Is that time of year: awards season is upon us.
Although 2015’s best and worst have been listed over and over again pretty much everywhere, we still don’t know “officially” whose year it was; but we will on Feb. 15.
On Monday, the 58th Grammy Awards are taking place, and we’re all expecting an event that would make even the best end-of-year list look cute. With David Bowie and Glenn Frey tributes, a whole bunch of live performances, and of course, recipients’ speeches, it sure seems as though Music’s biggest night is gonna be quite big.
But leaving out all the extravaganza and the big-budget ceremony, the Grammys are basically just another group of people picking their favourite tracks, albums and artists. And of course, subjectivity is inevitable. So we decided to weigh in.
Here’s who’ll go home with brand new gramophones, and who we would like to see getting the gold.
Best Music Film
Nina Simone – What Happened, Miss Nina Simone?
Roger Waters – The Wall
Amy Winehouse – Amy
James Brown – Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown
Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways
Who Will Win: Amy Winehouse – Amy
Who Should Win: Amy Winehouse – Amy
This year’s best music film nominees are all worth a watch. The Grammys didn’t go wrong in making this shortlist, as some may have suggested. From Roger Waters’ career-defining story brought to the big screen to the poignant biography of one of Soul’s most powerful personas, our eyes and ears were beyond please. However, the true cinematic wonder among those five pictures has to be Amy. As far as movies go, it doesn’t get much more intimate than this. From her debut to the peak of her career, and even the troublesome afterpart, everything in Amy is beautifully adapted in all its melancholy, and shows us, through said intimacy, the role we -yes, we- played in her untimely parting.
Best Music Video
Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
Pharrell Williams – “Freedom”
ASAP Rocky – “LSD”
The Dead Weather – “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)”
Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
Who Will Win: Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
Who Should Win: Kendrick Lamar – “Alright”
If the Academy doesn’t care much for blockbusters, the Grammys don’t really mind them. Especially when Taylor Swift is involved. America’s sweetheart broke the internet last year with her “squad” of perfect women starring in the music video for “Bad Blood”. As big as it may have been, though, it doesn’t surpass, in any way, Kendrick Lamar’s 6-minute gem for “Alright”. From filming to the effects used and the editing on the B&W masterpiece, Lamar’s clip images perfectly what the song stands for. Then again, having so many nominations, Kendrick’s gotta lose somewhere, right? Besides, he wouldn’t be completely losing, since he’s also part of the “Bad Blood” video.
Best Song For Visual Media
Ellie Goulding – “Love Me Like You Do”
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
The Weeknd – “Earned It”
Common and John Legend – “Glory”
Lady Gaga – “Til It Happens to You”
Who Will Win: Lady Gaga – “Til It Happens to You”
Who Should Win: Common and John Legend – “Glory”
No clear favourite in this category. However, it doesn’t seem like the music itself will heavily influence the result. In 2016, quite a few nominees for best song for visual media seem to be placing their faith in sentiments and emotions. Of course, with sensitive, touchy or even taboo themes being tackled through songs every year, one may think the judges won’t fall for it anymore, but it seems as though the ability to make people tear up can guarantee a spot in the shortlist for this category. In fact, from Lady Gaga’s anti-rape campaign to Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s Paul Walker tribute or Common and John Legend’s anthem, the nominated tracks go far beyond the simple verse-chorus-bridge auditive display, and actually treat topics which can touch anyone. However, one can expect, and even support an “engaged” artist to grab the award, which pretty much narrows down the category to “Til It Happens to You” and “Glory”. A pretty tight race, of course, but we think the the Grammys will give the nod to the more “taboo” song, since it’s a far less discussed (yet as important) topic than the one “Glory” is based on. Nonetheless, it seems to us, musical aesthetics have to be considered, and that is why we believe Common and John Legend’s anthem is the better song.
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar
Jóhann Jóhannsson – The Theory of Everything
Justin Hurwitz – Whiplash
Who Will Win: Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Who Should Win: Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
When we look at this shortlist, we see a suite of geniuses’ names. Superior techniques, out-of-this-world composition and great nobility. All scores are amazing, no question about it. But the way we see it, 2015 was a great year for drums and drummer. Between Whiplash and Birdman, jazzy beats and heavy copper hitting made movies groovier, exposing a not-so-accessible genre to a new demographic. Justin Hurwitz and Antonio Sanchez’s works blew us away, to say the least. However, the deconstruction of the drum set, and the ability to make something that incredible out of shapeless, patternless and extremely un-homogeneous beats gives the Birdman soundtrack the upper hand.