big cibula-family grammy smackdown

This is the big smackdown between me, my nine-year-old daughter, and my six-year-old Son. Predictions below:

Record of the Year:
Emma: "Yeah!"
Matt: "Here We Go Again" (eh, but they sound good together and Grammy loves Norah Jones and dead people)
Sam: "Let's Get it Started"

Album of the Year:
Emma: "The College Dropout"
Matt: "American Idiot" (I think this will be a huge shock and it's my most out-there prediction. Emma's probably right but I have a hunch. They gave it to OutKast last year and Grammy loves to switch it up and no "punk" album has ever won before, methinks; plus, WHITE PEOPLE!)
Sam: "The Diary of Alicia Keys"

Song of the Year:
Emma: "If I Ain't Got You"
Matt: "Jesus Walks" (calm down, Kanye, you won some hardware)
Sam: "The Reason"

Best New Artist:
Emma: Joss Stone
Matt: Kanye West (and again. E: "Kanye West is a NEW artist?")
Sam: Gretchen Wilson

Pop Vocal Album:
Emma: "Mind, Body, and Soul" (E: "I think she'll win two awards.")
Matt: "Smile" (didn't hear it. bad critic.)
Sam: "Smile"

Rock Album:
Emma: "American Idiot"
Matt: "American Idiot" (easiest prediction)
Sam: "Hot Fuss"

Rap Album:
Emma: "Suit"
Matt: "The College Dropout" (2nd easiest prediction. E's going out on a limb here.)
Sam: "The College Dropout"

Rap Song:
Emma: "Drop It Like It's Hot"
Matt: "Jesus Walks" (b'doy. expect the most annoying speech EVER here.)
Sam: "Drop It Like It's Hot"

Country Album:
Emma: "Van Lear Rose" (E actuallly jumped up and down about this. Her favorite song of 2004 was "Family Tree".)
Matt: "Van Lear Rose"
Sam: "Tambourine"

Country Song:
Emma: "Redneck Woman" (She sings "Let me hear a big heck yeah" instead, because she's in charge of the swear jar.)
Matt: "Redneck Woman"
Sam: "Redneck Woman"

Female Pop Vocal:
Emma: "What You Waiting For?" (E LOVES Gwen.)
Matt: "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (I HATE Sheryl Crow.)
Sam: "You Had Me"

Vocal Group:
Emma: "The Reason" (E and her mommy think the Hoobastank singer is CUUUUUUTE)
Matt: "She Will Be Loved" (I think Adam Levine is CUUUUUTE) (Kinda)
Sam: "She Will Be Loved"

Then Emma got bored and left the room to work on her own project. Sam came back later because he wants to win all competitions. Correction: "Well, I'm not really THAT interested in winning. But I think that I should win for once."

But I also predict wins for Basement Jaxx (electronic/dance album), Velvet Revolver (hard rock album), Cradle of Filth (metal performance), Franz Ferdinand (alternative), Jill Scott (urban/alternative), and Usher (R&B vocal performance, although it really should go to Ant Hamilton for "Charlene", and best R&B song for "Burn"). Kind of predictable, those choices, but this is the Grammys, after all. Prince's "Musicology" might win for best r&b album; Kanye's "Through the Wire" might take it for best rap performance; "Slow Jamz" will win for rap/sung collab; Queen Latifah will probably score on jazz vocal album for "The Dana Owens Album," just because someone wants her to have a Grammy.

I am going to be brave and predict that Paulina Rubio beats Marc Anthony for Best Latin Album, based on her breaking 2000 hits off that record; Juanes will win for Latin Rock/Alternative album; Cachao will win for Tropical Album; Victor Manuelle for best Salsa/Merengue; Los Temerarios for Mexican album; Steel Pulse for Reggae; Ladysmith Black Mambazo for Trad World; Youssou N'Dour for Contemp World; "Highways & Dancehalls" by Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones for Best Polka; and Dan Zanes for Children's Album.

That's 33 predictions. I promise not to change any afterwards. Check back in a couple of days to see how we all did.  ¶ 2/12/2005