Post: Gearing Up for the Grammys
Gearing Up for the Grammys
How will this past year of music be remembered? It's a mixed bag, really -- especially for families concerned about music's messages.
The Black Eyed Peas brought pop music to a lyrical low with "My Humps" ("You love my lady lumps"). Meanwhile, Kanye West challenged listeners to think about health care and political activism.
Mariah thrilled with her voice, Madonna got us dancing -- though neither had much to say. R. Kelly was more than R-rated, and 50 Cent was shocking, misogynistic, nasty -- and just plain tedious.
Before the Grammy Awards air next Wednesday , and we get caught up in glamorous fashions, over-the-top performances -- and wondering, who, if anyone, will have the nerve to give a political speech, we want to offer a few Grammy night predictions -- and hand out a few awards of our own.
Our predictions: What we expect to see
Album of the Year: Mariah Carey's Emancipation of Mimi
Mariah Carey leads the pack of most-nominated artists, along with Kanye West and John Legend (each is up for eight awards). On her latest album, she shows off her sensational voice to its best advantage. Though her vocal acrobatics may seem overblown, they are amazing and impressive.
Parents should know: Ms. Carey's really not talking about anything deep, here -- or really anything at all. Her album contains some sexual innuendo, and a couple of almost-four-letter words, coyly veered away from. All in all, pretty OK for teens.
Our rating: 13+, ON, 3 stars
Best New Artist: John Legend
On Legend's debut album Get Lifted, he struts his considerable vocal stuff in reverent tribute to musical influences as diverse as Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, and Snoop Dogg -- in addition to trying to carve out a bit of territory that is all his own.
Parents should know: Legend's album features one sexy love song after another -- many dealing with themes of infidelity. There are a few explicit sexual references, four letter words, and drug and drinking references. Shopping and having stuff are recurring themes. Better for adults and older teens.
Our rating: 15+, PAUSE, 4 stars
Our fantasy awards: What we would like to see
Best Album for Kids and Parents to Listen to Together: U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
U2 continues to come off as cool, even 25 years into the band's career. Bono still has much to say here and there, but love and relationships are the recurring themes, wrapped here in music that’s typically upbeat. All in all, a very good, positive album.
Parents should know: Some lyrics -- such as "They're advertising in the skies" or "Where you live should not decide/ Whether you live or whether you die" create an opportunity for some compelling conversations between parents and kids. Is this is a political album? How does it differ from some of U2's earlier work?
Our rating: 12+, ON, 4 stars
Best Album to Get Teens Thinking: Kanye West's Late Registration
Whether you agree with everything West says, at least he is talking here about something other than money, women, and living the life of a famous rapper. In West's follow-up album, he shows real guts, creating songs about inadequate health care, the weakening of political activism in the African-American community as a result of drug use, and the relationship between the jewelry industry and Sierra Leone’s civil war.
Parents should know: This album includes explicit language, some violent images, and some sexy material. The CD booklet includes ads for merchandise. An edited version is available -- and is just as good, if not better. Even so, it is a mature album.
Our rating: 16+, PAUSE, 4 stars
The Grammys air Feb. 8, 2006 at 8 p.m. on CBS. (ET/PT). Visit the official site for a complete list of all nominees. See our music section for more on the artists and albums -- or send us your own picks and pans.