Grammy Award
Grammy Award | |
The Grammy awards are named for the trophy: a small, gilded gramophone statuette. |
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Awarded for | Outstanding achievements in the record industry |
Presented by | National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |
Country | United States |
First awarded | 1959 |
Official website |
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The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards) are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry. The current President of the Academy is Neil Portnow. It is one of several major music awards shows held annually in the U.S.; among the others are the American Music Awards, and the Billboard Music Awards. However, the Grammys are considered the highest music honor, the U.S. record industry's equivalent to the Academy Awards (Oscars) for motion pictures. The award show is normally held in February. The 49th Grammy Awards ceremony took place on February 11, 2007 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. In 2008 the 50th Grammy Awards will take place on February 10 again at the Staples Center. This will be a milestone for the Grammys and the Recording Academy. Nominations will be announced on December 6, 2007.
The awards ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the more prominent Grammy Awards are presented in a widely-viewed televised ceremony. Of the "big three" music awards shows, the Grammys are the highest rated.
As of 2006, the eligibility period for the Grammy Awards begins October 1.
The Grammy Awards are currently broadcast on CBS. Prior to the first live Grammys telecast in 1971 on ABC (CBS bought the rights in 1973 after moving the ceremony to Nashville, Tennessee; the American Music Awards were created for ABC as a result), a series of taped annual specials in the 1960s called The Best on Record were broadcast on NBC.
The awards were held for several years at the Shrine Auditorium, known as the home of the Oscars and its famous red carpet, however due to the increase in categories and attendance it was moved to the Staples Center. Non presenting attendees and nominees must pay to attend the event, however, the fee is traditionally covered by the record label. A separate paid ticket is required to enter the official post party which is in addition to the ticket price. For 2007, tickets started at $750 for members, climbing to $2,500 per person. Anyone attending the official Grammy party pays $250, however attendees receive a gift bag with considerable "swag", which is, in industry parlance, "free" goods. This can include anything from perfume, gift certificates, jewelry, CDs and more, usually in an event commemorative bag. For 2007 the official Grammy post party swag gift was a Tigi Fashionista Frenzy 5 piece hair care assortment in a custom case with a Grammy award seal.
Grammy Awards records
Sir Georg Solti
The record for the most Grammy Awards in a lifetime is held by Sir Georg Solti, a Hungarian-British conductor who conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for twenty-two years. He personally won 31 Grammys and is listed for 38 Grammys (6 went to the engineer and 1 to a soloist); he was nominated an additional 74 times before his death in 1997.
U2
To date, U2 has won more Grammy Awards than any other band for a total of 22 awards. They have won Rock Duo or Group seven times, Album of the Year twice, Record of the Year twice, Song of the Year twice and best Rock Album twice.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash has won 16 Grammys in a variety of categories:
- 1968 – Best Country & Western Performance, Duet, Trio Or Group, "Jackson" (with June Carter Cash)
- 1969 – Best Male Country Vocal, "Folsom Prison Blues"
- 1969 – Best Album Notes, At Folsom Prison
- 1970 – Best Male Country Vocal, "A Boy Named Sue"
- 1970 – Best Country Song, "A Boy Named Sue" by Shel Silverstein
- 1970 – Best Album Notes (written by Cash) for Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline
- 1971 – Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "If I Were A Carpenter", with June Carter Cash
- 1987 – Best Spoken Word or Non-musical Album, Interviews From the Class of '55 Recording Sessions, with Carl Perkins, Chips Moman, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison and Sam Phillips
- 1995 – Best Contemporary Folk Album, American Recordings
- 1998 – Best Country Album, Unchained
- 1999 – Lifetime Achievement
- 2001 – Best Country Male Vocal, "Solitary Man"
- 2002 – Best Country Album, Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute (Cash contributed a cover of "I Dreamed About Mama Last Night")
- 2003 – Best Country Male Vocal, "Give My Love To Rose"
- 2004 – Best Short Form Video, "Hurt", directed by Mark Romanek
- 2006 – Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, "The Legend"
Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny and the Pat Metheny Group have won 17 Grammy Awards in total, including seven consecutive awards for seven consecutive albums. Metheny held the record for Grammy wins in the most different categories as of the 2005 Grammy Awards:
- Best Jazz Fusion Performance (1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990)
- Best Instrumental Composition (1991)
- Best Contemporary Jazz Performance/Album (1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2005)
- Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual or Group (1998, 2000)
- Best Rock Instrumental Performance (1999)
- Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (2001)
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen has won 15 Grammy Awards, as follows (years shown are the year the award was given for, not the year in which the ceremony was held):
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, 1984, "Dancing in the Dark"
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, 1987, "Tunnel of Love"
- Song of the Year, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia"
- Best Rock Song, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia"
- Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia"
- Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia"
- Best Contemporary Folk Album, 1996, The Ghost of Tom Joad
- Best Rock Album, 2002, The Rising
- Best Rock Song, 2002, "The Rising"
- Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, 2002, "The Rising"
- Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, 2003, "Disorder in the House" (with Warren Zevon)
- Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, 2004, "Code of Silence"
- Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, 2005, "Devils & Dust"
- Best Traditional Folk Album, 2006, The Seeger Sessions: We Shall Overcome
- Best Long Form Music Video, 2006, "Wings For Wheels: The Making Of Born To Run"
Hal Blaine
Session drummer Hal Blaine played on six consecutive records which won Record of the Year:
- 1966 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - "A Taste of Honey"
- 1967 Frank Sinatra - "Strangers in the Night"
- 1968 5th Dimension - "Up, Up and Away"
- 1969 Simon & Garfunkel - "Mrs. Robinson"
- 1970 5th Dimension - "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In"
- 1971 Simon & Garfunkel - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder, as a solo artist, has won 22 Grammys.
The Beatles
The Beatles, as a group, won Grammy Awards for the following Albums & Songs in the following years:
- 1965 A Hard Day's Night[1]
- 1965 Best New Artist[2]
- 1967 Michelle- Song of the Year 1966[3]
- 1968 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band-Album of the Year[4]
- 1971 Let It Be[5]
Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss, as a female solo artist, collaborator, producer and with Union Station has won 20 Grammy Awards.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin has won the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Grammy a record 11 times, 8 of them consecutively.
Michael Jackson
The most Grammy Awards awarded to an artist in one night is a record currently held by Michael Jackson (8 for Thriller).
- Record of the Year - Beat It
- Album of the Year - Thriller
- Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - Thriller
- Best Male Rock Vocal Performance - Beat It
- Best Male R&B Vocal Performance - Billie Jean
- Best R&B Song - Billie Jean
- Best Recording For Children - E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
- Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical)
Santana
- Record Of The Year - Smooth
- Album Of The Year - Supernatural
- Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal - Maria Maria
- Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals - Smooth
- Best Pop Instrumental Performance - El Farol
- Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal - Put Your Lights On
- Best Rock Instrumental Performance - The Calling
- Best Rock Album - Supernatural
Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross is the only artist to receive the "Big Four" (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) in a single ceremony in 1981.
Norah Jones
Norah Jones won Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist) in 2003; that same year her guitarist, Jesse Harris, won the Song of the Year for writing 'Don't Know Why'. Although Norah sang the song, she did not receive the Song of the Year Grammy because it is a songwriter's award.
Béla Fleck
Béla Fleck has been nominated in more categories than any other musician, namely country, pop, jazz, bluegrass, classical, folk, and spoken word, as well as composition and arranging. Longtime Flecktone Victor Wooten is the only artist to be nominated for a Grammy on an independent record label for his 1997 jazz album Yin & Yang.
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is the youngest person to win a Grammy, at 14 years old. In 1997 she was awarded Best New Artist, succeeding former title holder David L Cook, who was 16 when he won.
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera is the yougest non-caucasian (non White) artist to win a GRAMMY. Aguilera who is latino won Best New Artist in 2000 at the age of 19. She also set a record at the Latin Grammy Award in becoming the first American Born artist to win a Latin Grammy. In 2001 she was awarded Best Female Pop Vocal Album.
Rick Rubin
The most Grammys won by a record Producer in one night is five. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007 Rick Rubin won Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Country Album for the Dixie Chicks. He was awarded best Rock Album for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and he also won Producer of the Year, Non Classical.
Most Grammys won by a Female Artist in one night
The most Grammys won by a Female Artist in one night is five, which has been accomplished by five different artists: Lauryn Hill in 1999, Alicia Keys in 2002, Norah Jones in 2003, Beyonce in 2004 and the members of the Dixie Chicks in 2007.
Nomination records
- Alan Parsons and Joe Satriani are tied for most Grammy nominations without winning, with thirteen.
- Billy Gilman is the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Grammy. In 2001 he was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, losing out to Johnny Cash. He was 12 years, 273 days old when he earned the nomination.
The Big Four
There are many Grammy Award categories but winning one of the Big Four is the most prestigious win of all. These are the only awards which are not genre restricted:
- Record of the Year is awarded to the performer and the production team of a single song.
- Album of the Year is awarded to the performer and the production team of a full album.
- Song of the Year is awarded to the writer(s)/composer(s) of a single song.
Other Special Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award is a Special Merit Award presented to performers (and some non-performers through 1972) who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.
- Trustees Award is a Special Merit Award presented to individuals who, during their careers in music, have made significant contributions, other than performance (and some performers through 1983), to the field of recording.
- is a Special Merit Award presented to individuals and/or companies who have made contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field.
- Grammy Legend Award is a Special Merit Award is presented to individuals or groups for ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field; it was inaugurated in 1990.
- Grammy Hall of Fame Award was established in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Winners are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts.
Award Categories
Alternative
Blues
Children's
Classical
Comedy
Composing/Arrangement
- Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "Film/TV/Media" field)
- Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (now in the "film/TV/media" field)
Country
Dance
- Best Dance Recording (previously in "Pop")
Disco
- Best Disco Recording (1980 only)
Film/TV/Media
- Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field)
- Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (previously in the "composing and arranging" field)
Folk
Gospel
Jazz
Latin
Musical Show
Music Video
New Age
Packaging/Notes; Best Album Cover
Polka
Pop
Production/Engineering
R&B
Rap
Reggae
Rock
Surround Sound
Spoken
Traditional Pop
World
Awards by year
Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for music released in the previous year.
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1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
Host cities and venues
- 1959-1969: , Los Angeles, CA
- 1970-1971: Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
- 1972: Felt Forum (now The Theater at Madison Square Garden), New York City, NY
- 1973: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
- 1974: George Gershwin Theater, New York, NY
- 1975-1977: Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1978-1980: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1981: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1982-1983: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1984: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1985-1987: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1988-1989: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1990: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1991-1992: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1993: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1994: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1995-1996: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 1997: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 1998: Radio City Music Hall, New York City, NY
- 1999: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
- 2000-2002: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
- 2003: Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
- 2004-2008: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Criticism
The Grammy Awards have been criticized for being only devoted to mainstream music and for not highlighting alternative groups and artists. This has also lead to the speculation that the Grammy Awards are controlled and manipulated by major record labels. There is little evidence to support this, and the Grammy Awards do have categories to honor even non mainstream artists and their works. Others state that rock, R&B, hip-hop, and pop acts are highlighted more because that is the mainstream, just as disco was highlighted in the 1970s, and rap and hip-hop received more attention in the 1990s when it became mainstream. The Grammy Awards do have more focus on mainstream acts than the American Music Awards, the Billboard Awards, or the MTV Video Music Awards.
Some musical artists have had problems with the nature of the Grammys. The singer of rock band Tool did not attend the Grammy ceremony to receive their award. Lead singer Maynard James Keenan explained his thoughts of the Grammys:
“ | I think the Grammys are nothing more than some gigantic promotional machine for the music industry. They cater to a low intellect and they feed the masses. They don't honor the arts or the artist for what he created. It's the music business celebrating itself. That's basically what it's all about. | ” |
The Grammy Awards are often criticized for failing to adequately represent the popular sentiment of the public. The Recording Academy and record companies are responsible for entering the works that they deem most deserving. Once a work is entered, reviewing sessions are held by over 150 experts from the recording industry. This is done only to determine whether or not a work is eligible or entered into the proper category. The nomination process requires that members vote only in their fields of expertise. They may nominate in the four general categories (Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist) and in no more than nine out of 31 fields on their ballots. Once the nominations are secured, Recording Academy members may then vote in the four general categories and in no more than eight of the 31 fields. Ballots again are tabulated in secrecy by the major independent accounting firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.[6]
There is much debate about whether or not this sort of nominating process is the result of commercial, political or industry bias. Some conservative critics have argued that major award shows like the Grammy Awards are merely the recording industry's attempt to congratulate their own while advertising their products and ideas through the use of selection bias in the nominating process. The winners, critics argue, would naturally reflect "the social, political and artistic preferences of the nominating and voting members." Other critics, including those within the industry, openly question whether music award shows are relevant in today's digital society.[7] Award shows like the Grammys appear to be relevant as Billboard Magazine regularly shows a spike in an artist or group's album when that act has won a Grammy Award.
Praises
The Academy has been credited for recognizing many artists who are not as well known and have lower sales. For example; In 2003 Norah Jones won 5 Grammys including Record & Album of the year beating out Eminem, Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks. Her debut Album Come Away With Me has since been certified diamond in the United States. Also as a result of her accolades her sales skyrocketed and today she is one of the Best selling Female artist of the 21st century with close to 40 Million albums sold worldwide.
NARAS does much to help the recording community as well as helping fund Music Education. The Academy has been involved with helping musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Popular culture
The long-time running animated show The Simpsons often mocks the Grammy Awards. In the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", Homer Simpson won a Grammy for "Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year" for his barbershop quartet singing with The B Sharps, but uses it as a tip for roomservice. The hotel worker exclaims "Ooooh, an award statue!" When he recognized the statue, he said, "Aww, it's just a Grammy", and throws it over a balcony. In a later episode, "The Mansion Family", Homer mentions again that he "never won an award that means something" after complaining for not getting any awards and being reminded that he once won a Grammy. he responds with "I mean an award that's worth winning!" A disclaimer then rolls at the bottom of the screen saying that "Mr. Simpson's opinions do not reflect those of the producers, who don't consider the Grammy an award at all".
In the episode "I'm With Cupid", Elton John gives Homer a Grammy, thanking him for the compliment, and Homer mumbles something and throws it away.
References
- ^ HTTP://WWW.grammy.com/GRAMMY_AWARDS/Voting/
- ^ http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_AWARDS/Voting/
- ^ http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_AWARDS/Voting/
- ^ http://grammy.com/GRAMMY_AWARDS/Voting/
- ^ http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_AWARDS/Voting/
- ^ http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Voting/
- ^ http://www.canada.com/topics/entertainment/story.html?id=947881cc-b42d-47e3-b95c-2c66e27a396e&k=48420
External links
- Official site
- Los Angeles Times listing of Grammy awards nominees in all categories: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
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Major ceremonies | American Music Award • BET • Billboard • Grammy • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction • Dove Award |
Other ceremonies | ACM • BET Hip Hop • Billboard Latin • CMA • Kids' Choice • Latin Grammy • MTV VMA • NAACP Image • People's Choice • Radio Music • Soul Train • Teen Choice |
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1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |