Saving Country Music’s 2015 Grammy Awards LIVE Blog
Welcome ladies and gentlemen as we join together as disenfranchised music fans to commiserate, contemplate, and at times downright mock the spectacle that will transpire in front of our very eyes at the 57th Grammy Awards, while not completely dismissing the idea of giving credit when something of merit occurs, or recognizing someone worthy of recognition when they actually get recognized. So get your refreshing fingers ready, feel free to pipe up in the comments section below if you feel so inclined, and let’s have a fair fight.
For a preview of what to expect during the show, click on the link below.
All times Central time.
WARNING: LANGUAGE
Just Give The Damn Thing to Sturgill: A 57th Annual Grammy Awards Complete Preview
10:45 – Definitely a strange year for the Grammy Awards from the country music perspective. There just wasn’t much country music to be had, two of the performances were butt up together and truncated, and Miranda Lambert was sort of a let down. The night started off with a strange vibe when Sturgill Simpson got shut out for a Grammy opportunity, but there’s always next year. Big night for Sam Smith. And a big night for Beck, which seems to be some justice for real music. Overall, it was a night of sedated performances attempting to reach for spiritual moments, aside from Madonna who struck the exact opposite in a blatant cry for attention. As always the Grammy Awards afford an interesting paradox or rewarding talent, while seeming to let commercial interests weigh too much into the decisions. Sam Smith is this year’s Adele, and an American music institution is once again dominated by a Brit. Something tells me this was an off year for the Grammys in the vacuum of no real meaningful trends or superstars emerging in music. Next year will be different.
10:37 – Welp folks, that’s it. I’ll compose some final thoughts, and get out of here. THANK YOU for following along, commenting, liking, tweeting, reposting etc. etc.
10:33 – John Legend and Common carrying on the theme of the night of spirituals and Gospel tunes replacing bubblegum pop and big production performances. No “Shake It Off.” No “All About That Bass.” Instead we get non-commercial songs focused more on emphasizing artists and their talents instead of driving iTunes sales for the coming days.
10:29 – Beyonce starts off the final performance slot, performing a gospel number, all in white, and singing from the soul like few other singers in country or anywhere else can.
10:25 – Pharell next to dancing Taylor Swift, recommended by Markf in the comments section.
10:20 – Grammys paying tribute to fallen country stars including “Little” Jimmy Dickens, Bob Montgomery, George Hamilton IV, and others that the CMA’s and ACM’s don’t even acknowledge.
10:16 – All these assholes in the crowd talking over this very important presentation about trying to keep music monetized.
10:15 – That’s the problem with money Taylor Swift, you can always have more of it. But at what cost? You could have kept writing songs by yourself and walk away from nights like this with hardware.
10:09 – Taylor Swift was all “Just read the damn winner” as Jamie Foxx and Stevie Wonder were doing their blind bit. Maybe Max Martin will let her touch her Grammy after he screwed up her career.
10:07 – The Grammy for Record of the Year goes to Sam Smith for “Stay With Me.”
10:03 – I enjoyed Beck’s “Morning Phase” just fine, but just like this song, it was mostly textures.
10:01 – Dave Grohl giving well-deserved credit to David Letterman to his service to music over the years.
10:00 – Ha! Seeing a lot of folks on Twitter thinking it was over. We still got 30 more minutes folks!
9:58 – An emerging thread to tonight: Taylor Swift goes pop, eliminating her from getting any country awards, and now she’s not getting any pop/mainstream awards either. One of the most decorated artists of this generation, and she’s come up empty now on multiple shows. Keep counting that money, because that’s all that’s left.
9:56 – Yes, Roger Miller! Too bad it’s on a freaking commercial.
9:55 – Hey Grammy Awards, let these people freaking speak, especially for these top awards! This is one of the biggest moments in their lives, and you’re not allowing them to say anything. LAME!
9:54 – The Grammy for Song of the Year goes to Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.”
9:53 – Yes, the music Antichrist Max Martin won Producer of the Year, so that’s another thing to be disappointed with.
9:52 – I have no idea what the fuck is going on right now. Is there an artist tied to this “performance”? Is this “Sia”? I’m all for the abstract, but that was all just sort of creepy.
9:50 – How did I all of a sudden get transported into a French art film?
9:46 – Prince all…
9:45 – 90% of the sheep at home have no idea who Beck is.
9:44 – And what happened with Katy Perry’s hair? It went from sheer straight black to looking like something you’d eat on a stick at a Mexican carnival.
9:42 – They don’t wait until the end of the show to give away the biggest award?
9:41 – I called it bitches, check below. A Dark Horse emerges.
9:40 – The Grammy for Album of the Year goes to Beck for “Morning Phase.”
9:39 – Prince makes a surprise appearance in an orange outfit, and the crowd goes crazy.
9:38 – What will be around longer, this Juanes dude, Johnny Manziel’s football career, or Bruce Jenner’s penis?
9:36 – Juanes is very very average Latin music. Why is this on my television? So much talent down there, this guy is completely nondescript.
9:30 – Sam Smith looks like the sound of an 80’s one hit wonder.
9:26 – Ugh. Another hour of this stuff. Someone make dinner for me.
9:23 – As cool as it is to see McCartney getting face time with big current stars, this song and performance does absolutely nothing for me. And you could fit two Hillary Clintons in Rahooney’s pant suit.
9:20 – Excellent, understated performance by Dwight Yoakam and Brandy Clark. Every country performer would kill to have Dwight singing harmony for them. Word is they “bonded” on the Eric Church tour they both opened on, so I guess it’s somewhat appropriate they follow Chief. Still, wish they had a little more time, and a higher profile spot. Three country performances, and one was rock, and the two other were back to back.
9:18 – Oh come on, you put Brandy Clark and Dwight Yoakam on the other stage?!?
9:16 – Seriously, “Give Me Back My Hometown” is a pretty good song from Eric Church or anyone, and I’m glad he chose it compared to some of the other choices he could have made. Also it’s appropriate because it was up for Best Country Song.
9:15 – Pizza Hut! Woot woot!
9:15 – …but Eric Church is better than Bro-Country, does right by his fans, books cool openers on tour (qualifier, qualifier, etc. etc.)
9:14 – Don’t be so insensitive people! Eric Church doesn’t wear sunglasses because he thinks he’s so cool, he actually has a medical condition ….. called raging narcissistic assholia.
9:10 – Real picture from the Grammy Awards, courtesy of Ryan Adams.
9:07 – Stevie Wonder is lucky as hell he didn’t have to see that Madonna performance tonight like the rest of us.
9:04 – Watching performances from Usher, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, even Kanye West, and comparing them most country awards performances, you can clearly see country doesn’t get that it’s the era of the song and the performance. Leave your lasers, explosions, and legions of backup dancers for your stadium shows.
9:01 – George Wein really is the man. Good to see him getting some recognition. Remember it was at the Newport Folk Festival where Kris Kristofferson and many more were broken.
9:00 – Tony Bennett – The only older performer the entire night that hasn’t had “work.” Props to him for that.
8:59 – Poor Gaga, she’s fallen on such hard times, not only can’t she not afford to be delivered to the Grammys in an egg, she has to roll in Cheetos to sport a tan.
8:58 – The only way Tony Bennett would agree to work with Lady Gaga is if she stopped projectile vomiting on him.
8:56 – A lot of support on Twitter to say Katy Perry was channeling Princess Leia. But without the buns, I can’t go there.
8:54 – As we speak, Tom Petty is sitting back, stroking his goatee slowly, and pondering who he’ll sue next for ripping off one of his songs. “Enie menie miney mo, that sure sounds like something from “Damn The Torpedoes.”
8:50 – Nonetheless, can find too much fault in the performance, or the presentation. Where was this at the Super Bowl?
8:49 – The problem with Katy Perry trying to deliver a heartfelt performance is that this time last week she was flying around a stadium with sparks shooting out her ass and dancing with Sesame Street-style sharks.
8:45 – President Obama gives a speech on domestic violence, and then a abuse survivor tells her story. I think we’re getting a similar moment to last year’s mass marriage.
8:41 – Back to Miranda Lambert winning Best Country Album: Painfully, painfully predictable. At the Oscars in a few weeks, they’ll be highlighting the best achievements in the medium. In music, and specifically country, we shine a spotlight on the “just okay” because we think it will score the widest appeal. That’s what the ACM’s are for. The Grammy Awards should have more dignity.
8:37 – Yes, Pharell is dressed funny. No dignity going after the low hanging fruit.
8:36 – Whoa, Jackie Chan on the ivories! You’re hired!
8:34 – And Sturgill couldn’t even pull off the “Best Americana Album” award.
8:33 – On the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds is at #8, Eric Church’s The Outsiders is at #9, Miranda Lambert’s Platinum is at #10, and the rest aren’t even in the Top 25.
8:33 – Right now Sturgill Simpson’s album is charting better at #8 than any of the Grammy’s “Best Country Album” nominees.
8:32 – The Grammy for Best Country Album goes to Miranda Lambert’s “Platinum.”
8:30 – Damn Annie, one more time, but with feeling.
8:29 – Annie Lennox is as ever-present on these award shows as Sheryl Crow. But she can bring it.
8:25 – The only Hozier’s I know are all from Canada, but I’m finding it hard to be offended by this performance beyond homeboy’s sparkly guitar.
8:18 – Gwen, what happened to that ska punk princess I had the hots for in ’95? You’ve been worked over into a reality show plastic star.
8:16 – 100% chance Gwen Stefani is lip syncing.
8:14 – So far the rock performers are outclassing everyone else. A guitar, a microphone, a true sentiment, and no need for lights, explosions, or legions of demon dancers.
8:11 – Was never a huge ELO fan, but Jeff Lynne may be one of the most unheralded architects of American music. A Traveling Wilbury, and the secret ingredient behind Tom Petty’s success.
8:09 – John Mayer can play guitar, but the sales associate at Guitar Center shouldn’t have allowed him to walk out of the girls section with that weak axe. Fender, get on a sponsorship.
8:07 – Don’t know much about Ed Sheeran’s music, but every time I’ve seen him, he seems like an affable, organic performer and songwriter. Not opposed to seeing him be on the good end of further success. As usual, the Brits outclass most of the pop stars from The States.
8:04 – The Grammy for Best R&B Performance goes to Beyonce.
8:03 – Now to the awards I don’t care about even if I try.
7:58 – To expound a little bit more on the Miranda Lambert performance, it’s nights like these where country music has the opportunity to sell its virtues to the rest of the world. When they see a performance like Miranda’s, they just wonder what the hell is going on with the genre. Miranda has some great songs she could have showcased.
7:57 – Glad Beck won for the record.
7:56 – Beck looks like a traveling elementary school puppeteer these days. My theory that he could have a big night is in tact.
7:54 – The Grammy for Best Rock Album goes to Beck for “Morning Phase.”
7:53 – Even Bacchus is like “Madonna, please. Close your legs.”
7:53 – Some things you just can’t unsee. This is just … wrong.
7:50 – I’m far from a prude, but what’s up with all the Satan imagery Madonna? Jesus.
7:48 – Madonna. You’re a grandmother.
7:45 – Nice. So Kanye has the Auto-Tune turned so high he’s not even trying to hide it. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to hear it as a vocal effect, or if he can’t hit pitch for shit.
7:42 – Just a warning folks, getting so much damn traffic the server might crash… Hold on out there.
7:38 – Sam Smith wins the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. Looks like it’s going to be Sam Smith’s night.
7:36 – Not a mIranda hater, but I would have preferred she do something with more heart. Worst performance of the night so far, and it’s from a country woman. Good job country.
7:35 – Miranda says “shit,” and the censors bleep out about 12 seconds of the song. Ha! Got to give Miranda credit for going for it!
7:34 – Yes, the turbine backdrop is appropriate for this Miranda Lambert performance, because this blows. (har har)
7:33 – One of only three “country” performances in these 3 1/2 hours … and it’s a rock song.
7:32 – Miranda calls it an “Attitude song.” “They can get old if you don’t do ‘em right,” she says. “I don’t want to keep doing the same type of attitude song, I’ve got to change them up.”
7:30 – So apparently Miranda is coming up. She’s doing her current single “Little Red Wagon” says Saving Country Music’s super secret inside sources.
7:26 The Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance goes to “Happy” by by the curiously-hatless Pharrell.
7:24 – So far the performances have been pleasantly tolerable. Hopefully we can keep it up.
7:21 – Not sure why Tom Jones is looking like Fredrick Douglas these days, but his voice hasn’t aged a bit.
7:18 – Ariana Grande is lip-syncing. 100% sure. My sure fire lip-sync alarms are going crazy.
7:18 – Say what you want, but Ariana Grande was the tastiest $4.25 I ever spent at Starbucks.
7:16 – Also interesting to see the Grammys give out an award so early, and to blow their “Here’s Taylor Swift” wad. Usually we’d be watching so godawful pop performance right now.
7:14 – Would have been great to see Brandy Clark win Best New Artist, but let’s get serious. It was great that she just got nominated. It was Sam Smith’s running away. Only problem with it is he’s probably going to win a ton of other awards, and that recognition could have gone to someone else. It’s making up to be Sam Smith’s night.
7:12 – Just sayin’ Sam Smith…
7:11 – Taylor Swift hands out the Grammy for Best New Artist to Sam Smith
7:05 – Not gonna lie. The pissed off, socially-awkward 14-year-old boy in me is loving this. Real music made by real people with real instruments. Soak it up while we can.
7:04 – Didn’t the AC/DC drummer contract someone to kill somebody down in the land where the ‘roo and the wallaby roam? How about spending that dough on a new producer to make music that sounds difference for a change?
7:02 – AC/DC is a band I would have loved to see on the Grammy Awards, until they became a band that you would see on The Grammy Awards.
7:00 – And here we go!
6:58 – Just remember, no matter what happens, Hank Williams, Colin Escott, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Jerry Douglas, and The Louvin Brothers, and “Weird” Al have all already been awarded Grammys.
6:56 – Late breaking prediction: Beck comes in as the Album of the Year winner from the Dark Horse position in a depleted field.
6:48 – Alright, I’m a little ball of hate after the Sturgill Simpson loss and ready to do this.
6:00 – Nothing but respect to Rosanne Cash. But the fact that she gets all three Americana awards is the reason Americana is Americana…and will always be Americana, and just Americana. I thought Americana did an excellent job instilling some more youth into their presentation for the 2014 Americana Music Awards, but they are never going to grow their own stars, or support the ones coming up if they don’t figure out how to honor the present and future just as much as the past. Recognizing Sturgill Simpson this year, and Jason Isbell last year would have been a way to bridge these past greats like Rosanne Cash with the new blood coming into the sub-genre, and support both to a greater degree. Otherwise, the talent goes elsewhere to find greener pastures. “The River & The Thread” was an excellent album and deserves all the accolades it was awarded tonight.
5:57 – Old Crow Medicine Show wins Best Folk Album for “Remedy.”
5:55 – Rosanne Cash wins big in the Americana categories. She walks away with Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Song, and Best Americana Album.
Sturgill Simpson is beat out by Rosanne Cash for Best Americana Album.
“The last time I won a Grammy Ronald Regan was President,” Rosanne says.
5:38 – Old Crow performs “8 Dogs, 8 Banjos” on the pre-telecast before the Americana awards.
5:25 – “Weird” Al Yankovic wins the Grammy for Best Comedy Album. If we can’t all agree on Weird Al, what can we agree on?
5:11 – Rosanne Cash presents the biggest of the non-telecast country Grammy Awards.
”Carrie Underwood wins Best Country Solo Performance for “Something In The Water.”
”The Band Perry wins Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Gentle On My Mind.”
”Glen Campbell & Songwriters win the Best Country Song Grammy for “I’m Not Gonna Miss You.”
”The Earls of Leichester win the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy for the album “The Earls of Leichester”
Rosanne Cash presenting, and Jerry Douglas accepting for the Earls of Leichester:
3:20 – Hank Williams and “The Garden Spot Programs 1950” wins for Best Historical Album. The award went to Colin Escott (Hank’s biographer) & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer.
2:50 – T Graham Brown is one of the best stories of this year’s Grammy Awards. Receiving his very first nomination for a Grammy his album “Forever Changed” is up for Best Roots Gospel Album. He showed up in what he called his “Hillbilly Bling,” showing off his shiny rings and watch, and giving credit to his sobriety for getting his career back on track.
2:45 – Glen Campbell’s family was one of the first to arrive. Glen’s “I’m Not Gonna Miss you” is up for Best Country Song.
scottinnj
February 8, 2015 @ 6:26 pm
I think the Americana awards somehow need to be a bit split up somewhat like how they split rock into Best Alternative Rock Album and a Best Rock Album; the former is basically the best album for musicians in the Rock Genre under the age of 40 and the latter for those over the age of 40. American Roots could have had say Jim Lauderdale, Rosanne Cash and John Hiatt and Americana could have featured say Sturgill Simpson, Brandy Clark, and Lydia Loveless.
Shupe
February 8, 2015 @ 6:37 pm
C’mon Miranda…. What a terrible song.
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 6:37 pm
They cut miranda out when she was about to say shit. HELLO, THE ENTIRE SONG IS ABOUT HER VAGINA AND YOU BLOCK OUT THE WORD “SHIT”
Trigger
February 8, 2015 @ 7:00 pm
Good point, but you know they ain’t letting that through.
Docsock
February 8, 2015 @ 6:40 pm
That Miranda lambert song/performance has catapulted itself into first place as the worst shit I’ve ever seen. Absolutely horrific.
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 6:42 pm
*turns off Grammys*
*goes music app*
*clicks on george strait*
Much better
Brad
February 8, 2015 @ 6:42 pm
Hopefully Brandy will save face for country tonight because Miranda was embarrassing.
CaseyK.
February 8, 2015 @ 6:45 pm
Miranda’s performance should have been Automatic….not a fan of Little Red Wagon. By far the worst performance so far and not a good representation of country music. ugh. Loved AC/DC!!!
KathyP
February 8, 2015 @ 6:53 pm
Madonna just surpassed Miranda as worst of the night. So far. Ridiculous.
Rosalie
February 8, 2015 @ 6:58 pm
Any chance Brandy is going to come on soon. Within the next 3 minutes? So I don’t have to watch the rest of the Grammys. They have been very … Ummmm…. Interesting? (Trying to find the nice words)
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 7:03 pm
By the way trig, you commented on how Miranda’s performance was rock… I’d expect the same from eric church as he will prolly debut a new single, and unless the new one is dark side, it will probably not be country.
Houston Erwin
February 8, 2015 @ 7:17 pm
I think I read somewhere he will be performing a never released song.
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 7:22 pm
It makes sense timing wise
Trigger
February 8, 2015 @ 7:24 pm
Eric has put in both good and bad performances at awards shows. Remember his sedated duet with Valerie June? I’ll hope for the best and expect the worst.
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 8:08 pm
I keep hearing “powerful performance by eric church up next” so maybe it is dark side? We could only be so lucky
Houston Erwin
February 8, 2015 @ 8:18 pm
Well guess they reported wrong. I like Give Me Back My Hometown though.
Sam Jimenez
February 8, 2015 @ 7:06 pm
While I’m not the big AC/DC fan today that I was 40 years ago – they are the only band, still together, that I’ve gone out of my way to see on every tour they’ve done since the first time I saw them in 1977 at 7 years old.
The Grammy’s, on the other hand, I haven’t bothered to watch SINCE 1977…
I probably won’t go see them on this tour though. I just can’t tolerate all the fucking cellphones at shows anymore. It’s amazing what people will pay to go out and stare at their phones all night just to ruin a concert for the 5 people who actually want to see it.
Lucy
February 8, 2015 @ 7:45 pm
I sympathize with the phone staring, but honestly, give me that over the monsters who won’t ever shut up.
OH THIS IS A PRETTY, QUIET SONG?! LET’S CHAT IN DEPTH ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT THIS MUSIC.
*stab*
Tom
February 9, 2015 @ 9:25 am
Unless they’ve gone in a drastically different direction than when I was paying attention, I don’t think you’ll hear anyone saying “Oh, this is a pretty, quiet song” at an AC/DC concert.
I get your point in general, though.
Lucy
February 9, 2015 @ 9:31 am
Hahaha, yes. That was not intended to be an AC/DC-specific comment.
Rock and punk are better, in that they’re loud enough to drown out the gum-flappers.
Hawkeye
February 9, 2015 @ 2:29 pm
“In rock we trust” because country’s fallin apart
Thank you God for AC/DC
And whoever says their quite your insane
Jim McGuinness
February 8, 2015 @ 7:07 pm
Grammy night is one of many reasons I’m glad I no longer watch TV. Aren’t there better things to do?
KathyP
February 8, 2015 @ 7:10 pm
Waiting patiently for Brandy Clark/Dwight Yoakum doing “Hold my Hand.” Sweet, touching, very relatable and country. My favorite off her album.
KathyP
February 8, 2015 @ 7:13 pm
E.L.O should have followed Madonna. Now that, would have been a Grammy “moment.”
Alex
February 8, 2015 @ 7:14 pm
*John Mayer kills on guitar
BanditDarville
February 8, 2015 @ 7:16 pm
As with every musical awards show, the camera cuts to Taylor Swift during each performance to see her reaction.
Alex
February 8, 2015 @ 7:18 pm
Gwen is definitely not lip-syncing
KathyP
February 8, 2015 @ 7:29 pm
Hot damn! Annie Lennox. Think she’s lip synching? Me neither.
Trigger
February 8, 2015 @ 8:30 pm
Annie was definitely NOT lip syncing. She showed everyone else how it is done.
Houston Erwin
February 8, 2015 @ 7:35 pm
Ugh. I dont get the Miranda hype. Riser was more deserving.
martha
February 8, 2015 @ 7:35 pm
Rock on, AnnieðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜€
Lucy
February 8, 2015 @ 7:42 pm
I’m here for Critter Fuqua’s suit, mostly.
Glad Old Crow won! I’d rather see those boys on the red carpet than most everyone else, though.
Dr. Phil
February 8, 2015 @ 7:43 pm
Same shit. Different awards show.
KathyP
February 8, 2015 @ 7:44 pm
Damn, haven’t we seen enough of O lately? Mute.
martha
February 8, 2015 @ 7:58 pm
I’m with you Trig. They should’ve shown this during the Super Bowl.
Harrison
February 8, 2015 @ 8:18 pm
The civil rights shit going on in the background hahahaha
Jaimito
February 8, 2015 @ 8:25 pm
Brandy Clark did such an amazing job. Definitely one of the highlights of the night.
Wez
February 8, 2015 @ 8:26 pm
The truth: if bro-country had never become a phenomena you would have a much higher tolerance for people like Eric Curch.
Rex
February 8, 2015 @ 8:33 pm
Sam Smith is God awful……..
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 8:36 pm
” Ariana Grande is lip-syncing.”
maybe, but not cause she can’t sing.
Tom Jones ” but his voice hasn”™t aged a bit.”
amazing performance by him, he has such a great voice , jesse has a good voice but hit a few clinkers”¦.
re Kanye”¦”¦ he can’t sing very well, what’s good about him is one of the great mysteries.
Miranda Lambert performance was pretty uninteresting. country performers are never going to rock, they shouldn’t bother trying.
“John Mayer can play guitar,”
disagree”¦ there are countless guitar players better than John Mayer. That performance was bland. he should have had something worked out for his little solo effort.
” Leave your lasers, explosions, and legions of backup dancers for your stadium shows.:
Amen!
“The problem with Katy Perry trying to deliver a heartfelt performance is “”¦.that she can’t sing very well. someone should tell her that her voice disappears in her attempts to sing high notes.
Looks like the grammys wanted “deep” songs tonight. all churchy like. cause it goes well with all the half naked chicks.
really, why country singers don’t sing country tunes on these shows, is beyond me.
thanks trig
Trigger
February 8, 2015 @ 8:52 pm
Wasn’t saying John Mayer’s performance was great or anything, but he can play his instrument, making it even more quizzical why he was playing a pink Kramer.
Ranger
February 9, 2015 @ 6:57 am
He recently had a falling out with Fender, don’t know why though. They discontinued his signature guitar a few weeks ago.
martha
February 8, 2015 @ 8:38 pm
Mary J. sounds like church to me.
Amanda
February 8, 2015 @ 8:44 pm
It really pisses me off what people on Twitter are saying about the country performances…
CaseyK.
February 8, 2015 @ 8:45 pm
Did I actually see Kanye running up on stage for Beck??? A$$hole! You called it Trig…I knew he’d win too.
Daw Johnson
February 9, 2015 @ 10:52 am
Even though running up, even as a joke, implicitly communicates the message that Beyonce was robbed, I didn’t have a problem with what he did at the time. It seemed to be in good fun, played to an extremely memorable moment in music awards show history, addressed the very real elephant in the room (this WAS an upset) and got the audience to laugh on a night of absurdly serious performances.
His comments after the show ruined it. He basically said that he wasn’t joking – he wasn’t going to say anything because he didn’t want more negative pub – but he very much felt Beyonce was robbed, art was insulted, and Beck needed to give his trophy to Beyonce.
Truth No. 2
February 8, 2015 @ 8:46 pm
First posted this in Grammy preview before I realized there was a liveblog in response to Miranda’s victory for best country album:
Who”™s bright fucking idea was it to have Nick Jonas presenting a country award? Also, Brandy Clark and Lee Ann Womack could wipe the floor with Miranda Lambert, whose entire career seems to be built on an insatiable desire to kill Earl. The first version of that song was good enough. Come to think of it, she might be on to something. Wouldn’t we all be better off without Blake?
the pistolero
February 8, 2015 @ 9:03 pm
Very, very nicely done. 😀
Trigger
February 8, 2015 @ 9:06 pm
The whole way country was approached by the Grammy Awards this year just didn’t work.
Houston Erwin
February 8, 2015 @ 9:47 pm
Im not sure if your comment about wanting to kill Earl was in reference to some topic or backstory I am ignorant of, but if it was about Goodbye Earl, that is a Dixie Chick song not Miranda Lambert.
Gena R.
February 8, 2015 @ 8:48 pm
Congrats to Weird Al, Rosanne Cash, Old Crow, and Glen Campbell. 🙂 Sorry I missed the Brandy Clark-Dwight Yoakam performance, but maybe it’ll be up online tomorrow…
Ashton
February 8, 2015 @ 8:51 pm
Prince is the man. He needs to teach these kids some musicology.
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 8:53 pm
you are correct.
scottinnj
February 8, 2015 @ 8:52 pm
Um, this Sia thing is a bit weird, just saying
Guild63
February 8, 2015 @ 8:58 pm
worst mime show ever
Liza
February 8, 2015 @ 8:57 pm
I admire that you have been able to stick with it so long. I changed the channel during Katy Perry.
scottinnj
February 8, 2015 @ 8:57 pm
Can’t believe Sam Smith didn’t give a shout out to Tom Petty on winning this award
Tom
February 9, 2015 @ 9:37 am
I thought Sammi Smith was dead?
Bear
February 9, 2015 @ 11:47 am
Yeah she would’ve helped me make it through night for sure!
martha
February 8, 2015 @ 9:01 pm
That commercial with the Roger Miller song is cool.
Brett Dale
February 8, 2015 @ 9:02 pm
Dissapointed that garth didnt show up, surly he was asked. Must of said No.
Brett Dale
February 8, 2015 @ 9:03 pm
Isnt album of the year the normally last award?? Whats left to give out?
Meaghan
February 8, 2015 @ 9:03 pm
Man, Oodelally is legitimately my favorite Disney song ever. That commercial was great.
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 9:07 pm
here’s my summation
worn out chord progressions, weak melodies, average playing, some good singing, some ordinary singing.
really, no bands, like Blackberry Smoke, road tested, and a solid unit. Nothing like that at all.
There is so much much popular music being made, that is much much better than what I heard on the Grammy show tonight.
It’s really unfortunate that the best music does not get heard.
It wasn’t always this way.
Eric
February 9, 2015 @ 1:32 am
What music is “best” is very much based on opinion. Perhaps our opinions are very different from those of most people.
I am pretty darned sure, for example, that Blackberry Smoke would have difficulty gaining mass popularity given most people’s musical tastes today.
Eric
February 9, 2015 @ 1:33 am
We are also making a mistake in using chord progression and melody as barometers of quality in today’s music. Music nowadays is all about rhyme and rhythm.
Charlie
February 9, 2015 @ 6:54 am
But, “…the hook brings you back. I ain’t telling you no lie.”
Charlie
February 9, 2015 @ 6:59 am
When you look at the way rock bands in the good old days did it, you would have a bunch of people get together, put out a demo, and expect to get signed to a major label. They would tour, but with label support.
Nobody today wants to hit the road on the strength of an indie release with zero tour support.
Except bands like Blackberry Smoke. So rare (unique?) to find a good country rock band, with good writing, and with the integrity to get out there and do the work.
(Jam bands notwithstanding.)
Eric
February 9, 2015 @ 2:00 pm
There are plenty of country-rock bands touring and achieving fame these days. The hang-up, of course, is with the “good writing” part…
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 9:10 pm
Taylor Swift ” because that”™s all that”™s left.”
no, we still get to watch her “dancing” in the front row of award shows.
if you can find it, picture of pharelle with her tonight is priceless.
Janelle
February 8, 2015 @ 9:37 pm
The video is hilarious, too!
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=813130062087643&pnref=story
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 10:07 pm
thanks, even better”¦.
Melissa
February 8, 2015 @ 9:13 pm
Thank you for using “dark horse” correctly, unlike Katy Perry.
markf
February 8, 2015 @ 9:31 pm
grammy awards prayer meet up.
Melissa
February 8, 2015 @ 9:52 pm
I love Miranda and seem to be one of the few people who actually likes Little Red Wagon, but I have to take off my fangirl goggles and say it was a poor song choice and messy performance. Hard Staying Sober would have been brilliant.
Sam Smith bores me. I have no idea who his fanbase would even be. I feel like his CD is the “safe” birthday gift you get for your Aunt.
Maybe that’s why Taylor is so swiftly (har) trademarking a phrase that Lady Gaga said about 50 times in a song from 2008. Pop careers often don’t come with a long shelf life.
Sarah
February 10, 2015 @ 1:40 pm
I agree. I’m fan of Miranda as well. I would have picked All That’s Left or Holding On To You instead of Hard Staying Sober. I do like Hard Staying Sober. I think those two songs are some of the real standouts that would have been refreshing for mainstream country. I hope All Thats Left and Holding On To You are released as singles at some point.
Applejack
February 8, 2015 @ 10:51 pm
I watched most of the show. It was pretty bland, and basically represented a celebration of mediocrity. (In others words, business as usual for the Grammys.)
I loved Brandy and Dwight’s performance. And the commercial with Roger Miller. Oh, and ELO was good. That’s about it.
I agree about Miranda – her performance was a mess. I cringed as soon as I read her statement that she was planning to “rock out” on the show, and I got exactly what I expected. I hate it when she rocks out; it usually involves pyrotechnics. I couldn’t agree more that ‘Platinum’ winning Best Country Album is “painfully predictable.” I would have rather that any of the others won. (For some reason I thought Brandy might just have a shot.) Miranda is really suffering from overexposure at this point, and honestly, she’s beginning to irritate me.
Finally, I can’t help but feel that the removal of “Album of the Year” from being the final award and climax of the ceremony was a purposeful decision on behalf the Academy, and an acknowledgement of the direction in which the industry is heading, unfortunately.
jb
February 9, 2015 @ 6:54 am
Miranda Lambert is the most frustrating artist of any genre at the moment. For every “Automatic” there’s a “Something Bad,” for every “Over You” there’s a “Little Red Wagon.” Every time I start thinking she’s a mature artist, the drunken-receptionist-on-a-Friday-night-bender comes out and dispels the illusion. Maybe Drunk Party Girl is the real Miranda and the other Miranda–the one who can express real emotion and create the kind of art that shows us something real about our lives–is just faking it. I’d like to think that anybody truly concerned with the latter would reject hot garbage like “Little Red Wagon” out of hand.
But that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong. (Except about “Little Red Wagon.” Not wrong about that. That thing sucks.)
Tom
February 9, 2015 @ 9:42 am
It seems like I make this comment about once a month, so I apologize if anyone is tire of hearing it; but I think the material she showcased as a teenage Nashville Star contestant 10 years ago or so was more mature and consistent than her body of work as a major-label artist.
JMHO, of course.
Jack Williams
February 9, 2015 @ 7:54 am
Nothing but respect to Rosanne Cash. But the fact that she gets all three Americana awards is the reason Americana is Americana”¦and will always be Americana, and just Americana.
.. Recognizing Sturgill Simpson this year, and Jason Isbell last year would have been a way to bridge these past greats like Rosanne Cash with the new blood coming into the sub-genre..
Yeah, but this was the GRAMMYs and not the AMAs. At the last AMAs, Jason Isbell won the rare hat trick of awards there (as he damn well should have), which included winning album of the year over The River and the Thread. Sturgill won the Emerging Artist award. Sturgill may walk away with some more next year as MMSICM is elgible and The River and the Thread isn’t based on release date.
I was definitely rooitng for Sturgill, but I think that Rosanne Cash winning for Album of the Year had more legitimacy than the last few winners. For example, her album finished second to Sturgill’s in the ND Reader’s Poll, where the previous winner (Emmylou Harris/Rodney Crowell) was #16 in the 2013 poll. Before that, it was Bonnie Raitt (#29 in ND poll) and before that, Levon Helm (didn’t even make the ND reader’s top 50 no doubt because it was a live album recorded a few years earlier in 2008. I know I didn’t consider for that reason.)
I think the best song award for The River and the Thread made a lot a sense. It is a great song. I agree with you in that I don’t know that she had to win again for the same song for best performance. Would have liked to see Keb Mo win that one for The Old Me Better. I’m an old Keb Mo fan who had drifted away from him a bit because I thought his music was getting a little too adult contemporary and not enough blues. I’m back on board with BluesAmericana, which I think is his best since at least 1998’s Slow Down. Also, I think that album title is a very good descripition of what he does.
Jack Williams
February 9, 2015 @ 7:57 am
That is, best song for A Feather’s Not a Bird.
J
February 9, 2015 @ 9:18 am
I like Rosanne but you and i both know the only reason she won that award was because of her name.
Jack Williams
February 9, 2015 @ 9:37 am
Well, she didn’t win it in 2011 for The List, which was a project based on the a list of “100 Greatest Country Songs” that her father gave her. She was nominated, but lost to Mavis Staples.
Maybe name recognition did play some part, this being the GRAMMYs and all. Still, it was a very worthy album.
Clint
February 9, 2015 @ 9:33 am
I have a little more respect for the Grammy Awards today, because they chose not to reward Simpson. The only bad part is, that I’ll have to read Trigger, and all you other Simpson-worshiping cry-babies, crying about it for the next month.
To everybody saying Miranda’s “Album of the Year” award was painfully predictable:
It wasn’t nearly as painfully predictable as this website giving that same award to Simpson.
bamstrait
February 9, 2015 @ 11:07 am
Dwight and Brandy were the country performance of the night.
At this point isn’t Miranda and Carrie past their sell by date. Enought of these two.
Bear
February 9, 2015 @ 11:37 am
In my memory isn’t winning best new artist the end of your career? I mean for the most part. There are a few exceptions like Christina Aguilera (though her contributions to music can be debated). So Sam Smith winning a bunch of awards I wouldn’t consider a good thing for him.
Then again people like Esperanza Spalding won and they never had any mainstream success to begin with so I guess it doesn’t matter to them. Actually I just looked at the list of past winners, it seems more like in recent years it has been a curse though some pretty tepid winners overall , certainly compared to the other nominees.
Bear
February 9, 2015 @ 11:40 am
I retract my statement. The best new artist category is just a mess every year with a few exceptions, mainly in the 60s. But the 80s were awful, the 90s seemed to do a little better, but then after that… Ugh. Train wrecks abound!
Bear
February 9, 2015 @ 11:43 am
And how does this category even work? Shelby Lynne won in 2000 when had released albums as early as 1989. I am so confused. But this is also why I put no cachet in the Grammy as ANY kind of barometer of anything.
Tom
February 9, 2015 @ 1:53 pm
That’s easy. In 1988 she recorded a duet with George Jones, who was then a part of the country music mainstream and therefore unpalatable to the hipsters Grammy voters. The fall of Jones’s relevance from the consciousness of mainstream country in the 1990s caused the stigma to fade to the point where, by 2000, anyone associated with him during his years of commercial success could be forgiven their transgressions.
Bear
February 11, 2015 @ 11:19 am
So The Possum is what got her the Grammy award?
But I thought old George was on the outs all through the 80s, except for that little stint of albums he did with Haggard?
Well, whatever. It’s all nonsense in the end, yet people still put so much cachet into it all, like it’s proof of greatness.
LG
February 9, 2015 @ 3:05 pm
So, a Country album won for Folk, a Folk album won for Americana, a Pop\Rock album (albeit a twangy one) won for Country, and an Alternative album won for Rock. I liked all four, but that doesn’t make me any less confused.
Applejack
February 10, 2015 @ 2:46 am
Brandy Clark is the Grammy’s true “big winner” according to USA today. Apparently she has received a massive increase in interest on sites like Pandora and Spotify.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2015/02/09/lennox-clark-online-music-spikes/23128535/
Go Brandy!
Acca Dacca
February 10, 2015 @ 7:48 pm
“7:04 – Didn”™t the AC/DC drummer contract someone to kill somebody down in the land where the ”˜roo and the wallaby roam? How about spending that dough on a new producer to make music that sounds difference for a change?
7:02 – AC/DC is a band I would have loved to see on the Grammy Awards, until they became a band that you would see on The Grammy Awards.”
I understand that this post was satirical in nature, but what’s with the hate for AC/DC? What, they aren’t allowed to play the Grammy’s? Says who? And drummer Phil Rudd was ACCUSED of conspiracy to commit murder, but that’s irrelevant given that he wasn’t even there. The drummer that played with the band was none other than Chris Slade, who replaced Simon Wright (of Dio) after he replaced Rudd in 1983 (Rudd was invited back in 1995). As for the music sounding different, how’s that for irony when that’s all that we criticize around here about country music? I personally LIKE that AC/DC sticks to their signature template. Regardless, a new producer won’t do anything for the band’s sound no matter how much money they throw at the person. They’ve worked with everyone from Mutt Lange to Bruce Fairbairn to Rick Rubin to Brendan O’Brien with similar results all the way down. It ain’t ever gonna change.
Trigger
February 10, 2015 @ 8:07 pm
AC/DC did just fine. It might have been one of my favorite performances of the night. I said that stuff as they were opening the show, and if we can’t all see the irony in AC/DC opening the Grammys, then the jokes on us. I gave them credit too if you keep reading.
Hawkeye
February 18, 2015 @ 2:09 pm
AC/DC probably was the best act there with Eric coming in close second. Though I do enjoy Highway, I personally believe they shoulda busted out Back In Black, which, in my opinion anyway, is probably their most well known songs. Did anyone else notice the host disappeared after the second half?