Award programs have contributed to music’s evolution of, not developing into a friendly competition of respect, but a competition between egos. 50 Cent walking up to the podium for a lost nomination was extremely disrespectful to Evanescence whether it was a joke or not. Joan and Melissa Rivers and MTV assist in turning an event to celebrate an art form into a fiasco of physical presentation. Artists like Dave Navarro, who was once a well-respected guitarist, has become more concerned about his celebrity than the quality of his music. Too many artists attempt “over the top” performances with set designs that are more elaborately constructed than the songs themselves. Beyonce couldn’t even find a melody in her solo performance, nor did she realize when the song should end.Aside from all these distractions, multiple weak nominations and awards, such as Metallica’s St. Anger winning the Grammy for Best Metal Performance, the academy miraculously fought through the muck and managed to bring in some quality acts, showing music fans that there are quality artists out there waiting to be accepted by the public.
To see conscientious rap like the Black Eyed Peas and the solid funk rock grooves of Robert Randolph and the Family Band grace the most prestigious stage in music was as refreshing as it was exciting. Who knows, maybe next year they’ll dig a little deeper to guide Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals to the stage.
The academy has always done a good job of consistently recognizing classic artists who are still touring and creating new music, weather it be some years more than others. Warren Zevon, Chick Corea, Earth, Wind, and Fire and George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic are four artists whose influences have consistently worked their way through modern music and will continue to be recognized more many more years.
If award programs, like the Grammys, would stay on this track, and push the clich, flavor of the moment artists aside, there would be fewer distractions, less egos, and a higher quality program to entertain music fans across the country.