I didn't watch the Grammys. I turned the TV on during the pre-show festivities, and after about twenty minutes, I couldn't take it anymore. I was just plain bored. I had no desire to watch the rest.
The problem wasn't with red carpet hoopla. I mean, I hate hearing the fashion reporters as much as the next guy, but I've sat through worse. I mean, there were a few fun moments - you got to make fun of everyone wearing sunglasses at night, M.I.A. managed to look like M.I.A. despite being over 42 months pregnant, and I finally saw Katy Perry when she wasn't in fishnets.
The problem wasn't with the performers. I ended up watching a bunch of the performances online, and I enjoyed them immensely. Chris Martin's Lost"" with Jay-Z was great, and what can you say about M.I.A., Jay-Z, Kanye, T.I., and Lil Wayne on stage at the same time? Radiohead with the USC marching band? That's awesome.
I didn't have any major problems with any of the winners. Browsing through the list of winners sparks no outrage. Robert Plant and Allison Krause made some amazing music, as did Coldplay, Ne-Yo, and most of the other winners. My only caveat would be that I think Tha Carter III probably should have won, but I don't have a huge problem with T.I. winning.
So why didn't I watch the Grammys? Because, to me, they are completely irrelevant. Why should I give a shit what the music industry thinks about itself? From my perspective, the Grammys are a once-a-year party where the music industry collectively gives itself a congratulatory slap on the ass. Is it any surprise that Robert Plant, a great musician, wins an award for being great? Of course Coldplay, this generation's U2, brings home a bunch of golden gramophones. They have a perfect niche in the music world - they can be pretentious, musical, morally high-minded and bland just like U2. Regardless, Viva la Vida was good, and Coldplay got recognized for it.
But what is the purpose for this recognition? It merely reinforces the system it feeds on. What happens when Adele wins a ""Best New Artist"" Grammy? People who haven't heard of her go buy her album. Or maybe they just watch next time she's on Letterman. What happens when Coldplay puts out their next album? They get to put ""follow-up to the Grammy winning Viva la Vida"" on the cover. Winning an award like this doesn't bring new blood to the art. It only brings new blood to the mainstream. After the Grammys, M.I.A. will get more exposure, and that is probably a good thing for her. Her music will get more mainstream attention, which is definitely good for the mainstream. But the people who bought Arular four years ago? They aren't affected at all by last week's onstage collaborations. The people who listen to music that isn't even on the Grammys' radar?
The Grammys are great for what they are - mainstream music celebrating what is good about mainstream music. That means lots of stars in the same building, it means big names on stage together, and it sometimes means amazing collaborations. Don't misunderstand me, focusing people on the mainstream music that isn't monumentally shitty is a good thing, and the Grammys do focus on the good mainstream music. But in the end, you aren't going to hear something that is truly fresh, truly innovative, or truly new. And that's why the Grammys don't interest me.
Think the Grammys are totally awesome? email Dale at dpmundt@wisc.edu
