The Grammy Awards have long been a breeding ground for controversy.
From refusing to televise the rap category in 1989 to The Weekend getting snubbed completely in 2021, it seems like they can never get it right. And this year is no different.
Taylor Swift and Ice Spice’s Karma being nominated for best collaboration is, without doubt, the most shocking pop culture moment this month – despite Harry Styles shaving his head. Both very disappointing. Ice Spice’s entire verse seemed to be in slow motion with lyrics that could have been written by a toddler that has just learnt how to rhyme.
Worse still were the artists overlooked.
Forgive me for going a little Kanye but, in February, RAYE released one of the BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME. But not a single bit of recognition for My 21st Century Blues? What? How? Escapism was the single of the summer after all.
The rock category is beyond messy
Renee Rapp not being included in the Best Newcomer category is more of an outrage than Ryan Gosling becoming a Grammy nominee for THAT Barbie performance. Instead, she was replaced by the likes of Fred Again, a worthy nominee – if this was 2022. The popular producer’s breakthrough came last year when he released critically acclaimed Actual Life 3. More to the point, his debut album was ay back in 2020 – so I wouldn’t say that counts as new.
The rock category, meanwhile, is beyond messy and will have rock lovers everywhere crying into their electric guitars – with two pop sensations, Olivia Rodrigo and Boygenius, taking two spots for Best Rock Song.
Yes, you read that correctly: Best Rock Song.
You would have thought there would be a rock band worthy of one of these nominations. But then again, if The Car by Arctic Monkeys was anything to go by, maybe not.
All the same, I’ll admit there’s some pleasant surprises thrown in the mix: it’s nice to see boygenius getting the appreciation they deserve and Jon Batiste is an unexpected and exciting nominee.
For those two alone, I’m excited for the winners to be announced in February – when undoubtedly more controversy will be created. But fingers crossed Ice Spice won’t be among those triumphing.