myself for the position.  Now, every king must have a queen, and naturally, I push myself for that position, too.  However, since self-propagation was never taught in the course of my sex education, we shall forego that step and leave the position of queen in negotiation. 

It has come to my attention that blogs tend to follow certain interests and often have specific missions and intentions for what their audience is to gain.  (A: A butthead)  In one sense, I propose we forego that establishment, as well.  I feel safe to say that I have no directional plan (in my life and) for this blog.  As I've thought of what I would want to write about, a variety of subjects have come to mind, mostly inner thoughts often not shared vocally, because of their cheesiness or because of my own uncertainty of their value to others (this sentence is the other sense, as opposed to the previously mentioned "one sense").

All in favor of what has (and has not) been determined, please say/comment, "Arr."  All opposed, don't say anything. 

…….

Thank you!

WELCOME

Every blog has that welcome entry.  So:

Welcome, kids!

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