Poll: Would Lady Gaga have beaten Lady Antebellum at the Grammys if nominated for record of the year?

The greatest Grammy outrage this year was the omission of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" from the race for record of the year. It was one of the top-selling singles of 2010 (9.7 million copies) and won video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. At the Grammys, "Bad Romance" won best video too, plus Lady Gaga's performance of it claimed the prize for female pop vocal.

If the Grammy nominations for record of the year were chosen by the same voting method as other categories -– that is, by popular vote of members of the recording academy –- it certainly would've been nominated, but instead that lineup is chosen by a secret committee of 25 music experts who obviously don't go gaga over pop's trashiest superstar. They preferred another lady -- Lady Antebellum -– who ended up winning record of the year for "Need You Now."

Do you think Lady Gaga would've ruled if she had made the list, which also included Bruno Mars' "Nothing on You," Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie," Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" and Cee Lo Green's "… You." Lady Gaga was nominated for album of the year for "The Fame Monster" but lost to Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs."

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Lady Gaga. Credit: Interscope

Justin Bieber is 'upset' and 'disappointed' by Grammy slaps

After losing the Grammy Award for best new artist to jazz singer Esperanza Spalding and the award for pop vocal album to Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber was surprisingly candid backstage.

"I worked really hard these past few years and you know, I'm not going to lie — I was disappointed," Bieber told MTV News. "But, you know, I'm gonna come back [next year] and we'll take a few home."

The losses have inspired him to "work harder than I did last year," he added. "It's going to be hard, but I'm going to try."

He tweeted to his fans, "As for the awards ... of course I wanted to win. Its been & still is a dream to win a grammy. Was I upset ... yes. But I was happy for her also. Someone said to me tonight its not your successes that define u but your failures. I lost ... but I don't plan on this being my last chance."

Some Bieber fans were so furious over the loss that they attacked Spalding's Wikipedia page with insults and threats. One poster told her to "go die in a hole." Later, the page was cleaned up.

Soon after the Grammycast, Awards Tracker asked our readers if Bieber was robbed at the Grammys by losing best new artist to Spalding. As of this writing, there were more than 1,300 responses who voiced their opinions below. There's still time to add your vote.

 

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Justin Bieber performing with Jaden Smith on the Grammy show. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

100% perfect Grammy Award predictions: Top four races

Grammy predictions are a dangerous thing. They attempt to crawl into the brains of notorious bohemians (members of the music industry) who exult in being contrarians. However, certain voting patterns have emerged over the years that help us to forecast what will happen when trophies are doled out tonight. My conclusion: an Eminem sweep and a Grammy breakthrough by Drake.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
"The Suburbs," Arcade Fire
"Recovery," Eminem
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
"The Fame Monster," Lady Gaga
"Teenage Dream," Katy Perry

PREDICTION: "Recovery"
POSSIBLE SPOILER: "The Fame Monster"

Only three contenders have a prayer: Eminem, Lady Antebellum and Lady Gaga. Eminem has lost twice in the past ("The Marshall Mathers LP," "The Eminem Show"), but he'll finally triumph because his album has the most noble theme: rally from substance abuse.

Lady Gaga, let's be honest, deserves this, but her album is old news, unabashedly trashy and Grammys seem to have a secret gripe against her. Her "Bad Romance" was really the record of 2010, but it's not nominated there and Gaga wasn't even put up for best new artist in the past. The only way Lady Antebellum can win is if the trio also takes the categories for best record and song and then carry this along in a sweep.


RECORD OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
"Nothing on You," B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars
"Love the Way You Lie," Eminem featuring Rihanna
"… You," Cee-Lo Green
"Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys
"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

PREDICTION: "Love the Way You Lie"
POSSIBLE SPOILERS: "Need You Now" and "--- You"

Only one contender doesn't have a prayer: "Nothing on You." All other rivals have a real shot. I'm dismissing "Empire State of Mind" because there's a rap/R&B tune here that feels more important thanks to its message ("Love the Way You Lie") and another one that has the catchiest melody and naughtiest lyrics ("… You"). "… You" has a real shot because of who's voting: rascal members of the music industry who think naughty is nice. However, I may be under-estimating "Empire." Could regret this.

Many award pundits are betting on "Need You Now" because of the apples and orange theory of award prognostication: It's the one serious contender here (orange) in a basket of apples (rap/R&B). Often that's a smart theory to follow, but I believe "Love the Way You Lie" will take this as part of Eminem's sweep of the top three races (album, record and song). Also, it has appeal because of Rihanna's role, which is shockingly brave considering the lyrics she sings.

Envelope Music Producers Roundtable: Sampling from the past versus composing in the present

The question of original melodies versus sampled ones is a debate no pop producer is immune to.

At last month’s Grammy roundtable, Times pop music critic Ann Powers quizzed three hitmakers responsible for Grammy-nominated songs (Alex da Kid, Ari Levine of the production trio the Smeezingtons, and RedOne) by Eminem, B.o.B., Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, among others on how they strike a balance between borrowing melodies and ideas from old songs and crafting tunes from scratch.

“I think everything we do is almost borrowed from the past,” said Nadir Khayat, the Moroccan-born producer known as RedOne, one of the most in-demand producers in the world. “Just talking about myself, I grew up in a family with a lot of music and a lot of influences. Everything I’m doing in music, I’m trying to get that feeling back of when I was a kid.”

Though Khayat is best known for his work with his muse, Lady Gaga, he scored a massive hit when he used Lionel Richie’s 1983 party classic, "All Night Long (All Night)," as the foundation for Enrique Iglesias’ Pitbull-assisted "I Like It." The club banger hit No. 1 on both Billboard’s Latin Pop and Hot Dance Club charts and logged more than 3 million downloads.

In the clip above, the three producers discuss the art of sampling and if they feel it’s possible to go too far.

Check back daily until the Grammy Awards on Feb. 13 to see more of this conversation on pop music.

— Gerrick D. Kennedy

Recent and related:

Envelope Music Producers Roundtable: Does genre matter anymore?

Oscar-contending directors gather for Los Angeles Times panel discussion

 
Just in time for the nominations, six Oscar-contending directors will get together at the Los Angeles Times to talk about their acclaimed films, their directorial visions, and whatever else is on their minds. The filmmakers -- Ben Affleck  ("The Town"), Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan"), Lisa Cholodenko ("The Kids Are All Right"), Ethan Coen ("True Grit"), David Fincher ("The Social Network") and Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech") -- will gather Saturday morning for the second annual Directors Roundtable and a closed-door conversation led by L.A. Times film writer John Horn.

And though the discussion is not open to the public, The Times welcomes questions from our readers, so please add yours to the comments section below or on the LA Times Entertainment Facebook page and Horn will select some to ask during the panel. The Envelope will be videotaping the conversation and replaying the highlights on Awards Tracker beginning Monday.

-- Elena Howe 

Photo: David Fincher, left, and Justin Timberlake. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Top music producers will share what's on their minds at roundtable discussion

The first Los Angeles Times Music Producers Roundtable will take place Saturday with music industry visionaries Alex Da Kid, Ari Levine and RedOne at the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Just in time for the Grammys, Los Angeles Times pop music critic Ann Powers will lead the three in a conversation about their work with such musical heavyweights as Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Eminem, B.o.B and Cee Lo Green, today's trends in music and the state of the industry.

The event is open to the public with doors opening at 6 p.m. but seats must be reserved in advance. Click here to make your reservations. The Times also welcomes reader input, so leave your questions for the panelists in the comments field below or on the Pop and Hiss Facebook page, and Powers will select a few to use in the discussion.

 -- Elena Howe

Photo: Grammy-winning producer RedOne. Credit: Keith Munyon

 

Fury over Grammy slap at Lady Gaga

Judging from the reactions of our forum posters, the biggest shocker among Grammy Award nominations was the snub of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" in the race for best record of the year. Below a sampling of posted comments. See more here.

OJODIAMANTE: 4 urban songs against only one country song? And the record of the year goes to Lady Antebellum

Clementine: No "Bad Romance"?WHAAAA

James Gray: WOW! In my opinion, Lady Gaga was SHUT OUT! For being so "influential" and popular she surely didn't win over the Grammy voters. To put in BoB in over her (for best record of the year) was just cruel, that song is annoying

cking33: Just a head-scratcher that Katy Perry gets nominated in album of the year and not in record of the year or song of the year.  But it wouldn't be the Grammys without a few head-scratching moments.

Jabs082985: I'm sad no country artist for best new artist this year.

Rockstitution: I kinda hate these nominations, thanks a lot to Katy Perry.

MrTalented: Beyonce got nominated for "Halo" in pop female ... again. Lol

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Lady Gaga. Credit: Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

Gutsy Grammy nominations predictions: Best record of the year

When Grammy Award nominations are unveiled on Wednesday, expect to see these four tunes in the race for best record of the year.

"Love the Way You Lie," Eminem featuring Rihanna

"Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys

"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

"Bad Romance," Lady Gaga

So � what will be nominated in that fifth slot?

Grammy nominations for the top four awards � best record, album, song and new artist of the year � are chosen by a secret committee of music experts who usually like to include representative contenders from major music genres. Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" will represent rap in the race for best record, but I also believe that Jay-Z's "Empire" could be included too, considering its huge pop success in 2010. Regardless of who represents rap in this top race, the big cliffhanger looming is: Can it win? A rap tune has never claimed the award for best record of the year. Rap is way overdue.

Lady Antebellum will probably edge out Miranda Lambert to represent country in this contest. Lady Gaga can't be ignored � she will not tolerate it � so that means "Bad Romance" will make the list too even though it seems like it's 5 years old by now. Months ago "Bad Romance" swept the MTV Music Video Awards and now seems destined for prominence, if not victory, at the Grammys.

Many tunes vie for that fifth slot: "Hey, Soul Sister" (Train), "Airplanes" (B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams), "Dog Days Are Over" (Florence + the Machine), "California Gurls" (Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg) and "Soldier of Love" (Sade).

See my predictions for what will be nominated for best album of the year.

-- Tom O'Neil

Photos: Interscope

 

 

Around the awards track: Ronni Chasen touched the 'queen of the West' | Jesse Tyler Ferguson wants to host the Tonys

? Nearly 1,000 mourners on a crisp and windy Sunday overflowed from the chapel at Hillside Memorial Park to remember slain Oscar consultant Ronni Chasen. Speakers included her filmmaker brother Larry Cohen, who recalled to mourners how he gave his sister � "my little companion" � her first celebrity encounter when he took her to see Roy Rogers and Dale Evans at a rodeo in New York City where Chasen briefly met Evans. On their subway ride home, Evans bragged to strangers, beaming, "I touched the queen of the West! I touched the queen of the West!" L.A. TIMES

? Now that his TV show has won the Emmy as best comedy series, Jesse Tyler Ferguson wants to host the Tonys. He says of his wish, which he tweeted last week, "I'm not joking around. Thanks to 'Modern Family' I'm in a place where I might actually bring viewers to the Tony Awards that might not necessarily tune in otherwise �. At my core I'm a song and dance man �. Basically, everything Neil Patrick Harris does I want to do." NEW YORK POST

? Gossipmeisters say Miley Cyrus pulled the plug on singing "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" at the American Music Awards because of rumors that the man who wrote and sang it, Bret Michaels, had a fling with her mom.  TMZ

? Cher says that there are just some moments at award shows that you will remember forever, like when Lady Gaga turned to her at the MTV VMAs and said, "Here, Cher, will you hold my meat purse?" MTV

? For the second time in his career, director Chang Tso-chi won best picture at the Golden Horse Film Awards, which are equivalent to the Oscars in Taiwan. Previously, he won in 2002 for "The Best of Times." On Saturday, he prevailed for "When Love Comes" � no shocker since it led with the most nominations: 14. However, the big surprise: He lost best director to Chung Mong-hong for "The Fourth Portrait." SIDNEY MORNING HERALD

? The International Emmys will be held tonight. British tube fare, as usual, leads with the most nominations. ASSOCIATED PRESS

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo: Jesse Tyler Ferguson in "Modern Family." Credit: ABC

Awards tracking: CMAs score lowest TV ratings | Denzel wants his Oscars to chat | Tina Fey wins Mark Twain Prize

? The Country Music Assn. Awards drew 16.5 million viewers and a 4.7 preliminary rating among adults 18-49. "That was easily enough to give ABC a ratings victory, but also represents the annual telecast's weakest delivery (guess Gwyneth Paltrow making her country singing debut wasn't quite the draw)," reports James Hibberd. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

? "Brad Paisley doing country versions of Lady Gaga songs in the opening monologue" of the Country Music Assn. Awards scored an "A" from L.A. Times' Pop & Hiss scribe Todd Martens. However, Paisley got slapped with a "D" for his rendition of "Back to December" later in the show. Martens grades all of the kudofest's big numbers, including Taylor Swift ("B+) and Kenny Chesney (F). POP & HISS

? What were they wearing as the country stars arrived on the CMA red carpet? Check out The Envelope's photo gallery.

? "I sell them! No, the Oscars I keep next to each other, so they can chat!" says two-time Academy Award champ Denzel Washington ("Training Day," "Glory"). HOLLYWOOD.COM

? Us Weekly film critic Thelma Adams sends us this updated Oscar assessment: "Now that I've seen 'Rabbit Hole,' sorry, Nicole Kidman. You will not be nominated for that downward-spiral bummer. This one's disappearing down the proverbial rabbit hole. So, who in her place? My guess is Lesley Manville ('Another Year') on the rise. There will be more movement on the best supporting actress race, but best actress is solidifying. On the open question Annette Bening or Natalie Portman, it�s still too close to call. The real jockeying from here on out will be in the competitive best supporting actress race." THELMADAMS.COM

? When Tim Appelo worked as an editor at Amazon, he observed what a huge impact an e-mail blast from the company had when it did promos for books and DVDs. Now that Amazon.com is hyping its list of editors' picks for best films and TV shows of 2010, he wonders "could those innumerably huge e-mails and page views affect the Oscar race?" HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

? Even though director Jean-Luc Godard won't attend the bash for recipients of honorary Oscars on Saturday night, "We are going to honor Monsieur Godard in the same manner that we will honor the others, with grace and style," producer Sid Ganis tells Steve Pond at The Wrap. The others to be feted in person: director/producer Francis Ford Coppola, historian/preservationist Kevin Brownlow and actor Eli Wallach. THE ODDS, THE WRAP

? "Mainstream commercial studio releases such as 'Love & Other Drugs,' 'Secretariat' and 'Morning Glory' are in some ways at a disadvantage without fest support, but that doesn�t mean they are out of the running" for the Oscars, says Anne Thompson. INDIE WIRE

? Tina Fey was in the nation's capital Wednesday to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center. At age 40, she is by far the youngest recipient of this prestigious prize and just the third woman on the honor roll following Whoopi Goldberg (2001) and Lily Tomlin (2003). GOLD DERBY

-- Tom O'Neil

Photo of Taylor Swift: Larry Busacca / Getty Images

Photo of Oscar: Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences