popular thinking

According to Google News, there were almost 1,000 related stories on this week's Grammy nominations. I'd venture that about 975 of those stories said the same thing. Most in the media played the tried-and-true storylines: Kanye West finds "redemption" by leading the way; Usher continues the Year of Usher; Ray Charles gets his due. But those are lazy stories that anyone with access to a Grammys press release could write. Some papers added sidebars or grafs for their local honorees. What about these storylines?

-- Here is a quick quiz. I'll give you a set of nominees. You tell me which groups are up for Best Rock Album and which groups are up for Best Alternative Album: Bjork, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Franz Ferdinand, Green Day, Hoobastank, The Killers, Modest Mouse, PJ Harvey, Velvet Revolver, Wilco

-- What's the difference between Best R&B Album and Best Contemporary R&B Album?

-- When are the Grammys going to have an accurate definition of Best New Artist, other than the current one which tries to explain that it's the artist's "first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist." Were the earlier efforts too private? And how public do you have to be to considered public?

-- It's been 10 years since The Recording Academy created a "blue ribbon panel" to ensure that the Grammys are hip. And yet, have you taken a good look at this year's nominees? Where are The Shins or Jet under any of the Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song or Best Alternative categories? If U2's iPod song ("Vertigo') can be considered, why not Jet's equally compelling "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"? Or how about Ambulance LTD or Shortlist winners TV on the Radio, for that matter?

-- Why do the Grammys continue to make its top priority honoring the sick and the dead and making room for past-their-prime musicians under a better-late-than-never policy? For those keeping score, I would be referring to Ray Charles this year, as well as last year's winners Luther Vandross, Warren Zevon and Celia Cruz.

-- For being out of touch, the Grammys also have a way of making up for that by giving any previous winners a free pass into future nominations. Think of it as the Ivy League rule -- getting in is the tough part; once you're in, you're in for life.

-- If we're really keeping track, shouldn't someone in the press note that this year's crop of nominees pales in comparison hipness to the 2003 winners, which did include OutKast, Eminem, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Missy Elliott, Beyonce, Coldplay and The Neptunes.

The 47th Annual Grammy Awards nominees, full listing.