Doling out a few pieces of “candy” to an audience really seems to have gone a long way in this climate of perpetual disappointment and subpar-ness. Maybe that’s why the reviews of the Grammys, an awards show that has been out of touch for as long as it’s been in existence, have been surprisingly favorable. And, for the most part, it’s because people are happy that women (particularly women of color) dominated the evening. Unfortunately, that doesn’t automatically wave a magic wand that should forgive the Grammys for all its past indiscretions, as well as giving people some strange faith in the notion that the Recording Academy’s taste will be drastically improved “going forward.”
Instead, it’s likely that there will be many faux pas to come. And if The Weeknd has anything to say about it–which he does–he’ll make good on his promise never to submit music for consideration to the Grammys again. It was also only recently that the Grammys’ complete lack of taste was made its most patent in not nominating Madonna’s Madame X for anything. The fact that Madonna–the biggest pop star of all-time–only has seven Grammys to her name should also say something about the Recording Academy’s lack of taste and, yes, corruption.
As both The Weeknd and ZAYN recently cried, the Recording Academy wields “secret committees” to make their final determinations, which is more than likely part of the reason these two artists were left out in the cold (ZAYN’s freshly released album is titled, fittingly, Nobody Is Listening). This sinister form of voting corruption was called out by former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan–only for her to end up getting “dismissed.” Because of course she would after blowing the lid off “voting irregularities, financial mismanagement, ‘exorbitant and unnecessary’ legal bills, and conflicts of interest involving members of the Academy’s board, executive committee and outside lawyers.” Oh no no, the Academy said. She’s got to go go. And so, we have an arcane and archaic institution still doing its best to sustain the air of mystery that has gotten it in trouble many times before, yet with the mafioso wielding of a single gesture, people can be “gotten rid of” (begging the question, “Were you silent or were you silenced?”).
No matter to viewers, for the Grammys further seemed to placate the masses in a still grim climate and assure the music world of its “readiness” to change by amending the erstwhile Best Urban Contemporary Album to Best Progressive R&B Album (as one will recall, last year’s racial reckoning also pointed out that “Urban” is an offensive term, especially when wielded by white people describing pretty much anything put out by a Black artist–yet it’s still a long way from the AMAs lumping Prince into the category of Best Black Album). They even tweaked the award for Best Rap/Sung Performance to Best Melodic Rap Performance. How generous.
Despite all these “sweeping changes,” the fact remains that being nominated for and winning a Grammy is the antithesis of “cool.” No matter what the Recording Academy does to prove they’re “with it” and they know “the haps” just as much as Regina George’s mom. Because to be noted by them as “worthy of a win” appears only to prove that you haven’t gone against the grain. Recognition from the Establishment means you, in turn, have “gone Establishment.” And while, sure, they say it’s easier to fuck things up from the inside, there will never be anything revolutionary about the type of music that gets the Grammy stamp of approval (again, why Madonna somehow didn’t even get nominated for Music in the Album of the Year category in 2001, and Steely Dan was given the award. Just wow).
So yes, one is afraid that renders Billie Eilish even more formulaic than before (hence, being “cultivated” at Interscope for so long–because yes, Darkroom was one of the label’s subsidiaries before Eilish graduated to the big leagues), despite her brand being a “super different” ingenue. But what’s really “super different” is when the Grammys don’t acknowledge you at all. That’s still usually how you know for sure you’re making innovative music.
