Just before the holidays and the end of the year the 2012 Grammy Award nominations came out Wednesday night (November 30). One thing that makes this year a little bit different is the number of categories. They have been trimmed down from 109 to 78 with all music genre categories getting an overhaul. For example, instead of the gender specific Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance it’s now replaced with a newly combined category of Best Pop Solo Performance. The individual categories for Hawaiian, Native American, Zydeco and Cajun music are now combined into the newly minted Best Regional Roots Music Album.
Kanye West received the most Grammy nominations with a lucky seven including the major category for Song of the Year. Most of Kanye’s other nominations were in Rap music. Adele was close behind with her six Grammy nods including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. It’s always nice to see artists from other genres get nominated for Best New Artist like Skrillex. He’s an electronic music producer and DJ representing the dance/electronica field. Skrillex managed to get a total of five nominations.
Another impressive nomination is for Bon Iver who secured three out of the four major categories. This American folk band has a unique sound that is calming yet haunting. It is a dramatic as well as pleasant change from all the loud and raucous music on the airwaves today. With its new and improved look here are the 78 categories listed for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The Grammys will be presented on February 12, 2012.
And the complete list of all nominees are…
Record of the Year
ROLLING IN THE DEEP – Adele
HOLOCENE – Bon Iver
GRENADE – Bruno Mars
THE CAVE – Mumford & Sons
FIREWORK – Katy Perry
Album of the Year
21 – Adele
WASTING LIGHT – Foo Fighters
BORN THIS WAY – Lady Gaga
DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS – Bruno Mars
LOUD – Rihanna
Song of the Year
ALL OF THE LIGHTS – Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
THE CAVE – Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
GRENADE – Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
HOLOCENE – Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)
ROLLING IN THE DEEP – Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)
Best New Artist
THE BAND PERRY
BON IVER
J. COLE
NICKI MINAJ
SKRILLEX
Best Pop Solo Performance
SOMEONE LIKE YOU – Adele
YOU AND I – Lady Gaga
GRENADE – Bruno Mars
FIREWORK – Katy Perry
F***IN’ PERFECT – Pink
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
BODY AND SOUL – Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
DEAREST – The Black Keys
PARADISE – Coldplay
PUMPED UP KICKS – Foster The People
MOVES LIKE JAGGER – Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera
Best Pop Instrumental Album
WISH UPON A STAR – Jenny Oaks Baker
E KAHE MALIE – Daniel Ho
THE ROAD FROM MEMPHIS – Booker T. Jones
HELLO TOMORROW – Dave Koz
SETZER GOES INSTRU-MENTAL! – Brian Setzer
Best Pop Vocal Album
21 – Adele
THE LADY KILLER – Cee Lo Green
BORN THIS WAY – Lady Gaga
DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS – Bruno Mars
LOUD – Rihanna
Best Dance Recording
RAISE YOUR WEAPON – Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
BARBRA STREISAND – Duck Sauce
SUNSHINE – David Guetta & Avicii
CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND – Robyn
SCARY MONSTERS AND NICE SPRITES – Skrillex
SAVE THE WORLD – Swedish House Mafia
Best Dance/Electronica Album
ZONOSCOPE – Cut/Copy
4X4=12 – Deadmau5
NOTHING BUT THE BEAT – David Guetta
BODY TALK, PT. 3 – Robyn
SCARY MONSTERS AND NICE SPRITES – Skrillex
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
DUETS II – Tony Bennett & Various Artists
THE GIFT – Susan Boyle
IN CONCERT ON BROADWAY – Harry Connick Jr.
MUSIC IS BETTER THAN WORDS – Seth MacFarlane
WHAT MATTERS MOST – BARBRA STREISAND SINGS THE LYRICS OF ALAN AND MARILYN BERGMAN – Barbra Streisand
Best Rock Performance
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL – Coldplay
DOWN BY THE WATER – The Decemberists
WALK – Foo Fighters
THE CAVE – Mumford & Sons
LOTUS FLOWER – Radiohead
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
ON THE BACKS OF ANGELS – Dream Theater
WHITE LIMO – Foo Fighters
CURL OF THE BURL – Mastodon
PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 – Megadeth
BLOOD IN MY EYES – Sum 41
Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance
ON THE BACKS OF ANGELS – Dream Theater
WHITE LIMO – Foo Fighters
CURL OF THE BURL – Mastodon
PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 – Megadeth
BLOOD IN MY EYES – Sum 41
Best Rock Song
THE CAVE – Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
DOWN BY THE WATER – Colin Meloy, songwriter (The Decemberists)
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL – Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion & Chris Martin, songwriters (Coldplay)
LOTUS FLOWER – Colin Greenwood, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway & Thom Yorke, songwriters (Radiohead)
WALK – Foo Fighters, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
Best Rock Album
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PARTY HONORING LES PAUL – Jeff Beck
WASTING LIGHT – Foo Fighters
COME AROUND SUNDOWN – Kings Of Leon
I’M WITH YOU – Red Hot Chili Peppers
THE WHOLE LOVE – Wilco
Best Alternative Music Album
BON IVER – Bon Iver
CODES AND KEYS – Death Cab For Cutie
TORCHES – Foster The People
CIRCUITAL – My Morning Jacket
THE KING OF LIMBS – Radiohead
Best R&B Performance
FAR AWAY – Marsha Ambrosius
PIECES OF ME – Ledisi
NOT MY DADDY – Kelly Price & Stokley
IS THIS LOVE – Corinne Bailey Rae
YOU ARE – Charlie Wilson
Best Traditional R&B Performance
SOMETIMES I CRY – Eric Benét
FOOL FOR YOU – Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
RADIO MESSAGE – R. Kelly
GOOD MAN – Raphael Saadiq
SURRENDER – Betty Wright & The Roots
Best R&B Song
FAR AWAY – Marsha Ambrosius, Sterling Simms & Justin Smith, songwriters (Marsha Ambrosius)
FOOL FOR YOU – Cee Lo Green & Jack Splash, songwriters (Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona)
NOT MY DADDY – Kelly Price, songwriter (Kelly Price & Stokley)
PIECES OF ME – Charles Harmon, Claude Kelly & Ledisi Young, songwriters (Ledisi)
YOU ARE – Dennis Bettis, Carl M. Days, Jr., Wirlie Morris, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters (Charlie Wilson)
Best R&B Album
F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown
SECOND CHANCE – El DeBarge
LOVE LETTER – R. Kelly
PIECES OF ME – Ledisi
KELLY – Kelly Price
Best Rap Performance
LOOK AT ME NOW – Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
OTIS – Jay-Z & Kanye West
THE SHOW GOES ON – Lupe Fiasco
MOMENT 4 LIFE – Nicki Minaj & Drake
BLACK AND YELLOW – Wiz Khalifa
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
PARTY – Beyoncé & André 3000
I’M ON ONE – DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
I NEED A DOCTOR – Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
WHAT’S MY NAME? – Rihanna & Drake
MOTIVATION – Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
ALL OF THE LIGHTS – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
Best Rap Song
ALL OF THE LIGHTS – Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
BLACK AND YELLOW – Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa)
I NEED A DOCTOR – Andre Young, Marshall Mathers III, Alexander Grant & Skylar Grey, songwriters (Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey)
LOOK AT ME NOW – Jean Baptiste, Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Trevor Smith, Dwayne Carter, Jr. & Wesley Pentz, songwriters (Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)
OTIS – Shawn Carter & Kanye West, songwriters (James Brown, Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Roy Hammond, J. Roach, Kirk Robinson & Harry Woods, songwriters) (Jay-Z & Kanye West)
THE SHOW GOES ON – Dustin William Brower, Jonathon Keith Brown, Daniel Johnson, Kane & Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, songwriters (Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci & Eric Judy, songwriters) (Lupe Fiasco)
Best Rap Album
WATCH THE THRONE – Jay-Z & Kanye West
THA CARTER IV – Lil Wayne
LASERS – Lupe Fiasco
PINK FRIDAY – Nicki Minaj
MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY – Kanye West
Best Country Solo Performance
DIRT ROAD ANTHEM – Jason Aldean
I’M GONNA LOVE YOU THROUGH IT – Martina McBride
HONEY BEE – Blake Shelton
MEAN – Taylor Swift
MAMA’S SONG – Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
DON’T YOU WANNA STAY – Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
I’M GONNA LOVE YOU THROUGH IT – Martina McBride
HONEY BEE – Blake Shelton
MEAN – Taylor Swift
MAMA’S SONG – Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
DON’T YOU WANNA STAY – Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
YOU AND TEQUILA – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter
BARTON HOLLOW – The Civil Wars
ARE YOU GONNA KISS ME OR NOT – Thompson Square
Best Country Song
ARE YOU GONNA KISS ME OR NOT – Jim Collins & David Lee Murphy, songwriters (Thompson Square)
GOD GAVE ME YOU – Dave Barnes, songwriter (Blake Shelton)
JUST FISHIN’ – Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell & Ed Hill, songwriters (Trace Adkins)
MEAN – Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
THREATEN ME WITH HEAVEN – Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Will Owsley & Dillon O’Brian, songwriters (Vince Gill)
YOU AND TEQUILA – Matraca Berg & Deana Carter, songwriters (Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter)
Best Country Album
MY KINDA PARTY – Jason Aldean
CHIEF – Eric Church
OWN THE NIGHT – Lady Antebellum
RED RIVER BLUE – Blake Shelton
HERE FOR A GOOD TIME – George Strait
SPEAK NOW – Taylor Swift
Best New Age Album
NORTHERN SEAS – Al Conti
GAIA – Michael Brant DeMaria
WIND, ROCK, SEA & FLAME – Peter Kater
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT – Pat Metheny
INSTRUMENTAL OASIS, VOL. 6 – Zamora
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL – Randy Brecker, soloist
YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE – Ron Carter, soloist
500 MILES HIGH – Chick Corea, soloist
WORK – Fred Hersch, soloist
SONNYMOON FOR TWO – Sonny Rollins, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album
‘ROUND MIDNIGHT – Karrin Allyson
THE MOSAIC PROJECT – Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists
THE GATE – Kurt Elling
AMERICAN ROAD – Tierney Sutton (Band)
THE MUSIC OF RANDY NEWMAN – Roseanna Vitro
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
BOND: THE PARIS SESSIONS – Gerald Clayton
FOREVER – Corea, Clarke & White
ALONE AT THE VANGUARD – Fred Hersch
BIRD SONGS – Joe Lovano/Us Five
ROAD SHOWS VOL. 2 – Sonny Rollins
TIMELINE – Yellowjackets
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
THE JAZZ BALLAD SONG BOOK – Randy Brecker With DR Big Band
THE GOOD FEELING – Christian McBride Big Band
40 ACRES AND A BURRO – Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
LEGACY – Gerald Wilson Orchestra
ALMA ADENTRO: THE PUERTO RICAN SONGBOOK – Miguel Zenón
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
DO EVERYTHING – Steven Curtis Chapman
ALIVE (MARY MAGDALENE) – Natalie Grant
YOUR LOVE – Brandon Heath
JESUS – Le’Andria Johnson
I LIFT MY HANDS – Chris Tomlin
Best Gospel Song
HELLO FEAR – Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Kirk Franklin)
SITTING WITH ME – Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Gerald Haddon & Tammi Haddon, songwriters (Mary Mary)
SPIRITUAL – Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes)
TRUST ME – Richard Smallwood, songwriter (Richard Smallwood & Vision)
WINDOW – Canton Jones, songwriter (Canton Jones)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
BLESSINGS – Laura Story, songwriter (Laura Story)
HOLD ME – Jamie Grace Harper, Toby McKeehan & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac)
I LIFT MY HANDS – Louie Giglio, Matt Maher & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)
STRONG ENOUGH – Matthew West, songwriter (Matthew West)
YOUR LOVE – Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters (Brandon Heath)
Best Gospel Album
THE LOVE ALBUM – Kim Burrell
THE JOURNEY – Andraé Crouch
HELLO FEAR – Kirk Franklin
SOMETHING BIG – Mary Mary
ANGEL & CHANELLE DELUXE EDITION – Trin-I-Tee 5:7
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
GHOSTS UPON THE EARTH – Gungor
LEAVING EDEN – Brandon Heath
THE GREAT AWAKENING – Leeland
WHAT IF WE WERE REAL – Mandisa
BLACK & WHITE – Royal Tailor
AND IF OUR GOD IS FOR US… – Chris Tomlin
Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album
ENTREN LOS QUE QUIERAN – Calle 13
ENTRE LA CIUDAD Y EL MAR – Gustavo Galindo
NUESTRA – La Vida Bohème
NOT SO COMMERCIAL – Los Amigos Invisibles
DRAMA Y LUZ – Maná
Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album
BICENTENARIO – Pepe Aguilar
ORALE – Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
AMOR A LA MUSICA -Mariachi Los Arrieros Del Valle
ERES UN FARSANTE – Paquita La Del Barrio
HUEVOS RANCHEROS – Joan Sebastian
Best Banda Or Norteño Album
ESTARE MEJOR – El Güero Y Su Banda Centenario
INTOCABLE 2011 – Intocable
LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE AND FRIENDS – Los Tigres Del Norte
EL ÁRBOL – Los Tucanes De Tijuana
NO VENGO A VER SI PUEDO… SI POR QUE PUEDO VENGO – Michael Salgado
Best Tropical Latin Album
HOMENAJE A LOS RUMBEROS – Edwin Bonilla
THE LAST MAMBO – Cachao
MONGORAMA – José Rizo’s Mongorama
Best Americana Album
EMOTIONAL JUKEBOX – Linda Chorney
PULL UP SOME DUST AND SIT DOWN – Ry Cooder
HARD BARGAIN – Emmylou Harris
RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN – Levon Helm
BLESSED – Lucinda Williams
Best Bluegrass Album
PAPER AIRPLANE – Alison Krauss & Union Station
REASON AND RHYME: BLUEGRASS SONGS BY ROBERT HUNTER & JIM LAUDERDALE – Jim Lauderdale
RARE BIRD ALERT – Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
OLD MEMORIES: THE SONGS OF BILL MONROE – The Del McCoury Band
A MOTHER’S PRAYER – Ralph Stanley
SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN – Chris Thile & Michael Daves
Best Blues Album
LOW COUNTRY BLUES – Gregg Allman
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS – Marcia Ball
MAN IN MOTION – Warren Haynes
THE REFLECTION – Keb Mo
REVELATOR – Tedeschi Trucks Band
Best Folk Album
BARTON HOLLOW – The Civil Wars
I’LL NEVER GET OUT OF THIS WORLD ALIVE – Steve Earle
HELPLESSNESS BLUES – Fleet Foxes
UKULELE SONGS – Eddie Vedder
THE HARROW & THE HARVEST – Gillian Welch
Best Regional Roots Music Album
CAN’T SIT DOWN – C.J. Chenier
WAO AKUA – THE FOREST OF THE GODS – George Kahumoku, Jr.
REBIRTH OF NEW ORLEANS – Rebirth Brass Band
GRAND ISLE – Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
NOT JUST ANOTHER POLKA – Jimmy Sturr & His Orchesta
Best Reggae Album
HARLEM-KINGSTON EXPRESS LIVE! – Monty Alexander
REGGAE KNIGHTS – Israel Vibration
REVELATION PT 1: THE ROOT OF LIFE – Stephen Marley
WILD AND FREE – Ziggy Marley
SUMMER IN KINGSTON – Shaggy
Best World Music Album
AFROCUBISM – AfroCubism
AFRICA FOR AFRICA – Femi Kuti
SONGS FROM A ZULU FARM – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
TASSILI – Tinariwen
Best Children’s Album
ALL ABOUT BULLIES… BIG AND SMALL – (Various Artists) James Cravero, Gloria Domina, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara & Patrick Robinson, producers
ARE WE THERE YET? – The Papa Hugs Band
FITNESS ROCK & ROLL – Miss Amy
GULFALIVE – The Banana Plant
I LOVE: TOM T. HALL’S SONGS OF FOX HOLLOW – (Various Artists) Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, producers
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)
BOSSYPANTS – Tina Fey
FAB FAN MEMORIES – THE BEATLES BOND – (Various Artists) Nathan Burbank, Bryan Cumming, Dennis Scott & David Toledo, producers
HAMLET (WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE) – Dan Donohue & Various Artists – Oregon Shakespeare Festival
IF YOU ASK ME (AND OF COURSE YOU WON’T) – Betty White
THE MARK OF ZORRO – Val Kilmer & Cast
Best Comedy Album
ALPOCALYPSE – “Weird Al” Yankovic
FINEST HOUR – Patton Oswalt
HILARIOUS – Louis C.K.
KATHY GRIFFIN: 50 & NOT PREGNANT – Kathy Griffin
TURTLENECK & CHAIN – The Lonely Island
Best Musical Theater Album
ANYTHING GOES – Sutton Foster & Joel Grey, principal soloists; Rob Fisher, James Lowe & Joel Moss, producers (Cole Porter, composer/lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)
THE BOOK OF MORMON – Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, principal soloists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez, Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING – John Larroquette & Daniel Radcliffe, principal soloists; Robert Sher, producer (Frank Loesser, composer/lyricist) (The 2011 Broadway Cast Recording)
Best Surround Sound Album
AN EVENING WITH DAVE GRUSIN – Frank Filipetti & Eric Schilling, surround mix engineers; Frank Filipetti, surround mastering engineer; Phil Ramone, surround producer (Various Artists)
GRACE FOR DROWNING – Steven Wilson, surround mix engineer; Paschal Byrne, surround mastering engineer; Steven Wilson, surround producer (Steven Wilson)
KIND – Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Kjetil Almenning, Ensemble 96 & Nidaros String Quartet)
LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS (SUPER DELUXE EDITION) – Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)
SPOHR: STRING SEXTET IN C MAJOR, OP. 140 & NONET IN F MAJOR, OP. 31 – Andreas Spreer, surround mix engineer; Andreas Spreer, surround mastering engineer; Andreas Spreer, surround producer (Camerata Freden)
Best Engineered Album, Classical
ALDRIDGE: ELMER GANTRY – Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
GLAZUNOV: COMPLETE CONCERTOS – Richard King, engineer (José Serebrier, Alexey Serov, Wen-Sinn Yang, Alexander Romanovsky, Rachel Barton Pine, Marc Chisson & Russian National Orchestra)
MACKEY: LONELY MOTEL – MUSIC FROM SLIDE – Tom Lazarus & Bill Maylone, engineers; Joe Lambert, mastering engineer (Rinde Eckert, Steven Mackey & Eighth Blackbird)
RACHMANINOV: PIANO CONCERTOS NOS. 3 & 4 – Arne Akselberg, engineer (Leif Ove Andsnes, Antonio Pappano & London Symphony Orchestra)
WEINBERG: SYMPHONY NO. 3 & SUITE NO. 4 FROM ‘THE GOLDEN KEY’ – Torbjörn Samuelsson, engineer (Thord Svedlund & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra)
Producer Of The Year, Classical
BLANTON ALSPAUGH – Aldridge: Elmer Gantry (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra); Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas (Peter Takács); Osterfield: Rocky Streams (Paul Osterfield, Todd Waldecker & Various Artists)
MANFRED EICHER – Bach: Concertos & Sinfonias For Oboe; Ich Hatte Viel Bekümmernis (Heinz Holliger, Eric Höbarth & Camerata Bern); Hymns & Prayers (Gidon Kremer & Kremerata Baltica); Manto & Madrigals (Thomas Zehetmair & Ruth Killius); Songs Of Ascension (Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble, Todd Reynolds Quartet, The M6 & Montclair State University Singers); Tchaikovsky/Kissine: Piano Trios (Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite & Khatia Buniatishvili); A Worcester Ladymass (Trio Mediaeval)
DAVID FROST – Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Live (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass); Mackey: Lonely Motel – Music From Slide (Rinde Eckert, Steven Mackey & Eighth Blackbird); Prayers & Alleluias (Kenneth Dake); Sharon Isbin & Friends – Guitar Passions (Sharon Isbin & Various Artists)
PETER RUTENBERG – Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (Patrick Dupré Quigley, James K. Bass, Seraphic Fire & Professional Choral Institute); The Vanishing Nordic Chorale (Philip Spray & Musik Ekklesia)
JUDITH SHERMAN – Adams: Son Of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet (John Adams, St. Lawrence String Quartet & International Contemporary Ensemble); Capricho Latino (Rachel Barton Pine); 85th Birthday Celebration (Claude Frank); Insects & Paper Airplanes – Chamber Music Of Lawrence Dillon (Daedalus Quartet & Benjamin Hochman); Midnight Frolic – The Broadway Theater Music Of Louis A. Hirsch (Rick Benjamin & Paragon Ragtime Orchestra); Notable Women – Trios By Today’s Female Composers (Lincoln Trio); The Soviet Experience, Vol. 1 – String Quartets By Dmitri Shostakovich & His Contemporaries (Pacifica Quartet); State Of The Art – The American Brass Quintet At 50 (The American Brass Quintet); Steve Reich: WTC 9/11; Mallet Quartet; Dance Patterns (Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich Musicians & So Percussion); Winging It – Piano Music Of John Corigliano (Ursula Oppens)
Best Orchestral Performance
BOWEN: SYMPHONIES NOS. 1 & 2 – Andrew Davis, conductor (BBC Philharmonic)
BRAHMS: SYMPHONY NO. 4 – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
HAYDN: SYMPHONIES 104, 88 & 101 – Nicholas McGegan, conductor (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra)
HENZE: SYMPHONIES NOS. 3-5 – Marek Janowski, conductor (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin)
MARTINU: THE 6 SYMPHONIES – Jirí Belohlávek, conductor (BBC Symphony Orchestra)
Best Opera Recording
ADAMS: DOCTOR ATOMIC – Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
BRITTEN: BILLY BUDD – Mark Elder, conductor; John Mark Ainsley, Phillip Ens, Jacques Imbrailo, Darren Jeffery, Iain Paterson & Matthew Rose; James Whitbourn, producer (London Philharmonic Orchestra; Glyndebourne Chorus)
RAUTAVAARA: KAIVOS – Hannu Lintu, conductor; Jaakko Kortekangas, Hannu Niemelä, Johanna Rusanen-Kartano & Mati Turi; Seppo Siirala, producer (Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra; Kaivos Chorus)
VERDI: LA TRAVIATA – Antonio Pappano, conductor; Joseph Calleja, Renée Fleming & Thomas Hampson; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus)
VIVALDI: ERCOLE SUL TERMODONTE – Fabio Biondi, conductor; Romina Basso, Patrizia Ciofi, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Vivica Genaux, Philippe Jaroussky, Topi Lehtipuu & Rolando Villazón; Daniel Zalay, producer (Europa Galante; Coro Da Camera Santa Cecilia Di Borgo San Lorenzo)
Best Choral Performance
BEYOND ALL MORTAL DREAMS-AMERICAN A CAPPELLA – Stephen Layton, conductor (Choir Of Trinity College Cambridge)
BRAHMS: EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM, OP. 45 – Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; James K. Bass, chorus master (Justin Blackwell, Scott Allen Jarrett, Paul Max Tipton & Teresa Wakim; Professional Choral Institute & Seraphic Fire)
KIND – Kjetil Almenning, conductor (Nidaros String Quartet; Ensemble 96)
LIGHT & GOLD – Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King’s Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers)
THE NATURAL WORLD OF PELLE GUDMUNDSEN-HOLMGREEN – Paul Hillier, conductor (Ars Nova Copenhagen)
Best Small Ensemble Performance
FRANK: HILOS – Gabriela Lena Frank; ALIAS Chamber Ensemble
THE KINGDOMS OF CASTILLE – Richard Savino, conductor; El Mundo
MACKEY: LONELY MOTEL – MUSIC FROM SLIDE – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird
A SERAPHIC FIRE CHRISTMAS – Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; Seraphic Fire
SOUND THE BELLS! – The Bay Brass
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
CHINESE RECORDER CONCERTOS – EAST MEETS WEST – Lan Shui, conductor; Michala Petri (Copenhagen Philharmonic)
RACHMANINOV: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN C MINOR, OP. 18; RHAPSODY ON A THEME OF PAGANINI – Yuja Wang (Claudio Abbado; Mahler Chamber Orchestra)
RACHMANINOV: PIANO CONCERTOS NOS. 3 & 4 – Leif Ove Andsnes (Antonio Pappano; London Symphony Orchestra)
SCHWANTNER: CONCERTO FOR PERCUSSION & ORCHESTRA – Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony)
WINGING IT – PIANO MUSIC OF JOHN CORIGLIANO – Ursula Oppens
Best Classical Vocal Solo
DIVA DIVO – Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L’Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L’Opéra National De Lyon)
GRIEG/THOMMESSEN: VESLEMØY SYNSK – Marianne Beate Kielland (Nils Anders Mortensen)
HANDEL: CLEOPATRA – Natalie Dessay (Emmanuelle Haïm; Le Concert D’Astrée)
PURCELL: O SOLITUDE – Andreas Scholl (Stefano Montanari; Christophe Dumaux; Accademia Bizantina)
THREE BAROQUE TENORS – Ian Bostridge (Bernard Labadie; Mark Bennett, Andrew Clarke, Sophie Daneman, Alberto Grazzi, Jonathan Gunthorpe, Benjamin Hulett & Madeline Shaw; The English Concert)
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
ALDRIDGE, ROBERT: ELMER GANTRY – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein
CRUMB, GEORGE: THE GHOSTS OF ALHAMBRA – George Crumb
FRIEDMAN, JEFFERSON: STRING QUARTET NO. 3 – Jefferson Friedman
MACKEY, STEVEN: LONELY MOTEL – MUSIC FROM SLIDE – Steven Mackey
RUDERS, POUL: PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2 – Poul Ruders
Best Short Form Music Video
ROLLING IN THE DEEP – Adele
YES I KNOW – Memory Tapes
ALL IS NOT LOST – OK Go
LOTUS FLOWER – Radiohead
FIRST OF THE YEAR (EQUINOX) – Skrillex
PERFORM THIS WAY – “Weird Al” Yankovic
Best Long Form Music Video
I AM…WORLD TOUR – Beyoncé
FOO FIGHTERS: BACK AND FORTH – Foo Fighters
TALIHINA SKY: THE STORY OF KINGS OF LEON – Kings Of Leon
BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST – A Tribe Called Quest
NINE TYPES OF LIGHT – TV On The Radio
SOURCES:
The 54th Grammys, Grammy.com
Natalie Finn, “Adele is Queen of the 2012 Grammy Nominations…But Guess Who’s King?!”, E! Online.com
Shirley Halperin, “Grammy Nominations Surprises and Snubs: Beyonce, Bon Iver, Chris Brown…Skrillex?”, TheHollywoodReporter.com
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards – Nominees, CBS.com