The Grammy nominees

Are we in the year 2005 or have we gone back to 1969? I am sure that this is the same thing you will ask yourself once you get a look at the recently announced names of nominees for the Grammy Awards. Rock heartthrobs Maroon5 did get some. So did American Idol Fantasia and Brit group Franz Ferdinand. But the presence of pop stalwarts from the past this year is simply mind-boggling. If the Beatles were still making albums at this time, you can bet that they will make a clean sweep of the Grammys.

Nominated are Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Brian Wilson, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Carly Simon, Robert Plant, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, Neil Young, etc. etc. Why, Bob Dylan is even in the running for Best Long Form Music Video and his entry No Direction Home is directed by no less than Martin Scorsese. Is this a case of music fans from forty years ago taking over the nomination process? Or an affirmation of the fact that they don’t make pop stars like the old ones anymore.

Whatever it is, there is one nomination that will surely gladden the hearts of many Pinoys. Michael Bublé is nominated in the Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. A win for him is not likely because his album It’s Time is up against giants like The Art of Romance by Tony Bennett, Isn’t It Romantic by Johnny Mathis, Moonlight Serenade by Carly Simon and Thanks for the Memory …The Great American Songbook Volume IV by Rod Stewart. Because of this we will not have anymore to explain to our friends in the US who Michael Bublé is.

Here are the other nominees in the top categories:

Record of the Year: We Belong Together by Mariah Carey; Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz featuring De La Soul; Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day; Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani; Gold Digger by Kanye West.

Album of the Year: The Emancipation of Mimi by Mariah; Chaos and Creation in the Backyard by Paul McCartney; Love.Angel.Music.Baby by Stefani; How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2; Late Registration by Kanye West.

Song of the Year: Bless the Broken Road by Rascal F; Devils & Dust by Bruce Springsteen; Ordinary People by John Legend; Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own by U2; We Belong Together by Mariah.

New Artist: Ciara; Fall Out Boy; Keane; John Legend; SugarLand.

Female Pop Vocal: It’s Like That by Mariah; Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson; Good is Good by Sheryl Crow; I Will Not be Broken by Bonnie Raitt; Hollaback Girl by Stefani.

Male Pop Vocal: Sitting, Waiting, Wishing by Jack Johnson; Fine Line by McCartney; Walk on By by Seal; Lonely No More by Rob Thomas; From the Bottom of My Heart by Stevie Wonder.

Pop Duo or Group Vocal: Don’t Lie by The Black Eyed Peas; Mr. Brightside by The Killers; More Than Love by Los Lonely Boys; This Love by Maroon5; My Doorbell by The White Stripes.

Pop Collaboration Vocals: Gone Going by The Black Eyed Peas & Jack Johnson; Virginia Moon by Foo Fighters Featuring Norah Jones; Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz featuring De La Soul; A Song for You by Herbie Hancock featuring Christina Aguilera; A Time to Love by Stevie and India.Arie.

Pop Instrumental Performance: In Our Time by Burt Bacharach & Chris Botti; T-Jam by George Duke; Gelo Na Montanha by Herbie Hancock featuring Trey Anastasio; Agave by Daniel Lanois; Caravan by Les Paul.

Pop Instrumental Album: At this Time by Burt Bacharach; Bloom by Eric Johnson; Naked Guitar by Earl Klugh; Belladonna by Daniel Lanois; Flipside by Jeff Lorber.

Pop Vocal Album: Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple; Breakaway by Kelly; Wildflower by Sheryl; Chaos and Creation in the Backyard by McCartney; Love.Angel.Music.Baby. by Stefani.

Dance Recording: Galvanize by The Chemical Brothers featuring Q-Tip; Say Hello by Deep Dish; Wonderful Night by Fatboy Slim & Lateef; Daft Punk is Playing at my House by LCD Soundsystem; I Believe in You by Kylie Minogue; Guilt is a Useless Emotion by New Order.

Electronic Dance Album: Push the Button by The Chemical Brothers; Human After All by Daft Punk; Palookaville by Fatboy Slim; Minimum-Maximum by Kraftwerk; LCD Sound System by LCD Soundsystem.

Solo Rock Vocal: Revolution by Eric Clapton; Shine It All Around by Robert Plant; Devils & Dust by Springsteen; This is How a Heart Breaks by Rob Thomas; The Painter by Neil Young.

Rock Duo or Group Vocal; Speed of Sound by Coldplay; Best of You by Foo Fighters; Do You Want To by Franz Ferdinand; All These Things That I’ve Done by The Killers; Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own by U2.

Hard Rock Vocal: Doesn’t Remind Me by Audioslave; The Hand That Feeds by Nine Inch Nails; Tin Pan Alley by Robert Plant; Little Sister by Queens of the Stone Age; B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down.

Metal Vocal: The Great Satan by Ministry; Determined by Mudvayne; Mein Teil by Rammstein; What Drives the Weak by Shadows Fall; Before I Forget by Slipknot.

Rock Instrumental: Beat Box Guitar by Adrian Belew; Birds of Prey by Stewart Copeland; 69 Freedom Special by Les Paul & Friends; Mercy by Joe Perry; Lotus Feet by Steve Vai.

Rock Song: Best of You by Foo Fighters; Beverly Hills by Weezer; City of Blinding Lights by U2; Devils & Dust by Springsteen; Speed of Sound by Coldplay.

Rock Album: X&Y by Coldplay; In Your Honor by Foo Fighters; A Bigger Bang by The Rolling Stones; How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb by U2; Prairie Wind by Neil Young.

Alternative Music Album: Funeral by The Arcade Fire; Guero by Beck; Plans by Death Cab for Cutie; You Could Have It So Much Better by Franz Ferdinand; Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes.

Rock Gospel Album: Until My Heart Caves In by Audio Adrenaline; Higher Definition by The Cross Movement; Day of Fire by Day of Fire; Truth is Fallin’ in the Streetz by Fresh I.E.; Dichotomy B by Grits.

Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: Lifesong by Casting Crowns; All I Really Want for Christmas by Steven Curtis Chapman; Redemption Songs by Jars of Clay; Hymns by Out of Eden; Healing Rain by Michael W. Smith; Live Wire by Third Day.

Musical Show Album: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Hair; The Light in the Piazza; Monty Python’s Spamalot; The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee.

Compilation Soundtrack: Beyond the Sea; Napoleon Dynamite; No Direction Home; Ray; Six Feet Under 2.

Score Soundtrack: The Aviator; The Incredibles, Million Dollar Baby; Ray; Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith.

Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Believe from Polar Express; Cold Wind from Six Feet Under II; Million Voices from Hotel Rwanda; Square One from Elizabethtown; Wonka’s Welcome Song from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Watch out for the lists of R&B, hip hop and other nominees on Wednesday, Dec. 14.