Grammys - Part 3

Great Grammy Moments: Tina Turner Calls It A Comeback

Posted 2/9/11 4:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

The 53rd Grammy Awards are upon us, and music's biggest, most prestigious awards show will feature a number of killer performances, appearances and potential acceptance speeches from the likes of Eminem, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Cee Lo Green, Muse, Arcade Fire, B.o.B, Justin Bieber, Lady Antebellum, Jay-Z and scores of others. In order to appreciate what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the Grammy Awards. Today's installment: Tina Turner blows up — and cleans up.

Tina Turner had a long road to the 27th Grammy Awards, which were held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium on February 26, 1985. She had survived an abusive relationship with her husband Ike and hadn't been heard from on record since 1979's Love Explosion. But 1984's Private Dancer was a true turning point for the singer, as nine of its 10 tracks were released as singles, with many of them becoming instant radio staples, including the powerful "What's Love Got to Do With It" and the killer title track.

Her huge comeback was rewarded at the Grammys, as she won four of the six prizes for which she was nominated. "What's Love Got to Do With It" won hardware for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, while "Better Be Good to Me" took home Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Turner also performed on the show, tearing down the house with her incredible power and charisma.

That wasn't the last time Turner would have a big Grammy moment, either — in 2008, Turner shared the stage with Beyoncé for a jaw-dropping run through "Proud Mary."

Tags Grammy Awards, Grammys, Tina Turner

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Will Eminem Score His First Album Of The Year Prize? Better Know A Grammy Category

Posted 2/9/11 1:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

The 53rd Grammy Awards are upon us, and they bring with them dozens of artists competing in 109 different categories. The performers on the show — which airs live on Sunday, February 13 — include Eminem, Cee Lo Green, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Drake, Arcade Fire, Justin Bieber, Miranda Lambert, Katy Perry, Muse, B.o.B, Usher, Bruno Mars, Jaden Smith and Janelle Monae. It promises to be one of the biggest nights in the history of music, and MTV News will be bringing you wall-to-wall coverage of the big event.

But the awards are the big draw, and just as the MTV Newsroom Blog does with the MTV Video Music Awards, here are a series of guides to some of the biggest categories on the docket. This time around: Album of the Year.

Over the past few years, no prize at the Grammy Awards has been a greater wild card than Album of the Year. Ignoring last year's victory by Taylor Swift (for Fearless), the Album of the Year award has gone to somewhat esoteric entries in the past few years. The reasoning is relatively simple: Because everybody votes for Album of the Year (no matter what the background or genre of expertise), the singular representations from particular music worlds tend to overcome pop albums that draw votes away from one another. For example, while most people from the pop and rock universes probably split their votes between Kanye West's Graduation and Amy Winehouse's Back to Black in 2008, people from the jazz and folk worlds only had Herbie Hancock's River: the Joni Letters to support (and thus give it a victory).

So it's not necessarily automatic that Eminem — who is the most-nominated artist at this year's show — will take home an Album of the Year prize for Recovery. After all, his competition is stiff, with Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, Arcade Fire's The Suburbs, Lady Antebellum's Need You Now and Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster all competing for the prize. Both Ladies — Gaga and Antebellum — draw from a lot of disparate fans from a lot of different areas of the music world, so they could both get endorsements from huge microcosms of voters. Arcade Fire probably doesn't have enough buzz to draw all the rock fans, and Perry can probably only draw support away from Gaga.

But who will ultimately win? Though the odds are in Eminem's favor, Album of the Year is reserved only for country and curve balls. That means that Lady Antebellum will be walking away with an underdog victory.

Notable Winners: The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1968); Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life (1977); Michael Jackson, Thriller (1984); U2, The Joshua Tree (1988); Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1999); Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2004); Taylor Swift, Fearless (2010)

Notable Robberies: This category has had so many that it's difficult to only focus on a few, but the fact that Steely Dan's Two Against Nature beat both Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP and Radiohead's Kid A in 2001 is downright criminal.

Tags Eminem, Grammy Awards, Grammys

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Great Grammy Moments: ODB Makes His Mark

Posted 2/8/11 5:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

Was there something in the water at Radio City Music Hall on February 25, 1998? That was the setting for the 40th Grammy Awards, where the universe was not only introduced to "Soy Bomb," but the world also got a delightful little speech from Wu-Tang Clan court jester Ol' Dirty Bastard.

His crew's massive opus Wu-Tang Forever was nominated for Best Rap Album but lost to Diddy's No Way Out early in the evening. But ODB finally got a word in later in the evening. While Shawn Colvin was accepting the award for Song of the Year (for the forgotten "Sunny Came Home"), ODB crashed the stage and let the world know that he spent an awful lot of money on his suit, and that his group probably should have won an award.

"It's nice that I went and bought me an outfit today that costed a lot of money, you know what I mean? 'Cause I figured that Wu-Tang was gonna win," ODB said. "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. You know what I mean? Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best, Okay? I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!"

ODB was just getting warmed up, as the following year saw the release of his incredible solo album N---- Please. A string of legal troubles followed before the rapper passed away tragically in 2004.

Tags Grammy Awards, Grammys, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Shawn Colvin, Wu-Tang Clan

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Lady Gaga And Eminem Battling Over Most Anticipated Grammy Performance

Posted 2/8/11 3:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

The Grammy Awards are coming up, and the incredible roster of performers at this year's version of the show has created an incredible amount of buzz. In fact, the MTV Newsroom Blog is currently conducting a poll to see exactly who the most hotly-anticipated performer is at the moment, and the results will be revealed this Saturday (February 12), the day before the show goes down and the actual performances unfold. The roster of performers continues to grow (Barbra Streisand just got added) and a number of rumors are still swirling about who else will show up in Los Angeles this Sunday, February 13 (Britney Spears, Dr. Dre and Christina Aguilera have all been whispered-about over the past week or so, though none of them are confirmed).

Though each of the performers have the potential to steal the show, the poll is currently a neck-and-neck race between Eminem (who has more nominations than anybody this time around) and Lady Gaga (who is about to unveil new music from her upcoming album Born This Way). They are in a statistical dead heat at the moment, with Gaga holding a slight lead over Slim Shady. Fans of both are making cases for each of the superstars. Reader Athena wrote, "Eminem. He's more than half the reason I'm watching the Grammys this year. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be counting down the days." But commenter Sara countered, "Should this even be a question? Mommy Monster because I was born this way, baby!"

The poll is still open, and votes will be counted until the end of the week. So keep voting for Gaga, Eminem or whoever else you're looking forward to seeing at the Grammy Awards. And keep leaving your case in the comments!

Tags Eminem, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Lady Gaga, Poll

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Can Drake Or Jay-Z Top Eminem For Best Rap Album? Better Know A Grammy Category

Posted 2/8/11 11:30 am EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

Though as not as high-profile as the prize for Album of the Year, the Best Rap Album category arguably has more heavy hitters than it's broad-minded counterpart. Of the five albums nominated for the prize, four of them were true smashes — and also managed to have incredible legs (only the Roots' How I Got Over wasn't a commercial success, and arguably wasn't even the best Roots album to come out last year if you consider their tag-team effort with John Legend on Wake Up!).

It isn't just about sales either, as Eminem's Recovery, Drake's Thank Me Later, Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 and B.o.B's The Adventures of Bobby Ray not only sold big numbers but also pushed hip-hop into exciting and fascinating new directions. Eminem raised the bar for lyricism, Drake introduced a new kind of energy, Jay explored darkness and B.o.B hopped genres like a Gummi Bear on a pogo stick.

But which one will walk away with the hardware? Eminem is the most-nominated artist at this year's show, so it's always a good bet to go with the guy who has the most. But the voters could be looking to reward Jay-Z for a stellar year and B.o.B for crossing so many lines and appealing to so many people. However, Eminem has won this particular prize four times before, so he's almost a lock for a fifth.

Notable Winners: The Fugees, The Score (1997); Kanye West, The College Dropout (2005); Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (2009)

Notable Robberies: Diddy's No Way Out is actually pretty excellent, though it's not better than the albums it topped in 1998 (including Missy Elliott's Supa Dupa Fly, Wyclef Jean's The Carnival and Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death). Also, even Eminem would admit that his own The Slim Shady LP probably should have lost the Best Rap Album prize to the Roots' Things Fall Apart in 2000.

Who do you think will win the Grammy for Best Rap Album? Let us know in the comments!

Tags B.o.B., drake, Eminem, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Jay-Z, The-Roots

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Drake And Justin Bieber Lead The Best New Artist Race: Better Know A Grammy Category

Posted 2/7/11 1:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

The prize for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards tends to run pretty hot and cold. Either the winners end up among the new generation of hit-makers (Carrie Underwood, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey) or relegated to the almost-made-it pile (Shelby Lynne, Arrested Development, Jody Watley, Men at Work). No matter who wins this year, it seems as though we'll probably be hearing each one of them much more. The category represents a solid mix of the larger-than-life (Justin Bieber, Drake), the about-to-explode (Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons) and the mostly unknown (Esperanza Spalding).

Just about every one of them could make a case for the prize, though you can probably eliminate Florence and the Machine and Mumford & Sons from the conversation simply because they're not quite as big as the rest. Bieber and Drake will both draw votes because of their popularity and influence, though Spalding will likely have the entire jazz universe in her corner, which is why she'll probably take this one in a bit of an upset.

Notable Winners: The Beatles (1965); Cyndi Lauper (1985); Mariah Carey (1991); Alicia Keys (2002).

Notable Robberies: Kanye West probably should have bested Maroon 5 for the award in 2005, and on balance, Taylor Swift probably should have beaten Amy Winehouse in 2008. Also, given the chance to hand a Grammy to Elvis Costello or the Cars in 1979, can you believe the voters settled on A Taste of Honey?

Don't miss Snooki and Sway on MTV News' Grammy red-carpet live stream, Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on MTV.com. And stick with us all night for coverage of the red carpet, the show, the afterparties and beyond!

Tags drake, Esperanza Spalding, Florence and the Machine, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Justin Bieber, Mumford & Sons

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Eminem, Lady Gaga Or Justin Bieber? Who Is The Most Anticipated Grammy Performer?

Posted 2/7/11 9:30 am EST by MTV News in Grammys

The 53rd Grammy Awards are upon us, which means that the year's biggest songs, best albums and most dynamic performers will be celebrated when the show goes live on Sunday, February 13. MTV News will have all the insider information, previews, predictions and interviews you could possibly want from this year's show, culminating in a two hour red carpet live stream starring MTV News' Sway and "Jersey Shore" star Snooki.

While the big draw of the evening is the awards (with such modern luminaries as Eminem, Katy Perry, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars leading the nominations for the night's biggest prizes), this year's lineup of performers is particularly stout. The initial announcement featured some massive names, and more people keep getting added as we get closer to the show (and there's always the possibility of a surprise guest or a total curve ball).

But who will have the biggest and best performance of all the people who will grace the stage? Eminem always breaks out the big guns for his television appearances (the performance that opened the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards should be submitted as Exhibit A), and Lady Gaga will certainly try to top last year's appearance (which saw her duet with Elton John). Some performers have the benefit of the songs behind them (Rihanna and Drake will undoubtedly deliver on the sharp "What's My Name," Katy Perry has any number of chart-toppers under her belt and Lady Antebellum will be powered by one of the biggest songs of last year in "Need You Now"), while others will get a boost from a collaboration or a stunt (Cee Lo Green's performance with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Muppets will surely turn heads, as will the on-stage team-ups between B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae and Justin Bieber, Jaden Smith and Usher). And then there's Muse, Arcade Fire and Mick Jagger, who will harness the power of rock in an attempt to bring down the house.

That's an awful lot of music to look forward to, but we want to know who is your number one with a bullet. Vote for the performance you're anticipating the most, and let us know why in the comments below!

Tags B.o.B., Cee-Lo Green, drake, Eminem, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Justin Bieber, Miranda Lambert, muse, Poll, Rihanna

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Can Adam Lambert Top The Pack For Best Male Pop Vocal? Better Know A Grammy Category

Posted 2/4/11 2:00 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

This year's nominees for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance may be the most eclectic combination of names in all the categories. It's a testament to the fact that the pop world is a proverbial big tent that welcomes in all sorts of music under the header of "pop." There's throwback crooner Michael Bublé ("Haven't Met You Yet"), late R&B legend in Michael Jackson ("This Is It"), postmodern glam rocker Adam Lambert ("Whataya Want From Me"), new school soul sensation Bruno Mars ("Just the Way You Are") and blues pop revivalist John Mayer ("Half of My Heart").

No two of those artists are alike, which makes this an extremely difficult category to pick. The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences would probably love to honor Jackson one more time, though by that same token, this category tends to be more about looking forward than looking back (which would make Mars or Lambert the favorites). However, Mayer is also a constant Grammy threat simply because he crosses so many genres (and he has also won this award four times before — a fifth victory would give him the most category wins of all time, passing Sting and Stevie Wonder). And there's always Bublé, who sells a ton of albums and is ubiquitous among the slightly older crowd the Grammys sometimes focus on.

It's a toss-up, really, but Mars has the slight edge. He's a complete package and has been nominated a bunch, which means that the entire night could swing in his favor in a big way. However, don't be surprised if Lambert or Mayer come up from behind and end up on top.

Notable Winners: Michael Jackson, Thriller (1984); Eric Clapton, "Tears in Heaven" (1993); Justin Timberlake, "Cry Me a River" (2004)

Notable Robberies: Sting won in both 2000 and 2001, and each time he should have lost to Marc Anthony's "I Need to Know" (2000) and Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" (2001). Also, Prince's "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" should have topped Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" in 1995.

Tags Grammy Awards, Grammys

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Great Grammy Moments: Milli Vanilli

Posted 2/3/11 6:00 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

Though recent history has proven this myth to be something of a fallacy, the Grammy for Best New Aritst was considered a curse for many years. Admittedly, there was a pretty good streak in there where the winner was never really heard from again, but the past few years have seen winners like Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood and Norah Jones, all of whom have gone on to have remarkably huge careers (though plenty of artists — like Amy Winehouse, Evanescence and Shelby Lynne have burned out following their wins).

The prize was extra cursed in 1990 when Milli Vanilli rode the success of "Girl You Know It's True" to a win over the likes of Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Tone Loc and Soul II Soul. The win was a great coup for the group, who had seemingly come out of nowhere to take over the pop airwaves with their sweet throwback take on modern R&B and unique dance style. However, when a slip-up a few months later outed the group as lip-syncers who did not sing on their own album, the pair became the only artists in history of the Grammys to be stripped of their awards. Milli Vanilli are still listed as the official winners of the Best New Artist prize, but they were forced to give their little Victrolas back.

Considering the sort of tricks that musicians use to reinvent themselves in the studio, it seems a little bit strange that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences would get so would up about lip-syncing, but for some strange reason, it was cool to have outrage over Milli Vanilli in 1990, and people demanded retribution. Really, it only served as proof that no awards show can get it right every time, and it's the near-misses and the debates that make them interesting in the first place.

Tags Grammy Awards, Grammys, Milli Vanilli

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Eminem And Jay-Z Battle Over Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Better Know A Grammy Category

Posted 2/3/11 2:30 pm EST by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

When you consider the quality, popularity and chart dominance of most of the songs nominated for the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, 2010 was clearly an excellent year for those kinds of tag teams. The category is one of the newer ones on the Grammy docket (Eve and Gwen Stefani took home the first prize in 2002 for the Dr. Dre-produced "Let Me Blow Ya Mind"), but it has become one of the more high profile prizes, simply because it attracts such big name nominees.

This year, the competition is between "Love the Way You Lie" (Eminem and Rihanna), "Empire State of Mind" (Jay-Z and Alicia Keys), "Deuces" (Chris Brown, Tyga and Kevin McCall), "Nothin' On You" (B.o.B and Bruno Mars) and "Wake Up Everybody" (The Roots, John Legend, Melanie Fiona and Common). Of those five (all of which are deserving), you can probably throw out "Wake Up Everybody" and "Deuces" because they weren't big enough commercially (though "Deuces" is a jaw-droppingly great song that deserved to be a much, much larger hit). Each of the remaining entries can all make a case: "Love the Way You Lie" was a huge chart-topper, and Eminem does have more nominations than anybody, but it's possible that Grammy voters are more familiar with and fond of "Empire State of Mind." Since Mars seems like a Grammy darling this time around, "Nothin' On You" could easily get the endorsement as well.

It's probably a coin flip between Eminem and Jay-Z, but the nod here goes slightly to "Empire State of Mind." It was too ubiquitous and too beloved by too many people to get overlooked.

Notable Winners: Beyoncé and Jay-Z, "Crazy in Love" (2004); Usher, Ludacris and Lil Jon, "Yeah!" (2005); Rihanna and Jay-Z, "Umbrella" (2008); Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West, "Run This Town" (2010)

Notable Robberies: Estelle and Kanye West won the prize in 2009 for "American Boy," but both Lupe Fiasco's "Superstar" and Lil Wayne's "Got Money" had better cases. And though Linkin Park and Jay-Z's "Numb/Encore" was a great accomplishment, the hardware in 2006 should have gone to Destiny's Child and Lil Wayne's "Soldier," if only because of Weezy's crazy-stupid verse.

Who do you want to win the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration? Let us know in the comments!

Tags Alicia Keys, B.o.B., Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Eminem, Grammy Awards, Grammys, Jay-Z, Rihanna

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