Grammy’s The Big 4 predictions

The nominations for music's biggest night of the year will be announced next Wednesday and like the Oscars, there has been a lot of Grammy buzz floating around, specifically with certain names. I've taken The Big 4 awards and chosen my predictions for the nominations for them. It's really hard to narrow down the lists to five since there are a lot of contenders so while I end each category off with a solid five for my actual predictions, there's also the inclusion of some secondary guesses that I also expect to make it in place of some of my final guesses that don't.

Album of the Year
760 albums were submitted for this the biggest award of the Grammys. Many fingers have been directed at some obvious choices for most of the year. When people refer to an album having "Grammy buzz", it typically refers to whether it is considered for this category.
Adele has been pretty much a sure bet since 21 came out back in February and Tony Bennett has gotten some attention with Duets II. I'm also betting on the Foo Fighters getting a surprise nomination with Wasting Light. Kanye West is a sure shot too however he is involved on two submitted albums, his own My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as well as Watch The Throne with Jay-Z. So one of those is likely unless they cancel each other out. Other considered titles include Paper Airplane by Alison Krauss and Union Station (don't be surprised. She's the woman with the most Grammys ever - 26), Born This Way by Lady GaGa and filling the off-the-wall out-of-the-blue quota is Here We Go Again by Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis and Norah Jones. Meanwhile, after last year's Teenage Dream (Katy Perry) nomination, there might also be room for more mainstream-friendly, hit-filled albums like Loud (Rihanna) or Speak Now (Taylor Swift).

My predictions: Adele, Tony Bennett, Foo Fighters, Lady GaGa and Taylor Swift.

Song of the Year
The Song of the Year category is a songwriter's award. However, for simplicity's purpose, I'll list the singer of the songs rather than just the songwriters when I make my predictions. 839 songs were submitted for consideration for the final five. If any category will have any major surprises of The Big 4, it would be this one.
Some of the songs at the forefront of my predictions include the obvious Rolling In The Deep (which is the only song of Adele's submitted. A smart move to avoid the splitting of votes. It's pretty much guaranteed), Don't You Wanna Stay (Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson), Firework (Katy Perry), Marry Me (Train's underdog submission) and Perfect (Pink). This category often contains a surprise that comes out of left field that could be any of the following: All Of The Lights (Kanye West), You And I (Lady GaGa), Pumped Up Kicks (Foster The People), Hold My Hand (Michael Jackson and Akon), Back Down South (Kings of Leon), The Cave (Mumford & Sons) or Call Your Girlfriend (Robyn). Hey, it could happen!

My predictions: Rolling In The Deep, Don't You Wanna Stay, Marry Me, You And I and Perfect.

Record of the Year
854 titles were submitted for this category. The Record of the Year is an award for the artist, producer, mixer, engineer and others that worked on the actual recording of the song. It typically has consisted of titles that are bigger hits than those that end up in Song of the Year.
My guesses consist of Adele (Rolling In The Deep) as a sure bet, as well as Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera (Moves Like Jagger) with the rest being mostly wild-card guesses. The Foo Fighters are Grammy darlings and have been nominated in The Big 4 a few times in the past. Walk could represent the rock voters with Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's Don't You Wanna Stay for those on the country side. Other guesses go for Lady GaGa (You And I or Judas but likely the former if any of them), Kanye West (All Of The Lights) or perhaps Nicki Minaj (Super Bass) or Mumford & Sons (The Cave).

My predictions: Adele, Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera, Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Lady GaGa and the Foo Fighters.

Best New Artist
The Best New Artist category is tough to choose from amongst the 447 submissions because quite often the names that make the final five nominations list may often be artists who are known only to people of the genre of music they do. Last year's winner Esperanza Spalding, for example, was unknown outside of the world of Jazz but was suddenly a recognizable name due to her Grammy nomination. So this category can do a lot for a nominated artist.
My thoughts are based on little more than current buzz and partial name recognition of some of the following including The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Eliza Doolittle, Jessie J and Nicki Minaj. But other names that could sneak in include a hopeful prediction for Nicole Atkins or to a lesser extent Ellie Goulding. Perhaps An Horse, J. Cole, Foster The People, Neon Trees, Christina Perri and Tyler, The Creator.

My predictions: The Band Perry, Bon Iver, Eliza Doolittle, Jessie J and Nicki Minaj.

As for the overall predictions, I'm guessing that Adele, Tony Bennett, the Foo Fighters and Jason Aldean all pick up the most nominations including ones they happen to make in the categories above. The nominations are announced on Wednesday, November 30th.