They’ve just announced the 2011 Grammy nominees and I couldn’t help but laugh at the Latin music categories’ selections. I mean, nobody takes Grammys seriously, of course. We all know they’re a total mockery, especially the ones awarded to Latin artists by the regular gringo Recording Academy. Yeah, the ones that don’t even get aired during the ceremony. Not that the Latin Grammys have any more credibility, but at least they divide the categories a tiny bit more fairly.
In the gringo Grammys they dumped all Latin rock, alternative, and urban under one category! That means good ol’ rock gets to compete with whatever alternative means (in this case it can mean naco-techno fusions or cumbia-funk, your pick) and whatever urban means (in this case it means hip-hop but it could’ve naturally meant reggaetón). Pretty much everything that’s sung in Spanish, but has a beat that Americans can recognize, can fall into this category, right? Three out of the five nominees are from Nacional Records: ChocQuibTown, Nortec Collective, and Ana Tijoux. Needless to say, my bid goes for the third one, but I have the feeling the Academy’s intentions are pointing in another direction.
In the pop category, Julieta Venegas is the lesser evil of the bunch. The rest is all traditional and/or cheesy acts. Now if they can have a category for Norteño and a separate one for Banda (there was also a category for Regional Mexican that didn’t receive enough competitors so it was 86’ed), which I know for a fact gringos can’t tell the difference (because I even can’t), why do they have to throw all the decent music into one nonsense dumpster category?
Check out below all the blurry categories and nominees.
Best Latin Pop Album – Vocal or Instrumental.
Poquita Ropa – Ricardo Arjona
[Warner Music Latina]
Alex Cuba – Alex Cuba
[Caracol Records]
Boleto De Entrada – Kany Garcia
[Sony Music Latin]
Paraiso Express – Alejandro Sanz
[Warner Music Latina]
Otra Cosa – Julieta Venegas
[Sony Music]
Best Latin Rock, Alternative Or Urban Album – Vocal or Instrumental.
Oro – ChocQuibTown
[Nacional Records]
Amor Vincit Omnia – Draco
[Sony Music Latin]
El Existential – Grupo Fantasma
[Nat Geo Music]
Bulevar 2000 – Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich+Fussible
[Nacional Records]
1977 – Ana Tijoux
[Nacional Records]
Best Tropical Latin Album – Vocal or Instrumental.
Sin Salsa No Hay Paraiso – El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico
[Sony Music Latin]
Asondeguerra – Juan Luis Guerra 4.40
[Capitol Latin]
Irrepetible – Gilberto Santa Rosa
[Sony Music Latin]
Viva La Tradición – Spanish Harlem Orchestra
[Concord Picante]
100 Sones Cubanos – (Various Artists) Edesio Alejandro, Nelson Estevez & Juan Hidalgo, producers
[J&N Records]
For more categories and nominees go HERE.