2009 Grammy Nominees: 15% Less Cringeworthy

For me, the Grammys usually play out like a car wreck: every year they make my stomach turn and every year I tune into the awards ceremony or at least comb the papers the next day for the maddening results. 2009's nominees include some surprisingly good, relevant artists operating off the Top 40 charts. Sure, most of the picks are still pretty boring, but at least the usual John Mayer fare is balanced out by Rob Zombie, My Morning Jacket and M.I.A. Check out the complete list here. And here are a few of categories of interest:

Record Of The Year

Chasing Pavements, Adele
Viva La Vida, Coldplay
Bleeding Love, Leona Lewis
Paper Planes, M.I.A

Best Electronic/Dance Album
New York City, Brazilian Girls
Alive 2007, Daft Punk
Bring Ya To The Brink, Cyndi Lauper
X, Kylie Minogue
Last Night, Moby
Robyn, Robyn

Best Alternative Music Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)

Modern Guilt, Beck
Narrow Stairs, Death Cab For Cutie
The Odd Couple, Gnarls Barkley
Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket
In Rainbows, Radiohead

Best Rap Album (For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

American Gangster, Jay-Z
Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne
The Cool, Lupe Fiasco
Nas, Nas
Paper Trail, T.I.

Best Traditional Blues Album

The Blues Rolls On, Elvin Bishop
Skin Deep, Buddy Guy
All Odds Against Me, John Lee Hooker Jr.
One Kind Favor, B.B. King
Pinetop Perkins & Friends, Pinetop Perkins & Friends

And, randomly, noise duo No Age received a nod for Best Recording Package.
Here's some Daft Punk for you

(Jamie Gadette)