NEAR TRUTHS: INK AND HARDWARE

SIGN HERE, INITIAL HERE: The recent lightning round of splashy signings by Lucian Grainge’s UMG speaks to the knight’s storied aggressiveness in taking deals off the table. In the wake of the zealously pursued Lauren Spencer-Smith pact in tandem with Republic, Island has also nabbed rapper SleazyWorld Go. Now the piping-hot Muni Long deal is also done with Def Jam, about which more here. All of the above are examples of Grainge's providing the necessary resources to support his label heads.

LAYING ODDS: Bizniks in general are loath to navigate the clanging clusterfuck of conspicuous consumption that is Vegas; expect the top players who make the trip to shuttle in for the Grammys and shuttle right back out again. Still, much buzz continues to surround the shape of the show and how the biggest acts in the marketplace will fare on Music’s Biggest Night.

The Sin City Grammys have announced a handful of performers that represent the youthquake heart of the streaming era. These include Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, BTS (a huge threefer for IGA) and Lil Nas X, while Brothers Osborne—a reliably energetic live act—represent for the country audience. With the possibility of a sweep by Olivia—mirroring Billie’s romp two years earlier—her appearance on the Grammy stage might well gin up some young viewership. BTS is definitely also a draw, though the septet seems to have said yes to every TV look possible.

PISSING CONTEST: The rumor that Ye’s performance on the Grammys has been scuttled is another stumble for the Recording Academy, following, as it does, Harvey Mason Jr.’s mission to court the erstwhile Kanye West, which was marked by shuttle diplomacy and—according to insiders—was the basis for the sudden expansion (presumably decided in the top-secret “big room”) of the Top 4 categories from eight nominees to 10. Now, thanks to Ye’s online behavior, including an unpleasant exchange with Grammys host Trevor Noah, that’s all for naught. Perhaps the 2020 video Kanye posted of himself urinating on a Grammy statuette should’ve been a tip-off? Is there anyone among the top players at the Academy with a clue?

A LIL QUESTION: Speaking of Grammy, wonderers wonder if Lil Nas X, whose creative, cultural and commercial importance has grown exponentially over the last two years, will earn some Big 4 hardware. His current album has yielded three smashes, “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name),” “INDUSTRY BABY” and “THAT'S WHAT I WANT,” all of them #1 at Pop radio. “MONTERO” has earned 1.7b streams, while “BABY” has racked up 1.5b. LNX's album, MONTERO, has amassed north of 4b streams and 3m album equivalents worldwide. His total global plays on Spotify have reached 5.3b. Meanwhile, he has been blazing a trail as an out-and-proud artist, using media (social and otherwise) like a kung fu master.

There’s no doubt that an appearance by Lil Nas on Grammy night would produce enormous buzz. Yet the only trophies he’s won so far (both in 2020) have been in the Pop and Video categories. Will he be properly recognized for his work? That question will only be answered by the meeting (black mass? séance?) in the aforementioned secret “big room,” where the deciders decide how the goodies will be distributed.