53rd Annual Grammy nominations

[Soot and Stars]

I disagree with both of you! Essentially "the people" already have influence on any of these award shows. The Grammies now more than ever cater to the mass public so the names you already see are proven names sales wise so if the people voted you would be even more apt to see a Justin Bieber win or a Lady Gaga win, etc. etc. The people who get the angriest about these awards will always be the minority and their is no changing that. The only ones who affect change are the people plopping down money for their music because that determines everybodies placement in everything. You may say that's a horrible way of doing things and I don't tend to disagree in theory BUT in a way I find it's appropriate. It's like anything where you don't get something for nothing. So the country music fans who've helped their genre soar by not crumbling to downloading their c.d.s deserve to see their artist spotlighted. They took something they earned out of their pocket for something they love. Their artist succeed, keep putting out albums, get to perform on television for them, tour far and wide to reach all of them and receive awards and be grateful to them. I know individuals hear do buy their material but their needs to be a movement towards genres that we want to succeed to convince people that it's worth it to buy the artist within the genre. Otherwise we really don't have the right to complain who's on these shows or who wins. The kids, teenyboppers (or their parents) and country music/pop fans have earned it. That's the response I've wanted to use for all these award threads so let this be my official soapbox for all of them!

 

[Kuaizi]

I disagree Fisha... Perry and GaGa are sucky and crap performers. FAR from what I would label "brilliant." I've seen their live clips out of curiosity and it's junk.

Soot, you are correct in your assessment methinks but in a different way for me, with the Grammys giving awards to what the majority of morons want. People give Beiber and GaGa (I hate Lady GaGa, she is such a tool... tries to look "artsy" and just looks like an idiot. Oh yeah, and her music blows ASS) their money and support that utter shit!

MP - saying let the public vote for what they want puts more faith in humanity than I would be willing to give.

If people really loved great music and wanted to support it, orchestras would not be suffering the way they are, while far inferior music and musicians like Arcade Fire are making millions...

 

[Soot and Stars]

Kuazi, first I enjoy and have purchased Lady Gaga's music and it baffles me how anyone can be a moron for what they enjoy. There's no intellect in liking/loving music, just self fulfillment. I don't by any stretch of the imagination like Justin Biebers music but I would never call anyone a moron for liking it. In fact I laugh at the fact that people get so angry about a kid that makes music for kids. That's like wanting to beat up Mr. Rogers or something. My thing is liking or disliking an artist is one thing but how can someone be a moron for knowing what they like and fulfilling a need. It's all good man but I think I'm making a solid point here.

 

[Kuaizi]

Ok Soot, you are not a moron (of course!), but it's unintelligent, moronic music. Simple beats, simple melodies, repetitiveness, stupid lyrics. I am baffled to see you actually enjoy Lady GaGa!!! 4/4 beats, poor instrumentation, poor production, and junk. Does she even play an instrument? Oh wait, she sings (not very well), but at least in tune thanks to autotune!
Sorry, but getting self fulfillment from GaGa and Beiber? Really??? Explain yourself in more detail!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Ok Soot, you are not be a moron (of course!), but it's unintelligent, moronic music. Simple beats, simple melodies, repetitiveness, stupid lyrics. I am baffled to see you actually enjoy Lady GaGa!!! 4/4 beats, poor instrumentation, poor production, and junk. Does she even play an instrument? Oh wait, she sings (not very well), but at least in tune thanks to autotune!
Sorry, but getting self fulfillment from GaGa and Beiber? Really??? Explain yourself in more detail!

I've heard Lady Gaga sing plenty without autotune and she actually sounds good to me. I also think autotune is just another artist tool so it doesn't bother me if an artist is using it to create something they have in mind. As a temporary aside I'm in support of autotune as I think music is art and when people have something in their head I would much rather have a tool that allows the artist that actually has the concepts to perform it rather than a great vocalist who writes nothing. I LOVE Kanye West and he made a great R&B album in 808's and Heartbreak because he had a concept for one and autotune allowed him to do it. But like I said, Lady Gaga is far from dependent on autotune so any she uses is to fit the music. Dance music is very appropriate for out of this world, over the top vocal sounds so it fits.

Now, I ask what's wrong with simplicity and a little checking your brain at the door. That's what pop is and I don't understand why that can't be part of a balanced musical diet. Lady Gaga isn't trying to write a Beethoven composition. She's trying to make catchy as hell dance pop that people will hear once and not get out of their head. In a throwaway fickle music world she did it. It worked and is still working. She became pop culture and people are still dancing to her music she created. To capture that is genius IMO. I love it because it's fun. I love it because it makes me want to bob my head, hum along and dance at a club even though I'm a bad dancer. I can listen to as many genres and bands that I want that are well respected for being "real" and "talented" but I'll always have love and respect for an unabashed fun pop artist with a catchy beat.

And for Bieber, I don't like him but there was a time that I miss when I would've like the female equivalent of him. It's a time every kid should be privy to without malice when we are innocent and not jaded yet and we like things because we like them. We listened to what made us happy regardless of cred and we didn't have all these stipulations. It was a more pure music experience.

 

[Kuaizi]

Soot - I respect your reasons for liking it, but it still doesn't mean it's good, and that it should be praised and raised to highest level of music honors. To me, giving money to that supports the way the whole music industry has gone down the toilet. You give money to Lady GaGa and it supports the whole "writing a single that is simple and catchy to make big bucks." Who cares about taking things to the next level, to write something meaningful and intelligent! Intelligence is not something that is praised in this society, and intelligence is something that is looked down upon. As a consumer, I REFUSE to even let a cent go to people like her!!
Just look at the majority of new bands. "Eighth Note Guitarists," simplistic drum beats, uninteresting bass lines, shummy shum shum vocalists. It's junk and it is praised for being the best. I just ask the question, is this really the best we can come up with? The majority of people think so, which is moronic in my eyes.
I would like to know, how has GaGa advanced music? Oh wait, she is just another iteration of the 4/4 dance beat for the clubs. Genius? I 100% disagree.
And don't even get me started on Beiber... LOL!

 

[Aktivator]

If people really loved great music and wanted to support it, orchestras would not be suffering the way they are, while far inferior music and musicians like Arcade Fire are making millions...

hold the presses are you stating that the only great music is orchestras?
That is crazy and I happen to love orchestras and many different genres of classical music but it is far from the only great music. Music isn't only about the top technical musicians of the world. My favorite guitarists are classical ones but I couldn't just listen to them all the time. I need a little improv jazz guitarists, some emotional blues guitarists, some sloppy punk guitars, some technical prog and rock guitarist and sometimes a nice simplistic folk guitarist.
Rock, classical, jazz, folk, pop all relay different emotions and feelings. While I'm not a fan of Beiber or Gaga I can see were both can hit a chord with certain people. I'm a fan of all music and all fans of people who like music no matter what they enjoy. I don't think I could live in a world without music no matter what it is.

Why does everyone have to advance music and then again are you sure someone like gaga doesn't advance music? You never know where dance music will go next. Gaga plays piano by the way. Something in her performance might create a new style that tricks down to all types of music and opens up a new window in style. Or maybe on her fifth album she actually changes her style and creates something interesting. You never know one of the things I love about music. I see you have a an avator of Bowie-Gaga is a big fan of Bowie and glam rock.


In regards to the grammys, sure they cater to the masses (especially the live show) but the grammys also cover the whole music industry including classical, jazz, folk etc. Just because my favorite band or your favorite isn't covered doesn't mean the Grammys suck.

 

[LG]

^^You make some sapient points AK, but honestly to me the Grammy's are too political and corporate to be an honest reflection of the state of deserving artists. I pay much more attention to Viewer's Choice Awards, they are closer to my opinions and even if they like Gaga or Bieber that doesn't bother me.

 

[AboutAGirl]

I hate Arcade Fire, but I'd put them above every orchestra ever.

I like rock music... kill me if you must...

In my humble opinion, the problem with these awards shows is the subjectivity of it. If they had an award show which rewarded the people who literally sold the most records, at least it would make sense. There's no accounting for taste, so how can we award for it? Let's all have our own private award shows and turn the TV off, shall we?

 

[Soot and Stars]

Kuazi, I just love music period and if you went through the stuff I put money towards (A LOT of money for my financial class) you would find that stuff you think is unoriginal/junk AND the stuff you put on a higher level. Honestly, all music is a combination of or a part of something that's already been done so honestly all music fans can throw away the microscope for originality. If anything does become completely original in recent time it's going to be so whacked and pretentiously unlistenable I'd rather it stays in it's cave. My favorite group The Smashing Pumpkins is admittedly from Billy Corgan himself just an amalgamation of all his influences. That's what music is is a summation of what every artist grew up on. Does it sound different in some aspects. Yeah, I mean Billy has a very unique (and thus hated) vocal that sets them apart but what makes them unique is not their sound but how they transitioned through each influence from album to album to remain as fresh as possible. So anyway, I can critique my own favorite band and remain unscathed because thier music speaks to me regardless of where it came from or how it got there. Anyway, I just think that when you overthink what's popular or what other people are liking you are missing the point of music. Music, in both what we enjoy and what is create is instinctual and a lot more precious than something we break down by how simple or complex it was to create it! Peace!