People // Dan Zaccagnino // Blog

I'm a little torn about the results of Best Album last night. Granted I haven't given River: The Joni Mitchell Letters (Herbie Hancock) it's full due respect in terms of listening time, from what I have heard I have to say that I thought Graduation (Kanye West) was a better album and was more original in composition than revisiting the words and music of another artist. In fact, musically I think it's one of the best hip hop albums of all time.

 

What I'm torn about is that I know the Grammy's are largely a political process and entirely industry focused (the awards are voted on by members of the Recording Academy - producers, engineers, executives, etc - not by the public). I also know that there are fewer voting members that are likely to vote for a hip hop album than other genres. Finally, I know that Herbie Hancock is a legend who deserves many Grammy's, even if I have questions about this particular one. Those three ideas might lead me to believe that Kanye should have been awarded Best Album but it actually makes me wonder about the opposite...

 

Understanding that the process IS political and has always been, I think it is right that a Jazz album (that is a fantastic album) gets the award. As Herbie rightfully pointed out, The Academy broke the mold this time, "and in doing so honor[s] the giants upon who's shoulders I stand. Some of whom, like miles davis, john coltrane, unquestionably deserved this award in the past."

 

I completely agree with that sentiment, although one might argue that this is not a jazz album that honors those artists or even the genre in the way he describes. People like Norah Jones have received this honor in the past and she arguably had as much "jazz" in Come Away With Me as there is in this collection of Joni Mitchell songs with almost every song having a guest star that is not a jazz artist.

 

You also have to wonder if the same thing is happening with hip hop (and specifically with Kanye, who has made no qualms about publicly expressing how much he felt he deserved this award). Hip hop artists will get lots of great awards, but Best Album is different (and has never been won by a hip hop artist). Giving it to someone like Kanye says something larger about music and I'm not sure all of The Academy is ready for that. That seems almost as bad as not giving it to Miles Davis (not to directly compare the two).

 

It's really too bad... Graduation is a cohesive, hit filled, album that represents both musically and lyrically (for the most part) what is best about hip hop. I didn't hear a better album from start to finish this year.

 

Also, in case you missed them, here is a list of the winners of the major awards:

 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
River: The Joni Letters, Herbie Hancock

RECORD OF THE YEAR
''Rehab,'' Amy Winehouse

SONG OF THE YEAR
''Rehab,'' Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)

NEW ARTIST
Amy Winehouse

RAP ALBUM
Graduation, Kanye West

ROCK ALBUM
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, Foo Fighters

ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
Icky Thump, the White Stripes

POP VOCAL ALBUM
Back to Black, Amy Winehouse

COUNTRY ALBUM
These Days, Vince Gill

R&B ALBUM
Funk This, Chaka Khan

CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
Because of You, Ne-Yo

FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''Rehab,'' Amy Winehouse

MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''What Goes Around...Comes Around,'' Justin Timberlake

POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
''Makes Me Wonder,'' Maroon 5

SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''Radio Nowhere,'' Bruce Springsteen

ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
''Icky Thump,'' the White Stripes

HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
''The Pretender,'' Foo Fighters

ROCK SONG
''Radio Nowhere,'' Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)

FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''No One,'' Alicia Keys

MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''Future Baby Mama,'' Prince

R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
''Disrespectful,'' Chaka Khan Featuring Mary J. Blige

R&B SONG
''No One,'' Alicia Keys

RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
''Stronger,'' Kanye West

RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
''Umbrella,'' Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z

RAP PEFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
''Southside,'' Common Featuring Kanye West

RAP SONG
''Good Life,'' Kanye West Featuring T-Pain

FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''Before He Cheats,'' Carrie Underwood

MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
''Stupid Boy,'' Keith Urban

COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
''How Long,'' the Eagles

COUNTRY SONG
''Before He Cheats,'' Carrie Underwood

BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK ALBUM FOR MOTION PICTURE, TELEVISION OR OTHER VISUAL MEDIA
Love, the Beatles (George Martin and Giles Martin, producers)