Music
Kanye West Leads Grammy Nominees
By LaDale Anderson
Nov 30, 2011 - 9:00:09 PM

HOLLYWOOD—The 54th Annual Grammy nominations were unveiled on Wednesday, November 30 with rapper Kanye West leading all nominees with seven nominations.  British songwriter/singer Adele, Bruno Mars and Foo Fighters each tied with six nominations apiece.  This year’s list of nominees included quite a few surprises that will have people talking for days.

Katy Perry is nominated for Record of the Year for "Firework."

Contenders for Album of the Year are Adele “21,” Lady Gaga “Born this Way,” Rihanna “Loud,” Foo Fighters “Wasting Light” and Bruno Mars “Doo-Woops & Hooligans.”   Surprisingly missing from this category where heavyweights Taylor Swift and Lil Wayne whose albums both sold nearly a million copies in there first week.  It goes to show when it comes to the Recording Academy expect the unexpected.

Nominees for Record of the Year include Adele “Rolling in The Deep,” Bruno Mars “Grenade,” Mumford and Sons “The Cave,” Katy Perry “Firework” and Bon Iver “Holocene.”  There was plenty of buzz that perhaps rapper Nicki Minaj might get a nomination for her hit “Super Bass” which was unfortunately overlooked.  For Song of the Year the candidates are Adele “Rolling in The Deep,” Kanye West “All of the Lights,” Mumford and Sons “The Cave,” Bruno Mars “Grenade” and Bon Iver “Holocene.”

Nominees for Best New Artist include an eclectic group of music superstars like The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J Cole, Nicki Minaj and Skrillex.  Rapper Nicki Minaj looks like a frontrunner, but The Band Perry and Bon Iver are both dark horses that can claim the prize.   With the Recording Academy choosing to combine some categories the competition for many artists is tough.  For Best Pop Solo Performance nominees include Adele “Someone Like You,” Lady Gaga “You and I,” Bruno Mars “Grenade,” Katy Perry “Firework” and Pink “F***** Perfect.”

For Best R&B Album Chris Brown’s “F.A.M.E.” will go against El DeBarge “Second Chance,” R. Kelly “Love Letter,” Ledisi “Pieces of Me” and Kelly Price “Kelly.” Kanye West looks to add another Grammy to his collection for Best Rap Album for “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Nightmare,” but he’ll have to compete against his other album “Watch The Throne,” Lil Wayne “Tha Carter IV,” Lupe Fiasco “Lasers” and Nicki Minaj “Pink Friday.”   West may cancel himself out leaving “Pink Friday” and “Tha Carter IV” as top contenders.

Lady Antebellum’s “Own The Night” will face-off against Jason Aldean “My Kinda Party,” Eric Church “Chief,” Blake Shelton “Red River Blue,” George Strait “Here For A Good Time” and Taylor Swift “Speak Now” for Best Country Album.  With so many stellar albums, this will be a tough category to predict.

Some musical artists notably missing from this year’s list of nominees include pop superstar Beyonce who managed only to claim one nomination from her fourth album titled “4.”  Not much love was shown to Katy Perry who in my opinion had a stellar year, but was unable to conjure up a nomination for Song of the Year for either of her massive hits “E.T.” or “Last Friday Night.”

It’s already being predicted that the big winner at next year’s ceremony will be British superstar Adele and I couldn’t agree more.  She had a stellar year with an incredible album that continues to sale, but this is the Grammy Awards; the most unpredictable awards show ever.  So expect a few surprises throughout the night.   The 54^th Annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 8pm on CBS.  Any predictions as to who will reign supreme on music’s biggest night?