Every year, Grammy nominations get announced around this time of Autumn. And every year there are more gripes than noms to go around as to who got snubbed and who got underserved nods. The 2021 Grammy nominations are no different.
This afternoon’s award display or dismay – announced via live stream on Tuesday afternoon – was no different. Beyoncé leads the way for the 2021 Grammy Awards with nine nominations. Dua Lipa, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Phoebe Bridgers and Post-Malone follow her in the multiple nominations stakes. Black Pumas got nominated for Album of the Year for their eponymous debut album. Their song “Colors” is in the running for Record of the Year.
Huh?
Huh, twice over could be heard, loudly, when top-selling K-Pop superstars BTS, Vogue magazine’s male cover boy Harry Styles and The Weeknd, R&B and pop’s most un-categorical singer-songwriter were snubbed.
Big sales never insure Grammy nominations (nor should he) so the BTS thing is no shake. The sophomore Harry Styles album was weak in my humble opinion, so I won’t sweat that. Look, neither Lil Baby’s “My Turn” nor Lil Uzi Vert’s “Eternal Atake” was nominated for Album of the Year, either. And both were stronger than Harry.
Hometown hip hop hero Lil Uzi Vert’s long awaited new album, Eternal Atake, is here
But, The Weeknd had one of 2020’s biggest, boldest albums, “After Hours”. And his most successful single of the year, “Blinding Lights”. Yet he snagged zero nominations. That’s surprising considering his Grammys track record of yore with three wins, ten nominations. Does he confound listeners where easy categorization is concerned? Yes. Should he be denied a Grammy nod? C ‘mon man.
Ugh.
Luckily, save for the Lil Uzi Vert dis, Philadelphia and surrounding areas made out aiight in the Grammy parade. Technically, Taylor Swift is from Pennsylvania, and her Album of the Year nom for Folklore is secure. Philly pianist Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band’s The Intangible In Between is nominated for Large Jazz Ensemble Album. Curtis Institute of Music-based bass-baritone Eric Owens was nominated for his Metropolitan Opera “Porgy and Bess” recording in the Best Opera Performance category.
Philadelphia’s modern classical choir The Crossing and conductor Donald Nally are nominated for Best Choral Performance for “Carthage”. Christian McBride has two nominations in the Jazz Instrumental Album category. For “Trilogy 2” with Chick Corea and Brian Blade. And for Redman Mehldau McBride Blade’s “Roundagain”.
Last and not least, the toast of University of Pennsylvania. John Legend was nominated for Best R&B album for “Bigger Love”. And for his duet “Lightning & Thunder” with R&B goddess Jhene Aiko from her album “Chilombo”, which is up for Best Album and Best Progressive R&B album.
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