Grammy nominees list continues

Taylor Swift’s new album, Red, was released too late in the year to be nominated for the Grammys. The annual cut-off date for recordings is Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. But that did not stop the country music diva from doing her bit for the biggest music event of the year. It was Taylor along with rapper and actor LL Cool J, who hosted the Grammy nominations show that was held in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee recently.

Swift, who looked lovely and perky in a short-skirted white lace dress during the presentation, did not really go home empty-handed. Safe and Sound, her song from the soundtrack of the movie The Hunger Games is among the Song From a Visual Media nominees and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, the first single released from Red was nominated for Record of the Year. 

Aside from Swift, there was also teenaged country music sensation Hunter Hayes, who sang the nominated songs. There were also the exciting new band fun in the audience and current favorite, Maroon 5, who performed several songs. The presence of these stars was a clear indication that the Grammys is angling for changes this year. The Grammys, which has been accused of being “geriatric” several times in the past, is now wooing the young music lovers.

We will always enjoy the music of McCartney and Streisand, but what granny likes does not always jive with the taste of the kids. And to get them to watch the Grammys, they have to see Taylor, Maroon 5 and other acts that they can relate to. Well, it looks like the Grammy Awards is on the right track. They have ditched country and R&B in the major field categories and the nominees are mostly young rock sounds.

Which brings us again to the question that fans have been asking this past week. If the Grammys like them young then why didn’t Justin Bieber and his album Believe get any nomination?

Time now to go on with the nominees’ list. I had the pop and rock nominees of the 2013 Grammy Awards out last Monday. Here now are the R&B, hip-hop and rap lists plus a few other categories:

Best R&B Performance: Thank You, Estelle; Gonna Be Alright, Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Ledisi; I Want You, Luke James; Adorn, Miguel; and Climax, Usher.

Traditional R&B Vocal: Lately, Anita Baker; Love On Top, Beyoncé; Wrong Side Of A Love Song, Melanie Fiona; Real Good Hands, Gregory Porter; and If Only You Knew, SWV.

R&B Song: Adorn, Miguel; Beautiful Surprise, Tamia; Heart Attack, Trey Songz; Pray For Me, Anthony Hamilton; and Refill, Elle Varner.

R&B Album: Black Radio, Robert Glasper Experiment; Back To Love, Anthony Hamilton; Write Me Back, R. Kelly; Beautiful Surprise, Tamia; and Open Invitation, Tyrese.

Rap Performance: HYFR (Hell Ya F…ing Right), Drake featuring Lil Wayne; N---as In Paris, Jay-Z and Kanye West; Daughters, Nas; Mercy, Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz; and I Do, Young Jeezy feat. Jay-Z and Andre 3000.

Rap/Sung Collaboration: Wild Ones, Flo-Rida feat. Sia; No Church In The Wild, Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and the Dream; Tonight (Best You Ever Had), John Legend feat. Ludacris; Cherry Wine, Nas feat. Amy Winehouse; and Talk That Talk, Rihanna feat. Jay-Z.

Rap Album: Take Care, Drake; Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part II, Lupe Fiasco; Life Is Good, Nas; Undun, Dr. Dre, The Roots; God Forgives, I Don’t, Rick Ross; and Based On A T.R.U. Story, 2 Chainz.

Rap Song: Daughters, Nas; Lotus Flower Bomb, Wale feat. Miguel; Mercy, Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz; The Motto, Drake feat. Lil Wayne; In Paris, Jay-Z and Kanye West; and Young Wild & Free, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa feat. Bruno Mars.

Musical Theater Album: Follies; The Gershwin’s Porgy And Bess; Newsies; Nice Work If You Can Get It; and Once, A New Musical.

Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: The Descendants; Marley; Midnight In Paris; The Muppets; and Rock of Ages.

Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: The Adventures of Tintin; The Artist, The Dark Knight Rises, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo; Hugo; and Journey.

Song Written for Visual Media: Abraham’s Daughter from The Hunger Games, Arcade Fire; Learn Me Right from Brave, Birdy and Mumford & Son; Let Me Be A Star, from Smash, Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty; Man Or Muppet from The Muppets, Jason Segel and Walter; and Safe and Sound from The Hunger Games, Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars.

Short Form Music Video: Houdini, Foster the People; No Church In The Wild, Jay-Z and Kanye West feat. Frank Ocean and The Dream; Bad Girls, M.I.A.; We Found Love, Rihanna; and Run Boy Run, Woodkid.

Long Form Music Video: Big Easy Express, Mumford & Son; Bring Me Home Live 2011, Sade; Radio Music Society, Esperanza Spalding; Get Along, Tegan and Sara; and From The Sky Down, U2.