Grammy Award Winners - Who Is That?

I like to think I’m not that out of touch with what’s going on in the music world. Yet, the Grammy Awards never seem to be what I’m listening to. I listen to a top 40 station, as well as a few rock stations, a lite rock station, and some oldies stations, but I haven’t heard half the music that won awards last night. The artists and songs that were much more familiar to me went on to not win.

First of all, Amy Winehouse. I haven’t heard any of her music, and only know of her because of her legal troubles. Yet, she wins best new artist. I had heard of one of her fellow nominees, Taylor Swift, yet hadn’t heard the music of any of those up for new artist. Amy also won Best Pop Female Vocal Performance, and did so over names such as Christina Aguilera, Fergie, Feist, and Nelly Furtado. I’ve listened to Aguilera, have heard of Furtado, but am not a fan, and absolutely adore Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry. So how does someone whose music I’ve never heard win Best Pop Female Vocal?

The same thing applies to Winehouse winning Best Pop Vocal Album over Bon Jovi, Feist, Maroon 5, and Paul McCartney. Record of the Year, too, over Foo Fighters, Beyonce, Rhianna feat. Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake. Just don’t get it. And Song of the Year over Before He Cheats, Hey There Delilah, Like a Star, and Umbrella. Umbrella and Winehouse’s song are the only ones in that list I’d never heard before. Hey There Delilah was on the radio seemingly every hour on the hour.

Kanye West cleaned up at the awards as well, but at least I’ve not only heard of him and his music, I’ve listened. While his style isn’t generally what I’d listen to, I do enjoy his song Stronger, which won Best Rap Solo over 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Common, and T.I. I’ve heard of many of them, even though I don’t normally listen to rap. He also won Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group for Southside done with Common. He lost out on Best Rap/Sung Collaboration to Rhianna feat. Jay-Z, but won for Best Rap Song with Good Life over another song of his, as well as Crank That (Soulja Boy), a song I have listened to often thanks to my kids. West won for Best Rap Album as well. Vince Gill poked fun at him after picking up the award for Best Country Album, presented by Ringo Starr exclaiming he just got an award from a Beatle, then glanced over at West and asked if he’d done that one yet.

I couldn’t understand Daughtry not picking up a single award. None, despite being nominated in many categories. Every time you turn on the radio, you hear one of his songs, both on top 40 and rock stations. He lost to big rock names such as Foo Fighters, Maroon 5, The White Stripes, and Bruce Springsteen, so he at least has that to make him feel a little better. Fellow ex-American Idol Fantasia lost as well, but Carrie Underwood picked up awards for Best Country Female Vocal and Best Country Song.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was Herbie Hancock winning Album of the Year for his collection of Joni Mitchell tunes. He seemed just as shocked to win over Foo Fighters, Vince Gill, Kanye West, and Amy Winehouse, yet he wasn’t too surprised, as he managed to have a very long acceptance speech prepared which he was cut off from reading in full. Or at least, they tried to cut him off, but he kept on going, saying it’s been a long time since a jazz record won this big.

Perhaps I’m not out of touch, as I know several of these artists and their music, it’s just not always what I prefer to listen to. Yet, even the ones I prefer to listen to didn’t win. I guess in the end run, it’s not too much different than the Oscars, where the movies I watch never seem to win the big awards either. The awards must have much less to do with popularity than they would have us believe. Maybe it’s the Grammy Academy that’s out of touch with what people really listen to.