Grammy Awards - MultiMedia

The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards), presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music Awards, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, make up the rest). However, the Grammys, usually held in February, (last of what are considered the “big three” music awards shows, including the BMA and AMA shows) are considered the approximate equivalent to the Oscars, in the music world.

Like the Oscars, the Grammys, which currently have 108 categories within 30 genres of music such as pop, gospel, and rap, are voted upon by peers (voting members of the Recording Academy) rather than being based upon popularity like the AMAs or sales and chart achievements like the BMAs.

The awards are named for the trophy which the winner receives—a small gilded statuette of a gramophone, handcrafted by Billings Artworks. The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the more prominent Grammys are presented in a widely-viewed televised ceremony.

Some feel that Grammys tend to go to either well-established artists or those being hyped by the recording industry. In fact, many popular artists such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Pink Floyd, Kenny Rogers, The Rolling Stones, Metallica, Van Halen, and Ozzy Osbourne have been awarded very few Grammys. Mariah Carey had only won two Grammy awards up until the awards of 2006; she now has won a total of five. Significant, long-lived rock bands like Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, AC/DC, and Motley Crue have received none. On the other hand, U2 has received 22 awards to date.

Of the “big three” music awards shows, the Grammys are the highest rated.

Unlike the Academy Awards, for which the eligibility period begins January 1, the eligibility period for the Grammys begins October 1, which results in September being considered the Christmas sales period for the music industry (in which artists generally release big albums to qualify for the next year’s Grammy). For example, John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s album Double Fantasy was released in November, 1980, a month-and-a-half too late to qualify for the 1981 Grammys; it was entered for the 1982 awards and eventually won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

The Grammys are currently broadcast on CBS. Prior to the first live Grammys telecast in 1971 on ABC (CBS bought the rights in 1973 after moving the ceremony to Nashville, Tennessee; the American Music Awards were created for ABC as a result), a series of taped annual specials in the 1960s called The Best on Record were broadcast on NBC.

2014 Grammy Awards

The following is a list of nominees:

General

Record of the Year

“Get Lucky” – Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams
- Thomas Bangalter & Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo, producers; Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer

Album of the Year

Random Access Memories – Daft Punk
- 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; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer

Song of the Year

“Royals”
- Ella Yelich O’Connor, Joel Little, songwriters (Lorde)

Best New Artist

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Pop

Best Pop Solo Performance

“Royals” – Lorde

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

“Get Lucky” – Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams

Best Pop Instrumental Album

Steppin’ Out – Herb Alpert

Best Pop Vocal Album

Unorthodox Jukebox – Bruno Mars

Dance/Electronica

Best Dance Recording

“Clarity” – Zedd featuring Foxes
- Anton Zaslavski, producer and mixer (Zedd)

Best Dance/Electronica Album

Random Access Memories – Daft Punk

Traditional Pop

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

To Be Loved – Michael Bublé

Rock

Best Rock Performance

“Radioactive” – Imagine Dragons

Best Metal Performance

“God Is Dead?” – Black Sabbath

Best Rock Song

“Cut Me Some Slack”
- Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, songwriters (Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear)

Best Rock Album

Celebration Day – Led Zeppelin

Alternative

Best Alternative Music Album

Modern Vampires of the City – Vampire Weekend

R&B

Best R&B Performance

“Something'” – Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway

Best Traditional R&B Performance

“Please Come Home” – Gary Clark, Jr.

Best R&B Song

“Pusher Love Girl”
- James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Unapologetic – Rihanna

Best R&B Album

Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys

Rap

Best Rap Performance

“Thrift Shop” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

“Holy Grail” – Jay-Z featuring Justin Timberlake

Best Rap Song

“Thrift Shop”
- Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz)

Best Rap Album

The Heist – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Country

Best Country Solo Performance

“Wagon Wheel” – Darius Rucker

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“From This Valley” – The Civil Wars

Best Country Song

“Merry Go ‘Round”
- Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)

Best Country Album

Same Trailer Different Park – Kacey Musgraves

New Age

Best New Age Album

Love’s River – Laura Sullivan

Jazz

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

“Orbits”
- Wayne Shorter, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Liquid Spirit – Gregory Porter

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue – Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Night In Calisia – Randy Brecker, Włodek Pawlik Trio & Kalisz Philharmonic

Best Latin Jazz Album

Song For Maura – Paquito D’Rivera and Trio Corrente

Gospel/Contemporary Christian

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

“Break Every Chain” (Live) – Tasha Cobbs

Best Gospel Song

“If He Did It Before… Same God” (Live)
- Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

“Overcomer”
- David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)

Best Gospel Album

Greater Than (Live) – Tye Tribbett

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Overcomer – Mandisa

Latin

Best Latin Pop Album

Vida – Rosa

Best Latin Rock Urban or Alternative Album

Treinta Días – La Santa Cecilia

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

A Mi Manera – Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea

Best Tropical Latin Album

Pacific Mambo Orchestra – Pacific Mambo Orchestra

American Music

Best American Song

“Love Has Come For You”
- Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriters (Steve Martin & Edie Brickell)

Best Americana Album

Old Yellow Moon — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

Best Bluegrass Album

The Streets Of Baltimore — Del McCoury Band

Best Blues Album

Get Up! — Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite

Best Folk Album

My Favorite Picture Of You — Guy Clark

Best Regional Music Album

Dockside Sessions — Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience

Reggae

Best Reggae Album

Ziggy Marley In Concert – Ziggy Marley

World Music

Best World Music Album

Savor Flamenco – Gipsy Kings (tie)
Live: Singing for Peace Around The World – Ladysmith Black Mambazo (tie)

Children’s

Best Children’s Album

Throw A Penny In The Wishing Well – Jennifer Gasoi

Spoken Word

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

America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren’t – Stephen Colbert

Comedy

Best Comedy Album

Calm Down Gurrl – Kathy Griffin

Musical Show

Best Musical Theater Album

Kinky Boots
- Billy Porter & Stark Sands, principal soloists; Sammy James, Jr., Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Oremus & William Wittman, producers; Cyndi Lauper, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

Sound City: Real to Reel – Dave Grohl & Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Skyfall
- Thomas Newman, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media

“Skyfall” (from Skyfall)
- Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

Composing/Arranging

Best Instrumental Composition

“Pensamientos For Solo Alto Saxophone And Chamber Orchestra”
- Clare Fischer, composer (The Clare Fischer Orchestra)

Best Instrumental Arrangement

“On Green Dolphin Street”
- Gordon Goodwin, arranger (Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

“Swing Low”
- Gil Goldstein, arranger (Bobby McFerrin & Esperanza Spalding)

Crafts

Best Recording Package

Long Night Moon
- Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition)
- Simon Earith & James Musgrave, art directors (Paul McCartney and Wings)

Best Album Notes

Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered & Expanded)
- Neil Tesser, album notes writer (John Coltrane)

Best Historical Album

Charlie Is My Darling – Ireland 1965 (tie)
- Teri Landi, Andrew Loog Oldham & Steve Rosenthal, compilation producers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (The )
The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums (tie)
- Leo Sacks, compilation producer; Joseph M. Palmaccio, Tom Ruff & Mark Wilder, mastering engineers (Bill Withers)

Production

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Random Access Memories
- Peter Franco, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta & Daniel Lerner, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer (Daft Punk)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

Pharrell Williams
- “BBC” (Jay-Z)
- “Blurred Lines” (Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell)
- “Happy” (Pharrell Williams)
- “I Can’t Describe (The Way I Feel)” (Jennifer Hudson featuring T.I.)
- “Nuclear” (Destiny’s Child)
- “Oceans” (Jay-Z featuring Frank Ocean)
- “Reach Out Richard” (Mayer Hawthorne)
- “The Stars Are Ours” (Mayer Hawthorne)

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical

“Summertime Sadness” (Cedric Gervais Remix)
- Cedric Gervais, remixer (Lana Del Rey)

Production, Surround Sound

Best Surround Sound Album

Live Kisses
- Al Schmitt, surround mix engineer; Tommy LiPuma, surround producer (Paul McCartney)

Production, Classical

Best Engineered Album, Classical

Winter Morning Walks
- David Frost, Brian Losch & Tim Martyn, engineers; Tim Martyn, mastering engineer (Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra & Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical

David Frost
- Andres: Home Stretch (Timo Andres, Andrew Cyr & Metropolis Ensemble)
- Angel Heart, A Music Storybook (Matt Haimovitz & Uccello)
- Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 (Jonathan Biss)
- Ben-Haim: Chamber Works (ARC Ensemble)
- Celebrating The American Spirit (Judith Clurman & Essential Voices USA)
- Elgar: Enigma Variations; Vaughan Williams: The Wasps; Greensleeves (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
- Guilty Pleasures (Renée Fleming, Sebastian Lang-Lessing & Philharmonia Orchestra)
- Verdi: Otello (Riccardo Muti, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Krassimira Stoyanova, Carlo Guelfi, Chicago Symphony Chorus & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
- Winter Morning Walks (Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra & St. Paul Chamber Orchestra)

Classical

Best Orchestral Performance

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4
- Osmo Vänskä (conductor), Minnesota Orchestra

Best Opera Recording

Adès: The Tempest
- Thomas Adès (conductor); Simon Keenlyside, Isabel Leonard, Audrey Luna, Alan Oke (soloists); Luisa Bricetti and Victoria Warivonchick (producers)

Best Choral Performance

Performers who are not eligible for an award (such as orchestras, soloists or choirs) are mentioned in parentheses

Pärt: Adam’s Lament
- Tõnu Kaljuste (conductor) (with Tui Hirv & Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga & Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir & Vox Clamantis)