This writer can't stand the elitism of the Grammy Awards. When will someone stand-up and represent the true face of music on the world stage?
Let’s rant for a moment about how out of touch the Grammy Academy or whatever they like to refer to themselves as, really are. These were some of the more high profile awards given out the other night. Album of the Year:
"Taking the Long Way," Dixie Chicks.
Record of the Year: "Not Ready to Make Nice," Dixie Chicks.
New Artist: Carrie Underwood.
Rap Album: "Release Therapy," Ludacris. Rock Album:
"Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Now, pardoning the (near) pun at the behest of the aforementioned rap artist --but this awards show is ludicrous. Nobody in their good mind can sit there and say that the Dixie Chicks –THE DIXIE CHICKS!—wrote the best album and record of the year. Nobody in their right mind can sit there and say that Carrie Underwood is the best new artist in music today. Red Hot Chili Peppers I’ll admit are a great rock band, but “Stadium Arcadium” was hardly the best album put out this year, sorry guys, I do still love you.
No, what makes me kind of sick and kind of sad is that what this is a celebration of is money and profits and celebrity. What it certainly isn’t about is creative ambitions or unique vision.
What it’s not about is representing what’s good in music today. What really saddens me however is that the Grammy’s are a dividing line. It doesn’t unite the musical spheres –rather it polarizes them. At least their cinematic counterparts embrace the whole field…I can slightly bare watching the Oscars. But the Grammys…they’re crap.
