Somewhere in the past 5 years I lost the thread of popular music -- I can only keep up with so many things and film is obviously my happyplace -- but even when I was firmly ensconced in the music side of pop culture, the Grammys never made much sense to me. Needless to say I'm lost when it comes to the major nominations though I generally listen in or around the top three categories (Album, Song, Record) to see if something pricks my ears. But I digress. Let's talk about the fields that relate to what we do here at The Film Experience. Grammy has categories for everything including prizes for stage, film and television... but since they're on a different timetable than Oscar, it's a mix of 2012 films and new releases mostly The Great Gatsby that could win Grammy gold.
Fantine sings again!
Best Compilation Soundtrack
- Django Unchained
- The Great Gatsby (Deluxe Edition)
- Les Misérables (Deluxe Edition)
- Muscle Shoals
- Sound City: Real To Reel
Best Score Soundtrack
- Argo -Alexandre Desplat
- The Great Gatsby -Craig Armstrong
- Life Of Pi -Mychael Danna (the Oscar winner)
- Lincoln -John Williams
- Skyfall -Thomas Newman
- Zero Dark Thirty -Alexandre Desplats
Someone really likes themselves some Desplat, the new John Williams for awards ubiquity. You'll notice this nominee list is Oscar's shortlist for Original Score from last year minus Anna Karenina plus Zero Dark Thirty (which was an unfortunate Oscar snub since it's so superior to Desplat's other nominated score) and 2013's The Great Gatsby since the Grammys can't be contained by 5 nominees... sometimes.
Why does The Great Gatsby get to be nominated for both kinds of movie score categories? I do not know.
Best Song Written For Visual Media
- "
Atlas
" from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin - "Silver Lining" from Silver Linings Playbook
Diane Warren - "Skyfall" from Skyfall
Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth - "We Both Know" from Safe Haven
Colbie Caillat & Gavin DeGraw - "Young And Beautiful" from The Great Gatsby
Lana Del Rey & Rick Nowels - "You've Got Time
" from Orange is the New Black
Regina Spektor
I can't remember who told me that a lot of people hate the Orange is the New Black song but when they told me I did not believe them. Best TV theme song in years and years. Or at least since Jenji Kohan's last television series. It matters not - Skyfall will continue hoovering up awards for years to come as "Temple Grandin" of movie songs.
Musical Theater Album
- Kinky Boots
Cyndi Lauper, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast With Stark Sands, Billy Porter & Others) - Matilda: The Musical
Tim Minchin, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast) - Motown The Musical
various composers (it's a jukebox musical); (Original Broadway Cast With Brandon Victor Dixon, Valisia LeKae, CharlBrown, Bryan Terrell Clark, & Others)
Odd that there are only 3 nominees when Grammy loves an overabundance. Odd that recent sensation Pippin didn't make it, but I guess it wasn't enough of a tourist crossover to catch Grammys eye? It's tough to imagine that Cyndi Lauper will lose this given her success on the boards and her previous incarnation as a Grammy winning pop star (14 noms / 1 win).
Best Music Video
- "Safe And Sound
" - Capitol Cities
Grady Hall, video director - "Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film" (previously discussed) -Jay-Z
Mark Romanek
- "
Can't Hold Us" -Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Jon Jon Augustavo, Jason Koenig & Ryan Lewis
- "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake
David Fincher !!!!!!!!! (True story: I was a fan before he ever made movies because his music videos were so damn good. But for some reason I thought he'd hung up that particular hat. I guess his Social Network star lured him back)
- "
I'm Shakin'" - Jack White
Dori Oskowitz
Which Grammy nominations are *you* excited about? (In these or other categories - here's a complete list)