As we continue our countdown to the Feb. 13 Grammy Awards, we”re predicting a category a day. Today, we look at Best Pop Vocal Album, which pits Lady Gaga against Susan Boyle and Justin Bieber. On Friday, we’ll look the big four: record, album and song of the year, as well as best new artist.
Best Pop Vocal Album
“My World 2.0,” Justin Bieber
“I Dreamed a Dream,” Susan Boyle
“The Fame Monster,” Lady Gaga
“Battle Studies,” John Mayer
“Teenage Dream,” Katy Perry
Bieber and Boyle share little more than unfortunate hairdos, but that”s part of the schizophrenic nature of this category. We vaguely recall a best traditional pop vocal category in years past that would neatly house acts like Tony Bennett, but that seems to have disappeared, leaving Boyle sticking out like a sore thumb in this category…although we”re sure her defenders would claim she actually is the best singer in the bunch.
[More after the jump…]
We don”t agree with that. In fact, we”re be contrarian enough to say none of these artists possesses remarkable pipes: strong, good ones, yes, but the Grammys were just looking for places to shoe-horn Grammy fave John Mayer. That”s why he”s here. In some ways, same with Bieber. Unless your name is Ke$ha, the Grammys can”t just ignore someone who has sold millions of albums and downloads.
Both “The Fame Monster” and “Teenage Dream” are nominated for album of the year, giving them a gravitas here that the other selections don”t have since they made it to the big show. In a race between The California Gurl and Mama Monster, it”s the Monster.
The winner: “The Fame Monster”
Previous 2011 Grammy Predictions
Best Female Country Vocal Performance