Breaking Down the 2012 Grammy Nominees (Kanye’s Gonna Be Pissed)

It's about that time of the year: time to make ODB references and attack the Grammys for their embarrassing selections! Yeah!!! Actually, overall the Grammy folks did just fine this year, but there's still no shortage of head scratching nominees, snubs and debatable decisions. Let's get right to it...

Album Of The Year:

21— Adele
Wasting Light— Foo Fighters
Born This Way— Lady Gaga
Doo-Wops & Hooligans — Bruno Mars
Loud — Rihanna

Perfect example of what I just don't get about the Grammys. Rihanna's "Loud" is nominated but Kanye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" isn't? It always seems like they factor in sales/populatiry of an album, unless they don't. Whatever, I'm fine with Adele winning this, which she will. (Insert "Kanye interrupts Adele's acceptance speech" joke here.)

Record Of The Year:

"Rolling In The Deep" — Adele
"Holocene" — Bon Iver
"Grenade" — Bruno Mars
"The Cave" — Mumford & Sons
"Firework" — Katy Perry

My personal pick for "Record of the Year" is Juicy J's "Who Da Neighbors", but that's just me. Again, Adele's winning this, and if the Grammys were smart they'd give one to Jamie XX's insane remix too.

Song Of The Year:

"All Of The Lights" — Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
"The Cave" — Mumford & Sons
"Grenade" — Bruno Mars
"Holocene" — Bon Iver
"Rolling In The Deep" — Adele

I know, I know, what's the difference between a song and a record? "Record" means the performance itself (as recorded). "Song" is the song itself, essentially an award for the songwriter(s) and not necessarily the performer. Make sense?

Anyway, there's no way they're giving this to Kanye, even though "All of the Lights" is a superb track. Adele walks away with another Grammy on this one. (Ok, I'll bite, what's the deal with this Bon Iver "Holocene" song?....listens....yeah, that's actually pretty dope.)

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:

"Party" — Beyoncé & André 3000
"I'm On One" — DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
"I Need A Doctor" — Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
"What's My Name?" — Rihanna & Drake
"Motivation" — Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
"All Of The Lights" — Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

If The Fat Guy Who Yells wins a Grammy I'm retiring. "Motivation" is a great song but Lil Wayne did essentially nothing to make it better. I'm thinking they throw Kanye a bone here and give it to him for "All of the Lights".

Best Rap Performance:

"Look At Me Now" — Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
"Otis" — Jay-Z & Kanye West
"The Show Goes On" — Lupe Fiasco
"Moment 4 Life" — Nicki Minaj & Drake
"Black And Yellow" — Wiz Khalifa

Again, one of those cases where I don't really get what the Grammys are considering. I take "rap performance" to literally mean the best rap (verse/verses) of the year, not rap song. Considering that, is "none of the above" an option? No? Ok then, I'll root for Lupe just because I'd rather see him get a Grammy than anyone else on this list.

Best New Artist:

The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex

Good to see J. Cole on this list. Don't think he had the Album of the Year by a long shot, but considering all his work over the course of the year? Yeah, sure. He's still got a snowballs chance in hell of winning though. Bon Iver gets it if the Grammys are feeling dangerous, Nicki if they get caught up in popularity.

Best Traditional R&B Performance:

"Sometimes I Cry" — Eric Benét
"Fool For You" — Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
"Radio Message" — R. Kelly
"Good Man" — Raphael Saadiq
"Surrender" — Betty Wright & The Roots

I'm rolling with "Surrender" all day. Fucks yeah.

Best R&B Album:

F.A.M.E.— Chris Brown
Second Chance — El DeBarge
Love Letter — R. Kelly
Pieces Of Me— Ledisi
Kelly— Kelly Price

That R. Kelly "Love Letter" was actually excellent, and not at all balls crazy. Go figure.

Best Folk Album:

Barton Hollow— The Civil Wars
I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive— Steve Earle
Helplessness Blues— Fleet Foxes
Ukulele Songs— Eddie Vedder
The Harrow & The Harvest— Gillian Welch

Stever Earle got a nomination? Get the fuck out of here. That dude's terrible, what a fucking disgrace. (Note: I have no idea what I'm talking about.)

,b>UPDATE: Holy shit, how did I forget to include Rap Album?

Rap Album
Watch the Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West
Pink Friday, Nicki Minaj
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West
Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne
Lasers, Lupe Fiasco

Again, I just don't get whether the Grammys factor in sales or not. If they do then fine, "Carter IV". But if they don't, that's a travesty. Anyway, clearly "MBDTF", and it's now even really close.

Who should win in each category? Who will win in each category? Who get left out? Let the debate begin in the comments below.