Every Case For, And Against, Each Album Of The Year Nominee (2018 Edition)
Originally posted early 2018
The Album Of The Year award is the epitome of everything a recording artist strives for. The heralded (and heavily criticised) committee has been the standard for rewarding artists for six decades, and this year some all time greats are fighting for the top achievement. This year is particularly special with each album having a strong case to win, but there is a flip side to each coin.
Bruno Mars — “24k Magic”
Genre: Pop
Pro: The New King Of Pop
It’s fair to say Bruno Mars is arguably the biggest pop artist in the world. His male competitors for the Pop throne leave more to be desired, or just aren’t “Pop” enough to earn the title. Drake is a hip-hop act, Ed Sheeran has recently been critically chewed up and spit out, The Weeknd has only had a few years of true Billboard staying power with only 6 Top 10 singles against Bruno’s 9. (Nice). With “24k Magic” being a global smash with massive concert sales, album sales, singles domination, and a proven track record with the committee and the hearts of the people, even with such a large gap between full length projects.
Con: Hip-Hop’s Big Moment
Hip-Hop officially becoming the most popular genre of music in the world along with and influx of hip-hop related acts getting heavy nomination after decades of backlash for the shunning of the genre and its legitimacy. That along with the award show being held in New York City with Jay-Z receiving an Icon Award makes the night more and more skewed in favor on paper to rap music over Bruno’s pop / new jack swing filled LP.
Childish Gambino — “Awaken, My Love!”
Genre: R&B / Funk
Pro: Rewarding An Unrewarded Sound
Childish Gambino, aka the Renaissance man Donald Glover, is nominated a few times for one of the few true funk albums of the past decade. The album is soaked in influence and even song lyrics from Sly & The Family Stone along with Parliament-Funkadelic. These artists Gambino strives to encompass in his latest LP have for their whole careers fallen into the two most shunned categories in the multi-decade dynasty of the Grammys. Experimental and Black. Bootsy Collins (leader of Parliament) has 1 nomination, which turned into a win for his 2001 music video for the song “Weapon Of Choice” and George Clinton (creator of the Parliament-Funkadelic family tree) has 2 Grammy noms, one being as a short feature on Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly”. With a win for Donald, it can also be seen as a win for Sly, George and Bootsy that has been long overdue.
Con: Lack Of Grammy Experience
Earning your dues in the eyes of the committee will pay a large roll in the cases for other artists this year, which is a large flaw in Gambino’s case. The Grammy’s ever so rarely give an Album Of The Year award to a first time nominee in the Big 4 Categories (none this decade), especially one who’s lone album related nomination before this year was for Rap Album Of The Year with 2012′s “Because The Internet”.
Jay-Z — “4:44″
Genre: Hip-Hop
Pro: The Golden Veteran Theory
Everything is in line theoretically for Jay-Z to take home the top honor on Sunday. The Grammy’s left LA for New York City this year, the home of Hova himself. The committee has faced heat for not giving recognition to hip-hop since it’s inception, but neither of these things are as comparable to the Golden Veteran Theory. The Theory tells of whenever a Golden Veteran (an artists with the most albums, most nominations and has earliest year of first nomination) is up for Album Of The Year they have an almost a guarantee to win. Jay’s first nomination came in 1999, before any of the acts had even graduated high school. Jay also has 13 official solo albums, again, more then everyone nominated combined. As far as nominations go Jay has 72 compared to the other four nominees only tallying 68 together. Jay is the seasoned vet by miles, but if that will be enough will be decided early in the night when he faces Kendrick for Best Rap Album.
Con: Beyonce
For the first time in the history of the universe having Beyonce by his side may come back to bite Mr. Carter. Looking at this may take a tin foil hate but bare with me. With the inequality and double standards between men and women in entertainment being at the forefront of national news more and more every hour, how would it look for the Grammy committee to reward Jay for telling his side of the story in their highly publicized marital issues, while Beyonce lost to Adele’s snore-fest “25″ for her perspective? Criticism of “4:44″ has largely surrounded this concept, along with it being called Jigga “opening up and becoming emotionally vulnerable” at the ripe age of 48.
Kendrick Lamar — “DAMN.”
Genre: Hip Hop
Pro: The Artist Of The Year Argument
Kendrick has after over a decade of making music has had his breakout year on the commercial side of the success triangle. Having long been acclaimed by his peers and professional critics alike, Kendrick has finally reached chart breaking success with three Hot 100 singles and“DAMN.” being the third highest selling album of the year, highest out of each nominated album. Along with acclaim in every possible way, Kendrick has also secured deals with Reebok, named as co-executive producer for Marvel’s Black Panther soundtrack and sold out a multi-month country wide tour. The Year Of Kung Fu Kenny would receive a cherry on top by sweeping the Grammy’s, including the crown jewel itself.
Con: May Be Too Experimental
Though Jay-Z may have the “blackest” album of the 5 nominations, Kendrick definitely has the most complex. The album was admittedly created to be played backwards, presenting a different meaning depending on which way you decide to play it. That along with concepts of black Israelites, game breaking song structure, beat switches, obscure sample choices, and heavy political topics may have created to deep of a project for a voting body that has time and again shown a preference to simpler albums, proven best with Kendricks’“To Pimp A Butterfly” (one of the highest acclaimed albums in music history) losing to Taylor Swift’s low risk low reward “1989″.
Lorde — “Melodrama”
Genre: Pop
Pro: The Future Of Pop Musics Progression
The dull, repetitive, cookie cutter structure that most pop songs are made in is as annoying and ear bleedingly painful as it has ever been. Lorde though has again pulled through the muck and slop of the genre to create something interesting and excited. Breathing new life into the genre with a loose concept album with songs smart enough to tickle the brain of a music vet, but infectious enough to play at full volume at a homecoming dance. Lorde took year between releases, but with a second highly received album, the hope is that it will inspired a quicker turnaround in production then the last go around to keep a high quality songwriter on the charts.
Con: The Weakest Overall Album Of The Group
Let’s be honest with ourselves, of the 5 albums one is not like the other. Though Lorde released an astounding project, it just isn’t in the same tier as the other nominees. Had the committee listened to the public or other critics as to what the best projects were, this spot would without a doubt be filled by a Thundercat, SZA, Drake, or Daniel Caesar. Though the when an oddball is among what seems to be obvious choices, they always are their for a big gold plated and gramophone shaped reason.
