popular thinking

MY GRAMMY PICKS: I don't have a vote tonight, but if I did, these would be the nominees I'd pick. Not the folks I think will win, nor even necessarily who I think should win (since my nominations list might look slightly different), but those I'd vote for given this list. You cannot underestimate the Grammy voters' tendencies toward honoring the same musicians over and over, honoring musicians based on past (not present) performance and honoring the dead. The Grammys also tend to reward the same folks who perform on the show, so watch out for that, too. All of that said, here is my list of selected categories.

Record of the year? Yeah! -- Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris
Album of the year? The College Dropout -- Kanye West
Song of the year? Jesus Walks -- Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West)
Best new artist? Kanye West
Best rock song? Float On -- Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci, Eric Judy & Benjamin Weikel, songwriters (Modest Mouse)
Best rock album? American Idiot -- Green Day
Best alternative music album? Good News For People Who Love Bad News -- Modest Mouse (*as much as I loved the Franz Ferdinand disc, I'd have moved it to the rock category)
Best female R&B vocal performance? If I Ain't Got You -- Alicia Keys
Best traditional R&B vocal performance? Musicology -- Prince
Best urban/alternative performance? Star -- The Roots
Best R&B song? You Don't Know My Name -- Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly & Kanye West, songwriters (Alicia Keys)
Best R&B album? Musicology -- Prince
Best contemporary R&B album? Confessions -- Usher
Best rap solo performance? 99 Problems -- Jay-Z
Best rap performance by a duo or group? Ch-Check it Out -- Beastie Boys (*as much as I love The Roots, I'd have picked another song from their disc)
Best rap/sung collaboration? All Falls Down -- Kanye West & Syleena Johnson
Best rap song? Jesus Walks -- Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West)
Best rap album? The Black Album -- Jay-Z
Best female country vocal performance? In My Daughter's Eyes -- Martina McBride
Best male country vocal performance? Live Like You Were Dying -- Tim McGraw
Best country performance by a duo or group with vocal? Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) -- Big & Rich
Best country collaboration with vocals? Portland, Oregon -- Loretta Lynn & Jack White
Best country album? Van Lear Rose -- Loretta Lynn

See the full list of Grammy nominees. And check back tonight to see if I end up blogging the awards in real-time or wait until the show is over to give my astute analysis.