Album of the Year: Arcade Fire – ‘The Suburbs’
Record of the Year: Lady Antebellum – ‘Need You Now’
Best New Artist: Esperanza Spalding
Song of the Year: Lady Antebellum – ‘Need You Now’
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Bad Romance’ – Lady Gaga
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: ‘Just The Way You Are’ – Bruno Mars
Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Train – ‘Hey, Soul Sister’ (Live)
Best Pop Vocal Album: ‘The Fame Monster’ – Lady Gaga
Best Hard Rock Performance: Them Crooked Vultures – ‘New Fang’
Best Rock Song: Neil Young – ‘Angry World’
Best Rock Album: ‘The Resistance’ – Muse
Best Alternative Music Album: The Black Keys – ‘Brothers’
Best R&B Album: ‘Wake Up!’ – John Legend and the Roots
Best Contemporary R&B Album: Usher – ‘Raymond v. Raymond’
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – ‘Empire State of Mind’
Best Rap Song: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – ‘Empire State of Mind’
Best Rap Album: Eminem – ‘Recovery’
Best Country Song: Lady Antebellum – ‘Need You Now’
Best Country Album: Lady Antebellum – ‘Need You Now’
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: ‘The House That Built Me’ – Miranda Lambert
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: ‘Til Summer Comes Around’ – Keith Urban
Not too bad. Arcade Fire, though? Really? How many hipsters helped make that decision?
And who the hell is Esperanza Spalding?
Some of these were really obvious. Eminem, Alica Keys and Jay-Z, and Gaga were obvious. Surprising, at least to me, was the ass-kicking done by Lady Antebellum. The album is amazing beyond the one “popular” song and if you haven’t heard it, you need to, but I never expected to see them get so much recognition.
Overall, I could say this might be the most accurate list of talent the Grammys have been awarded to in a long time.