Grammy Snubs

[Vendetta]

For every favorite son (Quincy Jones) or daughter (Alison Krauss) with a shelf full of statuettes, there's at least one major artist that felt shortchanged or shut out by Grammy voters come awards night. Here's a pantheon of commercial and critical heavyweights that have eluded the embrace of Recording Academy voters.

Led Zeppelin: Fountainhead for hard rock and pioneers for metal, Led Zeppelin received as little respect from Grammy voters as they did from rock critics during their '70s heyday, despite phenomenal album sales, sold-out concerts and what would prove to be a very long shadow indeed, in terms of influence.

Neil Young: A towering figure on the rock landscape, Neil Young has been bypassed for both his prolific solo output and his hugely influential folk-rock adventures with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Still, Nash & Young. At least the academy was consistent: Crosby, Stills & Nash have also gone without Grammy love.

The Beach Boys: One of the few U.S. acts that managed to stay afloat against the tide of the first British Invasion, the Beach Boys envied and admired the Beatles, raising the artistic stakes with their 1966 album masterpiece, "Pet Sounds." That concept set in turn inspired the Beatles' epic "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," which won Album of the Year in 1967, but Brian Wilson and company soldiered on without their own award.

Jimi Hendrix: Rock's most incendiary guitarist polarized early audiences with his jaw-dropping mix of spectacle and musicianship, but his underground credibility didn't pass muster with Grammy voters. By the time the academy opened its ears to more hard-edged rock, Jimi Hendrix had died an untimely death at the age of 27.

The Who: Given the Beatles' 1967 Album of the Year for the conceptual sweep of "Sgt. Pepper," you'd think odds were strong that Grammy voters would salute the Who's fabled rock opera, "Tommy," two years later. Alas, neither Pete Townshend's "deaf, dumb and blind kid" nor the subsequent album spectacles of "Who's Next" (inspired by Townshend's equally ambitious but ill-fated "Lifehouse" project) or "Quadrophenia" stirred the academy to grant the British quartet a Grammy.

Allman Brothers Band: When the Allman Brothers Band emerged from Macon, Ga., in the late '60s, they paved the way for the self-aware "Southern rock" boom of the early '70s with a signature fusion of diamond-hard rock whipped by blues and jazz accents. Despite musicianship well beyond the average proto-headbangers of the day, the ABB went without Grammys until notching a lone instrumental award a quarter century later.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: While other bands associated with San Francisco's late '60s rock scene flew high and wide across psychedelic sound scapes, East Bay rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival bridged early rock 'n' roll, country and swampy blues in an all-American sound that sparked a string of Top 10 single hits. Despite that commercial clout, CCR went without Grammy attention until founder and songwriter John Fogerty (far right) won 1997's Best Rock Album Grammy for his solo "Blue Moon Swamp" album.

James Brown: Grammy got the message with Soul Brother No. 1's seminal, seismic funk crossover on 1965's "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," but otherwise ignored the prolific R&B icon until his comeback with "Living in America" in 1986. In between those two nods, James Brown virtually invented funk while becoming a true symbol of black pride and self-determination.

Grateful Dead: Pillars of the San Francisco sound (and one of the only SF bands to outlive its '60s hype and remain vital for nearly three decades), the Grateful Dead won their own nation of Deadhead fans but never gained traction with Grammy voters during nearly 30 years of recordings.

Queen: Their extravagant, extroverted arena rock cushioned their hard-rock muscle with lush pop harmonies and vivid production flourishes, but despite Queen's sold-out tours, platinum album sales and radio-friendly singles, the British quartet never wore Grammy's crown.

[Vendetta]

Diana Ross: The reigning queen of Motown was overlooked as a soloist and with the Supremes despite the astute pop crossover mission that underlined their indelible '60s hits. Even forays into Broadway and cabaret fare, which would have seemed gateway moments for the academy's more conservative members, failed to win awards, and Ross' subsequent pop and dance releases likewise eluded Grammy gold.

2Pac: An early icon and unwitting martyr for gangsta rap, Tupac Shakur graduated from a supporting role in Digital Underground to become a promising rapper, actor and poet whose outlaw image was offset by glimpses of a more sensitive perspective. Platinum album success and a burgeoning screen career pointed toward stardom even as 2Pac's run-ins with police both dramatized his image and added career risks. His murder in 1996 cut short his career but not his discography as a substantial vault of unreleased material emerged, but Grammy acclaim never followed.

Bob Dylan: Officially, Bob Dylan has 10 Grammys, so what's the beef? The landmark '60s albums that defined his sound, shaped rock and made him the most influential singer-songwriter of the century were ignored. Dylan's first win was by proxy, appearing on George Harrison's "Concert for Bangladesh" in 1972, with Dylan's first nod on his own a Rock Vocal award for 1979's "Gotta Serve Somebody." Ironically, Dylan's first album Grammy was the 1994 Traditional Folk winner, "World Gone Wrong," which featured no Dylan originals. But since 1997, Academy members have made up for lost time by crowning his last three albums with a total of six awards

David Bowie: A lone award for Short-Form Music Video in 1984 is the only glimmer of Grammy gold thus far for one of the most influential artists of the '70s, '80s and early '90s. Bowie's changeling rock odyssey traced a path through glam, Philly soul, disco and art rock to gain a platinum fan base, rock radio's embrace and major tours but failed to move Grammy voters.

The Doors: Add the Doors to the ranks of iconic '60s rock bands that couldn't catch the academy's eye (or ear), despite their string of hit singles and groundbreaking albums from 1967 through 1971.

Rolling Stones: Even when they were the self-proclaimed "world's greatest rock band," the Rolling Stones were persona non grata with Grammy voters, serving as poster boys for the academy's oversights with classic '60s rockers. Although they eventually snagged a Best Rock Album award with 1994's "Voodoo Lounge" and a Short-Form Video win for "Love Is Strong," the Stones never won for any of their masterworks from the '60s, '70s or '80s.

Madonna: A 1991 Long-Form Music Video award for her "Blond Ambition" tour video only emphasizes Grammy's indifference during Madonna's peak years. The academy finally warmed to Ms. Ciccone with 1998's techno-laced "Ray of Light," handing out three awards (one for Short-Form Video). In 2006, she won the Best Dance Album award for 2006's "Confessions on a Dance Floor," appropriate for that beat-driven project, yet faint praise for an artist that dominated the pop landscape in the '80s.

Bob Marley & The Wailers: Shut out during his lifetime, reggae visionary Bob Marley was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007. Academy members have also posthumously honored his legacy through the creation of a dedicated reggae category, while son Ziggy Marley has won four Grammys on his own, but reggae's greatest progenitor and influence never lived to see academy acceptance.

The Byrds: Folkies smitten by the British Invasion, the Byrds twined Beatles harmonies and chiming guitars around their own melodic originals and a savvy clutch of Bob Dylan songs, creating the template for folk rock. Despite a sonic stamp bequeathed to Grammy winners including Tom Petty and R.E.M., and a second chapter that shaped the country rock of the Eagles and, later, Nashville itself, the Byrds never flew off with a Grammy.

[Vendetta]

Record of the Year: "Irreplaceable," Beyonce; "The Pretender," Foo Fighters; "Umbrella," Rihanna featuring Jay-Z; "What Goes Around ... Comes Around," Justin Timberlake; "Rehab," Amy Winehouse.

Album of the Year: "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," Foo Fighters; "These Days," Vince Gill; "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock; "Graduation," Kanye West; "Back to Black," Amy Winehouse.

Don't Miss

Song of the Year: "Before He Cheats," Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins (Carrie Underwood); "Hey There Delilah," Tom Higgenson (Plain White T's); "Like a Star," Corinne Bailey Rae (Corinne Bailey Rae); "Rehab," Amy Winehouse (Amy Winehouse); "Umbrella," Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart (Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z).

New Artist: Feist; Ledisi; Paramore; Taylor Swift; Amy Winehouse.

Pop Vocal Album: "Lost Highway," Bon Jovi; "The Reminder," Feist; "It Won't Be Soon Before Long," Maroon 5; "Memory Almost Full," Paul McCartney; "Back to Black," Amy Winehouse.

Rock Album: "Daughtry," Daughtry; "Revival," John Fogerty; "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," Foo Fighters; "Magic," Bruce Springsteen; "Sky Blue Sky," Wilco.

R&B Album: "Funk This," Chaka Khan; "Lost & Found," Ledisi; "Luvanmusiq," Musiq Soulchild; "The Real Thing," Jill Scott; "Sex, Love & Pain," Tank.

Rap Album: "Finding Forever," Common; "Kingdom Come," Jay-Z, "Hip Hop Is Dead," Nas; "T.I. vs T.I.P.," T.I.; "Graduation," Kanye West.

Country Album: "Long Trip Alone," Dierks Bentley; "These Days," Vince Gill; "Let It Go," Tim McGraw; "5th Gear," Brad Paisley; "It Just Comes Natural," George Strait.

Latin Pop Album: "Papito," Miguel Bose & Varios Artistas; "12 Segundos De Oscuridad," Jorge Drexler; "Navidades Luis Miguel," Luis Miguel; "Dicen Que El Tiempo," Jennifer Pena; "El Tren De Los Momentos," Alejandro Sanz.

Contemporary Jazz Album: "Party Hats," Will Bernard; "Downright Upright," Brian Bromberg; "Re-imagination," Eldar; "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock; "He Had a Hat," Jeff Lorber.

Classical Album: "Cherubini: Missa Solemnis in E," Riccardo Muti, conductor, Wilhelm Meister, producer (Ildar Abdrazakov, Herbert Lippert, Marianna Pizzolato & Ruth Ziesak (Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks); "Grechaninov: Passion Week," Charles Bruffy, conductor, Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Kansas City Chorale & Phoenix Bach Choir); "Homage: The Age of the Diva," Renee Fleming, David Frost, producer (Valery Gergiev, Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre); "Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Sings Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs," Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Dirk Sobotka, producer (James Levine; Boston Symphony Orchestra); "Tower: Made in America," Leonard Slatkin, conductor, Tim Handley, producer (Nashville Symphony).

God talk about a stacked Rap Album category. Also I hope Daughtry doesn't win. I fucking hate his music. It all sounds the fucking same.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

...and what exactly is the point of all this?

[YI]

What the fuck is the difference between "Record Of The Year" and "Song Of The Year"...seriously...what the fuck? Pointless. I guess Record goes to the performer and song to those who wrote it?

I take it they're the nominations, then therefore this is how it should go down ();

Record of the Year: "Umbrella" by Rihanna ft. Jay-Z

Album of the Year:...eugh..."Graduation" by Kanye West...although I haven't heard the Herbie Hancock album, and I'm sure I'd love it...but...West it is. That's the problem with 'jazz', unless you're dialled in, you have no idea what's coming out at any given time.

Song of the Year: "Umbrella" written by 9,000,000 people

New Artist: Any of these actually new? I like Feist the most...so Feist it is.

Pop Vocal Album: "The Reminder" by Feist

Rock Album: "Magic" by Bruce Springsteen

R&B Album: Who the fuck are these people?

Rap Album: "Graduation" by Kanye West

Country Album: I'm not American or own a pair of dungarees...I don't get country......Dixie Chicks should win again.

Latin Pop Album: "Fantasia Pop" by Belanova ( SHUT UP!)

Contemporary Jazz Album: "Re-Imagination" by Eldar (What that guy can do with a piano I'd have liked to have seen the Bruce Hornsby Trio get a nomination )

Classical: Erm...thsoe like epic 10 seconds from "The Battle" on the Gladiator soundtrack, which sounds suspiciously like that epic bit from Star Wars...and just about every other film ever. Yeah...I have no idea. Give it to the one with the girl.

Edited February 6, 2008 by YI

[Benji]

Loving the idea of this thread, it's interesting to see some of the greatest of their genre didn't/don't always get the credit they deserve, whether it be because someone 'better' came along or simply they became more legendary with time.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Ugh, nothing there this year to excite me whatsoever though the classical nominations bring some general pleasance. (Y)

[Benji]

I just noticed, how the fuck is "Hey There Delilah" classified as a 2007 song when it's been around since 2005? Seriously :/

[IAceI]

Probably because it had most of its popularity then?

I mean, Paramore have been around for ages, so has Amy Winehouse and I'm assuming that a lot of the others in that category have. And I've not heard of any of the R'n'B stuff, and I've barely listened to most of their shortlisted albums on their.

Doesn't seem a great list to be honest.

['That Guy']

Have Pink Floyd ever won a Grammy?

[Vendetta]

For the country I would love to see Taylor Swift get it..She is the first female country artist in history to have had her debut album go multi-platnium and all of the songs are written by her. Which gets so much more respect from me because I beleive in order to be a true music artist you have to write your own material.

[Hobo]

Steve Earle (Washington Square Serenade) and Tom Waits (Orphans) are up for best Contemporary Folk Album.

I've actually owned the winner in this category every year for the last four years

[Vendetta]

Then I take it you bought Steve Earle's album because Tom Waits is horeshit.

[ROC]

The Grammys always are interesting in that there is roughly one artist in the rock/hip-hop category that's there because of the critics over the audiences. Arctic Monkeys got that spot last year, Feist and Wilco get the spots this year.

[Hobo]

Then I take it you bought Steve Earle's album because Tom Waits is horeshit.

Got both.

[Farmer Reil]

Have Pink Floyd ever won a Grammy?

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

'95.

[penguinman]

I thought I heard that Talib Kweli was nominated for a grammy?

[OAK]

What the fuck is the difference between "Record Of The Year" and "Song Of The Year"...seriously...what the fuck? Pointless. I guess Record goes to the performer and song to those who wrote it?

[IAceI]

I love the idea of all these people sat round a table going "Umbrella".. and then, ugh... "...Ella? Ella?...Eh?...Eh?" seems like songwriting gold there ¬_¬

Still far and away the best song of the year though, well, followed by Heartbroken and About You Now. But none of them ones come near, Amy Winehouse should be admitted on being a skinny druggy. >_>