Poll: What will win the Grammy for best song of the year?

The Grammy Award for best song of the year is very confusing. It's different from best record. The song award goes to the songwriters; record goes to the recording artists. Given the awards' similarity, the winners usually overlap, historically speaking, but not so much lately. In the last 10 years, they've agreed four times. Last occurrence was three years ago when Amy Winehouse's "Rehab" swept.

I think we're going to see the same thing with another rehab-themed work of music now. I foresee Eminem's "Rehab" winning best album and his track with Rihanna, "Love the Way You Lie," claiming the laurels for both record and song. If there's an upset, I think it'll be Cee Lo Green's "… You" because this is, after all, a songwriters' award and the words are so, well, hilariously and offensively outrageous.

Our forum moderators Darrin "DoubleD" Dortch and David "Guru" Schnelwar disagree. Both pick Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" to win best song and record. Read their reasoning below -– in their own words. Then check out our predix and our polls for best record, album and new artist. Then give us your opinion in this poll.

DARRIN "DOUBLED" DORTCH'S COMMENTARY: For some reason, Grammy voters seldom nominate rap songs here. "Lie" is only the third rap song to earn a nomination here and is unlikely to win unless Eminem sweeps. "The House That Built Me" was snubbed in record of the year and no one has heard "Beg, Steal or Borrow," so they won’t win either. After Beyonce’s shocking win here last year, "… You" could upset since three R&B songs have won here in the last decade. Despite several splits in secord and song of the year winners this last decade, I think "Need You Now" will win here, too, since, for the most part, record and song of the year winners usually match up.

WHAT WILL WIN: "Need You Now"
WHAT SHOULD WIN: "… You"
SPOILER: "Love the Way You Lie"

DAVID "GURU" SCHNELWAR'S COMMENTARY: "Need You Now" is the frontrunner to win song of the year but faces stiff competition from another country song "The House That Built Me." These songs could split the country voting block.

"Love the Way You Lie" and "… You" are also both nominated for record of the year and song of the year. "… You" failed to receive a nomination for best R&B song and is not likely to upset. "Love the Way You Lie" could benefit if both country songs split the vote and could be the first rap song to win song of the year.

"Beg Borrow or Steal" is a non-hit and non-factor in the race. I predict "Need You Now" to win.

WILL WIN: "Need You Now"
SHOULD WIN: "... You"
SPOILER: "Love the Way You Lie"

RELATED:

Poll: What will win the Grammy for album of the year?

Poll: What will win the Grammy for record of the year?

Poll: Who will win the Grammy for best new artist?

-- Tom O'Neil

Top photo: Lady Antebellum.  Credit: Capitol Records
Bottom photo: Eminem. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Matt]

Ummm what about Lady Gaga? She writes and performs all of her own music. And she was the best-selling artist of 2010, which the judges take into account. And quite frankly, from a music-writing standpoint, Lady Gaga is a much better songwriter than any of the artists mentioned, and she puts on a hell of a performance. Lastly, her LP and EP have been in the top 10 best-selling albums nonstop for the past 2 years.

[Dancingbear]

NARAS will be NARAS and with its history of honoring middle of the road, bland, "nice" uptempo songs or bombastic ballads...remember "I Honestly Love You", "Killing Me Softly", "My Heart Will Go On", "I Will Always Love You", "A Whole New World" and so on...well it should come to no surprise that "Need You Now" will win here...unless NARAS finally wants to feel hip or edgy then "F-You" or "Love the Way You Lie" will win...but again NARAS being NARAS, I don't see that happening...

[RBBrittain]

I agree that "Need You Now" will win, but for different reasons than given here. For one, country writers are far more respected in SOTY; that's why two country songs were nommed this year. ("The House That Built Me" is a non-factor.) Cee Lo's song is too profane for Grammy geezers; they should have submitted it as the clean version "Forget You" (which the geezers might remember from Gwyneth Paltrow singing it on "Glee"). And though CW right now seems to favor an Eminem sweep, I don't see him getting anything beyond AOTY. Unless the geezers all somehow go for Ray LaMontagne, it's Lady A all the way here.