The Grammy’s are amazing and terrible all at the same time, but they do know how to bring all musical outfits together as one.
We got to see the likes of Willie Nelson, Katy Perry, Lorde, John Legend, Macklemore, Nine Inch Nails, Carole King and Daft Punk take to the same stage, representing every demographic of music. It was beautiful. Until I saw a flurry of this:
“Mute.”
So many mute button tweets. If I could have snatched your remote through Twitter, I would have blasted that Metallica so hard until your face melted. Except that it wouldn’t have because they played “One,” an intense ballad about a victim of war.
I endured Hunter Hayes and Taylor Swift spasms and you all have such closed minds that you can’t even receive something long enough to pass judgement. That’s extremely close-minded and I hope you realize that. You don’t, though.
The Grammys are a firm reminder that we care about the show (live marriage/OMGLOOKIT Pink!) than the message (veterans still hurt).
Music’s biggest night… to be disrespected. A heartfelt FUCK YOU guys.
— Trent Reznor (@trent_reznor) January 27, 2014
Forgive the foul language.
I’m going through a Grammy cleanse after Sunday night. I can’t take it anymore. It’s hard to see such a massive dissociation for the craft and an awards show that favors five “hot” artists out of the countless superior musicians out there.
So as I avoid mainstream pop and country for a while, now is a perfect time to get acquainted with some new bands.
Algebra Blessett – Recovery
Hey, this is her second album since her 2008 debut. That’s a long time. I got a Mary J. Blige meets Janelle Monae vibe from this.
Dum Dum Girls – Too True
Personal favorite album of the year so far out of, like, the 10 I’ve heard. I’m totally pro lo-fi pop and the band is entirely female, which you just don’t see these days. They one-up Haim’s three-piece.
Cities Aviv – Come to Life
This guy is a rapper from Memphis and these are odd beats.
Many MCs tend to bring alternative music into their world and let the hip-hop dictate the sound. Cities Aviv, on the other hand, dove right in and made a home in the odd sounds that have shaped this generation’s underground indie scene. It’s pretty wild and takes some getting used to.
Underground rappers are fun because they usually don’t care about outside influences. The rawness is off-putting at times, but it is refreshing.
Updated Best of 2014 playlist:
Some of these are reaches. We’ll get there.
The Roundtable 