The eternal "yawn-fest" that is America's Grammy Awards may well be livened up this year by the the news that Madonna is the first performer confirmed to appear live again at the event next month. But should we expect anything else worth watching? I doubt it.
Grammys are the kind of awards that mean very little to anyone outside corporate America. Winners in the past few years alone have been incomprehensible - Bruno Mars or Lady Gaga for "best" vocal? Rihanna "best" at anything (except stripping)? "Best contemporary Christian music"? Jay-Z, Jay-Z, Jay-Z..? Bleurgghh!
It is also confusing because of the sheer volume of "artists" who you'd never recognise if you tripped over them in the street. Carrie Underwood? Taylor Swift? Put either in a line-up with a selection of bit-part actresses from Hollyoaks and we'd never be able to identify them. One of the most successful artists in the awards' history is Alison Krauss ("Whoooo?"). I can safely say I wouldn't know a single thing she has ever done. A funny comment I heard today was: "I thought Ariana Grande was a font!"
But hey ho - it provides an excuse for recording industry moguls to hold a lavish get-together once a year, ignore the plebs, and congratulate each other for another year of price-fixing, manipulation of sales and pursuing "piracy" into people's bedrooms, so that's OK then.
Here is Queen Madge with an appropriately-titled song (that she sang at the 1999 ceremony)...
I realise
That nobody wins
Something is ending
And something begins
Indeed.
Madonna is to perform at the Grammys on 8th February 2015.
I am of course super excited - for Madonna's performance that is, not the whole Grammy thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Grammy's are any better or worse than, say, the Oscars, The Brits or any other awards ceremony these days - I haven't watched a single one in more than a decade. But I will obviously watch the queen tear up the stage on February 8!
I find all awards ceremonies particularly toe-curling and never watch any of them either (apart from any memorable bits on YouTube afterwards - such as Madge with Britney'n'Christina or stuff like that). When it comes to on-stage performance numbers however, I reckon the Tonys has those that are the most bearable. Jx
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