I did this sort of thread last fall, thought it would be fun to try again. This year Grammy nominees have to be released Oct 1 2004 - Sept 30, 2005. Now we've had some time to digest the fall albums, I'm wondering which ones people think have a shot. I'll tell you without a huge-selling breakthrough album or iconic hit single, it's going to be a tough year for predictions.

The two biggest pre-release hypes were for Grammy faves U2 and Coldplay. Both albums proved at least mild disappointments, but this was such a weak year for mainstream albums that I'd say HTDAAB is a lock and X & Y has a shot.

Nothing secures a Grammy nomination like the rare appearance of a singer on a Time Magazine cover (Lauryn Hill, Bruce Springsteen, U2) so maybe that's a good sign for Kanye West who was, many feel, robbed of the Best New Artist award last year.

My personal choice for best album of 2005, Fiona Apple's "Extraordinary Machine" misses the cut by four days.

I'm personally hoping The Rolling Stones will be rewarded for putting out a really good album long after everyone in the know thought they were merely capable of phoning it in.

Previous Grammy faves and recent AOTY nominees Beck and The White Stripes could also be in the mix, I suppose.


I have no idea what will be coming out of the record (single) of the year or best new artist categories. I figure that Green Day will show up in the record category for "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" as much for a make-up on missing the best album of 2004 as for individual merit of the song. Springsteen also has a shot in the ROTY for the title track of Devils & Dust. Beyond that, I'm totally drawing a blank.

..But what do I know? Any thoughts? I'd love to hear the guesses of those more familiar with recent popular music.


--and remember these ARE the Grammys. They've gotten a lot better with their blue-ribbon panel choosing the final nominees; but still their tastes are pretty mainstream and in a weak year in terms of sales and critical acclaim, you never know what they'll choose to honor.

Ashley Simpson -- wins everything.

Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, Audioslave, and System of a Down seem to be destined for at least 1 grammy nomination in a rock category. Other possible grammy nominees: Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Mars Volta, Beck, Kanye West, DMB, Weezer, All-American Rejects, Staind, Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, and some more usual suspects.

I would like to see Death Cab for Cutie, Dredg, and Stereophonics get some attention as well.

Aren't the grammys all based on album sales? If that is the case, there should be no guessing at who it is going to be, just a matter of deducing who sold the most.

Why does anyone even care about the Grammys after the Milli Vanilli fiasco? That lost what little credibility they had.

No, they're not. Sales help, but that's not a criteria at all, which is why critically acclaimed artists such as Diana Krall, The White Stripes and Radiohead have been recent AOTY nominees despite not having big sales numbers or hit singles.

Milli Vanilli was a recent low point, as was the year that The Tree Tenors in LA was nominated for AOTY. It was after that debacle that the blue ribbon panel was established to ensure the four big categories (album, record, song and new artist) didn't include any true embarrassments.

Hmm...I see the Black Eyed Peas might got nominated for their near worthless record, Kanye, Missy E, Coldplay and Gwen will probably get nominations, that Paul McCartney album will be a underdog but I think it has chances, and maybe for the random indie/alternative record that seems to creep into the top 5 may very well be that Antony and the Johnsons record but who knows, I am just talking crazy talk.

Hip-hop might go like this: Kanye, Missy E, MIA or Common as the underdog, 3 6 Mafia, and the Game. I will be pissed if 50 or Mike Jones get nominations for their lamo records.

Gotcha. Which awards am I thinking of then that are based on sales? Billboard, I guess. I thought it was a bigger show than that one though.

Milli Vanilli recent? Wasn't that like 15 years ago?

Is Santana's latest album of pop crap eligible? If so, mark him down for a few wins.

The awards are 60 yrs old. Fifteen is recent enough (as was Jethro Tull winning the first Heavy Metal Grammy over Metallica -- ugh).

Santana's last album was completely passed over and it was FAR better than the most recent one (which I don't think is eligible anyway).

any musician/band that is bland, predicitable and sells a lot...ie sheryl crow

On that note, Coldplay is going to have a big night. The Foo Fighters will win the "hard rock" category as they always do.

Only band which i care to see win are The Mars Volta, NIN, System of a down and Dredg but i guess thats my taste in music