Album of the Year
The Blessed Unrest – Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
good kid, m.A.A.d city – Kendrick Lamar
The Heist – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Red – Taylor Swift
Who Should Win: Taylor Swift deserves it and how, certainly if this is the competition. Maybe, if not Taylor, give it to Daft Punk. I’m not crazy about the competition, but if not Swift at least Daft Punk moved the story forward.
Who will Win: This is Maclemore And Lewis year.
Missing: Kanye
Record of the Year
“Get Lucky” – Daft Punk and Pharrell
“Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons
“Royals” – Lorde
“Locked Out of Heaven” – Bruno Mars
“Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell
Who Should Win: The year belonged to Robin Thicke, and not merely the most popular, also the best.
Who Will Win: My gut tells me Bruno sounds enough like the Police to steal it from under Robin’s nose
Missing: “We Can’t Stop” was a huge song for Miley and deserved a namecheck, but if not the great song than the lousy “Wrecking Ball”
Song of the Year
“Just Give Me a Reason” – Pink ft. Nate Ruess
“Locked Out of Heaven” – Bruno Mars
“Roar” – Katy Perry
“Royals” – Lorde
“Same Love” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert
Who Should Win: What the hell is the difference between song and recording? Lorde deserves it if only because it is so singularly un-premeditated
Who Will Win: “Same Love” -a crap song but it is a big year for same sex marriage
Missing: Assuming Lady Gaga missed the cut off, Pearl Jam’s “Mind Your Manners” deserved a shout out.
Best New Artist
James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Kacey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran
Who Should Win: James Blake had an enormous year and if I found him boring live, he made it up with his recordings, which is more what this is all about any way
Who Will Win: Macklemore And Lewis and there is nothing we can do about it.
Missing: Danny Brown,. but hardly a shocker there, right?How about Miguel? You would think so but no.
Best Pop Solo Performance
“Brave” — Sara Bareilles
“Royals” — Lorde
“When I Was Your Man” — Bruno Mars
“Roar” — Katy Perry
“Mirrors” — Justin Timberlake
Who Should Win: Justin’s masterpieces lasts forever and it deserves to
Who Should Win: Justin will get it.
Missing: I’ve got to go along with Tori Crawford here and thumbs up The Neighborhood’s “Sweater Weather”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Get Lucky” – Daft Punk and Pharrell
“Just Give Me a Reason” – Pink ft. Nate Ruess
“Stay” – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
“Blurred Lines” – Robin Thicke ft. T.I and Pharrell
“Suit & Tie” – Justin Timberlake ft. Jay Z
Who Should Win: Daft Punk are the only real duo here.
Who Will Win: If they don’t give “Blurred Lines” song of the year, Robin will win this one.
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Settle — Disclosure
18 Months — Calvin Harris
Atmosphere — Kaskade
A Color Map of the Sun — Pretty Lights
Who Should Win: Daft Punk
Who Will Win: Daft Punk
Missing: Rudimental released the best dance album of the year.
Best Rock Performance
“Always Alright” — Alabama Shakes
“The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” — David Bowie
“Radioactive” — Imagine Dragons
“Kashmir” (Live) — Led Zeppelin
“My God Is the Sun” — Queens of the Stone Age
“I’m Shakin’” — Jack White
Who Should Win: Bowie, cmon man, it’s Bowie and there is no competition
Who Will Win: If it is Imagine Dragons someone is in for a lot of trouble.
Missing: Hard to know where to begin. Shellshag? Kurt Vile? Jahn Xavier And The Bowerytones?
Best Rock Album
13 — Black Sabbath
The Next Day — David Bowie
Mechanical Bull — Kings of Leon
Celebration Day — Led Zeppelin
…Like Clockwork — Queens of the Stone Age
Psychedelic Pill — Neil Young With Crazy Horse
Who Should Win: Neil Young’s best album in years deserves it.
Who Will Win: Bowie? Sabbath? Really hard to call.
Missing: Yes, You
Best Alternative Music Album
The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You — Neko Case
Trouble Will Find Me — The National
Hesitation Marks — Nine Inch Nails
Lonerism — Tame Impala
Modern Vampires of the City — Vampire Weekend
Who Should Win: Alternative to what? That’s a joke. Vampire Weekend deserve something.
Who WIll Win: Maybe Vampire, maybe Nine Inch Nails
Missing – An actual alternative, but Modern Hut’s Generic Treasure.
Best R&B Performance
“Love and War” — Tamar Braxton
“Best of Me” — Anthony Hamilton
“Nakamarra” — Hiatus Kaiyote ft. Q-Tip
“How Many Drinks?” — Miguel ft. Kendrick Lamar
“Something” — Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway
Who Will Win: Braxton has the name and it is a good album
Who Should Win: Miguel had a good year, he didn’t even embarrass himself on the Drake tour
Missing: Eric Benet’s terrific “News For You” -nobody has forgiven him for Halle Berry.
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Love and War — Tamar Braxton
Side Effects of You — Fantasia
One: In the Chamber — Salaam Remi
Unapologetic — Rihanna
New York: A Love Story — Mack Wilds
WHo Should Win: Fantasia’s album was terrific and she is killing it on Broadway as I write
Who Will WIn: Fantasia or Tamar
Missing: Where is Teena Marie guys, it’s her final album for God’s sake.
Best R&B Album
R&B Divas — Faith Evans
Girl on Fire — Alicia Keys
Love in the Future — John Legend
Better — Chrisette Michele
Three Kings — TGT
Who Should Win: Chrisette Michele’s album was terrific
Who Will Win: Alicia Keys.
Missing: K. Michele’s Rebellious Soul deserved a nod
Best Rap Performance
“Started from the Bottom” — Drake
“Berzerk” — Eminem
“Tom Ford” — Jay Z
“Swimming Pools (Drank)” — Kendrick Lamar
“Thrift Shop” — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz
Who Will Win: If M&R aren’t picking up everything in sight they’ll get this.
Who Should WIn: The Drake song is something else again. Eminem is excellent and so is Jay Z and so is Lamar, a good category.
Missing – West’s “New Slaves” is the best rap performance of the year.
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
“Power Trip” — J.Cole ft. Miguel
“Part II (On the Run)” — Jay Z ft. Beyoncé
“Holy Grail” — Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake
“Now Or Never” — Kendrick Lamar ft. Mary J. Blige
“Remember You” — Wiz Khalifa ft. The Weeknd
Who Should Win: A lousy category but I would give it to J. Cole.
Who Will Win: Jay Z
Missing: Around a hundred featuring A$AP Rocky
Best Rap Album
Nothing Was the Same — Drake
Magna Carta…Holy Grail — Jay Z
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Yeezus — Kanye West
WIll Win: M&R
Should Win: Kanye
Missing: Mellowhigh and Danny Brown to name two
Best Country Solo Performance
“I Drive Your Truck” — Lee Brice
“I Want Crazy” — Hunter Hayes
“Mama’s Broken Heart” — Miranda Lambert
“Wagon Wheel” — Darius Rucker
“Mine Would Be You” — Blake Shelton
Should Win: Darius Rucker
Will Win: Hunter Hayes
Missing: “We’re All The Way” by Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison
Best Country Album
Night Train – Jason Aldean
Two Lanes of Freedom – Tim McGraw<
Same Trailer Different Park – Kacey Musgraves
Based on a True Story… – Blake Shelton
Red – Taylor Swift
Will Win: Jason Aldean was too big too ignore
Should WIn: Blake Shelton
Missing Bruce and Kelly had the best country album of the year.
OK, I’m done folks… you’re on your own the rest of the way!!!
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Guided Tour — The New Gary Burton Quartet
Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue — Terri Lyne Carrington
Life Forum — Gerald Clayton
Pushing the World Away — Kenny Garrett
Out Here — Christian McBride Trio
Best Gospel Album
Grace (Live) — Tasha Cobbs
Best for Last: 20 Year Celebration Vol. 1 — Donald Lawrence
Best Days Yet — Bishop Paul S. Morton
God Chaser (Live) — William Murphy
Greater Than (Live) — Tye Tribbett
Best Tropical Latin Album
3.0 — Marc Anthony
Como Te Voy a Olvidar — Los Angeles Azules
Pacific Mambo Orchestra — Pacific Mambo Orchestra
Sergio George Presents Salsa Giants — Various Artists
Corazón Profundo — Carlos Vives
Best Americana Album
Old Yellow Moon — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Love Has Come for You — Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
Buddy and Jim — Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale
One True Vine — Mavis Staples
Songbook — Allen Toussaint
Best Comedy Album
Calm Down Gurrl — Kathy Griffin
I’m Here to Help — Craig Ferguson
A Little Unprofessional — Ron White
Live — Tig Notaro
That’s What I’m Talkin’ About — Bob Saget
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Rob Cavallo
Dr. Luke
Ariel Rechtshaid
Jeff Tweedy
Pharrell Williams