"Music’s Biggest Night" has a new night. Jeez, that sounds like a promo for an old network television show—and maybe it should? Awards shows, much like the Super Bowl, mark a rare instance today when networks still expect us to devour their wares by appointment, rather than whenever the hell we want. Next week, the 58th annual Grammy Awards will be held on a Monday for the first time in the history of the trophy-festooned event. But in 2016, more than the traditional Sunday scheduling has changed.
In recent years, for all the branded talk of "Grammy moments," the virtual water-cooler discussion fodder from each ceremony has tended toward contentious disappointment: Kanye West storming the stage last year, yes, but also Trent Reznor railing at event organizers for cutting off his performance—and Macklemore avowing he "robbed" Kendrick Lamar of Best Rap Album—in 2014, or… wait, does anybody other than Mumford & Sons actually remember the 2013 Grammy Awards? We can still vaguely hear LL Cool J saying "hashtag" too much.
But this year's nominations, as many have said, are looking unreasonably reasonable, beginning with Kendrick Lamar garnering the most nods (11!). The scheduled performances, too, hold an encouraging number of at least potential highlights. Sure, having expectations will only make it easier for the Grammys to let us down. (Prove us wrong, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Prove. Us. Wrong.) But in the meantime, here’s what could be seared in our memories like #whoisarcadefire or Bonny Bear come Tuesday morning. It’s too soon to say that Monday’s blue.
A Starman Salute From Someone Who *Should* Get It
Gaga has spent her recent period shying away from her early-career extravagance, gamely brandishing her more conventional show-biz chops, whether with an Oscar-night The Sound of Music medley or by belting the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Her "experiential" Grammy tribute to the late David Bowie, under the musical direction of Chic ace Nile Rodgers, presents an ideal opportunity for her to reassert herself as a "Fame" monster (sorry, had to) rooted in with Bowie’s inspirational weirdness. Imagine her singing "Heroes" and tell us it wouldn’t be great.
The Best of the Rest of the Performances
Gaga-Bowie is hardly the only Grammy billing that’s giving us less cause for dread than in previous years. Honorary covers and unlikely collaborations have long been the Grammy norm, but the B.B. King tribute lineup of Chris Stapleton, Gary Clark Jr., and Bonnie Raitt looks like it really should work better than a lot these major-label combo meals. The cast of Hamilton will be there for those of us who haven’t yet made it to see them on Broadway. Adele will inevitably make us weep with "When We Were Young." Rihanna is very likely to give the night’s most provocative performance. Kendrick and the Alabama Shakes both have the raw power to steal any stage they’re on. And the tribute to Lemmy—led by "Hollywood Vampires" (i.e. Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry)—should at least be as entertaining as a tribute to the dead can be, if not also entertainingly bewildering to the olds watching.
Best(-ish) New "Best New"
When it comes to actual awards, the Best New Artist honor has rather famously turned out to be a mixed blessing. This year, though, Courtney Barnett has found her way into the mix. She’s up against a country-soul jock (Sam Hunt), Scooter Braun’s latest project (Tori Kelly), and a collector of fine wide-brim hats (James Bay), plus an embarrassingly belated Meghan Trainor. Besides Barnett, all of the nominees are performing on the show. If our girl fails, as this booking decision may imply she’s expected to do, hope the neighbors are prepared for the sound of our shutting off the TV, blasting "Pedestrian at Best," and wistfully recalling these kinds of Grammys.
The Mainstream-Approved Alternatives Also Don’t Suck
The contenders for Best Alternative Music Album generally lay out some strong options each year, but sometimes for every St. Vincent or Neko Case, there’s an album or two by an act that’s more divisive. This year’s lineup is stacked: Alabama Shakes’ Sound & Color or Tame Impala’s Currents both possess an advantage in a field that also includes Björk’s Vulnicura, Wilco’s Star Wars, and My Morning Jacket’s The Waterfall. Whoever wins, it’ll hardly be eyebrow-raising, but it’ll be a solid pick. Our guess? Currents, but just by a hair, since Sound & Color is also nominated in Album of the Year category (not that it’s likely to win) and the Academy tends to treat the genre categories as consolation prizes. But Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has not only become the greatest infinity-scarf model of our time—his increasing profile among the Big Pop set (Rihanna's cover, his copious Ronson collabs) should have made his work familiar to the voting body, at least.
Taylor vs. Kendrick: Now We’ve Got Bad Blood
As faux as any attempts to read a Taylor-Kendrick beef into Monday night’s results will inevitably be, in the top categories the two really are in direct competition. Record of the Year brings a brief truce, since in K-Dot's absence, Swift finds herself up against pop elfin Ed Sheeran, little-known Super Bowl halftime performer Mark Ronson, and two raunchy-for-the-Grammys picks, the Weeknd and D’Angelo (our personal favorite, though a long shot). It’s technically possible that both the 2016 Grammys’ leading nominee (Kendrick) and the industry’s non-Adele top-seller (Taylor) might get shut out of these categories, leaving the drama to the night's crowning jewel (Album of the Year), where the Weeknd, Chris Stapleton, and Alabama Shakes are also in the running. But it’s hard to imagine either Lamar or Swift not partially sweeping the Big Four, and whichever does, the ponderous essays will write themselves. What, you thought Music’s Biggest Night was about the music?
Where’s the Drop?
The Grammys’ relationship with EDM has been, um, nothing to rave about. But this year’s nominees for Best Dance/Electronic Album—Jamie xx, Caribou, Chemical Brothers, Disclosure, and Skrillex & Diplo—offer the prospect of happy surprise. And if the award goes to those last two guys, who thankfully will be performing with the Biebs on "Where Are Ü Now," at least at these awards the bespectacled OWSLA label boss probably won’t get doxxed by Deadmau5.
Kendrick’s Consolation Prize
Grammy history has been no less complicated, of course, when it comes to rap. Not to jinx it, but whatever happens in AOTY, the Best Rap Album win this year should be a foregone conclusion: Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly—yes, even with Nicki and Drake in the running. In terms of sheer industry clout, don’t forget about how much the world would love groan-worthy "Forgot About Dre" headlines on Tuesday morning. Elsewhere in the rap awards, it’s worth noting certain oddities: Paul McCartney has won 20 Grammys all over the board, but he stands a chance of winning two in rap categories, alongside the other guests on Kanye West’s "All Day." Do you think people will ask him to Macca less?
The Pregame Is the Game, Too
Some of the more intriguing matchups aren’t in the highest-profile categories—not that many of the genre awards are broadcast in the main show anyway. Digging in deeper, the Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, nominees include Father John Misty—whose box set, it must be said, had troubles—and the Paramount Records box set team led by Jack White. Or look at Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Might Blake Mills (for his work with the Alabama Shakes) shockingly best Top 40-seekers like Diplo? Long shot, but it’s nice to see lesser-known names at least in the mix. We’re also pleasantly stunned to see the CFCF up for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical.
Reality Show
Of course, if past years remain a guide, the Grammy Moments™ that everyone will be talking about Tuesday may well happen offstage. What in the world will Kanye do, fresh off his T.L.O.P. victory lap? Which songs will Taylor Swift dance to with Haim, while making what faces? Okay, so Drake isn’t performing, but might he release the next "Started From the Bottom"? Is there presumably some way that nod- and performance-less Beyoncé can still become the de facto star? Will Macklemore somehow make a Kendrick victory still about his "White Privilege"? Did those couples Macklemore and Madonna married onstage a couple of years ago stay together? By 2027, will the Grammys be going up on a Tuesday? Will we even care then? Here’s to finding out.