Quantcast
"If Mumford doesn’t get it, I’ll be a blue-nosed gopher."
—-Lenny Beer, resident pundit

TWO HANDICAPPED GUYS’ GRAMMY TOUTS

HITS’ Lenny Beer and Roy Trakin Predict the Winners…They Think
HITS’ resident pundits (and we use the term very loosely) Lenny Beer and Roy Trakin handicap this year’s Grammy race as they measure up to noted expert Paul Grein… or not as the case may be.


Trakin:
Do you see anyone else being able, on a King's Speech level, to come from behind and upset Eminem's Recovery for Album of the Year?
Beer: I do not... and it shouldn't be as close as The King's Speech Oscar win will be
Trakin: Seems pretty clear Eminem's the one, at least for that prize.
Beer: He's earned it as both a lifetime achievement win and the real best album of the year.
Trakin: Let's go to Record of the Year, which is the category that's not the songwriting prize. Our Grammy expert Paul Grein seems to think Lady A's a lock for this category. Do you?
Beer: I do not… I think they will win Song of the Year, but Record of the Year might be another one for Eminem. What's your vibe?
Trakin: I believe it’s between “Love the Way You Lie” and Jay-Z/Alicia Keys’ "Empire State of Mind." Wonder if they, along with B.o.B, split the hip-hop vote, and allow "Need You Now" to sneak in as a consensus choice.
Beer: It could be…but if I were to simply pick the best record, I’d say Eminem/Rihanna #1 and Jay-Z #2
Trakin: Both "Love the Way You Lie" and "Empire" are hip-hop standards, and pretty much all over Pop radio, too, wouldn't you say? I'm gonna say "Empire," you say "Love." So we both disagree with Grein on this one.
Beer: “Empire” was early in the year and “Love” is ubiquitous now, so that is an advantage. Grein is usually right, but I'll take Eminem anyway.
Trakin: Wouldn't it be funny if "Fuck You" won?
Beer: It's a great song.... but it would be more than funny… I'd say shocking
Trakin: Let's go to the writing award, Song of the Year... Is this where you see "Need You Now" winning?
Beer: Best Song.... Lady A wins.. It'll be sung in Vegas when we are long gone.
Trakin: There is another country song in this category in Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me."
Beer: Also a strong contender… Miranda's had a huge year.
Trakin: Still, you make a good point. "Love the Way You Lie" is in both categories, too. Unlike "Empire." I'm going with Lady A in this one, too.
Beer: Grein, in all his wisdom, is trying to gauge the voting process and voting blocs and pick his winners. I'm going with my choice for the Best and seeing how it shakes out
Trakin: In other words, what should win rather than what will win. That's your methodology, I take it, in picking Mumford & Sons as Best New Artist. It has all the sales momentum going into the voting. On the face of it, that would seem to be an upset.
Beer: To me, Mumford should have been nominated in all the major categories.... I do think they will win Best New Artist and also explode from their on-air performance. Mumford is this year's Norah Jones, and most of the people who will end up purchasing and loving this album, are not yet aware of it. I predict Mumford & Sons to sell 2m+
Trakin: Duly noted. That's been your mantra and I won't argue it. You've been right so far. So you don't like Esperanza Spalding in a monumental upset?
Beer: As for the talented Ms. Spalding, it's clearly the most political play by the Recording Academy this year.

Trakin: I'm still going with Grein and picking Drake. But you may well be right in the long run. How about Best Pop Vocal Album: Bieber, Gaga, Boyle, Mayer, Perry... Tough category to call. Mayer's such a fave. Did his Playboy interview doom his chances?
Beer: I think Sheryl Crow will win in this category as a write-in candidate.
Trakin: Ahhhhh... Why am I feeling Katy Perry here? Oh, I know why. She's hot.
Beer: I think she is also the fave here with her highly entertaining confection of hit songs.
Trakin: Between her and Gaga, methinks, a battle of the pop divas. They both have Album of the Year nods, so...
Beer: Agree, Gaga is my second choice
Trakin: Best Rock Album? Beck, Muse, Pearl Jam, Petty, Neil Young... I'm leaning with Grein here. Muse is on the show. Geezers split the vote, leaving the promising newcomer.
Beer: I'll take Pearl Jam as best Rock and Arcade Fire as best Alt
Trakin: Agreed on Arcade. Contemporary R&B? Brown, Kelly, Leslie, Monae, Usher... I'm leaning critical fave Monae in an upset.
Beer: Write ‘em down and score ‘em up..... Grein v Trakin v Beer. I'll take Usher
Trakin: Best Rap Album? No contest. Eminem all the way.
Beer: Eminem
Trakin: Best Country Album? Gotta be Lady A. This one writes itself.
Beer: Correct…
Trakin: So you’re rolling the dice on a Mumford upset and “Love the Way You Lie” in Record of the Year.
Beer: That is the way it is, and will be…and if Mumford doesn’t get it, I’ll be a blue-nosed gopher.
Trakin: Any predictions as to outrageous moments? I don't think Kanye will be around this year, so there goes that one.
Beer: Outrageous moment will be Neil Portnow defending the nomination of Esperanza Spalding.... Oh puh-leeeeze
Trakin: Well, you've been on the Mumford bandwagon from the beginning, so no one can call you a johnny come lately... or a Lenny come lately, for that matter.

NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country
CAPTCHA code
Captcha: (type the characters above)