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Beyoncé, Swift rake in Grammy nominations

There are few events in music that have as much impact as the Grammy Awards. From images of Michael Jackson with armfuls of golden statues to a nine-month pregnant M.I.A. rapping onstage, the Grammys are a point in pop culture where the most talented musicians gather together to look beautiful and honor those who have made the best in music that year.

From the biggest names in pop to obscure folk musicians, the Grammys bring together artists of all genres under one roof. And this year, the Grammys belong to the ladies. 

Leading the pack with 10 nominations for her album “I Am ... Sasha Fierce,” as well as for her songs “Halo” and “Single Ladies,” is the glamorous R&B icon, Beyoncé.

Coming in second is country songstress Taylor Swift with eight nominations for her sophomore album “Fearless,” as well as nods for her singles “You Belong With Me” and “White Horse.”

Rounding out the top three is avant-garde pop superstar Lady Gaga, with six nominations. Her debut album, “The Fame,” garnered two nominations while her singles “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” also grabbed four nods.

This year, many of the men were tied. Kanye West, Maxwell and the Black Eyed Peas each got six nominations while Jay-Z received five. His nods were mostly for “Run This Town,” the smash collaboration with Rihanna and Kanye West. Unsurprisingly, the biggest rock band of the year, Kings of Leon, garnered four nominations for their fourth studio album, “Only By the Night,” as well as their singles, “Sex On Fire” and “Use Somebody.” 

As far as artists that will definitely leave with gold, it’s likely that the boys from Nashville will get at least one. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga are also guaranteed to leave with one apiece, if not more.

Also expected to grab at least one win are psychedelic pop duo, MGMT, whose music has been heard in everything from commercials to movies. They have two nominations: one for best new artist and one for their single “Kids” off their 2007 album “Oracular Spectacular.”

As with every year, there are a few surprises in the nominations. Smooth ‘80s pop duo Hall & Oates have been nominated for best pop performance by a pop duo. Though they’ve won Grammys in the past, this may not be their year since they’re up against MGMT, The Fray, The Black Eyed Peas and Bon Jovi. Another surprise, albeit a pleasant one, is the nomination for “I’m On a Boat” by the comedy troupe, The Lonely Island. Even though there’s a category for comedy albums, their song was so good that they surpassed it to be in the “best rap/sung collaboration” competition, up against rap heavyweights Jay-Z, Kanye West and T.I. Perhaps most surprising is Nickelback’s nomination in the hard rock category. The band everyone loves to hate is up against rock vets AC/DC, Metallica, Alice In Chains and Linkin Park for best hard rock performance.

The 52nd Grammys are pushing the envelope in many ways. In a move that surprises no one, there will be a huge Michael Jackson tribute performance. The King of Pop is going to be honored in a mega performance by Smokey Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood and Usher. It will feature a 3-D mini-movie for Jackson’s “Earth Song” that was initially created for his “This Is It” tour. Although he doesn’t hold the record for most Grammys (that’d be Sir George Solti with 38 total), he still has an impressive 13 and was undeniably one the world’s greatest entertainers. Whether you loved him or hated him, the performance is sure to be unforgettable with legends and current pop stars performing on one stage together. 

The Grammys air Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. on CBS, so settle in, grab some friends and get ready to watch music history be made. 

You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.


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