This Sunday at 7, the music industry will be rocked by a tag-team vocal performance of colossal proportions in the highly-anticipated duo of Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus! Oh, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences will be giving out some Grammy awards. While we here at Cadenza are still waiting for the Academy to return our calls to get our votes counted, we’ve compiled our own predictions for you here.

But first, the commentators:
Steve Hardy
Steph Spera
Hannah Schwartz
Rebecca Katz
Cici Coquillette
Alex Terrono

Album of the Year

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Coldplay

Tha Carter III
Lil Wayne

Year Of The Gentleman
Ne-Yo

Raising Sand
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

In Rainbows
Radiohead

—-

Alex Terrono: The category seems bland this year, but Lil Wayne? I know he sold a million in a week, but best album of the year?

Hannah Schwartz: “Tha Carter III.” Because he was rappin’ when we was in jammies, Lil Wayne should sweep the Grammys.

Steph Spera: We’re gonna leave the rapping to Weezy from now on….

Cici Coquillette: “In Rainbows” should win for being the most innovative album on the list, but “Tha Carter III” or “Viva la Vida” will probably take the Grammy.

Rebecca Katz:  Judging by the sheer number of artists, producers, recording artists and other engineers, Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” has the Grammy in the bag. In terms of actual quality of music produced, “In Rainbows.” Hands down.

Steve Hardy: Well, since R.E.M.’s “Accelerate,” The Mars Volta’s “The Bedlam in Goliath” and “Bratz Girlz Really Rock” (the special karaoke edition) all got snubbed, I’ll throw my support to Radiohead, who not only turned out a great melodic, complex album, but also changed the music distribution industry. Plus, Weezy scares my mom.

Song of the Year

American Boy
William Adams, Keith Harris, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, John Stephens, Estelle Swaray & Kanye West, songwriters (Estelle featuring Kanye West)

Chasing Pavements
Adele Adkins and Eg White, songwriters (Adele)

I’m Yours
Jason Mraz, songwriter (Jason Mraz)

Love Song
Sara Bareilles, songwriter (Sara Bareilles)

Viva La Vida
Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, songwriters

—-

SH: It took more people to write “American Boy” than the Declaration of Independence? Go Adele!

CC: The Grammy should go to “Viva La Vida,” but only if they’ll share the award with Joe Satriani.

AT: “American Boy” should win, though “Chasing Pavements” is definitely a good contender. Note: No “Bleeding Love?”

SS: When Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” wins, I can’t wait to see what Kanye West posts on his blog.

HS: No, he’s gonna lose on purpose because, like he said earlier, he wants to “make popular music, but have less fans.” Makes total sense.
Best New Artist

Adele

Duffy

Jonas Brothers

Lady Antebellum

Jazmine Sullivan

—-

RK: I know only one of these artists and will therefore place all bets on the Jonas Brothers. (Is it even fair that there are three of them?)

SS: Jonas Brothers—for three reasons.

HS: “Burnin’ Up”, “S.O.S.” and “Love Bug”?

SS: Correct, sir.

CC: I’m putting my money on Duffy, though I should say that I’m pretty much set with anyone except the Jonas Brothers. We should be safe, unless the Academy has recently added any 12-year-old girls to its membership.

AT: Jazmine Sullivan, hands down. Duffy isn’t bad, but isn’t great and the Jo Bros came out like three years ago. Again, no love for Leona Lewis.

SH: The vocalist for Lady Antebellum (Hillary Scott) shares her name with a porn star. I hope she wins, because no matter how good of an artist she is, she’ll never even be at the top of a Google search.
Best Rock Song

Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Bruce Springsteen

House Of Cards
Radiohead

I Will Possess Your Heart
Death Cab For Cutie

Sex On Fire
Kings Of Leon

Violet Hill
Coldplay

—-

CC: I was all set to say “I Will Possess your Heart” should win the Grammy, but The Boss’ performance at the Super Bowl was epic enough to change my mind. Sorry, Death Cab, you’ll just have to pay your dues.

RK: I’m sorry. Coldplay is done (they’ve overstayed their welcome on the rock charts) and Death Cab died with The O.C. It’s all about Radiohead; I’ll take a generous helping of Thom Yorke any day. “House of Cards” echoes the sentiment of any friend longing to be a lover.

AT: Will Coldplay have enough  momentum to win this award? I think so.

HS: Requisite Radiohead award. “House of Cards” was worth the penny I paid for their album.

SS: I don’t know what “Sex on Fire” is, but I like the way it sounds. Or I’m afraid, I can’t tell.

SH: If it helps for the imagery, the Followill brothers’ (of Kings of Leon) dad was a Southern preacher. In any event, it’s catchy, it’s sexy, and (though it won’t) it deserves to win.
Best Rock Album

Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Coldplay

Rock N Roll Jesus
Kid Rock

Only By The Night
Kings Of Leon

Death Magnetic
Metallica

Consolers Of The Lonely
The Raconteurs

—-

SH: No one else will say it, but “Consolers of the Lonely” is a surprising balance of hooks and straightforward Southern rock (and look, Kid Rock, real guitars!), and now that he’s got an honest-to-goodness band, Jack White and The Raconteurs are certainly better than anything The White Stripes have put out lately.

CC: Death Magnetic reestablished Metallica’s dominance, and anything that can make a band recover from an album like “St. Anger” deserves several awards.

SS: Although Kid Rock has Jesus on his side, I think Coldplay will pull through.

AT: Again, Coldplay will take this one: Grammy fav + Album of the Year nominee + decent to great reviews = Best Rock Album.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Lollipop
Lil Wayne featuring Static Major

Low
Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain

Sexual Eruption
Snoop Dogg

Superstar
Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos

Swagga Like Us
Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne

—-

SS: “Low” wins for most overplayed at a frat party, but Estelle and Kanye West best epitomize the rap/sung collaboration.
*Hannah is too busy dancing to “Low” in the corner*

SH: The people want “Low!” Give the people what they want! Plus, they’re both reppin’ Florida.

CC: John Legend and Andre 3000 are a ridiculously awesome combination. If I could get “Green Light” out of my head, then I might consider the others.  Sucks for them, I guess.

AT: Estelle’s “American Boy” should win this one too. Plus, it has a pretty good shot.

PS: “Green Light” just wasn’t as good as it could’ve been.

RK: “Superstar” by Lupe. No contest. I can’t even justify it.
Best Rap Album

American Gangster
Jay-Z

Tha Carter III
Lil Wayne

The Cool
Lupe Fiasco

Nas
Nas

Paper Trail
T.I.

—-

RK: T.I. had more than three hit songs on his album “Paper Trail,” including “Live Your Life,” which has been at the number one spot for weeks. This album was more widely publicized than any other rap album, and got more college girls to shake their booties than any of the other nominees. Touché, T.I.

HS: “Paper Trail”!

SS: I wonder if T.I. can accept Grammys from jail.

AT: “The Cool” by Lupe Fiasco. “Paper Trail” would be fine too.

CC: The Grammy will probably go to the ubiquitous “Tha Carter III,” but in terms of raw talent, I’d make this a contest between Nas and Lupe.
Best Alternative Music Album

Modern Guilt
Beck

Narrow Stairs
Death Cab For Cutie

The Odd Couple
Gnarls Barkley

Evil Urges
My Morning Jacket

In Rainbows
Radiohead

—-

HS: “Modern Guilt” is fantastic, so I hope it wins. But Radiohead will most likely take the prize.

RK: Beck will never fail to impress with musical experimentation. “Modern Guilt” could take the cake on this one with its wordplay and musical introspection, but Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” could give Beck a good run for its money with its intensely personal songwriting and unique sound samplings of everything from children cheering to an entire string section.

SH: “In Rainbows” is obviously the winner, but I hope that doesn’t deter listeners from checking out all these wildly different, yet wildly talented acts.

AT: Gnarls Barkley’s second album was unfortunately widely overlooked (it was amazing) and should win, though Radiohead’s “In Rainbows” seems poised to win this one.

CC: For all the criticism that “The Odd Couple” got for not being as good as “St. Elsewhere,” it’s still a great album. That said, “In Rainbows” just can’t be beat.

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Tags: album, awards, grammy, Music, preview

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