The real Grammy Awards (you know, the lame, not nearly as cool version) airs Sunday, February 12 at 8:00pm EST on CBS.
Noticed a discrepancy between the 54th annual Grammy Award nominees and what everyone was actually listening to in 2011? Convinced that "Music's Biggest Night" happens every Saturday at the dive bar around the corner? Think you can die happy without seeing Taylor Swift win another award for... whatever it is that she does? Well, you've come to the right place.
This year, Ology is holding its first annual ANTI-GRAMMYS. That's right, we're giving out our own awards to the bands, artists, albums and songs we actually loved... that actually deserve recognition. No politics, no BS, no lame, over-choreographed "live" performances—just the best music of the past year. Best part? The National Association of Record Arts and Sciences aren't picking the winners. You are!
Today's Category:
Best Pop Album.
Our Nominees:
Adele - 21
Like it or not, Adele's sophomore effort is one of the landmark releases of the past decade... if only for its barrier-breaking sales and sprawling broad appeal. Doused in both heartache and boisterous strength, her odes to love and loss are rooted deeply in organic blues, folk, country, gospel, and traditional R&B roots. In an era of overpaid production teams and talentless Top 40-ready electro-vixens, Adele is an aesthetic breath of fresh air... with a hell of a lot of album sales under her proverbial belt.
Amy Winehouse - Lioness: Hidden Treasures
It's a supreme testament to Amy Winehouse's undisputed talent and taste that Lioness (a collection of new material, unreleased songs and alternate takes) is as strong as her two proper studio albums. Running the gamut from traditional torch ballads to hip-hop, R&B, punchy soul and doo-wop, the album ranks among the best posthumous releases in popular music history... a tragic epilogue to a painfully brief career.
Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
The other biggest band in the world went even bigger on their glow-in-the-dark fifth album—packed with soaring choruses, buzzy keyboards and ringing electric guitars, the bafflingly titled, loosely conceptual LP is a spacey, bright neon gem that plays to the group's strengths while bravely foraging through exciting new sonic territory. It may have alienated some of the band's older fans, but Mylo Xyloto proves that Coldplay aren't interested in repeating themselves or playing it safe.
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow
The iconic songstress' first new album in six years, 50 Words For Snow is a stark, painfully gorgeous travelogue through imaginary winter landscapes, broken promises and lost possibilities. Its cold, minimal arrangements—paired with Bush's startlingly intimate delivery—made it one of the most emotionally engaging releases of the past year. It's a little left field for some pop music fans, but Bush is a legendary talent and her latest effort ranks amongst her all time best work.
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Gaga's more-than-highly anticipated follow up to The Fame Monster is a relentlessly, pounding synth-rock n' roll beast—an arena-ready affirmation of life, love, independence, and integrity that sounds bigger and better with each repeat listen. So what if its title track apes Madonna's flaunt-friendly anthem—no pop album in 2011 aimed higher or rocked better than Gaga's gritty leather jacket manifesto.
Here's where you come in—hit up our comments section below and VOTE for your favorite nominee for Pop Album of the Year. We'll award 1 point for each vote and an extra bonus point if you take the time/effort to tell us why Adele, Amy Winehouse, Coldplay, Kate Bush or Lady Gaga released the best record in 2011. Be creative, be expressive, be excited—we want to know exactly what you love so much about it!
We'll announce all eight ANTI-GRAMMY winners on Saturday, February 11, so keep checking Ology.com every Tuesday and Thursday between now and then to vote for more of the music you actually gave a damn about this past year.
Want to connect, debate, and argue with fellow Music Ologists? Join the discussion over on My.Ology.
Follow Brett Warner on Twitter: @Erasurehead
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