Shmammy

I didn't watch the Grammy Awards this year. No big surprise, because I don't think I've watched them in 10-plus years, if not more. I actually get kind of disgusted when I hear people discuss them (or most awards for that matter) as if... well, as if they really matter in the grand scheme of music anymore. I'd rather you tell me you watched it to see what clothes people were wearing or for the mind-blowing dialogue than because you love music. As if having a Grammy legitimizes someone's music ANYWAY. I know there are some people who were nominated who actually deserve awards for their music, but unfortunately the company they are nominated with makes it damn near impossible for them to win. When I hear someone say, "I can't believe -insert multi-award-winning-bullshit-artist here- won for that single/album!" - my response is "Why don't you believe it? How is it any different from last year? Or the year before that? Or the year before that?!"

I'm almost to the point where winning a Grammy is a bad thing. I normally scan the list of nominees when announced just to see if anything's changed. Occasionally, I'll get a pleasant surprise in the nominees...One of my favorite groups, The Foreign Exchange, was nominated this year... they didn't win, but I was surprised they got a nod period. One of my favorite singers Alice Smith, was nominated in 2007. Another favorite, Janelle Monae, was nominated last year. So, greatness does slip though... but for the most part... no dice. Because I'm a woman who loves good music, I'm usually most disappointed by the Female categories, more often than not, specifically the R&B categories (I won't even touch Hip Hop),  I see the same people year after year win the same awards...

So... here are some female artists who possibly may not EVER win a Grammy or have record-breaking album sales, but would in a parallel universe in which people had better taste:

Joy Jones, whose album Godchild was one of my favorites from '09...

Alice Smith, whose voice makes sounds that never cease to amaze me... new song from new album dropping this year...

Sarah Anne Webb, former member of UK group D-Influence...

And I heart heart heart Nikki Jean... swoon...

Georgia Anne Muldrow is a producing, singing goddess...

Janelle Monae...

There's more, but I'll save them for another day :) Happy listening.