With the 2010 Grammy Awards mere hours away, we want to know who you think should take home the trophies in the top four major categories, and we’ll tell you who we think will win. Take a look at the nominess, listen to the music and cast your votes. We’ll post the results and see how you, and we, fared when the winners are announced tonight.
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Our Prediction:
Lady Gaga, “Poker Face”
PHOTOS | CHART HISTORY | ARTIST INFO
Had Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” been nominated in the Record of the Year category, Lady Gaga might have something to sweat about. But since B’s far less catchy and compelling “Halo” mysteriously got the nod, we think the diva formerly known as Stefani Germanotta should begin practicing her Grammy acceptance speech. Why? Though she was initially praised solely for her untamed style, the music industry — including the members of NARAS — now recognizes Lady Gaga for her incomparable pop substance. Gaga crafted a string of singles that were superior to those of her 2009 peers, and “Poker Face” — a four-minute phenomenon with haunting melodies and witty metaphors which have inspired interpretations by everyone from Weezer to Cartman from South Park — is her crown jewel that will undoubtedly be rewarded on Grammy night.
Our Prediction:
Taylor Swift, “Fearless”
PHOTOS | CHART HISTORY | ARTIST INFO
Taylor Swift is no stranger to big awards, but has yet to take home her first Grammy. But with eight nominations, that deficit will surely be erased, including a win for Album of the Year. “Fearless” embodies both Swift’s sheer talent and massive popularity. Not only has “Fearless” spent 62 weeks on the Billboard 200, including 11 weeks at No. 1, but it also launched eight songs that reached the top 20 of the Hot 100. It’s impossible to knock her charming country-flavored pop tunes about the ins and outs of being a regular teenager. Her competition for the Album of the Year Grammy is fierce and famous, but the multi-nominated Beyonce and Lady Gaga will get their time in the spotlight elsewhere — this one belongs with Taylor.
LISTEN TO TAYLOR SWIFT’S “FEARLESS”
Our Prediction:
Beyonce, “Single Ladies”
PHOTOS | CHART HISTORY | ARTIST INFO
Beyonce’s “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” is a singular musical treasure. The song, originally released as the second single from her “I Am… Sasha Fierce” album, became Knowles fifth solo single to peak at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And long before the “Pants on the Ground” sensation swept the nation, B’s “Single Ladies” dance moves prompted a legion of homemade imitations and parodies. It stands to reason then that “Single Ladies” is nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance as well as Song of the Year. But this Grammy is going to Beyonce.
Our Prediction:
Zac Brown Band
Thanks to finicky rules and a Lady Gaga-free playing field, the best new artist award is Zac Brown Band‘s to lose on Grammy night. The Atlanta-based country outfit broke out in a big way last year with a No. 1 country song (“Toes”) and two more singles — “Chicken Fried” and “Whatever It Is” — reaching No. 2. Brown and company have also sold over twice as many copies of their last album than any of their fellow nominees — “The Foundation” stands at 1,350,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, an achievement that doesn’t go unrecognized by NARAS voters. Keri Hilson and MGMT will probably earn a good chunk of votes from R&B and alt-pop fans, but when all is said and done, expect ZBB to come out on top.
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