Reggae Gets Shut Out of the Grammy Compilation Album

The award that all musicians strive for, and whose recognition they yearn, is The Grammy!  This coveted trophy represents the highest standard of excellence in music supported by a collective of music makers who vote.

Every year, and prior to the television broadcast of the big night (this year the Grammy’s will air on CBS on February 8^th, 2015 from 8pm to 11:30pm EST), the Grammy’s releases their compilation album called Grammy Nominees Album.

My only bone to pick with the committee who puts together this compilation is their consistent shutting out of categories like Reggae Album of the Year and Gospel Recording of the Year.  Why can’t they be more diverse instead of being predictable?!  Anyways, here’s the tracklist:

1.  Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

(Record of the Year / Song of the Year / Best Pop Solo Performance)

2.  Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – Fancy

(Record of the Year)

Pharrell Williams

3.  Ed Sheeran – Sing

(Album of the Year / Best Pop Vocal Album)

4.  Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – Problem  

(Best Pop Vocal Album)

5.  Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass

(Record of the Year / Song of the Year)

6.  Katty Perry ft. Juicy J – Dark Horse

(Best Pop Vocal Album)

7.  Coldplay – A Sky Full of Stars

(Best Pop Vocal Album)

8.  Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball

(Best Pop Vocal Album)

9.  Sia – Chandelier

(Record of the Year / Song of the Year / Best Pop Solo Performance)

10.  John Legend – All of Me (Live)

(Best Pop Solo Performance)

11.  Hozier – Take Me to Church

(Song of the Year)

12.  Beyoncé ft. Jay Z – Drunk in Love

(Album of the Year)

13.  Pharrell Williams – Come Get It Bae

(Album of the Year)

14.  Sam Smith – Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)

(Record of the Year / Album of the Year / Song of the Year / Best Pop Solo Performance / Best Pop Vocal Album)

15.  Beck – Blue Moon

(Album of the Year)

16.  Keith Urban ft. Eric Church – Raise Em Up

(Best Country Duo or Group Performance)

17.  The Band Perry – Gentle on the Mind

(Best Country Duo or Group Performance)

18.  Tim McGraw ft. Faith Hill – Meanwhile Back At Mama’s

(Best Country Duo or Group Performance)

19.  Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood – Somethin Bad

(Best Country Duo or Group Performance)

20.  Little Big Town – Day Drinking

(Best Country Duo or Group Performance)

21.  Pharrell Williams – Happy (Live)

(Best Pop Solo Performance)

Log on to www.grammy.com for more info…

How Beyonce's 'Beyonce' Stayed Secret Until the Day of Release?!

Without announcement or fanfare, Beyonce’s fifth album, simply entitled ‘Beyonce,’ arrived Friday morning at midnight, and was released without a lead single being released, without promotional video being released, no special performance, and no marketing campaign.  14 Tracks and multiple producers and no one knew it was coming!  How did she do this without a single leak?! 

A lot of code names!  Not only did Beyonce use a lot of code names (according to Andrew Hampp of Billboard Magazine), King Bey used a lot of shifting deadlines which meant that producers and her team were unsure of the actual release date f her album.  What’s more, the final plans regarding the release wasn’t in place until last week.  To tell you how important Bey’s fans are to her, she says “I miss that immersive experience," she says, of watching music videos like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as a family, as a mass event. "Now people only listen to a few seconds of a song on the iPods and they don’t really invest in the whole experience. It’s all about the single, and the hype. It’s so much that gets between the music and the art and the fans. I felt like, I don't want anybody to get the message, when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans." 

On the executive level, final meetings were held with Columbia, Parkwood (Beyonce’s management company) late last week, and with iTunes to finalize plans for the album, which was code-named “Lily” to avoid leaks. Another final meeting announcing the album to employees and producers was held at Columbia on Thursday, Dec. 12. Only the most senior executives at iTunes, the album’s exclusive distributor until a planned physical release on Dec. 21, were clued in on the plans. 

As for promo plans, Beyonce is in the midst of wrapping up the U.S. leg of her Mrs. Carter Tour, which plays New York’s Barclays Center next Thursday (Dec. 19.) Though plans were still being finalized, a screening event featuring a theatrical presentation of the 14 videos are being prepared.