Nominations for the Grammy Awards ceremony taking place on February 12, 2012 were announced on Wednesday. They are as follows.

Record of the Year:

• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
• “Holocene” by Bon Iver
• “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
• “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons
• “Firework” by Katie Perry

Song of the Year

• “All of the Lights” by Kanya West feat Rihanna, Kid Cudi
• “The Cave” by Mumford and Sons
• “Grenade” by Bruno Mars
• “Holocene” by Bon Iver
• “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele

Best New Artist

• The Band Perry
• Bon Iver
• J. Cole
• Nicki Minaj
• Skrillex

Album of the Year

• 21 - Adele
• Wasting Light – Foo Fighters
• Born This Way – Lady Gaga
• Doo Wops and Hooligans – Bruno Mars
• Loud – Rihanna

Best Pop Solo Performance

• Someone Like You – Adele
• Yoü And I – Lady Gaga
• Grenade – Bruno Mars
• Firework – Katy Perry
• F***in’ Perfect – Pink

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

• Body And Soul – Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
• Dearest – The Black Keys
• Paradise – Coldplay
• Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
• Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera

Best Pop Instrumental Album

• Wish Upon A Star – Jenny Oaks Baker
• E Kahe Malie – Daniel Ho
• The Road From Memphis – Booker T. Jones
• Hello Tomorrow – Dave Koz
• Setzer Goes Instru-Mental! – Brian Setzer

Best Pop Vocal Album

• 21 – Adele
• The Lady Killer – Cee Lo Green
• Born This Way – Lady Gaga
• Doo-Wops & Hooligans – Bruno Mars
• Loud – Rihanna

Best Dance Recording

• Raise Your Weapon – Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
• Barbra Streisand – Duck Sauce
• Sunshine – David Guetta & Avicii
• Call Your Girlfriend – Robyn
• Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex
• Save The World – Swedish House Mafia

Best Dance/Electronica Album

• Zonoscope – Cut/Copy
• 4×4=12 – Deadmau5
• Nothing But The Beat – David Guetta
• Body Talk, Pt. 3 – Robyn
• Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

• Duets II – Tony Bennett & Various Artists
• The Gift – Susan Boyle
• In Concert On Broadway – Harry Connick Jr.
• Music Is Better Than Words – Seth MacFarlane
• What Matters Most – Barbra Streisand Sings The Lyrics Of Alan And Marilyn Bergman – Barbra Streisand

Best Rock Performance

• Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall – Coldplay
• Down By The Water – The Decemberists
• Walk – Foo Fighters
• The Cave – Mumford & Sons
• Lotus Flower – Radiohead

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance

• On The Backs Of Angels – Dream Theater
• Foo Fighters – Track from: Wasting Light
• Curl Of The Burl – Mastodon
• Public Enemy No. 1 – Megadeth
• Blood In My Eyes – Sum 41

Best Rock Song

• The Cave – Mumford & Sons
• Down By The Water – The Decemberists
• Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall – Coldplay
• Lotus Flower – Radiohead
• Walk – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Album

• Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul – Jeff Beck
• Wasting Light – Foo Fighters
• Come Around Sundown – Kings Of Leon
• I’m With You – Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Whole Love – Wilco

Best Alternative Music Album

• Bon Iver – Bon Iver
• Codes And Keys – Death Cab For Cutie
• Torches – Foster The People
• Circuital – My Morning Jacket
• The King Of Limbs – Radiohead

Best R&B Performance

• Far Away – Marsha Ambrosius
• Pieces Of Me – Ledisi
• Not My Daddy – Kelly Price & Stokley
• Is This Love – Corinne Bailey Rae
• You Are – Charlie Wilson

Best Traditional R&B Performance

• Sometimes I Cry – Eric Benét
• Fool For You – Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
• Radio Message – R. Kelly
• Good Man – Raphael Saadiq
• Surrender – Betty Wright & The Roots

Best R&B Song

• Far Away – Marsha Ambrosius
• Fool For You – Cee Lo Green & Melanie Fiona
• Not My Daddy – Kelly Price & Stokley
• Pieces Of Me – Ledisi
• You Are – Charlie Wilson

Best R&B Album

• F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown
• Second Chance – El DeBarge
• Love Letter – R. Kelly
• Pieces Of Me – Ledisi
• Kelly – Kelly Price

Best Rap Performance

• Look At Me Now – Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
• Otis – Jay-Z & Kanye West
• The Show Goes On – Lupe Fiasco
• Moment 4 Life – Nicki Minaj & Drake
• Black And Yellow – Wiz Khalifa

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

• Party – Beyoncé & André 3000
• I’m On One – DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
• I Need A Doctor – Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
• What’s My Name? – Rihanna & Drake
• Motivation – Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
• All Of The Lights – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Song

• All Of The Lights – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
• Black And Yellow – Wiz Khalifa
• I Need A Doctor – Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey
• Look At Me Now – Chris Brown
• Otis – Jay-Z & Kanye West
• The Show Goes On – Lupe Fiasco

Best Rap Album

• Watch The Throne – Jay-Z & Kanye West
• Tha Carter IV – Lil Wayne
• Lasers – Lupe Fiasco
• Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj
• My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance

• Dirt Road Anthem – Jason Aldean
• I’m Gonna Love You Through It – Martina McBride
• Honey Bee – Blake Shelton
• Mean – Taylor Swift
• Mama’s Song – Carrie Underwood

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

• Don’t You Wanna Stay – Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
• You And Tequila – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter
• Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
• Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not – Thompson Square

Best Country Song

• Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not – Thompson Square
• God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton
• Just Fishin’ – Trace Adkins
• Mean – Taylor Swift
• Threaten Me With Heaven – Vince Gill
• You And Tequila – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter

Best Country Album

• My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
• Chief – Eric Church
• Own The Night – Lady Antebellum
• Red River Blue – Blake Shelton
• Here For A Good Time – George Strait
• Speak Now – Taylor Swift

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

• Ghosts Upon The Earth – Gungor
• Leaving Eden – Brandon Heath
• The Great Awakening – Leeland
• What If We Were Real – Mandisa
• Black & White – Royal Tailor
• And If Our God Is For Us… – Chris Tomlin

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

• Do Everything – Steven Curtis Chapman
• Alive (Mary Magdalene) – Natalie Grant
• Your Love – Brandon Heath
• Jesus – Le’Andria Johnson
• I Lift My Hands – Chris Tomlin

Best Gospel Song

• Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin
• Sitting With Me – Mary Mary
• Spiritual – Donald Lawrence & Co. Featuring Blanche McAllister-Dykes
• Trust Me – Richard Smallwood & Vision
• Window – Canton Jones

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

• Blessings – Laura Story
• Hold Me – Jamie Grace Featuring Tobymac
• I Lift My Hands –Chris Tomlin
• Strong Enough – Matthew West
• Your Love – Brandon Heath

Best Gospel Album

• The Love Album – Kim Burrell
• The Journey – Andraé Crouch
• Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin
• Something Big – Mary Mary
• Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition – Trin-I-Tee 5:7

Best Americana Album

• Emotional Jukebox – Linda Chorney
• Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down – Ry Cooder
• Hard Bargain – Emmylou Harris
• Ramble At The Ryman – Levon Helm
• Blessed – Lucinda Williams

Best Folk Album

• Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars
• I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive – Steve Earle
• Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes
• Ukulele Songs – Eddie Vedder
• The Harrow & The Harvest – Gillian Welch

Best Bluegrass Album

• Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss & Union Station
• Reason And Rhyme: Bluegrass Songs By Robert Hunter & Jim Lauderdale – Jim Lauderdale
• Rare Bird Alert – Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
• Old Memories: The Songs Of Bill Monroe – The Del McCoury Band
• A Mother’s Prayer – Ralph Stanley
• Sleep With One Eye Open – Chris Thile & Michael Daves

Best Blues Album

• Low Country Blues – Gregg Allman
• Roadside Attractions – Marcia Ball
• Man In Motion – Warren Haynes
• The Reflection – Keb Mo
• Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

• Boardwalk Empire: Volume 1 – (Various Artists)
• Burlesque – Christina Aguilera
• Glee: The Music, Volume 4 – (Glee Cast)
• Tangled – (Various Artists)
• True Blood: Volume 3 – (Various Artists)

Best New Age Album

• Northern Seas – Al Conti
• Gala – Michael Brant DeMaria
• Wind, Rock, Sea & Flame – Peter Kater
• What’s it All About – Pat Metheny
• Instrumental Oasis, Vol. 6 – Zamora

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

• All or Nothing at All – Randy Brecker, soloist
• You Are My Sunshine – Ron Carter, soloist
• 500 Miles High – Chick Corea, soloist
• Work – Fred Hersch, soloist
• Sonnymoon for Two – Sonny Rollins, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album

• ‘Round Midnight – Karrin Allyson
• The Mosaic Project – Terri Lyne Carrington & Various Artists
• The Gate – Kurt Elling
• American Road – Tierney Sutton (Band)
• The Music of Randy Newman – Roseanna Vitro

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

• Bond: The Paris Sessions – Gerald Clayton
• Forever – Corea, Clarke & White
• Alone at the Vanguard – Fred Hersch
• Bird Songs – Joe Lovano/Us Five
• Road Shows, Vol. 2 – Sonny Rollins
• Timeline – Yellowjackets

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

• The Jazz Ballad Song Book – Randy Brecker With DR Big Band
• The Good Feeling – Christian McBride Big Band
• 40 Acres and a Burro – Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
• Legacy – Gerald Wilson Orchestra
• Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook – Miguel Zenón

Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album

• Entren Los Que Quieran – Calle 13
• Entre La Ciudad Y El Mar – Gustavo Galindo
• Nuestra – La Vida Bohème
• Not So Commercial – Los Amigos Invisibles
• Drama Y Luz – Maná

Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album

• Bicentenario – Pepe Aguilar
• Orale – Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
• Amore A La Musica -Mariachi Los Arrieros Del Valle
• Eres Un Farsante – Paquita La Del Barrio
• Huevos Rancheros – Joan Sebastian

Best Banda Or Norteño Album

• Estare Mejor – El Güero Y Su Banda Centenario
• Intocable 2011 – Intocable
• Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends – Los Tigres Del Norte
• El Árbol – Los Tucanes De Tijuana
• No Vengo A Ver Si Puedo… Su Por Que Puedo Vengo – Michael Salgado

Best Tropical Latin Album

• Homenaje A Los Rumberos – Edwin Bonilla
• The Last Mambo – Cachao
• Mongorama – José Rizo’s Mongorama

Best Reggae Album

• Harlem-Kingston Express Live! – Monty Alexander
• Reggae Knights – Israel Vibration
• Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life – Stephen Marley
• Wild and Free – Ziggy Marley
• Summer in Kingston – Shaggy

Best World Music Album

• AfroCubism – AfroCubism
• Africa for Africa – Femi Kuti
• Songs from a Zulu Farm – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
• Tassili – Tinariwen

Best Children’s Album

• All About Bullies…Big and Small – (Various Artists) James Cravero, Gloria Domina, Kevin Mackie, Steve Pullara & Patrick Robinson, producers
• Are We There Yet? – The Papa Hugs Band
• Fitness Rock & Roll – Miss Amy
• Gulfalive – The Banana Plant
• I Love: Tom T. Hall’s Songs of Fox Hollow – (Various Artists) Eric Brace & Peter Cooper, producers

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)

• Bossypants – Tina Fey
• Fab Fan Memories – The Beatles Bond – (Various Artists) Nathan Burbank, Bryan Cumming, Dennis Scott & David Toledo, producers
• Hamlet (William Shakespeare) – Dan Donohue & Various Artists – Oregon Shakespeare Festival
• If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) – Betty White
• The Mark of Zorro – Val Kilmer & Cast

Best Comedy Album

• Alpocalypse – “Weird Al” Yankovic
• Finest Hour – Patton Oswalt
• Hilarious – Louis C.K.
• Kathy Griffin: 50 & Not Pregnant – Kathy Griffin
• Turtleneck & Chain – The Lonely Island

Best Musical Theater Album

• Anything Goes – Sutton Foster & Joel Grey, principal soloists; Rob Fisher, James Lowe & Joel Moss, producers (Cole Porter, composer/lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)
• The Book of Mormon – Josh Gad & Andrew Rannells, principal soloists; Anne Garefino, Robert Lopez, Stephen Oremus, Trey Parker, Scott Rudin & Matt Stone, producers; Robert Lopez, Trey Parker & Matt Stone, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast)
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying – John Larroquette & Daniel Radcliffe, principal soloists; Robert Sher, producer (Frank Loesser, composer/lyricist) (The 2011 Broadway Cast Recording)

English singer-songwriter Adele topped the Billboard 200 this week with her sophomore album, “21,” selling more than 350,000 copies.

The Best New Artist Grammy winner’s previous album, “19,” debuted at #56, and topped out at little more than 900,000 total albums in the U.S. The album, written while the singer was 21 (she’s now 22), has experienced similar critical acclaim to her first; it has been certified 3x platinum in just a few weeks in England.

Justin Bieber occupied the second and fifth position on the chart with “Never Say Never: The Remixes (102,000 albums sold) and “My World 2.0″ (42,000). Mumford and Suns “Sigh No More” sold 71,000 for number 3, “Now 37″ came in at number five.

A week has passed since the Grammys but it seems like the controversy isn’t coming to an end yet. Music mogul and advertising exec Steve Stoute’s full page open letter published in Sunday’s New York Times, addressing National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and to Neil Portnow, the president of NARAS, strongly criticized the Grammys and the Academy, claiming that the ceremony is “a series of hypocrisies and contradictions.”

Stoute wrote that best-selling musicians, such as Kanye West, Eminem and Justin Bieber, were only used during the show to “to ensure viewership and to deliver the all-too-important ratings for its advertisers” and the Grammys’ failure comes from “over-zealousness to produce a popular show that is at odds with its own system of voting” and “fundamental disrespect of cultural shifts as being viable and artistic.”

He also mentioned Eminem’s 2001 album “The Marshall Mathers LP,” which lost Album of the Year to Steely Dan by stating, “Not only is Eminem the best-selling artist of the last decade, but The Marshall Mathers LP was a critical and commercial success that sold over 10 million albums in the United States (19 million worldwide), while Steely Dan sold less than 10% of that amount and came and went as quietly as a church mouse.”  Additionally, Stoute cited 2008’ Grammys where Kanye West’s “Graduation” was beat for Album of the Year by Herbie Hancock’s “River: The Joni Letters.”

Stoute also focused on Justin Bieber, who lost the Best New Artist award to Esperanza Spalding this year. “How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist,” he questioned.

He added, “Does the Grammys intentionally use artists for their celebrity, popularity and cultural appeal when they already know the winners and then program a show against this expectation?”

Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger is going to perform with singer Raphael Saadig at the Grammys this month as part of a tribute to soul star Solomon Burke, who died last year. Burke used to open for the Rolling Stones.

The 53rd annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 13, which will air live on CBS at 8 p.m.

The amazing thing is that even though we all know who he is (don’t we?), it will be his very first performance at the Grammys.

The Rolling Stones received a lifetime achievement award in 1986 and performed by satellite from London. Also the band won two Grammys in 1995.

Other than this British rock legend, there will be performances by Rihanna, Cee Lo Green, Gwyneth Paltrow, Eminem, Arcade Fire, Katy Perry, Bruno Mars, Usher, Lady Gaga, Lady Antebellum and Justin Bieber.

Apparently it’s female reign at the Grammy Awards this year. Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Beyonc© were the popular names on the Grammy nomination list last night. Former Destiny’s Child front-woman leads all this year with 10 nominations, followed by Swift with 8. Gaga is nominated for Best Record, Best Album, and Best Song with them as well as two other nominations. The Black Eyed Peas and Kings of Leon also scored multiple nominations for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. A full list of nominees can be found here.

Awards will be given out January 31, 2010 in Los Angeles.

We’ll talk more about this — including getting to the bottom of the Chris Brown situation, but for now here’s the complete list of winners of this year’s Grammy Awards:

Album of the Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand

Best Rap Album: Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: John Mayer, “Say”

Record of the Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Please Read This Letter”

Best New Artist: Adele

Best Rock Album: Coldplay, Viva la Vida

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Rich Woman”

Song of the Year: Coldplay, “Viva la Vida”

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group: Sugarland, “Stay”

Best R&B Album: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson

Industry Icon Award: Clive Davis

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Rick Rubin (Death Magnetic, Home Before Dark, Mercy, Seeing Things, Weezer)

Best Rock Song: Bruce Springsteen, “Girls in Their Summer Clothes”

Best Rock Instrumental Performance: “Peaches En Regalia,” Zappa Plays Zappa, Featuring Steve Vai & Napoleon Murphy Brock

Best Metal Performance: Metallica, “My Apocalypse”

Best Hard Rock Performance: The Mars Volta, “Wax Simulacra”

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Kings of Leon, “Sex on Fire”

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: John Mayer, “Gravity”

Best Alternative Music Album: Radiohead, In Rainbows

Best Pop Vocal Album: Duffy, Rockferry

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Coldplay, “Viva la Vida”

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Adele, “Chasing Pavements”

Best Pop Instrumental Album: Bĩla Fleck and the Flecktones, Jingle All The Way

Best Pop Instrumental Performance: Eagles, “I Dreamed There Was No War”

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books): Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth (Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon and Blair Underwood)

Best Contemporary R&B Album: Mary J. Blige, Growing Pains

Best R&B Song: Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent” (Mikkel S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen and S. Smith, songwriters)

Best Urban/Alternative Performance: Chrisette Michele Featuring will.i.am, “Be OK”

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: Al Green Featuring Anthony Hamilton, “You’ve Got the Love I Need”

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Al Green Featuring John Legend, “Stay With Me (by the Sea)”

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: Alicia Keys; ” Superwoman”

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: Ne-Yo, “Miss Independent”
Lil’ Wayne Frank Micelotta/Getty Images for MTV

Best Rap Song: Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major, “Lollipop” (D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer and R. Zamor, songwriters)

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Estelle Featuring Kanye West, “American Boy”

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Jay-Z and T.I. Featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne, “Swagga Like Us”

Best Rap Solo Performance: Lil Wayne, “A Milli”

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Natalie Cole, Still Unforgettable

Best Country Album: George Strait, Troubadour

Best Country Song: Sugarland, “Stay” (Jennifer Nettles, songwriter)

Best Bluegrass Album: Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 and 1947

Best Country Instrumental Performance: Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner, “Cluster Pluck”

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Killing the Blues”

Best Male Country Vocal Performance: Brad Paisley, “Letter to Me”
Carrie Underwood John Shearer/Getty Images

Best Female Country Vocal Performance: Carrie Underwood, “Last Name”

Best Reggae Album: Burning Spear, Jah Is Real

Best Hawaiian Music Album: Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho, Ikena

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Raising Sand

Best Traditional Folk Album: Pete Seeger, At 89

Best Traditional Blues Album: B.B. King, One Kind Favor

Best Contemporary Blues Album: Dr. John and the Lower 911, City That Care Forgot

Best Long Form Music Video: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Runnin’ Down a Dream”

Best Short Form Music Video: Weezer, “Pork and Beans”

Best Classical Album: Weill, Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost

Best Classical Crossover Album: The King’s Singers, Simple Gifts

Best Classical Contemporary Composition: John Corigliano, composer, Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan (JoAnn Falletta, conductor)

Best Classical Vocal Performance: John Corigliano, Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan

Best Small Ensemble Performance: Spotless Rose, Hymns to the Virgin Mary

Best Chamber Music Performance: Elliott Carter, Pacifica Quartet, String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5

Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra): Gloria Cheng, Piano Music of Salonen, Stucky, and Lutoslawski

Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra): Hilary Hahn, Schoenberg, Sibelius: Violin Concertos (Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor)

Best Choral Performance: Sir Simon Rattle, “Symphony of Psalms”

Best Opera Recording: Weill, Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny

Best Orchestral Performance: Shostakovich, “Symphony No. 4,” Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago

Best Electronic/Dance Album: Daft Punk, Alive 2007

Best Dance Recording: Daft Punk, “Harder Better Faster Stronger”

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: Kirk Franklin, The Fight of My Life

Best Traditional Gospel Album: The Blind Boys of Alabama, Down in New Orleans

Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: Gaither Vocal Band, Lovin’ Life

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: CeCe Winans, Thy Kingdom Come

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album: TobyMac, Alive and Transported

Best Gospel Song: Kirk Franklin, “Help Me Believe”

Best Gospel Performance: Mary Mary, “Get Up”

Best Latin Jazz Album: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Song for Chico
George Carlin Paul Schiraldi

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Chick Corea and Gary Burton, The New Crystal Silence

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo: Terence Blanchard, soloist, “Be-Bop”

Best Jazz Vocal Album: Cassandra Wilson, Loverly

Best Contemporary Jazz Album: Randy Brecker, Randy in Brasil

Best New Age Album: Jack DeJohnette, Peace Time

Best Comedy Album: George Carlin, It’s Bad For Ya

Best Polka Album: Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra, Let the Whole World Sing

Best Contemporary World Music Album: Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo, Global Drum Project

Best Traditional World Music Album: Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu

Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album: Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Best Native American Music Album: Come to Me Great Mystery-Native American Healing Songs

Best Norteƒ±o Album: Los Tigres del Norte, Raƒ­ces

Best Banda Album: Joan Sebƒ¡stian, No Es de Madera

Best Tejano Album: Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution, Viva la Revolucion

Best Regional Mexican Album: Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Amor, Dolor Y Lƒ¡grimas: Mƒºsica Ranchera

Best Tropical Latin Album: Josĩ Feliciano, Seıor Bachata

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album: 45, Jaguares

Best Latin Pop Album: Juanes, La Vida…Es un Ratico

Best Musical Show Album: In the Heights

Best Musical Album for Children: They Might Be Giants, Here Come The 123s

Best Spoken Word Album for Children: Bill Harley, Yes to Running!

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): Natalie Cole, “Here’s That Rainy Day” (Nan Schwartz, arranger)

Best Instrumental Arrangement: Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, “Define Dancing” (From Wall-E) (Thomas Newman, arranger)

Best Instrumental Composition: “The Adventures of Mutt” (From Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)

Best Surround Sound Album: Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; Prelude to Khovanshchina

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: MGMT, “Electric Feel,” Justice Remix (Justice, remixers)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: The Raconteurs (Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell and Jack White III), Consolers of the Lonely

Best Historical Album: Art of Field Recording, Volume I: Fifty Years of Traditional American Music (Documented by Art Rosenbaum)

Best Album Notes: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition (Francis Davis, album notes writer)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: In Rainbows

Best Recording Package: Metallica, Death Magnetic (Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat and David Turner, art directors)

Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, “Down to Earth” (From Wall-E)

Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer, The Dark Knight

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Juno

She’s just 20 years young and British songstress Adele is the Best New Artist at this year’s Grammy Awards, coming out of nowhere to best names like the Jonas Brothers and Duffy.

Adele, a London native, also won a Grammy Award Sunday for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She gave a moving rendition of her song “Chasing Pavements” live at the Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles.

Her voice will captivate more and more Americans as she begins a nine city tour starting March 9 in San Diego. Sadly, she’s not coming anywhere near Boston.

Adele will, however, headline Roseland Ballroom in New York on May 5 to ring in her 21st birthday.

The tour:

March 9‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  San Diego, CA‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  House of Blues
March 10‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Phoenix, AZ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Martini Ranch
March 12‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Austin, TX‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  La Zona Rosa
March 14‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Houston, TX‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Warehouse Live
March 15‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Dallas, TX‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Granada
March 17‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Atlanta, GA‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Variety Theatre
March 18‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Nashville, TN‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Cannery Ballroom
March 20‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Detroit, MI‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  St. Andrews Hall
March 21‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  Cleveland, OH‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚  House of Blues

It’s only fitting that Urge Overkill perform cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” at the Grammy’s MusiCares 2009 Person of the Year tribute to the artist as it was that same cover which started their career.

It was the song’s inclusion in 1994 cult classic “Pulp Fiction,” taken from Urge Overkill’s 1992 EP “Stull,” that earned the band national recognition.

Urge Overkill will perform alongside Foo Fighters, Coldplay and Adele Friday at the Grammy’s MusiCares 2009 Person of the Year Tribute to Neil Diamond in Los Angeles.

Working on their first new release since 1995, Urge Overkill is currently in the studio putting together a record. The release of the album is scheduled for the fall.

For more information, you can visit the band’s website at http://urgeoverkill.com/ or their MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/urgeoverkill69.

Ditching a tenured seat in the Houston Symphony to pursue a dream as a recording artist terrified Christine Wu.

But on the cusp of 30, she knew it was the only way to go. “All or nothing,” Wu said in a recent interview. “And it scares the crap out of me, probably almost every day.”

Switching from classical to rock wasn’t that difficult for Wu, a self-proclaimed “black sheep in the orchestra,” who grew up listening to rock instead of reserving all her time for the diligent study of traditional composers.

“I don’t try to sound classical at all,” she says. “I try to sound less nerdy, really.”

The now-31-year-old Santa Monica resident grew up playing the old masters, a violinist from the age of three who remembers the excitement of her first youth orchestra.

But even as she excelled, landing her first professional gig at the age of 17 in the orchestra pit at the Pittsburgh Opera, something was pulling her towards a less traditional path.

“I was listening to Jane’s Addiction. I was listening to Led Zeppelin,” she said. “As soon as I was old enough to really develop a strong interest in Metallica and hearing strings on Led Zeppelin, that really took over my focus.”

Wu spent time playing with the St. Louis Symphony before getting her biggest job, as a full-time tenured violinist at the Houston Symphony.

“Tenure is basically the job for life, unless the orchestra disappeared, so it was really something to give up,” Wu said. Three months paid vacation couldn’t keep her from uprooting last April and moving on to California for a career in the record business.

“It was really scary, but I’m sure now that it was the right thing.”

Of course some people thought she was “completely nuts,” for walking away from the coveted seat. “Especially players who were still striving for that job,” she says.

“My parents were supportive but skeptical, because they, maybe as all parents do, want you to have a stable situation. Maybe they’re afraid I’m going to start calling them for money again.”

Since her arrival Wu has enjoyed her first breaks playing studio sessions and, most recently, signing on for a world tour with Leonard Cohen, who’s been on sabbatical from the live show circuit for some 15 years.

“That was an amazing experience,” she said just after the audition for the songwriting legend. “It seems like everyone’s done a cover of his. He was really nice and had a certain intensity. By the end of each song I was just amazed.”

So far, Wu has wracked up gigs on American Idol, America’s Got Talent, and playing back-up for the Foo Fighters on Grammy night. That last one was courtesy of showcasing furious bowing skill in a YouTube video contest.

“The Grammys was a blast!” Wu said. “We got to rehearse with the Foo Fighters and hang out with them. It was really cool.”

The talented violinist has also done some string plucking for both Beyonce and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child fame and for Nickelodeon’s The Naked Brothers Band.

“It’s a different language,” Wu said, of switching from the somber orchestral pieces to rock ‘n roll rhythms. Part of that is being thrust into the role of accompaniment for a lead vocalist. “If there’s already a rock band there, you should enhance that and not get in the way,” she said.

For now she’s flying solo, with no back-up plan.

“I’m sure that I imagined that I could practice and audition again for an orchestra,” she says. “You just don’t know where your next call comes from. It’s tough. Ultimately I want to be producing and writing and arranging the strings and be the force behind it,” she says.

Though there will always be the allure of the stage lights. “I really do love that.”

Keyshia Cole’s sophomore CD Just Like You has been certified platinum for selling over a million copies,” Geffen Records said Tuesday. This follows the success of her 2005 platinum debut album The Way It Is.

Just Like You debuted 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in October selling nearly 300 thousand copies in its first week, Geffen said.

“With the Missy Elliott-produced ‘Let It Go,’ featuring Elliott and Lil’ Kim, 26-year-old Keyshia Cole became the first female in the history of the 14-year old Nielsen BDS-based Urban chart to land three consecutive number one chart positions,” Geffen said Tuesday. ”

Cole was nominated for two Grammy awards last week for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “Let It Go” and Best Contemporary R&B Album for “Just Like You.”

“This is a likable and well sung album… Ms. Cole may be incapable of making any other kind.” — The New York Times

Cole is also said to be making her acting debut in the anticipated MTV film How She Moves, coming in 2008.

Cole is touring with R. Kelly through January 13.

Tour dates:

12/14 — Los Angeles, CA — Forum
12/15 — Oakland, CA — Oakland Arena
12/16 — Sacramento, CA — ARCO Arena
12/20 — Minneapolis, MN — Target Center
12/21 — Chicago, IL — United Center
12/22 — Detroit, MI — Joe Louis Arena
12/23 — Cleveland, OH — Wolstein Center
12/27 — Charleston, SC — North Charleston Coliseum
12/28 — Orlando, FL — TD Waterhouse Arena
12/30 — Jacksonville, FL — Veteran Memorial
12/31 — Miami, FL — American Airlines Arena
01/04 — Nashville, TN — Sommet Center
01/05 — Louisville, KY — Freedom Hall
01/06 — St. Louis, MO — Scottrade Center
01/10 — Greenville, SC — Bi-Lo Center
01/11 — Richmond, VA — Richmond Coliseum
01/13 — Hampton, VA — Hampton Coliseum