The Grammy Nominees are a series of music albums released to celebrate music considered award worthy. The award? A Grammy. The compilation albums are released each year before the latest batch of Grammy Award nominees have walked the red carpet and found out whether or not they crooned their way into getting a trophy. A lot of good music has been put out on these Grammy albums and people will differ in opinion as to what ones are the “best,” but no one other than me gets to type on my article, so: you’re stuck with ME picking them.
I have picked one song from every The Grammy Nominees album starting from the year 1995 and ending in 2012 to showcase as the best song for that year’s album.
1995: “Streets Of Philadelphia” – Bruce Springsteen
Forget the Grammys, this song won an Oscar! It won four Grammy awards as well. The song was featured on the soundtrack of the Tom Hanks movie “Philadelphia” and the reason it is so great is because it captures the same tone of drama as a movie does. Bruce as the storyteller makes you feel it and makes you feel that he feels it.
Runner up: “I’ll Make Love To You” – Boyz II Men
1996: “You Oughta Know” – Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette blazed onto the music scene with this scathing, angst filled single that may have scared off would be romantic suitors for years afterwards. The song won two Grammys, proving to me that the awards used to have some great tastes!
Runner up: “Gangsta’s Paradise” – Coolio featuring L.V.
1997: “Nobody Knows” – The Tony Rich Project
Eric Clapton may have taken away Tony’s shot at Grammy glory in 1997,” but while Clapton has loads of tunes buried on old fogey rock stations, the sound of Tony Rich’s “Nobody Knows” remains relevant even today across the boards. Well, except for the classic rock boards. A heartfelt hurt of a song.
Runner up: “Because You Loved Me” – Celine Dion
1998: “Criminal” – Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple is a rare and serious talent, even if her award event speeches have been hard to take serious in the past. “Criminal” is known for its racy music video, but the song is great enough to get beyond that stigmata. Fiona won the Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal in 1998.
Runner up: “Don’t Speak” – No Doubt
1999: “Iris” – Goo Goo Dolls
They may have a silly band name, but there was nothing silly about the song “Iris” and the romance it spread after being featured in the movie “City of Angels.” The Grammys dropped the ball not sending the Goo Goo Dolls home with an award.
Runner up: “Torn” – Natalie Imbruglia
2000: “…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears
I should be ashamed of the choice, but the older I get the less I can call it a guilty pleasure and just have to say: the song is good. For some weird reason the song is good. This is the song that launched the craziness that is the career of Britney Spears, but personally I enjoy hearing covers of it by other artists who strip away the heavy pop music.
Runner up: “Bawitdaba” – Kid Rock
2001: “Save Me” – Aimee Mann
Britney Spears almost got my thumbs up for this year as well, but my love for the movie “Magnolia” ended up pushing this song from its sound track up a notch in favoritism. The song failed to nab a Grammy and it also was beaten by a Disney song at the Oscars.
Runner up: “Oops I Did It Again” – Britney Spears
2002: “Fallin’” – Alicia Keyes
This song became the first number one single for Alicia Keyes and it does a great job of showing of her vocal range; an addicting blend of sexy rasp with R & B groove. It won three Grammys, including song of the year.
Runner up: “I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” – The Soggy Bottom Boys
2003: “You Remind Me” – Nickelback
I do not like Nickelback, however, when this song came out I did not realize I would not like them. In fact, this song is pretty decent and gets stuck in my head from time to time. In fact, the first time I ever got drunk in my life: this song went looping through.
Runner up: “All You Wanted” – Michelle Branch
2004: “Lose Yourself” – Eminem
Eminem has proven himself as one of the greatest rappers ever (in my opinion) and he did it in a short amount of time. “Lose Yourself” was on the soundtrack to the movie “8 Mile” where Eminem showed he could act as well. This song won two Grammys and was the first rap song to when an Oscar!
Runner up: “Going Under” – Evanescence
2005: “My Immortal” – Evanescence
I did not pick their song from the previous year’s compilation album as the best, but the Evanescence song “My Immortal” is too passionately wonderful not to be heralded for its inclusion in 2005.
Runner up: “She Will Be Loved” – Maroon 5
2006: “Since You’ve Been Gone” – Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson plays in her low register on this song and it is smooth going into the ears, before going jump up and rock pop. Kelly Clarkson is still my favorite “American Idol” and this song won her a Grammy.
Runner up: “Best Of You” – Foo Fighters
2007: “Crazy” – Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley reignited the career of Cee Lo Green who can now bee seen judging on the NBC show “The Voice.” This song is bizarre, haunting rock pop and it was the number one song in the US for nine weeks straight.
Runner up: “You’re Beautiful” – James Blunt
2008: “The Pretender” – Foo Fighters
Almost all of the Foo Fighters songs sound the same, but they can get away with it because they deliver them with the energy level amped beyond 10. This song won a Grammy and is considered on of their most successful singles ever.
Runner up: “What Goes Around/ Come Around” – Justin Timberlake
2009: “I Kissed A Girl” – Katy Perry
This is not a song that has endured itself to me like Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby,” but it still has enough good quirks to make it stand out. Aside from the fun lyrical content, there are moments in the song where Katy Perry’s voice touches the right degree of rasp and my ears love that.
Runner up: “Apologize” – One Republic
2010: “Sober” – Pink
Pink is one of the few pop singers who can do actually that: sing! “Sober” is not her greatest song, though it has a very cool music video and is indeed good stuff.
Runner up: “Use Somebody” – Kings Of Leon
2011: “Forget You” – Cee Lo Green
We all know that the real title isn’t “Forget You,” and Cee Lo managed to use an expletive to puncutuate a bitter statement of the heart perfectly. The song is a little too long and repetitive, but ultimately that doesn’t matter at all. Cee Lo Green did take home a Grammy in 2011.
Runner up: “Love The Way You Lie” – Eminem with Rihanna
2012: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele
This song has been overplayed for sure, but it does not change the fact that over time it will stand up as having been a great song. I am writing this before the 2012 Grammys have aired, but it is not a matter of IF, but HOW MANY Grammys Adele will be taking home.
Runner up: “If I Die Young” – The Band Perry