Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

muldrowsydney — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:01:26 GMT

Stop overlooking and ignoring the Gospel and jazz artists. Mary, Mary who received a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance for "Get Up" should have been allowed to perform along w/Kirk Franklin another Grammy winner. Also some jazz artists should have been allowed to perform, especially Cassandra Wilson. The Grammys have become partial to R&B (no problem, there), Rap, Country, Pop and Rock. Be fair to all genres of music.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

EmmyInNM — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:22:29 GMT

Yes, it was necessary to, as you say, 'trot out Neil Diamond'. Neil was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday. Perhaps the song choice wasn't the right one. Us fans would have loved to have heard him sing something from his number 1 album, Home Before Dark but it wasn't meant to be.

Why are reviewers being so harsh to Neil for singing a classic? Sir Paul sang an old song as well yet no one is complaining there.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

tjhall — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:46:16 GMT

The hosts were usually America-hating leftist jerks, so glad they're gone.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

hax147 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:17:47 GMT

They clearly need to bring back producer Tzvi Small.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

minneapolitan — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:33:54 GMT

I have to agree with a lot of what what said in this article. I think it's much smoother and better to have a host (no dumb, tasteless jokes though; this isn't a roast). Too much music and not enough time given to honoring the honorees is really tacky. For nominated songs, you could do a brief bit of the nominated songs as the contenders are announced. Should have skipped Neil Diamond (you did't do him any favors by having him on), tribute to Four Tops (okay but unnecessary), duo by Timberlake and TI (liked it a lot, but again, unnecessary), Katie Perry (done to death, enough), tribute by Urban, Mayer, etc., (liked it, but unecessary), the song with MIA (she was a cute pregnant lady though), open with shorts clips of videos from nominated songs or something relevant to awards being handed out. The whole thing was okay; however, when it was done I felt like I wasted the better part of 3 + hours.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

JPMarat — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:37:25 GMT

It could be because the music isn't worth listening to? It could be what passes for music today is a reflection of our society: broken and dysfunctional. Indeed, it may not even be a relevant reflection of the REAL music one hears on the streets and in the parking lots of the country--that music sounds like the gutteral rage of a frustrated beasts (both white and black).

P.S.: Broken and dysfunctional society---broken.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

jdcorry — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:37:43 GMT

7. Stop the reality-TV teasers before the commercial breaks and put on another performer or two instead. Use the time for a gospel, jazz, show tunes, world beat, or Americana act.

8. Stop the awkward introductions. Only Ringo or Mick should be allowed to delay Sir Paul's performance. Is Samuel L. Jackson going for the Guinness record for unnecessary award show appearances?

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

demekos — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:56:54 GMT

Just get rid of the whole show and use the TV time for somethhing enjoyable like "watching grass grow." That is more entertaining than this show!

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

Horrible Bastard — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:08:10 GMT

On behalf of Europe, I'd like to apologize for U2.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

Elegresse — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:11:53 GMT

I agree; get rid of the Grammys. There is little music that is memorable and few artists that will be remembered in ten years.

You have to be a teen to know who the heck half these people are. If you must have an awards show for hundreds of artists, let MTV do it.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

suelion — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:40:56 GMT

You don't have to be a teenager to appreciate good new music, and were all those dinosaurs really necessary to appease the baby-boomers? Get rid of the silly combinations and feature awards for more of the genres. Where's the reggae Grammy, the Folk, the Gospel? By banishing less well known genres to the "off air" time you're making sure they stay less known. Give people something new and perhaps out of their comfort zone if you want to encourage the health and growth of the music industry as a whole.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

jchellemi — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:58:58 GMT

The Grammy awards are no longer relevant to how music is made and consumed, therefore it has no purpose.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

pauleky — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:31:19 GMT

Gotta laugh at the complaints. You don't HAVE to watch the Grammys. Some of us enjoy the performances, even if we would agree that the awards themselves are something of a joke. I'm also laughing at those that say "get rid of the Grammys", as if they have any say so. These are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences - period. You don't have to agree with their choices, but it's their say, not yours. You should choose to spend your time elsewhere if you really hate it so much.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

charles.bright — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:57:27 GMT

It was really annoying this year to have a three and a half hour show with only 10 awards being presented. Yes, it's nice to showcase different performances but let's also showcase the different forms of music by rewarding more of them during the telecast. I would have loved to see Radiohead accept Best Alternative Music Album and the Blind Boys of Alabama accept Best Traditional Gospel Performance during the primetime ceremony. Let's get some more folk and reggae and Peter Gabriel accepting Best Song for a Motion Picture...

But let's not forget the rule of performers winning after their performances hasn't always worked out. In 1999 Shania Twain finished performing her provocative version of "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" and then immediately lost Best Country Album ("Come on Over" was up for this and Album of the Year as well) to the Dixie Chicks for their debut "Wide Open Spaces". But the most memorable instance of this was in 2001 when Eminem finished performing his much hyped duet with Elton John and then "The Marshall Mathers LP" lost Album of the Year to "Two Against Nature" from Steely Dan.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

TheShadow — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:17:18 GMT

A few more easy ways to fix the grammys or any other award show for that matter.

1. Put them on a cable or satellite station, so they don't take away any time from real broadcasts on any major network.

2. Do away with all the performances & speeches, the pomp & circumstance. Simply say who won and move on to the person, this will ensure the show will always end on time, if not early.

3. No need for any station, anywhere at any time to have pre-award shows, this are a senseless waste of quality broadcasting & should also be eliminated.

By the way, if you can't tell I totally despise any and all award shows.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

dmb12345 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:09:47 GMT

Stopped watching this POS about 20 years ago as well listening to the music. I guess I am an old f@@t. Also, given up on the emmys. The holywood crowd is so pretentious. Finally who would want to watch a bunch of dummies who have no moral conduct in life.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

ThePrairiePrankster — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:12:00 GMT

I did not realize the Grammy's TV extravaganza still existed. As I recall, they have always been lousy television, as are most awards shows. I followed the poster's advice who said, quite correctly, "You should choose to spend your time elsewhere if you really hate it so much."

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

Ukeechick — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:13:19 GMT

So all of you who are too cool for the Grammys and don't see the relevance can go and plug into your ipods and blog on Twitter about how alienated you are and how the established institutions are ruining music for the rest of your too cool posse. Because instead of participating in something that resembles a community, you would rather showcase your hip cred by whining that they never show bluegrass or classical musicians anymore. Boo hoo. The Grammys are about popular music; you all have your private Facebook groups for Fans of Scratchy Bluegrass Pan Flute Enthusiasts. But all of you crybabies want to be left alone to wallow in your own layers of black eyeliner and self-importance. And the rest of us are just sheep right? Well, here’s my suggestion, turn off the TV, don’t watch the Grammys and burrow deeper into your own isolationist holes. Leave the fun music for us sheep.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

Ukeechick — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:15:16 GMT

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

skit2000 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:25:11 GMT

I have not watched an entire Grammy Awards telecast in a long time and thought last night's show was awesome! Although it would be great to have an entertaining host, I thought the show producers did a good job of keeping the flow of the show moving along and not wasting much time. Too many awards show wait for every celebrity to walk on stage, but it was nice to have the next presenters already set up in advance. It was also nice that many of the winners kept their speeches short and to the point compared to the Oscar winners. The collaboration with current and legendary singers was awesome...that was my favorite part. I also thought the outfits were classy...if we wanted to see edgier outfits, we'd tune in to the MTV Awards shows.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

mdshullaw — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:56:42 GMT

I have been a professional musician for over 40 years now, and what is ailing the grammys is not the presentation, it's a lack of talent. The reason the Grammys ratings have dropped year after year, is because the level of the musical talent they represent has dropped year after year. Because of this, peoples expectations have also continued to drop. School music programs have been curtailed in many areas. Radio stations don't know what to play, since most of the newer music they get in is terrible. Growing up, I had the infuence of older famous musicians, and the younger ones also. Radio and TV both played a variety of music, and it makes a big difference in a budding musicians development, It also makes a big difference in the publics appreciation and knowledge of music. Unless we get those values back, young musicians will not have the shoulders of giants to stand on, and the quality of music, and award shows such as the grammys, will continue to slide into the abyss.

re: Joshua Alston: Six Ways to Fix the Gramn Dammys

Sylko — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:16:30 GMT

I haven't watched the Grammy's in YEARS. Mostly because I don't really like any of the songs or groups that get nominated. I'm not trying to say I'm "Too Cool" for the Grammys, because I would think that they should reward what's popular, and I haven't really meshed with any popular music since I was 14 and in love with Duran Duran. I accept that the Grammy's are about pop music, so maybe they need to stop trying to draw in all types of viewers, and just cater to the pop music fans. Get rid of the old timers, get rid of Robert Plant, get a young, hip host and move it QUICKER. Have artists perform truncated versions of the hits. Get good choreographers to choreograph edgy dance performances to well done medlys. Three HOURS does not appeal to the younger demographic especially if it plods.