Every year, the GRAMMY Foundation comes together to honor the best music and artists, each of them hoping to win the iconic golden gramophone, and the masses mull over each year’s choices with both praise and confusion.
The 2015 Grammy nominees, not surprisingly, fall into the same familiar duality, with The Banner staff finding this year’s nominees simultaneously worthwhile but boring.
With pop artists such as Taylor Swift and Iggy Azalea wrapping categories like Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist, the staff is not particularly impressed with the larger Grammy nominees.
Assistant news editor Kyrsta Hawkins did not find the nominees in any of those categories worthy, but she recognized the talent the Recording Academy chose.
“Sam Smith would be a good choice; I don’t think it’s record of the year though,” Hawkins said. “He should win, because out of the choices this year, he’s the most talented.”
While nominees such as Chris Brown, Childish Gambino and Kendrick Lamar shine in the Urban Contemporary and Rap categories, it is clear that pop took center stage at the 2015 Grammys.
“In the past, the Grammys gave a chance to more off-beat artists, like Arcade Fire and Bon Iver,” said Alexander Jones, assistant online features editor. “I didn’t see much of that in the larger nominee categories.”
Still, categories such as Best Rock Album and Best Urban Contemporary Album are full of gracious acknowledgements of real and interesting talents.
