2011 Grammy Awards

After watching the Grammys on Sunday, I have one simple question: Who the hell is Esperanza Spalding? If you haven’t heard the news, Esperanza Spalding won the Grammy for Best New Artist. I seriously have no idea of who she is but what’s shocking is the fact that she beat Justin Bieber.

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, get ready for hate mail from pre-teen girls all across the nation.

There were many other awards given out that made sense like Lady Gaga winning Best Pop Vocal Album and Eminem winning Best Rap Album. Another interesting win was Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” receiving the awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Honestly, I don’t see the difference between a record and a song, but that’s probably why I am not a member of the academy. The only plus about Lady Antebellum getting these two awards was that it meant Eminem’s and Rihanna’s song “Love the Way You Lie” did not .That made me especially happy because it would be weird to say that the best song of 2010 was about getting the crap beat out of you by your lover – but you like it? Also, we all can relate to “Need You Now” because this is college and everyone has made that drunken late night call “needing” someone. Fortunately for me, all my late night calls are for Seasons Pizza so I can eat my feeling and not actually feel them.

Now the biggest shock of the night definitely was Arcade Fire winning the highly coveted award for Album of the Year. Maybe I am being a little harsh because I am not that familiar with their music, but I feel like album of the year should go to an artist/group that is on the radio. I didn’t hear 104.3 blasting Arcade Fire during their continuous replay of the same 5 songs.

Looks like I’ll be hoping for next year. I’m sure Justin Bieber feels the exact same way right now. Or he could be trying to figure out ways to reverse puberty in order to stay in the tenth grade forever.

2011 Grammy Award Winners

Record of the Year – Land Antebellum’s “Need You Now”

Album of the Year – Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs”

Song of the Year – Lady Antelbellum’s “Need You Now” (song)

Best New Artist – Esperanza Spalding

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance – Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance – Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are”

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” (Live)

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals – “Imagine, ”Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare

Best Pop Vocal Album – “The Fame Monster,” Lady GaGa

Best Dance Recording – “Only Girl (In the World),” Rihanna

Best Dance/Electronic Album – “La Roux,” La Roux

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album – “Crazy Love,” Michael Bublé

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance – “Helter Skelter”, Paul McCartney

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – “Tighten Up,” The Black Keys

Best Hard Rock Performance – “New Fang,” Them Crooked Vultures

Best Metal Performance – “El Dorado,” Iron Maiden

Best Rock Song – “Angry World,” Niel Young

Best Rock Album – “The Resistance,” Muse

Best Alternative Music Album – “Brothers,” The Black Keys

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance – “Bittersweet,” Fantasia

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance – “There Goes My Baby,” Usher

Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – “Solider of Love,” Sade

Best Urban/Alternative Performance – “F*** You,” Cee Lo Green

Best R&B Song – “Shine,” John Stephens, songwriter (John Legend & The Roots)

Best R&B Album – “Wake Up!,” John Legend & The Roots

Best Contemporary Album – “Raymond V Raymond,” Usher

Best Rap Solo Performance – “Not Afraid,” Eminem

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration – “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Best Rap Song - “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Best Rap Album – “Recovery,” Eminem

Best Female Country Vocal Performance – “The House That Built Me,” Miranda Lambert

Best Male Country Vocal Performance – “’Til Summer Comes Around,” Keith Urban

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals – “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum

Best Country Song – “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum

Best Country Album – “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum

– Compiled by Jeremy Bauer-Wolf