Songwriterobit: Curly Putman

Curly Putman, songwriter, has died at the age of 85.

Yes, Green Green Grass of Home. Yes, DIVORCE. But, mostly, this is his masterwork:

Bobby Braddock remembered how Putnam breathed life into DIVORCE:

"I said, 'Curly, why is it that we don't have any takers on this song?' Nobody was jumping on board with it. He said, 'I think it seems a little bit too happy for such a sad song.' I said, 'Do you think it needs a new melody?' He said, Well, just in a couple of places. The last line of the verse and the last line of the chorus.' What I had, looking back, it sounded kind of like a soap commercial... I thought we should split the writer's share on the song, and he didn't want to take it, so we compromised. He took 25 percent, and we put his name on there. If we'd done it today, we probably would have split it right down the middle because the song had been sitting around and nothing had happened with it. Then, Curly made that little change and it made so much difference."

Putman, like the Waltons, spent his early years living on a mountain which bore the family name.

As if his own work wasn't immortality enough, he's also recorded in a Paul McCartney song, Junior's Farm - written after Putman had rented his farm to Paul and Linda for a period in the early 1970s.

Noel Gallagher seems to think we want an Oasis reunion

If you were told that Noel Gallagher was issuing demands about the possibility of an Oasis reunion, you'd probably assume he was making threats - "give me a knighthood or I swear we'll do a four-night residency at the Albert Hall", that sort of thing.

Instead, it seems like he's convinced it's a thing people want and is trying to negotiate on that basis:

Tell [McCartney] if he writes our comeback single, it's on. Tell him to write an Oasis track and then we'll talk. I'll just put that out there.

Apparently having pretty much written the entire Oasis back catalogue isn't enough; Noel wants McCartney to actually write a song for Oasis instead of just doing all the groundwork.

Coming tomorrow: Gallagher says that if Ringo Starr agrees to do the clean-up, he'll take a dump on your living room carpet.

McCartney goes West; internet goes stupid

The Paul McCartney/Kanye West hook-up came out on New Years Day, bringing together, at last, the man who did Give Ireland Back To The Irish and the man who did George Bush doesn't care about black people.

Presumably the recording session breaks were filled with conversations about how easy it is to go from being a threat to the establishment to being a national teddy bear.

Anyway, the thought of Macca and West coming together brought out the wry side in a lot of people on Twitter:

Okay, not the best joke of the season, but funnier than anything in Mrs Browns Boys. Fair enough, that's a pretty low bar, but given that the tweet wouldn't have been worded in quite that way if, erm, :/ had really not known who McCartney was, the joke is obvious, right?

Apparently not, as Buzzfeed's Brian McManus managed to miss it:

Yesterday we told you about Kanye’s New Year’s Day surprise collaboration with Paul McCartney, “Only One.” Today on Twitter, some Kanye fans are wondering just who this Paul McCartney fella is.

Brian even manages to reproduce two Tweets which are sodding identical, like a man still expecting to be soaked the third time the clown throws an empty bucket at him:

It's even got the same poorly-chosen emoji, Buzzfeed. It was a laboured joke.

Trouble is, a depressing but not surprisingly large chunk of the internet followed Buzzfeed's line, as if we'd all drunk so much on New Years Eve we'd forgotten how the internet worked. Because if people are online and really want to know who someone is, they don't type his name into Twitter, they type it into Wikipedia or Google.

The only people who really try to find out background details about people by sticking names in Twitter are your gran and Ed Balls, and both of them would be far more likely to be asking who Kanye West is.

But beyond the anger of those with an inability to spot a joke came the counterwave - unfortunately, still comprising people who were unable to spot a joke, but with a different angle:

@epstein @GreatDismal Yup. Most famous 40-50 years ago. Like fans in 1964 not knowing Ray Miller Orchestra of the 20s.

— Insufficient FUN (@shoulderroll) January 3, 2015

It's a spirited defence of young people, but manages to add being spectacularly wrong to not noticing the gag.

So let's at least allow the possibility that some of the people going 'who iz McCartney Beatle lolz' might, genuinely, not know who he is. Would that be justifiable because it's like someone in 1964 not knowing the Ray Miller Orchestra?

While it's true that McCartney and Beatlemania might have peaked a few decades back, it's not like he then went and lived under a rock - he did the Superbowl show in 2005; he headlined Live8; in 2009 he did a benefit gig in New York which raised three million dollars. It's fair to say he has something of a profile.

Indeed, it's that profile which is the reason for Kanye West wanting to work with him - it's not like West stumbled across the Wings theme from Crossroads and thought 'I need to find this person and work with him'; the attraction is that it is Famous Beatle Man McCartney. West is relying on people knowing who he's working with. Otherwise it'd be like having your photo taken with Prince Charles only Prince Charles has his back to the camera - it might as well be anyone. West's calculation is that his fanbase will know who the man is, otherwise it'd be pointless.

But beyond that: is it unfair to expect people to be at least aware of McCartney? Ray Miller might have been a mystery in 1964 partly because he'd not left as big a crater in popular culture as McCartney has - working a time when even radio fame didn't spread very far, and recorded music was less popular than sheet music; and on the far side of a world war which fractured and remade a lot of the culture, even someone passionate about big bands might have struggled to have much contact with Miller's work.

But in a 21st Century with Spotify and YouTube and never-ending channels of Gold and silver memories, it's harder to imagine someone growing up without having come across something Beatley - if, for example, you genuinely don't know roughly what the Abbey Road album cover is, a lot of modern culture will be inexplicable to you.

Whether you like The Beatles or not, the band and its members are surely on the list of shared assumptions of things you know in modern Western Anglophone culture - like Shakespeare and Star Wars and Dickens and Mark Twain and Elvis.

Frankly, not knowing who McCartney is would be the mark of someone culturally inept.

Which is, of course, exactly the point the Kanye fans were making with their jokes in the first place.

Band Aid 30: We let in light, and we banish Macca

Apparently, there are some people upset that Paul McCartney isn't on the new Band Aid single. (He wasn't on Band Aid II, either, but that wasn't, as far as I recall, a "thing").

Bob Geldof is trying to explain why, in what sounds more like a desperate bid to remain invited to McCartney's Boxing Day Cluedo party than any real concern about the spat:

Asked why McCartney wasn't involved by the Daily Mirror, he replied: "Because Macca's always done stuff. He was in the band in 2004 - him, Radiohead and Damon [Albarn].

"But look, on this we've got from the newest to the hippest to the oldest... and he hasn't made the cut, what can I tell you? The thing is, there's only so many lines, so what do you do?

Remember, this is a record which found space in the vocals for Zoella, a video blogger, and her brother, who is thatcher with a YouTube account.

Also: Seal. If you can find space in front of a microphone for Seal, the suggestion that there might not be room for McCartney starts to look a little odd.

…Then it's who's happening in America - that's really important as sales are quantifiably more over there. Ellie Goulding, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Coldplay, Sam Smith, U2... all these people are caning it in America."

Yeah, because The Beatles, famously, never had an American fanbase.

Still, you can't fault Bob's logic in packing the record with America-friendly stars, for how else would he have managed to get the record to, erm, number 63 in the US charts.

Grammys 2014: Daft Punk get lucky

Emmylou Harris, Black Sabbath, Herb Alpert, Led Zeppelin. Nothing says "it's the 1970s" like the 2014 Grammy awards. Even Paul McCartney got a prize, for that Sound City project thing, which made a nice change from the bit of the ceremony which they banged on about The Beatles. Where they reunited The Beatles, or what's left of them. Oh, and The Beatles even got a prize, too. The Beatles.

Oh, sure, there's a few prizes given to Daft Punk, but really, more than ever, this year's Grammys was The Music Industry Nurtures The Artist Who Are At The Heart Of A Catalogue Business Strategy. (Effectively, a prize for Bruno Mars and Michael Buble is the same thing - if not artists who made records twenty years ago, then artists who could have made their records twenty years ago.)

Meanwhile, the long battle for the right to marry the person you love was reduced to a stunt at a music business jolly as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis wheeled in Madonna and Queen Latifah to rush through a Moonie-style mass wedding:

The weddings of 33 couples during the Grammy Awards were legally presided over by Queen Latifah. The rapper-actress-talk show host had to be sworn in as a commissioner by the state of California to perform the ceremony.
"You can call me Queen Commish for a little longer," she joked backstage Sunday night.

Latifah said she's not an ordained minister and her special powers expired at midnight.

"It was something I took very seriously," she said. "That is someone's life commitment to one another, you want to make sure you do it right. That's what sunk in for me."

Yeah. It's someone's life commitment, and how can you take that more seriously by having it squeezed in between Madonna's chorus, the network cutting to commercials and the prize for the least threatening R&B performance?

I know the intention was to be positive, and I know Macklemore and Lewis' song was at least about gender-blind marriage, but god, what a shitty, miserable little stunt; using people's love for each other to shore up an awards ceremony.

I guess we're lucky that the Grammys started a couple of years after Rosa Parks made her stand, otherwise we'd have had buses of all kinds of people being driven round and round the stage to demonstrate just how forward-thinking the horribly conservative music industry is.

Here are the winners in full from last night:

Album of the Year:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories (Julian Casablancas, DJ Falcon, Todd Edwards, Chilly Gonzales, Giorgio Moroder, Panda Bear, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams & Pharrell Williams, featured artists; Thomas Bangalter, Julian Casablancas, Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo, DJ Falcon & Todd Edwards, producers; Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta, Guillaume Le Braz & Daniel Lerner, engineers/mixers; Antoine "Chab" Chabert & Bob Ludwig, mastering engineers)

Record of the Year:
Daft Punk, "Get Lucky" (Thomas Bangalter & Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo, producers; Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers/mixers; Antoine "Chab" Chabert & Bob Ludwig, mastering engineers)

Song of the Year:
Lorde, "Royals" (Joel Little & Ella Yelich O'Connor, songwriters)

Best Country Album:
Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Bruno Mars, Unorthodox Jukebox

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake, "Holy Grail"

Best Pop Solo Performance:
Lorde, "Royals"

Best Rock Song:
Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear, "Cut Me Some Slack"

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, "Get Lucky"

Best New Artist:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Best Rock Album:
Led Zeppelin, Celebration Day

Best Metal Performance:
Black Sabbath, "God Is Dead?"

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Pharrell Williams

Best Alternative Music Album:
Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

Best Rock Performance:
Imagine Dragons, "Radioactive"

Best Country Song:
Kacey Musgraves, "Merry Go 'Round" (Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne)

Best Country Solo Performance:
Darius Rucker, "Wagon Wheel"

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
the Civil Wars, "From This Valley"

Best Music Film:
Paul McCartney, Live Kisses (Jonas Åkerlund, video director; Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine and Scott Rodger, video producers)

Best Music Video:
Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z, "Suit and Tie" (David Fincher, video director; Timory King, video producer)

Best Blues Album:
Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite, Get Up!

Best R&B Album:
Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Rihanna, Unapologetic

Best R&B Song:
Justin Timberlake, "Pusher Love Girl" (James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley and Justin Timberlake, songwriters)

Best Traditional R&B Performance:
Gary Clark, Jr., "Please Come Home"

Best R&B Performance:
Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway, "Something"

Best Pop Instrumental Album:
Herb Alpert, Steppin' Out

Best Dance Recording:
Zedd Featuring Foxes, "Clarity"

Best Dance/Electronica Album:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

Best Rap Performance:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz, "Thrift Shop"

Best Rap Song:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz, "Thrift Shop" (Ben Haggerty and Ryan Lewis, songwriters)

Best Rap Album:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the Heist

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Michael Bublé, to Be Loved

Best New Age Album:
Laura Sullivan, Love's River

Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
Wayne Shorter, "Orbits"

Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Gregory Porter, Liquid Spirit

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
Terri Lyne Carrington, Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
Randy Brecker, Wlodek Pawlik Trio and Kalisz Philharmonic, Night in Calisia

Best Latin Jazz Album:
Paquito D'Rivera and Trio Corrente, Song for Maura

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance:
Tasha Cobbs, Break Every Chain

Best Gospel Song:
Tye Tribbett, "If He Did It Before . . . Same God"

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song:
Mandisa, "Overcomer" (David Garcia, Ben Glover and Christopher Stevens, songwriters)

Best Gospel Album:
Tye Tribbett, Greater Than

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Mandisa, Overcomer

Best Latin Pop Album:
Draco Rosa, Vida

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
La Santa Cecilia, Treinta Días

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea, A Mi Manera

Best Tropical Latin Album:
Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Pacific Mambo Orchestra

Best American Roots Song:
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, "Love Has Come for You" (Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, songwriters)

Best Americana Album:
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Old Yellow Moon

Best Bluegrass Album:
Del McCoury Band, The Streets of Baltimore

Best Reggae Album:
Ziggy Marley, Ziggy Marley in Concert

Best World Music Album:
Gipsy Kings, Savor Flamenco (tie)

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Live: Singing for Peace Around the World (tie)

Best Folk Album:
Guy Clark, My Favorite Picture of You

Best Regional Roots Music Album:
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Dockside Sessions

Best Children's Album:
Jennifer Gasoi, Throw A Penny In the Wishing Well

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling):
Stephen Colbert, America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't

Best Comedy Album:
Kathy Griffin, Calm Down Gurrl

Best Musical theater Album:
Kinky Boots

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Sound City: Real to Reel

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Skyfall, Thomas Newman, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media:
Adele, "Skyfall" (Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth, songwriters)

Best Instrumental Composition:
the Clare Fischer Orchestra, "Pensamientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra" (Clare Fischer, composer)

Best Instrumental Arrangement:
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, "on Green Dolphin Street" (Gordon Goodwin, arranger)

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s):
Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding, "Swing Low" (Gil Goldstein, arranger)

Best Recording Package:
Reckless Kelly, Long Night Moon (Sarah Dodds and Shauna Dodds, art directors)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package:
Paul McCartney and Wings, Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition) (Simon Earith and James Musgrave, art directors)

Best Album Notes:
John Coltrane, Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered and Expanded) (Neil Tesser, album notes writer)

Best Historical Album:
the Rolling Stones, Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965 (Teri Landi, andrew Loog Oldham and Steve Rosenthal, compilation producers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer) (tie)

Bill Withers, the Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums (Leo Sacks, compilation producer; Joseph M. Palmaccio, tom Ruff and Mark Wilder, mastering engineers)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories (Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta and Daniel Lerner, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer)

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical:
Lana Del Rey, "Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) (Cedric Gervais, Remixer)

Best Surround Sound Album:
Paul McCartney, Live Kisses (Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; tommy LiPuma, surround producer)

Best Engineered Album, Classical:
Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Winter Morning Walks (David Frost, Brian Losch and Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer)

Producer of the Year, Classical:
David Frost

Best Orchestral Performance:
Minnesota Orchestra, Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 (Osmo Vänskä, conductor)

Best Opera Recording:
the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Adès: the Tempest (Thomas Adès, conductor; Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna and Alan Oke; Luisa Bricetti and Victoria Warivonchick, producers)

Best Choral Performance:
Tui Hirv and Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir and Vox Clamantis, Pärt: Adam's Lament (Tõnu Kaljuste, conductor)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance:
Brad Wells and Roomful of Teeth, Roomful Of Teeth

Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
Albany Symphony, Corigliano: Conjurer - Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra (Evelyn Glennie; David Alan Miller, conductor)

Best Classical Vocal Solo:
Maria Schneider; Jay anderson, Frank Kimbrough and Scott Robinson; Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Winter Morning Walks (Dawn Upshaw)

Best Classical Compendium:
Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik, Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
Schneider, Maria: Winter Morning Walks, Maria Schneider, composer (Dawn Upshaw, Jay anderson, Frank Kimbrough, Scott Robinson and Australian Chamber Orchestra)

Still, at least Stephen Colbert won.

NME Awards 2014: The shortlist

This years NME awards are a bit of an oddity. Not so much the shortlisted bands - although the magazine's love for Lily Allen's Hard Out Here video is surprising - but the sponsorship:

Arctic Monkeys lead the nominations for the NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas, with a total of eight nominations split between the band and singer Alex Turner, including Best Album, Best Live Band and Best British Band.

The NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas. The awards are sponsored by a town in Texas.

Okay, it's a step forward from Lynx and weak lager and the other typical sponsors, and it's Austin rather than, oooh, Wichita Falls or Lubbock. But... is it just me, or is the phrase "the NME Awards with Austin Texas" really bizarre?

How bad are these nominations? Paul McCartney is on the list for best solo artist. Paul McCartney. Who made an album last year which - even with uncharacteristic generosity from the NME - was only worth 7/10 when the magazine reviewed it.

Chvrches only get on nomination; Savages get three but one of those is for 'best blog or twitter'.

Here's the shortlist in full:

Best British Band
Arctic Monkeys
Biffy Clyro
Disclosure
Foals
Palma Violets
Two Door Cinema Club

Best International Band supported by Austin, Texas
Arcade Fire
Haim
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Phoenix
Vampire Weekend
Queens Of The Stone Age

Best Solo Artist
David Bowie
Jake Bugg
Kanye West
Lorde
Lily Allen
Paul McCartney

Best New Band supported by Mossimo
Chvrches
Courtney Barnett
Drenge
Jagwar Ma
Swim Deep
Wolf Alice

Best Live Band
Arctic Monkeys
Biffy Clyro
Haim
Palma Violets
Queens Of The Stone Age
Savages

Best Album
Arctic Monkeys – 'AM'
Drenge – 'Drenge'
Kanye West – 'Yeezus'
Peace – 'In Love'
QOTSA – '…Like Clockwork'
Savages – 'Silence Yourself'

Best Track supported by Blackstar Amplification
Arcade Fire – 'Reflektor'
Arctic Monkeys – 'Do I Wanna Know?'
Daft Punk – 'Get Lucky'
Disclosure – 'White Noise'
Lily Allen – 'Hard Out Here'
Primal Scream – '2013'

Best Music Video
Arcade Fire – 'Reflektor'
Arctic Monkeys – 'Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?'
Eagulls – 'Nerve Endings'
Haim – 'Falling'
Lily Allen – 'Hard Out Here'
Pharell – 'Happy'

Best Festival
Bestival
Glastonbury
Latitude
Reading & Leeds
T In The Park
V

Best TV Show
Breaking Bad
Doctor Who
Fresh Meat
Game Of Thrones
Misfits
Sherlock

Best Music Film
Good Vibrations
Made Of Stone
Muscle Shoals
Muse - Live At Rome Olympic Stadium
The National: Mistaken For Strangers
Sound City

Best Reissue
The Beta Band, 'The Regal Years: 1997–2004'
The Breeders, 'LSXX (Last Splash 20th Anniversary Edition)'
Bob Dylan, 'Bootleg Series, Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971)'
The Clash, 'Sound System'
Nirvana, 'In Utero: 20th Anniversary Edition'
The Velvet Underground, ‘White Light/White Heat 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition’

Best Band Blog Or Twitter
Alana Haim, Haim
Albert Hammond Jr
Grimes
James Blunt
Jehnny Beth – Savages
Theo Hutchcraft, Hurts

Best Book
Alan McGee – 'Creation Stories'
Beck – 'Song Reader'
Bob Stanley – 'Yeah Yeah Yeah'
Mark Lewisohn – 'The Beatles – All These Years: Volume One: Tune In'
Morrissey – 'Autobiography'
Richard Hell – 'I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp'

Best Small Festival
Green Man
Festival Number 6
Kendall Calling
Rockness
Swn
Y Not

Best Fan Community
Arctic Monkeys
Hurts
Haim
Morrissey
Muse
Peace

Music Moment Of The Year
Arctic Monkeys headline Glastonbury
Kanye West brings Jesus on stage
Morrissey's autobiography is released
Noel and Damon come together for Teenage Cancer Trust
Pussy Riot are freed
Rolling Stones headline Glastonbury

Worst Band
30 Seconds To Mars
The 1975
Imagine Dragons
Muse
One Direction
The Wanted

Hero Of The Year
Alex Turner
David Bowie
Este Haim
Lou Reed
Pussy Riot
Russell Brand

Villain Of The Year
David Cameron
Harry Styles
Miley Cyrus
Robin Thicke
Russell Brand
Vladimir Putin

Macca chats to Lennon

Apparently Paul McCartney tries to talk to John Lennon when writing new songs. Which is more than he tried to do when John Lennon was alive, so that's the healing started, then.

"If I'm at a point where I go, 'I'm not sure about this,' I'll throw it across the room to John," he says. "He'll say, 'You can't go there, man.' And I'll say, 'You're quite right. How about this?' 'Yeah, that's better.' We'll have a conversation. I don't want to lose that."

It's possibly true. You could imagine a ghostly Lennon nodding earnestly as Paul showed him, say, Dance Around, encouraging Macca to rush down to the studio and record the thing.

And then turning and laughing his spectral heart out at persuading Paul to chip further away at his reputation by pumping out more subpar twaddle.

On the other hand, maybe McCartney's head his post-1980 output, and is simply trying to blame Lennon for making him do it.

How does Liam Gallagher do a divorce?

Like everything, he makes it sound like a disappointing attempt to copy something The Beatles have already done: He's hired the lawyer who did Paul McCartney's divorce.

Gordon in the morning: Helping young talent

If you place a glass against the Sun's paywall this morning, you can hear Gordon Smart excitedly announcing that there are going to be "big names" on Paul McCartney's album.

Yeah, because Paul McCartney is a man who needs help with his profile. Clearly, all that time he spent in The Beatles stopped him being thought of as a performer in his own right.

These "big names", by the way, are Mark Ronson and Giles "son of George" Martin. Giles being such a big name that his Wikipedia entry kicks off by mentioning his father and his half-brother.

Why are these two producers at the, um, peak of their powers being brought in, Gordon?

They hope it will take him back to the top of the pop charts.

Macca's solo studio albums in the last decade have got to 10, 5 and 2. It's not entirely clear that he needs Mark Ronson's help to get to the top of the charts.

These are Paul McCartney's pants, I swear

A jazz musician is trying to flog off what he reckons are Paul McCartney's old leather trousers.

Mike Hoggard claims Brian Epstein gave him the trews at the Cavern Club; Epstein was trying to persuade the band to wear suits instead of leather, apparently, and so was giving the clothes away. Look, apparently it says "Paul" in the trousers, so what further proof do you need?

Mr Hoggard, who has now owned the trousers for more than 50 years, said he recently rediscovered them when he was moving house.

He said his Yorkshire Jazz Band played regularly at the legendary Cavern Club between 1960 and 1961. At the time, a little-known band called The Beatles were their support group.

"The trousers were in a bag hanging up [in the dressing room]. Epstein said to take them because he wanted to get them out of the leather and into these suits.

"So I took them and I wore them. At the time they [The Beatles] weren't famous at all, so there was no sort of thought about 'I've got something that's massively invaluable' or anything like that, just I fancied a pair of leather trousers."

Mike's son-in-law reckons you can recognise the trousers in photos of the time, soon.

Hang on, though... were the Beatles being moved onto suits at this time?

Walter Smith made their suits for their first Granada TV appearance in 1962; that raises the possibility that McCartney was swanning round Liverpool without any trousers at all.

Mind you, while we're looking at the Beatle trousers, it's worth mentioning that after Smith had suited them up, London tailor Dougie Millings wasn't impressed. The band turned up to see him for suits shortly afterwards:

It all began in the fall of 1962, a time Dougie Millings remembered because it coincided with the release of the Beatles' first single, ''Love Me Do.'' Brian Epstein, the Beatles' manager, brought the group to Mr. Millings' shop at 63 Compton Street in the Soho section of London. There was a grand piano in the basement.

And how were the soon-to-be conquerors of the hearts of the world's teenage girls dressed? ''Well in hand-me-downs, really,'' Mr. Millings told GQ magazine in April 2000. ''Not well.''

Charming.

So far, Paul has been tight-lipped on if these are his trews or not. We'll keep you posted.

Paul McCartney sort-of-close-to-being-in-accident

I suppose even if you knew how many near-accidents take place in the sky, you might be slightly interested in an accident that didn't actually happen if Paul McCartney was involved:

The couple avoided a potentially fatal collision with the treetops with only two feet spare when the pilot managed to pull the chartered Sikorsky S-76C helicopter away from the danger and land safely at a nearby airport, reports the The Mail On Sunday.

If you transpose this story to another form of transport, it's akin to the Mail On Sunday running 'Idiot driving like a dick pulls out too sharply in front of Mick Jagger's taxi'.

Paul McCartney absolves Yoko of split responsibility

Dammit, are they going to have rehsoot the Buffy Yoko Factor episode? Paul McCartney has said you can't blame Ono for The Beatles splitting. He says so in an interview with What Is Presumably Now Just David Frost's Head In A Jar:

"She certainly didn't break the group up, the group was breaking up. When Yoko came along, part of her attraction was her avant garde side, her view of things, so she showed him another way to be, which was very attractive to him. So it was time for John to leave, he was definitely going to leave one way or another."

Actually, that doesn't quite say it wasn't down to Ono - 'she showed him there were other things in the world and so it was time for him to leave'. Perhaps you should try again, Paul:

McCartney goes on to say that without the support of Yoko Ono, he believes Lennon would not have written songs such as 'Imagine', adding: "I don't think he would have done that without Yoko, so I don't think you can blame her for anything."

Actually, if - but for Yoko - Imagine would never have been written, it sounds to me like there's something fairly massive you can blame her for. The existence of Imagine.

Paul finally gets round to blaming Alan Klein for the split. Which makes more sense. And how noble of him to only take forty years to getting round to trying to stop fans blaming Yoko.

Gordon in the morning: Listening to Paul McCartney

With people from News International being charged with illegal interception of Paul McCartney's telephone messages yesterday, how amusing that Gordon Smart has nabbed a front page with details of a conversation between Macca and someone else.

This time, though, the discussion has been lifted from Shortlist. (Yes, the UK's biggest-selling paid-for newspaper is offering its readers a lead story today copied from a giveaway magazine; unless the FT has copied its front page direct from the MK Citizen, I can't think of a worse bargain.)

The paper flashes this as an 'exclusive', by the way. If you see Gordon trying to shove every copy of Shortlist down his trousers to try and justify that claim of exclusivity, you'll know why.

McCartney has a beef that David Beckham isn't going to be playing for Team GB in the Olympics:

Macca, 70, who will top the showbiz bill at the curtain-raiser, told Shortlist magazine: “It would’ve been great for him to lead out our British football team.

"But some person somewhere said, ‘So-and-so’s playing better.’ Like it matters.”

I'm not a football fan, but isn't 'someone being better at playing the game' quite important?

That might explain how Ringo managed to stay the drummer in The Beatles:
- 'ey, Paul, d'you think we should get the best possible drummer?'
- 'No, let's not'

Given that this is just an old man moaning to a different magazine, and he clearly admits that choosing Beckham would make the team worse, Gordon Smart and story co-author Nick Parker wouldn't embarrass themselves, and us, and McCartney, and Beckham by actually suggesting to Team GB that Macca should be picking the team, would they?

Last night a Team GB source said former England hero Pearce would NOT be moved — and that Macca should Let It Be.

It looks like they did.

London shows why it's the perfect place to hold the Olympics

Obviously, there has to be some sort of compromise with gigs and noise levels. But pulling the plug on a McCartney/Springsteen hook-up in Hyde Park when it appeared to only have a minute or two left to run seems a bit extreme.

Still, the 'London pulls power on gig' cock-up story will help take some of the attention off the 'London security shambles' story for a while.

Yes, rules are rules, even for people who've sold a lot of records, but surely, if you don't feel you can let an event run past its scheduled end, you don't invite Bruce Springsteen? The man's live music overruns so badly he can't parp his car horn without it turning into a forty-minute jam.

The world could have been waking up to positive stories about the astonishing collaboration in Hyde Park last night; instead it's more knocking copy. Well done, everybody. Well done.

Paul McCartney endorses the Queen

Superbly feathered hats off to Paul McCartney, who manages to combine fawning over The Queen with epochal self-aggrandisement:

Asked what he thought of The Queen, McCartney said: "She is the rock n' roll queen. Weirdly enough, that is one of the things her reign will be remembered for. Queen Elizabeth I, we remember Raleigh; Queen Elizabeth II, it's gonna be the Beatles."

The case for the Queen being the Rock & Roll Queen is, of course, somewhat undermined by the way that every time the camera cut to her during Gary Barlow's concert for the Jubilee, her majesty was pulling a face like a professional mourner losing at a lemon-sucking competition.

And how modest of Mr McCartney to suggest that his achievements might be on a par with Raleigh - explorer, poet, spy and politician. Mind you, Raleigh ended up in disgrace and being executed, so not without his own equivalent of the Frog Chorus.

Gordon in the morning: Mexican wave

Paul McCartney did a massive free gig in Mexico - quarter of a million turned up, which is quite a thing. Gordon was inspired:

Macca’s massive Mexican...

You can see at this point in the headline there was a scramble for the dictionary - "what's a word for 'gig' that starts with m?". After what was probably ten minutes or so of going "Mexican mmmm... mumble? merriment?", this was the result:

Macca’s massive Mexican mash-up

Mash-up?

Still, I guess we should be thankful there wasn't any lazy Mexican stereotyping.

Sir Paul said: “It was quite emotional and exciting that people who might not be able to afford to come to our shows could come to this. It was like Beatlemania all over again.”

Except with a few sombreros and tortillas thrown in.

No stereotypes until the copy kicked in, that is.

Macca pats One Direction on the head; pats Noel on head for good measure

Well played, Paul McCartney. Obviously, he wouldn't want to snort derisively when a lightweight act gets garlanded with "the new Beatles" honours, because that would look snooty. So look how he managed to make 'like The Beatles? I don't think so' sound as if it was warm-hearted advice when on Daybreak:

“There are so many bands who all get called ‘the next Beatles’.

“Suddenly it puts an awful lot of pressure on them to be the next Beatles.”

“Oasis were ‘the next Beatles’ once if you remember. It’s a pressure, because suddenly you’ve got to live up to all the things that we did and it was a different time.

“So let’s just call them ‘the next terrific band’.”

You do wonder how long McCartney has been waiting for an opportunity to point out that all those people who called Oasis a modern Beatles were spectacularly wrong, don't you?

Gordon in the morning: It's just like the 1960s, except the 2010s jarring note

Gordon's story about Paul McCartney's invovlement in the next series of Mad Men is a little confused.

First, he's writing music:

Paul McCartney writes for hit telly series

But then, he's not actually writing, just licensing tracks:

The show's producers felt his new album mainly of American classics, Kisses On The Bottom, would be perfect for the show and moved swiftly to sign a deal.

But even that makes no sense - why would a series that pays attention to period detail the way Sun photographers pay attention to the cast of The Only Way Is Essex want Macca's new stuff? If you're trying to give a feel of the 1960s, how does McCartney's frankly-not-very-good collection of karaoke-filtered mostly 1930s stuff fit in?

Grammys 2012: The shortlist

It's going to be hard throwing a swanky awards bash in this economic climate. The temptation to be showy and flash must be avoided at all costs, while still keeping a sense of dignity. How are the Grammy organisers going with that?

Oh, yes. That ugly wrist choker is the official Grammy "timepiece" (implying there's no Grammy cuckoo clock this year) and comes in at just $1,395.

As ever, here's the full list of nominations; leap over to get to the chattery bit

1. Record Of The Year

Rolling In The Deep

Adele
Paul Epworth, producer; Tom Elmhirst & Mark Rankin, engineers/mixers
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]


Holocene

Bon Iver
Justin Vernon, producer; Brian Joseph & Justin Vernon, engineers/mixers
Track from: Bon Iver
[Jagjaguwar]


Grenade

Bruno Mars
The Smeezingtons, producers; Ari Levine & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra]


The Cave

Mumford & Sons
Markus Dravs, producer; Francois Chevallier & Ruadhri Cushnan, engineers/mixers
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]


Firework

Katy Perry
Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Sandy Vee, producers; Mikkel S. Eriksen, Phil Tan, Sandy Vee & Miles Walker, engineers/mixers
[Capitol]



2. Album Of The Year

21

Adele
Jim Abbiss, Adele, Paul Epworth, Rick Rubin, Fraser T. Smith, Ryan Tedder & Dan Wilson, producers; Jim Abbiss, Philip Allen, Beatriz Artola, Ian Dowling, Tom Elmhirst, Greg Fidelman, Dan Parry, Steve Price, Mark Rankin, Andrew Scheps, Fraser T. Smith & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]


Wasting Light

Foo Fighters
Butch Vig, producer; James Brown & Alan Moulder, engineers/mixers; Joe LaPorta & Emily Lazar, mastering engineers
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]


Born This Way

Lady Gaga
Paul Blair, DJ Snake, Fernando Garibay, Lady Gaga, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, Jeppe Laursen, RedOne & Clinton Sparks, producers; Fernando Garibay, Bill Malina, Trevor Muzzy, RedOne, Dave Russell, Justin Shirley Smith, Horace Ward & Tom Ware, engineers/mixers; Gene Grimaldi, mastering engineer
[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]


Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Bruno Mars
B.o.B, Cee Lo Green & Damian Marley, featured artists; Dwayne "Supa Dups" Chin-Quee, Needlz & The Smeezingtons, producers; Ari Levine & Manny Marroquin, engineers/mixers; Stephen Marcussen, mastering engineer
[Elektra]


Loud

Rihanna
Drake, Eminem & Nicki Minaj, featured artists; Ester Dean, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Alex Da Kid, Skylar Grey, Kuk Harrell, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mel & Mus, Awesome Jones, Makeba Riddick, The Runners, Sham, Soundz, Chris "Tricky" Stewart, Sandy Vee & Willy Will, producers; Ariel Chobaz, Cary Clark, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Alex Da Kid, Josh Gudwin, Kuk Harrell, Jaycen Joshua, Manny Marroquin, Dana Nielsen, Chad "C-Note" Roper, Noah "40" Shebib, Corey Shoemaker, Jay Stevenson, Mike Strange, Phil Tan, Brian "B-Luv" Thomas, Marcos Tovar, Sandy Vee, Jeff "Supa Jeff" Villanueva, Miles Walker & Andrew Wuepper, engineers/mixers; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
[Def Jam]



3. Song Of The Year

All Of The Lights

Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Roc-A-Fella; Publishers: Very Good Beats/Hip Hop Since 1978]


The Cave

Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]


Grenade

Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra; Publishers: Mars Force Music/Bughouse, Music Famamanem/Toy Plane Music/Art For Arts Sake/Late 80s Music/Westside Ind. Music/Studiobeat Music, Warner Tamerlane, Andrew Wyatt, Downtown DMP Songs]


Holocene

Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)
Track from: Bon Iver
[Jagjaguwar; Publisher: April Base Publishing]


Rolling In The Deep

Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records; Publishers: Universal-Songs of Polygram/EMI Music Publishing]



4. Best New Artist

The Band Perry

Bon Iver

J. Cole

Nicki Minaj

Skrillex


5. Best Pop Solo Performance

Someone Like You

Adele
Track from: 21
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]


Yoü And I

Lady Gaga
Track from: Born This Way
[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]


Grenade

Bruno Mars
Track from: Doo-Wops & Hooligans
[Elektra]


Firework

Katy Perry
[Capitol]


F***in’ Perfect

Pink
[Jive Records]



6. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Body And Soul

Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
Track from: Duets II
[Columbia Records]


Dearest

The Black Keys
Track from: Rave On Buddy Holly
[Fantasy]


Paradise

Coldplay
[Capitol Records]


Pumped Up Kicks

Foster The People
Track from: Torches
[Star Time Intl./Columbia]


Moves Like Jagger

Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera
Track from: Hands All Over
[A&M/Octone Records]



7. Best Pop Instrumental Album

Wish Upon A Star

Jenny Oaks Baker
[Shadow Mountain Records]


E Kahe Malie

Daniel Ho
[Daniel Ho Creations]


The Road From Memphis

Booker T. Jones
[Anti Records]


Hello Tomorrow

Dave Koz
[Concord Records]


Setzer Goes Instru-Mental!

Brian Setzer
[Surfdog Records]



8. Best Pop Vocal Album

21

Adele
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]


The Lady Killer

Cee Lo Green
[Radiculture/Elektra]


Born This Way

Lady Gaga
[Streamline/Interscope/Kon Live]


Doo-Wops & Hooligans

Bruno Mars
[Elektra]


Loud

Rihanna
[Def Jam]



9. Best Dance Recording

Raise Your Weapon

Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
Joel Zimmerman, producer
Track from: 4x4=12
[Ultra Records]


Barbra Streisand

Duck Sauce
Duck Sauce, producers; Duck Sauce, mixers
[Downtown Records]


Sunshine

David Guetta & Avicii
Avicii, David Guetta & Giorgio Tuinfort, producers; Avicii, mixer
Track from: Nothing But The Beat
[Virgin]


Call Your Girlfriend

Robyn
Klas Åhlund & Billboard, producers; Niklas Flyckt, mixer
Track from: Body Talk Pt. 3
[Interscope Records]


Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites

Skrillex
Skrillex, producer; Skrillex, mixer
Track from: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
[Big Beat/Atlantic]


Save The World

Swedish House Mafia
Steve Angello, Axel Hedfors & Sebastian Ingrosso, producers; Steve Angello, Axel Hedfors & Sebastian Ingrosso, mixers
[Astralwerks]



10. Best Dance/Electronica Album

Zonoscope

Cut/Copy
[Modular Recordings]


4x4=12

Deadmau5
[Ultra Records]


Nothing But The Beat

David Guetta
[Virgin Records]


Body Talk, Pt. 3

Robyn
[Interscope Records]


Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites

Skrillex
[Big Beat/Atlantic]



11. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Duets II

Tony Bennett & Various Artists
[Columbia Records]


The Gift

Susan Boyle
[Syco Music/Columbia Records]


In Concert On Broadway

Harry Connick Jr.
[Columbia Records]


Music Is Better Than Words

Seth MacFarlane
[Universal Republic]


What Matters Most - Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman

Barbra Streisand
[Columbia Records]



12. Best Rock Performance

Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

Coldplay
[Capitol Records/ EMI/ Parlophone]


Down By The Water

The Decemberists
Track from: The King Is Dead
[Capitol]


Walk

Foo Fighters
Track from: Wasting Light
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]


The Cave

Mumford & Sons
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]


Lotus Flower

Radiohead
Track from: The King Of Limbs
[XL/ TBD Recordings]



13. Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance

On The Backs Of Angels

Dream Theater
[Roadrunner Records]


White Limo

Foo Fighters
Track from: Wasting Light
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]


Curl Of The Burl

Mastodon
[Reprise Records]


Public Enemy No. 1

Megadeth
[Roadrunner Records]


Blood In My Eyes

Sum 41
Track from: Screaming Bloody Murder
[Island]



14. Best Rock Song

The Cave

Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
Track from: Sigh No More
[Glassnote Records]


Down By The Water

Colin Meloy, songwriter (The Decemberists)
Track from: The King Is Dead
[Capitol; Publisher: Osterozhna Music]


Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)
[Capitol Records/ EMI/ Parlophone; Publishers: Edition Pink Music/Hanseatic Musikverklag, Opal Music/Upala Music, Universal Music Publishing, Woulnough Music/Irving Music]


Lotus Flower

Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway & Thom Yorke, songwriters (Radiohead)
Track from: The King Of Limbs
[XL/ TBD Recordings; Publisher: Ticker Tape Ltd.]


Walk

Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
Track from: Wasting Light
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records; Publishers: M.J.-Twelve Music, I Love The Punk Rock Music, Living Under A Rock Music, Flying Earform Music, Ruthensmear Music]



15. Best Rock Album

Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul

Jeff Beck
[ATCO]


Wasting Light

Foo Fighters
[RCA Records/ Roswell Records]


Come Around Sundown

Kings Of Leon
[RCA Records]


I'm With You

Red Hot Chili Peppers
[WB]


The Whole Love

Wilco
[dBpm Records/ Anti Records]



16. Best Alternative Music Album

Bon Iver

Bon Iver
[Jagjaguwar]


Codes And Keys

Death Cab For Cutie
[Atlantic/ Barsuk]


Torches

Foster The People
[Star Time Intl./ Columbia]


Circuital

My Morning Jacket
[ATO Records]


The King Of Limbs

Radiohead
[XL/ TBD Records]



17. Best R&B Performance

Far Away

Marsha Ambrosius
Track from: Late Nights & Early Mornings
[J Records]


Pieces Of Me

Ledisi
Track from: Pieces Of Me
[Verve Forecast]


Not My Daddy

Kelly Price & Stokley
Track from: Kelly
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco]


Is This Love

Corinne Bailey Rae
Track from: The Love EP
[Capitol]


You Are

Charlie Wilson
Track from: Just Charlie
[Jive Records]



18. Best Traditional R&B Performance

Sometimes I Cry

Eric Benét
[Reprise]


Fool For You

Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
[Radiculture/Elektra]


Radio Message

R. Kelly
Track from: Love Letter
[Jive Records]


Good Man

Raphael Saadiq
Track from: Stone Rollin'
[Columbia Records]


Surrender

Betty Wright & The Roots
Track from: Betty Wright: The Movie
[Ms B Records & S-Curve Records]



19. Best R&B Song

Far Away

Marsha Ambrosius, Larrance Dopson, Lamar Edwards, Sterling Simms & Justin Smith, songwriters (Marsha Ambrosius)
Track from: Late Nights & Early Mornings
[J Records; Publishers: Marshmellow Music/SPZ Music/Downtown DMP Songs, N.Q.C. Music/F.O.B. Music, YS Publishing, Stone Agate Music]


Fool For You

Cee Lo Green, Melanie Halim, Jack Splash, songwriters (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)
[Radiculture/Elektra; Publishers: Jacks Love Emporium/Radiculture Publishing/EMI Blackwood Music, Chrysalis Music/God Given Music]


Not My Daddy

Kelly Price, songwriter (Kelly Price & Stokley)
Track from: Kelly
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco; Publishers: For The Write Price/Roynet]


Pieces Of Me

Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly & Ledisi Young, songwriters (Ledisi)
Track from: Pieces Of Me
[Verve Forecast]


You Are

Dennis Bettis, Carl M. Days, Jr., Wirlie Morris, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters (Charlie Wilson)
Track from: Just Charlie
[Jive Records; Publishers: Nephew Wirlie Music, Pacific Coast Pirate Publishing, P Ty Music, Escribir Publishing, Mammas Pebbly Publishing]



20. Best R&B Album

F.A.M.E.

Chris Brown
[Jive Records]


Second Chance

El DeBarge
[Geffen]


Love Letter

R. Kelly
[Jive Records]


Pieces Of Me

Ledisi
[Verve Forecast]


Kelly

Kelly Price
[My Block/Sang Girl/Malaco]



21. Best Rap Performance

Look At Me Now

Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
Track from: F.A.M.E.
[Jive Records]


Otis

Jay-Z & Kanye West
Track from: Watch The Throne
[Roc-A-Fella Records/Def Jam]


The Show Goes On

Lupe Fiasco
Track from: Lasers
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]


Moment 4 Life

Nicki Minaj & Drake
Track from: Pink Friday
[Cash Money/Universal Motown]


Black And Yellow

Wiz Khalifa
Track from: Rolling Papers
[Rostrum/Atlantic]



22. Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Party

Beyoncé & André 3000
Track from: 4
[Columbia Records]


I'm On One

DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
Track from: We The Best Forever
[Cash Money/Universal Motown]


I Need A Doctor

Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
[Aftermath]


What's My Name?

Rihanna & Drake
Track from: Loud
[Def Jam]


Motivation

Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
Track from: Here I am
[Universal Motown]


All Of The Lights

Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Def Jam]



23. Best Rap Song

All Of The Lights

Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
Track from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[Roc-A Fella; Publishers: Very Good Beats/Hip Hop Since 1978]


Black And Yellow

Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa)
Track from: Rolling Papers
[Rostrum/Atlantic; Publishers: PGH Sound/WB Music/EMI Music]


I Need A Doctor

Andre Young, Marshall Mathers III, Alexander Grant & Skylar Grey, songwriters (Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey)
[Aftermath]


Look At Me Now

Jean Baptiste, Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Trevor Smith, Dwayne Carter, Jr., Wesley Pentz & Nick Van De Wall, songwriters (Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)
Track from: F.A.M.E.
[Jive Records; Publishers: Songs of Universal/Culture Beyond Ur Experience, I Like Turtles Music/Downtown Music, Cherry315 Publishing/The Bad Bad Guys, Meloist Music, Mack Music/Young Money Publishing/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, T'Ziah's Music]


Otis

Shawn Carter & Kanye West, songwriters (James Brown, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Roy Hammond, J. Roach, Kirk Robinson & Harry Woods, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
Track from: Watch The Throne
[Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam; Publishers: Hip Hop Since 1978, EMI Robbins, BMG Gold/Hot Buttermilk Music/BMG Platinum/First Priority/Swing Beat Songs, Universal Music, Dynatone Publishing]


The Show Goes On

Dustin William Brower, Jonathon Keith Brown, Daniel Johnson, Kane & Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriters (Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci & Eric Judy, songwriters) (Lupe Fiasco)
Track from: Lasers
[1st & 15th/Atlantic; Publishers: Hey Lu Chill, Heavy As Heaven/Universal/Artist Pub. Group West, Dustin William Brown Pub. Designee, Jonathan K. Brown Pub. Designee, Sony/ATV, Best Dressed Chicken In Town, Tschudi Music, Ugly Casanova]



24. Best Rap Album

Watch The Throne

Jay-Z & Kanye West
[Def Jam]


Tha Carter IV

Lil Wayne
[Cash Money/Young Money/Universal Republic]


Lasers

Lupe Fiasco
[1st & 15th/Atlantic]


Pink Friday

Nicki Minaj
[Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown]


My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West
[Def Jam]



25. Best Country Solo Performance

Dirt Road Anthem

Jason Aldean
[Broken Bow Records]


I'm Gonna Love You Through It

Martina McBride
[Republic Nashville]


Honey Bee

Blake Shelton
Track from: Red River Blue
[Warner Bros. Records]


Mean

Taylor Swift
Track from: Speak Now
[Big Machine Records]


Mama's Song

Carrie Underwood
Track from: Play On
[Arista Nahville]



26. Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Don't You Wanna Stay

Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
[Broken Bow Records]


You And Tequila

Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter
[BNA Records]


Barton Hollow

The Civil Wars
Track from: Barton Hollow
[Sensibility Music LLC]


Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not

Thompson Square
Track from: Thompson Square
[Stoney Creek Records]



27. Best Country Song

Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not

Jim Collins & David Lee Murphy, songwriters (Thompson Square)
Track from: Thompson Square
[Stoney Creek Records; Publishers: Sexy Tractor Music/Hope-N-Cal Music, Old Desperados/N2D Publishing]


God Gave Me You

Dave Barnes, songwriter (Blake Shelton)
[Warner Bros.; Publisher: No Gang Music]


Just Fishin'

Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell & Ed Hill, songwriters (Trace Adkins)
[Show Dog-Universal Music; Publishers: Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music/Six Ring Circus Songs; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Five Hills Music]


Mean

Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
Track from: Speak Now
[Big Machine Records; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, Taylor Swift Music]


Threaten Me With Heaven

Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Will Owsley & Dillon O’Brian, songwriters (Vince Gill)
[MCA Nashville]


You And Tequila

Matraca Berg & Deana Carter, songwriters (Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter)
[BNA Records]



28. Best Country Album

My Kinda Party

Jason Aldean
[Broken Bow Records]


Chief

Eric Church
[EMI Records Nashville]


Own The Night

Lady Antebellum
[Capitol Records Nashville]


Red River Blue

Blake Shelton
[Warner Bros. Records]


Here For A Good Time

George Strait
[MCA Nashville]


Speak Now

Taylor Swift
[Big Machine Records]



29. Best New Age Album

Northern Seas

Al Conti
[Shadowside Music]


Gaia

Michael Brant DeMaria
[Ontos Music]


Wind, Rock, Sea & Flame

Peter Kater
[Point Of Light Records]


What's It All About

Pat Metheny
[Nonesuch]


Instrumental Oasis, Vol. 6

Zamora
[Z-Records]



30. Best Improvised Jazz Solo

All Or Nothing At All

Randy Brecker, soloist
Track from: The Jazz Ballad Song Book (Randy Brecker With DR Big Band)
[Half Note]


You Are My Sunshine

Ron Carter, soloist
Track from: This Is Jazz (Donald Harrison, Ron Carter & Billy Cobham)
[Half Note]


500 Miles High

Chick Corea, soloist
Track from: Forever (Corea, Clarke & White)
[Concord Records]


Work

Fred Hersch, soloist
Track from: Alone At The Vanguard
[Palmetto Records]


Sonnymoon For Two

Sonny Rollins, soloist
Track from: Road Shows Vol. 2
[Doxy/Emarcy/Decca]



31. Best Jazz Vocal Album

'Round Midnight

Karrin Allyson
[Concord Jazz]


The Mosaic Project

Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists
[Concord Jazz]


The Gate

Kurt Elling
[Concord Jazz]


American Road

Tierney Sutton (Band)
[BFM Jazz]


The Music Of Randy Newman

Roseanna Vitro
[Motéma Music]



32. Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Bond: The Paris Sessions

Gerald Clayton
[Emarcy/Decca]


Forever

Corea, Clarke & White
[Concord Records]


Alone At The Vanguard

Fred Hersch
[Palmetto Records]


Bird Songs

Joe Lovano/Us Five
[Blue Note]


Road Shows Vol. 2

Sonny Rollins
[Doxy/Emarcy/Decca]


Timeline

Yellowjackets
[Mack Avenue Records]



33. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

The Jazz Ballad Song Book

Randy Brecker With DR Big Band
[Half Note]


The Good Feeling

Christian McBride Big Band
[Mack Avenue Records]


40 Acres And A Burro

Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
[Zoho]


Legacy

Gerald Wilson Orchestra
[Mack Avenue Records]


Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook

Miguel Zenón
[Marsalis Music]



34. Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

Do Everything

Steven Curtis Chapman
Track from: re:Creation
[Sparrow Records]


Alive (Mary Magdalene)

Natalie Grant
Track from: Music Inspired By The Story
[WOW Joint Venture/EMI CMG]


Your Love

Brandon Heath
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records]


Jesus

Le'Andria Johnson
Track from: The Awakening Of Le'Andria Johnson
[Music World Gospel]


I Lift My Hands

Chris Tomlin
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us...
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]



35. Best Gospel Song

Hello Fear

Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
Track from: Hello Fear
[Verity Gospel Music Group/Fo Yo Soul Ent.; Publisher: Aunt Gertrude Music]


Sitting With Me

Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Tammi Haddon, songwriters (Mary Mary)
Track from: Something Big
[Columbia Records; Publishers: Precious Baby Music/T Bella Music/EMI April Music, It's Tea Tyme, That's Plum Song]


Spiritual

Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes)
Track from: YRM (Your Righteous Mind)
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publisher: Quiet Water Entertainment]


Trust Me

Richard Smallwood, songwriter (Richard Smallwood & Vision)
Track from: Promises
[Verity Gospel Music Group; Publishers: Universal-Z Tunes/T.Autumn Music]


Window

Canton Jones, songwriter (Canton Jones)
Track from: Dominionaire
[Cajo Records; Publisher: CAJO Music]



36. Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

Blessings

Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)
Track from: Blessings
[Fair Trade Services; Publishers: New Spring/Gleaning Publishing]


Hold Me

Jamie Grace Harper, Toby McKeehan & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac)
[Gotee Records; Publishers: Universal Music, Brentwood Benson Tunes, Songs of Third Base/Chriscendo Music, Meaux Mercy/Achtober Songs]


I Lift My Hands

Louie Giglio, Matt Maher & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)
Track from: And If Our God Is For Us...
[Sparrow Records/sixstepsrecords; Publishers: sixsteps Music/worshiptogether.com Songs/Vamos Publishing/Thankyou Music/spiritandsong.com Publishing]


Strong Enough

Matthew West, songwriter (Matthew West)
Track from: The Story Of Your Life
[Sparrow Records; Publishers: External Combustion Music/Songs For Delaney/Songs of Southside Independent Music]


Your Love

Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)
Track from: Leaving Eden
[Reunion Records; Publishers: Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Big Skwawka Music, Sony/ATV Timber Publishing/Windsor Hill Music]



37. Best Gospel Album

The Love Album

Kim Burrell
[Shanachie Entertainment]


The Journey

Andraé Crouch
[Riverphlo Entertainment]


Hello Fear

Kirk Franklin
[Verity Gospel Music Group/ Fo Yo Soul Ent.]


Something Big

Mary Mary
[Columbia Records]


Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition

Trin-I-Tee 5:7
[Music World Gospel]



38. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Ghosts Upon The Earth

Gungor
[Brash Music]


Leaving Eden

Brandon Heath
[Reunion Records]


The Great Awakening

Leeland
[Essential Records]


What If We Were Real

Mandisa
[Sparrow Records]


Black & White

Royal Tailor
[Essential Records]


And If Our God Is For Us...

Chris Tomlin
[Sparrow Records / sixstepsrecords]



39. Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album

Entren Los Que Quieran

Calle 13
[Sony Music]


Entre La Ciudad Y El Mar

Gustavo Galindo
[Surco/Universal Music Latino]


Nuestra

La Vida Bohème
[Nacional Records]


Not So Commercial

Los Amigos Invisibles
[Nacional Records]


Drama Y Luz

Maná
[Warner Music Mexico]



40. Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album

Bicentenario

Pepe Aguilar
[Venemusic]


Orale

Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
[Shea Records/East Side Records]


Amor A La Musica

Mariachi Los Arrieros Del Valle
[Los Arrieros]


Eres Un Farsante

Paquita La Del Barrio
[Balboa Records, Co]


Huevos Rancheros

Joan Sebastian
[Fonovisa]



41. Best Banda Or Norteño Album

Estare Mejor

El Güero Y Su Banda Centenario
[A.R.C. Discos]


Intocable 2011

Intocable
[Good I Music]


Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends

Los Tigres Del Norte
[Fonovisa]


El Árbol

Los Tucanes De Tijuana
[Fonovisa]


No Vengo A Ver Si Puedo... Si Por Que Puedo Vengo

Michael Salgado
[Zurdo Records]



42. Best Tropical Latin Album

Homenaje A Los Rumberos

Edwin Bonilla
[Sonic Projects Records]


The Last Mambo

Cachao
[Eventus/Sony Music Latin]


Mongorama

José Rizo's Mongorama
[Saungu Records]



43. Best Americana Album

Emotional Jukebox

Linda Chorney
[Dance More Less War Records]


Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down

Ry Cooder
[Perro Verde Records LLC/Nonesuch]


Hard Bargain

Emmylou Harris
[Nonesuch]


Ramble At The Ryman

Levon Helm
[Vanguard/Dirt Farmer Music]


Blessed

Lucinda Williams
[Lost Highway Records]



44. Best Bluegrass Album

Paper Airplane

Alison Krauss & Union Station
[Rounder]


Reason And Rhyme: Bluegrass Songs By Robert Hunter & Jim Lauderdale

Jim Lauderdale
[Sugar Hill Records]


Rare Bird Alert

Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
[Rounder]


Old Memories: The Songs Of Bill Monroe

The Del McCoury Band
[McCoury Music]


A Mother's Prayer

Ralph Stanley
[Rebel Records]


Sleep With One Eye Open

Chris Thile & Michael Daves
[Nonesuch]



45. Best Blues Album

Low Country Blues

Gregg Allman
[Rounder]


Roadside Attractions

Marcia Ball
[Alligator]


Man In Motion

Warren Haynes
[Stax Records]


The Reflection

Keb Mo
[Yolabelle International/Ryko Records]


Revelator

Tedeschi Trucks Band
[Masterworks]



46. Best Folk Album

Barton Hollow

The Civil Wars
[Sensibility Music LLC]


I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive

Steve Earle
[New West Records]


Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes
[Sub Pop]


Ukulele Songs

Eddie Vedder
[Monkeywrench Inc./Universal Republic]


The Harrow & The Harvest

Gillian Welch
[Acony Records]



47. Best Regional Roots Music Album

Can't Sit Down

C.J. Chenier
[World Village]


Wao Akua - The Forest Of The Gods

George Kahumoku, Jr.
[Daniel Ho Creations]


Rebirth Of New Orleans

Rebirth Brass Band
[Basin Street Records]


Grand Isle

Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
[Mamou Playboy Records]


Not Just Another Polka

Jimmy Sturr & His Orchesta
[Starr Record]



48. Best Reggae Album

Harlem-Kingston Express Live!

Monty Alexander
[Motéma Music]


Reggae Knights

Israel Vibration
[Mediacom/VPAL]


Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life

Stephen Marley
[Tuff Gong/Universal Republic]


Wild And Free

Ziggy Marley
[Tuff Gong Worldwide]


Summer In Kingston

Shaggy
[Ranch Entertainment]



49. Best World Music Album

AfroCubism

AfroCubism
[World Circuit/Nonesuch]


Africa For Africa

Femi Kuti
[Knitting Factory Records]


Songs From A Zulu Farm

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
[Razor & Tie]


Tassili

Tinariwen
[Anti Records]



50. Best Children's Album

All About Bullies... Big And Small

(Various Artists)
James Cravero, Gloria Domina, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara & Patrick Robinson, producers
[Cool Beans Music & East Coast Recording Co.]


Are We There Yet?

The Papa Hugs Band
[Indie]


Fitness Rock & Roll

Miss Amy
[Ionian Productions, Inc]


GulfAlive

The Banana Plant
[The Banana Plant]


I Love: Tom T. Hall's Songs Of Fox Hollow

(Various Artists)
Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, producers
[Red Beet Records]



51. Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)

Bossypants

Tina Fey
[Hachette Audio]


Fab Fan Memories - The Beatles Bond

(Various Artists)
Nathan Burbank, Bryan Cumming, Dennis Scott & David Toledo, producers
[WannaBeats Records]


Hamlet (William Shakespeare)

Dan Donohue & Various Artists - Oregon Shakespeare Festival
[Blackstone Audio Inc]


If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)

Betty White
[Penguin Audio]


The Mark Of Zorro

Val Kilmer & Cast
[Blackstone Audio Inc.]



52. Best Comedy Album

Alpocalypse

"Weird Al" Yankovic
[Jive Records]


Finest Hour

Patton Oswalt
[Comedy Central Records]


Hilarious

Louis C.K.
[Comedy Central Records]


Kathy Griffin: 50 & Not Pregnant

Kathy Griffin
[Universal Network Television]


Turtleneck & Chain

The Lonely Island
[Universal Republic]



53. Best Musical Theater Album

Anything Goes

Sutton Foster & Joel Grey, principal soloists; Rob Fisher, James Lowe & Joel
Moss, producers (Cole Porter, composer/lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)
[Ghostlight Records]


The Book Of Mormon

Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, principal soloists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez,
Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)
[Ghostlight Records]


How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

John Larroquette & Daniel Radcliffe, principal soloists; Robert Sher, producer
(Frank Loesser, composer/lyricist) (The 2011 Broadway Cast Recording)
[Decca]



54. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1

(Various Artists)
[Elektra]


Burlesque

Christina Aguilera
[RCA Records]


Glee: The Music, Volume 4

(Glee Cast)
[Columbia Records]


Tangled

(Various Artists)
[Walt Disney Records]


True Blood: Volume 3

(Various Artists)
[WaterTower Music]



55. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media

Black Swan

Clint Mansell, composer
[Sony Classical/Fox Music]


Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Alexandre Desplat, composer
[WaterTower Music]


The King's Speech

Alexandre Desplat, composer
[Decca]


The Shrine

Ryan Shore, composer
[Screamworks]


Tron Legacy

Daft Punk, composers
[Walt Disney Records]



56. Best Song Written For Visual Media

Born To Be Somebody (From Never Say Never)

Diane Warren, songwriter (Justin Bieber)
Track from: Never Say Never The Remixes
[Island/Raymond Braun/School Boy]


Christmastime Is Killing Us (From Family Guy)

Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane & Danny Smith, songwriters (Danny Smith, Ron Jones & Seth MacFarlane)
[Fox Music]


I See The Light (From Tangled)

Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, songwriters (Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi)
Track from: Tangled
[Walt Disney Records; Publishers: Wonderland Music/Walt Disney Music]


So Long (From Winnie The Pooh)

Zooey Deschanel, songwriter (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward)
Track from: Winnie The Pooh
[Walt Disney Records; Publisher: Walt Disney Music]


Where The River Goes (From Footloose)

Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Drew Pearson & Anne Preven, songwriters (Zac Brown)
Track from: Footloose
[Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville; Publishers: Weimerhound Publishing,Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, CYP Two Publishing, Lil Dub Music/Angelika Music]


You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me (From Burlesque)

Diane Warren, songwriter (Cher)
Track from: Burlesque
[RCA Records; Publisher: Realsongs]



57. Best Instrumental Composition

Falling Men

John Hollenbeck, composer (John Hollenbeck, Daniel Yvinec & Orchestre National de Jazz (ONJ))
Track from: Shut Up And Dance
[BEE JAZZ / Abeille Musique]


Hunting Wabbits 3 (Get Off My Lawn)

Gordon Goodwin, composer (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
Track from: That's How We Roll
[Telarc International]


I Talk To The Trees

Randy Brecker, composer (Randy Brecker With DR Big Band)
Track from: The Jazz Ballad Song Book
[Half Note]


Life In Eleven

Béla Fleck & Howard Levy, composers (Béla Fleck & The Flecktones)
Track from: Rocket Science
[eOne Music]


Timeline

Russell Ferrante, composer (Yellowjackets)
Track from: Timeline
[Mack Avenue Records]



58. Best Instrumental Arrangement

All Or Nothing At All

Peter Jensen, arranger (Randy Brecker With DR Big Band)
Track from: The Jazz Ballad Song Book
[Half Note]


In The Beginning

Clare Fischer, arranger (The Clare Fischer Big Band)
Track from: Continuum
[Clare Fischer Productions/Clavo Records]


Nasty Dance

Bob Brookmeyer, arranger (The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra)
Track from: Forever Lasting - Live In Tokyo
[Planet Arts Recordings]


Rhapsody In Blue

Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
Track from: That's How We Roll
[Telarc International]


Song Without Words

Carlos Franzetti, arranger (Carlos Franzetti & Allison Brewster Franzetti)
Track from: Alborada
[Amapola Records]



59. Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

Ao Mar

Vince Mendoza, arranger (Vince Mendoza)
Track from: Nights On Earth
[HORIZONTAL]


Moon Over Bourbon Street

Nicola Tescari, arranger (Sting & The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra)
Track from: Sting Live In Berlin
[Deutsche Grammophon]


On Broadway

Kevin Axt, Ray Brinker, Trey Henry, Christian Jacob & Tierney Sutton, arrangers (The Tierney Sutton Band)
Track from: American Road
[BFM Jazz]


Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)

Jorge Calandrelli, arranger (Tony Bennett & Queen Latifah)
Track from: Duets II
[RPM/Columbia Records]


The Windmills Of Your Mind

William A. Ross, arranger (Barbra Streisand)
Track from: What Matters Most - Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman
[Columbia Records]



60. Best Recording Package

Chickenfoot III

Todd Gallopo, art director (Chickenfoot)
[eOne Music]


Good Luck & True Love

Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)
[No Big Deal Records]


Rivers And Homes

Jonathan Dagan, art director (J.Viewz)
[Jorjia Music]


Scenes From The Suburbs

Vincent Morisset, art director (Arcade Fire)
[Merge Records]


Watch The Throne

Virgil Abloh, art director (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
[Def Jam]



61. Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package

The King Of Limbs

Donald Twain & Zachariah Wildwood, art directors (Radiohead)
[ATO Records]


The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story

Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)
[Columbia Records]


25th Anniversary Music Box

Matt Taylor & Ellen Wakayama, art directors (Danny Elfman & Tim Burton)
[WB]


25 Years

James Spindler, art director (Sting)
[A&M Records/Cherrytree Records/UMe]


Wingless Angels - Deluxe Edition

David Gorman, art director (Wingless Angels)
[Mindless Records, LLC]



62. Best Album Notes

The Bang Years 1966-1968

Neil Diamond, album notes writer (Neil Diamond)
[Columbia/Legacy]


The Bristol Sessions, 1927-1928: The Big Bang Of Country Music

Ted Olson & Tony Russell, album notes writers (Various Artists)
[Bear Family]


Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology

Ken Shipley, album notes writer (Syl Johnson)
[The Numero Group]


Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s

Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)
[Arhoolie Records]


The Music City Story: Street Corner Doo Wop, Raw R&B And Soulful Sounds From Berkeley, California 1950-75

Alec Palao, album notes writer (Various Artists)
[Ace Records]



63. Best Historical Album

Band On The Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection - Deluxe Edition)

Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Sam Okell & Steve Rooke, mastering engineers (Paul McCartney & Wings)
[Hear Music]


The Bristol Sessions, 1927-1928: The Big Bang Of Country Music

Christopher C. King & Ted Olson, compilation producers; Christopher C. King & Chris Zwarg, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
[Bear Family]


Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology

Tom Lunt, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton, mastering engineer (Syl Johnson)
[The Numero Group]


Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s

Chris Strachwitz, compilation producer; Mike Cogan, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
[Arhoolie Records]


Young Man With The Big Beat: The Complete '56 Elvis Presley Masters

Ernst Mikael Jorgensen, compilation producer; Vic Anesini, mastering engineer (Elvis Presley)
[RCA/Legacy]



64. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Follow Me Down

Brandon Bell & Gary Paczosa, engineers; Sangwook "Sunny" Nam & Doug Sax, mastering engineers (Sarah Jarosz)
[Sugar Hill Records]


The Harrow & The Harvest

Matt Andrews, engineer; Stephen Marcussen, mastering engineer (Gillian Welch)
[Acony Records]


Music Is Better Than Words

Rich Breen & Frank Filipetti, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Seth MacFarlane)
[Universal Republic]


The Next Right Thing

Kevin Killen, Brendan Muldowney & John Shyloski, engineers; John Shyloski, mastering engineer (Seth Glier)
[MPress Records]


Paper Airplane

Mike Shipley, engineer; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)
[Rounder]



65. Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi Present Rome (Gilda Buttá, Luciano Ciccaglioni, Gegé Munari, Dario Rosciglione, Antonello Vannucchi et al) (A)
Meyrin Fields EP (Broken Bells) (S)

Paul Epworth

Call It What You Want (Foster The People) (T)
I Would Do Anything For You (Foster The People) (T)
I'll Be Waiting (Adele) (T)
Life On The Nickel (Foster The People) (T)
No One's Gonna Love You (Cee-Lo Green) (S)
Rolling In The Deep (Adele) (T)

The Smeezingtons

Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Bruno Mars) (A)
If I Was You (OMG) (Far East Movement Featuring Snoop Dogg) (T)
Lighters (Bad Meets Evil Featuring Bruno Mars) (T)
Mirror (Lil Wayne Featuring Bruno Mars) (T)
Rocketeer (Far East Movement Featuring Ryan Tedder of One Republic) (T)

Ryan Tedder

Brighter Than The Sun (Colbie Caillat) (T)
Favorite Song (Colbie Caillat Featuring Common) (T)
I Remember Me (Jennifer Hudson) (T)
I Was Here (Beyoncé) (T)
Not Over You (Gavin DeGraw) (S)
#1Nite (One Night) (Cobra Starship) (S)
Rumour Has It (Adele) (T)
Sweeter (Gavin DeGraw) (T)
Who's That Boy (Demi Lovato Featuring Dev) (T)

Butch Vig

Wasting Light (Foo Fighters) (A)


66. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical

Cinema (Skrillex Remix)

Sonny Moore, remixer (Benny Benassi)
Track from: Electroman
[Ultra Records]


Collide (Afrojack Remix)

Afrojack, remixer (Leona Lewis)
[RCA/Syco Music]


End Of Line (Photek Remix)

Photek, remixer (Daft Punk)
Track from: Tron: Legacy Reconfigured
[Walt Disney Records]


Only Girl (In The World) (Rosabel Club Mix)

Abel Aguilera & Ralphi Rosario, remixers (Rihanna)
[Island Def Jam]


Rope (Deadmau5 Mix)

Deadmau5, remixer (Foo Fighters)
Track from: Wasting Light: Deluxe
[RCA/Roswell Records]



67. Best Surround Sound Album

An Evening With Dave Grusin

Frank Filipetti & Eric Schilling, surround mix engineers; Frank Filipetti, surround mastering engineer; Phil Ramone, surround producer (Various Artists)
[Telarc]


Grace For Drowning

Steven Wilson, surround mix engineer; Paschal Byrne, surround mastering engineer; Steven Wilson, surround producer (Steven Wilson)
[K-Scope]


Kind

Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Kjetil Almenning, Ensemble 96 & Nidaros String Quartet)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]


Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition)

Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)
[USM/UMe/Polydor]


Spohr: String Sextet In C Major, Op. 140 & Nonet In F Major, Op. 31

Andreas Spreer, surround mix engineer; Andreas Spreer, surround mastering engineer; Andreas Spreer, surround producer (Camerata Freden)
[Tacet]



68. Best Engineered Album, Classical

Aldridge: Elmer Gantry

Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
[Naxos]


Glazunov: Complete Concertos

Richard King, engineer (José Serebrier, Alexey Serov, Wen-Sinn Yang, Alexander Romanovsky, Rachel Barton Pine, Marc Chisson & Russian National Orchestra)
[Warner Classics]


Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide

Tom Lazarus & Bill Maylone, engineers; Joe Lambert, mastering engineer (Rinde Eckert, Steven Mackey & Eighth Blackbird)
[Cedille Records]


Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4

Arne Akselberg, engineer (Leif Ove Andsnes, Antonio Pappano & London Symphony Orchestra)
[EMI Classics]


Weinberg: Symphony No. 3 & Suite No. 4 From 'The Golden Key'

Torbjörn Samuelsson, engineer (Thord Svedlund & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra)
[Chandos]



69. Producer Of The Year, Classical

Blanton Alspaugh

Aldridge: Elmer Gantry (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas (Peter Takács)
Osterfield: Rocky Streams (Paul Osterfield, Todd Waldecker & Various Artists)

Manfred Eicher

Bach: Concertos & Sinfonias For Oboe; Ich Hatte Viel Bekümmernis (Heinz Holliger, Eric Höbarth & Camerata Bern)
Hymns & Prayers (Gidon Kremer & Kremerata Baltica)
Manto & Madrigals (Thomas Zehetmair & Ruth Killius)
Songs Of Ascension (Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble, Todd Reynolds Quartet, The M6 & Montclair State University Singers)
Tchaikovsky/Kissine: Piano Trios (Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite & Khatia Buniatishvili)
A Worcester Ladymass (Trio Mediaeval)

David Frost

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Live (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass)
Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide (Rinde Eckert, Steven Mackey & Eighth Blackbird)
Prayers & Alleluias (Kenneth Dake)
Sharon Isbin & Friends - Guitar Passions (Sharon Isbin & Various Artists)

Peter Rutenberg

Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (Patrick Dupré Quigley, James K. Bass, Seraphic Fire & Professional Choral Institute)
The Vanishing Nordic Chorale (Philip Spray & Musik Ekklesia)

Judith Sherman

Adams: Son Of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet (John Adams, St. Lawrence String Quartet & International Contemporary Ensemble)
Capricho Latino (Rachel Barton Pine)
85th Birthday Celebration (Claude Frank)
Insects & Paper Airplanes - Chamber Music Of Lawrence Dillon (Daedalus Quartet & Benjamin Hochman)
Midnight Frolic - The Broadway Theater Music Of Louis A. Hirsch (Rick Benjamin & Paragon Ragtime Orchestra)
Notable Women - Trios By Today's Female Composers (Lincoln Trio)
The Soviet Experience, Vol. 1 - String Quartets By Dmitri Shostakovich & His Contemporaries (Pacifica Quartet)
Speak! (Anthony De Mare)
State Of The Art - The American Brass Quintet At 50 (The American Brass Quintet)
Steve Reich: WTC 9/11; Mallet Quartet; Dance Patterns (Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich Musicians & So Percussion)
Winging It - Piano Music Of John Corigliano (Ursula Oppens)


70. Best Orchestral Performance

Bowen: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2

Andrew Davis, conductor (BBC Philharmonic)
[Chandos]


Brahms: Symphony No. 4

Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
[Deutsche Grammaphon]


Haydn: Symphonies 104, 88 & 101

Nicholas McGegan, conductor (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra)
[Philharmonia Baroque Productions]


Henze: Symphonies Nos. 3-5

Marek Janowski, conductor (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin)
[Wergo]


Martinu: The 6 Symphonies

Jirí Belohlávek, conductor (BBC Symphony Orchestra)
[Onyx Classics]



71. Best Opera Recording

Adams: Doctor Atomic

Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
[Sony Classical]


Britten: Billy Budd

Mark Elder, conductor; John Mark Ainsley, Phillip Ens, Jacques Imbrailo, Darren Jeffery, Iain Paterson & Matthew Rose; James Whitbourn, producer (London Philharmonic Orchestra; Glyndebourne Chorus)
[Opus Arte]


Rautavaara: Kaivos

Hannu Lintu, conductor; Jaakko Kortekangas, Hannu Niemelä, Johanna Rusanen-Kartano & Mati Turi; Seppo Siirala, producer (Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra; Kaivos Chorus)
[Ondine]


Verdi: La Traviata

Antonio Pappano, conductor; Joseph Calleja, Renée Fleming & Thomas Hampson; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus)
[Opus Arte]


Vivaldi: Ercole Sul Termodonte

Fabio Biondi, conductor; Romina Basso, Patrizia Ciofi, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Vivica Genaux, Philippe Jaroussky, Topi Lehtipuu & Rolando Villazón; Daniel Zalay, producer (Europa Galante; Coro Da Camera Santa Cecilia Di Borgo San Lorenzo)
[Virgin Classics]



72. Best Choral Performance

Beyond All Mortal Dreams - American A Cappella

Stephen Layton, conductor (Choir Of Trinity College Cambridge)
[Hyperion Records]


Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45

Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; James K. Bass, chorus master (Justin Blackwell, Scott Allen Jarrett, Paul Max Tipton & Teresa Wakim; Professional Choral Institute & Seraphic Fire)
[Seraphic Fire Media]


Kind

Kjetil Almenning, conductor (Nidaros String Quartet; Ensemble 96)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]


Light & Gold

Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King's Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers)
[Decca]


The Natural World Of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen

Paul Hillier, conductor (Ars Nova Copenhagen)
[Dacapo Records]



73. Best Small Ensemble Performance

Frank: Hilos

Gabriela Lena Frank; ALIAS Chamber Ensemble
[Naxos]


The Kingdoms Of Castille

Richard Savino, conductor; El Mundo
[Sono Luminus]


Mackey: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide

Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird
[Cedille Records]


A Seraphic Fire Christmas

Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; Seraphic Fire
[Seraphic Fire Media]


Sound The Bells!

The Bay Brass
[Harmonia Mundi]



74. Best Classical Instrumental Solo

Chinese Recorder Concertos - East Meets West

Lan Shui, conductor; Michala Petri (Copenhagen Philharmonic)
[OUR Recordings]


Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18; Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini

Claudio Abbado, Yuja Wang (Mahler Chamber Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammaphon]


Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4

Leif Ove Andsnes, Antonio Pappano (London Symphony Orchestra)
[EMI Classics]


Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra

Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony)
Track from: Schwantner: Chasing Light…
[Naxos]


Winging It - Piano Music Of John Corigliano

Ursula Oppens
[Cedille Records]



75. Best Classical Vocal Solo

Diva Divo

Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L'Opéra National De Lyon)
[Virgin Classics]


Grieg/Thommessen: Veslemøy Synsk

Marianne Beate Kielland (Nils Anders Mortensen)
[2L (Lindberg Lyd)]


Handel: Cleopatra

Natalie Dessay (Emmanuelle Haïm; Le Concert D'Astrée)
[Virgin Classics]


Purcell: O Solitude

Andreas Scholl (Stefano Montanari; Christophe Dumaux; Accademia Bizantina)
[Decca]


Three Baroque Tenors

Ian Bostridge (Bernard Labadie; Mark Bennett, Andrew Clarke, Sophie Daneman, Alberto Grazzi, Jonathan Gunthorpe, Benjamin Hulett & Madeline Shaw; The English Concert)
[EMI Classics]



76. Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Aldridge, Robert: Elmer Gantry

Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein
[Naxos]


Crumb, George: The Ghosts Of Alhambra

George Crumb
Track from: Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 15
[Bridge Records, Inc.]


Friedman, Jefferson: String Quartet No. 3

Jefferson Friedman
Track from: Jefferson Friedman: Quartets
[New Amsterdam Records]


Mackey, Steven: Lonely Motel - Music From Slide

Steven Mackey
[Cedille Records]


Ruders, Poul: Piano Concerto No. 2

Poul Ruders
Track from: Music Of Poul Ruders, Vol. 6
[Bridge Records, Inc.]



77. Best Short Form Music Video

Rolling In The Deep

Adele
Sam Brown, video director; Hannah Chandler, video producer
[XL Recordings/Columbia Records]


Yes I Know

Memory Tapes
Eric Epstein, video director; Eric Epstein, video producer
[Carpark Records]


All Is Not Lost

OK Go
Itamar Kubovy, Damian Kulash Jr & Trish Sie, video directors; Shirley Moyers, video producer
[Paracadute]


Lotus Flower

Radiohead
Garth Jennings, video director; Garth Jennings, video producer
[XL/TBD Records]


First Of The Year (Equinox)

Skrillex
Tony Truand, video director; Noah Klein, video producer
[Big Beat/Atlantic]


Perform This Way

"Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic, video director; Cisco Newman, video producer
[Jive Records]



78. Best Long Form Music Video

I Am...World Tour

Beyoncé
Ed Burke, Frank Gatson Jr. & Beyoncé Knowles, video directors; Beyoncé Knowles & Camille Yorrick, video producers
[Columbia Records/Music World]


Foo Fighters: Back And Forth

Foo Fighters
James Moll, video director; James Moll & Nigel Sinclair, video producers
[Exclusive Media Group/RCA Records/Back & Fort]


Talihina Sky: The Story Of Kings Of Leon

Kings Of Leon
Stephen C. Mitchell, video director; Casey McGrath, video producer
[RCA/Kings of Leon]


Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest

A Tribe Called Quest
Michael Rapaport, video director; Robert Benavides, Debra Koffler, Eric Matthies, Frank Mele, Edward Parks & A Tribe Called Quest, video producers
[Jive/Legacy]


Nine Types Of Light

TV On The Radio
Tunde Adebimpe, video director; Michelle An & Braj, video producers
[Interscope/Geffen/A&M]

ade
Phew. And remember, this is after they've cut things down.

The "historical album" category seems a bit strange - most of the nominations suggest it's supposed to be about collecting and celebrating forgotten parts of the musical past, which is a great thing to do, but then slam bang in the middle there's a re-release of a Wings album.

The best Wings album, admittedly, but still, it's a re-release. And has the air of 'how can we try and persuade Paul McCartney to show up this year?' to it.

I was going to say that Bon Iver looked like this year's Mumford and Sons, but somehow Mumfords have turned up again. I know there's an element of "I saw them at the Falcon" about this, but since they won last year there's become something less loveable about them. It's like someone discovering you like olives, and then forcing olives on you at every opportunity; what was once a delicious flavour to have mixed in with the others has become too dominant in the dish.

Adele's accession suffers from a different, but related problem. Her album was about as good as you'd get in a multi-million selling record, but has already become so overfamiliar it's surprising to see it's only just now coming up for consideration by the Grammy Committee. It's already become so much part of the furniture, it's as much a historical relic as Band On The Run.

It's all irrelevant of course; any shortlist for anything other than 'what shall we throw off the plane to make it lighter' that contains Bruno Mars clearly isn't meant to be taken seriously.