Y2K said:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The Emancipation of Mimi – Mariah Carey
Chaos And Creation in The Backyard – Paul McCartney
Love Angel Music Baby – Gwen Stefani
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb – U2
Late Registration – Kanye West
Prediction: Too much competition for HTDAAB to win. Kanye's album was solid and he became an even bigger star this year, and let's not forget The Emancipation of Mimi, responsible for bringing back the career of Mariah Carey. Remember, this is the same woman that bought out of her contract with her previous studio because they did not think she had any more good albums in her. Mariah's comeback likely wins her the award.
SONG OF THE YEAR (Songwriters award)
Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
Devils & Dust – Bruce Springsteen
Ordinary People – John Legend
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own – U2
We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
Prediction: Honestly, it doesn't look like there's much competition here, but I haven't heard any of the songs listed besides "Sometimes" and "We Belong Together." I say U2 takes home the award for Bono's love letter to his father.
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
Speed of Sound – Coldplay
Best of You – Foo Fighters
Do You Want To – Franz Ferdinand
All These Things That I’ve Done – The Killers
Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own – U2
Prediction: "Speed of Sound" is not even one of the top 5 songs from the new Coldplay album and it's almost identical to Clocks. No way it should win. "Best of You?" Ehhhhh.... I didn't even think it was worthy of a Grammy nomination. Haven't heard "Do You Want To." As for "All These Things I've Done:" it's a great song, but there were a bunch that were much better from the album (Mr. Brightside, Smile Like You Mean It). I think U2 has a good shot at this award.
BEST ROCK SONG (Songwriters award)
Best of You – Foo Fighters
Beverly Hills – Weezer
City of Blinding Lights – U2
Devils & Dust – Bruce Springsteen
Speed of Sound – Coldplay
Prediction: See previous award for discussion on "Speed of Sound" and "Best of You." "Beverly Hills" is just downright not that great a song. I haven't heard "Devils and Dust," but from what I've heard, it'll be good competition. COBY just gives me a tingle down my spine everytime I hear it, such a great song. Too bad the most played version of it is the despicable 'Single Version.' I say U2 has the advantage over Bruce here.
BEST ROCK ALBUM
X&Y – Coldplay
In Your Honor – Foo Fighters
A Bigger Bang – The Rolling Stones
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb – U2
Prairie Wind – Neil Young
Prediction: X&Y is a great album, but it seemed like people were very underwhelmed by it. In Your Honor got lots of mixed reviews, I'm not sure how it got nominated. A Bigger Bang is going to be huge competition for HTDAAB, since it marked a big comeback by the Stones. I haven't even heard of Neil Young's album. I say HTDAAB is the underdog to A Bigger Bang, but it still has a chance.
When predicting who wins the Grammy awards, its actually more important to consider how the voting blocks will vote or in fact how they will get split up and allow another artist who normally have less votes, win.
U2 has done very well in the nomination process. Only Mariah Carey received nominations in all three of the MAJOR catagories for album, song and record of the year. So U2's voting base is as strong or stronger than anyones going into Grammy night with the exception of Carey.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
U2's HTDAAB will win because West, Staffani, and Carey will split the POP/Top 40 vote among themselves. U2 will get a large solid vote from the Rock/Hard Rock/Metal base of the acadamy. If U2 were not to win here, it will be because Paul McCartney was able to drag away enough votes from them to allow Carey to still come out on top. Still, Carey has more problems because of the Staffani, and West nominations than U2 does with McCartney.
So, U2 will take this award.
RECORD OF THE YEAR:
Once again, the POP/Top 40 voters will get split up hear allowing for the lone Rock vote in Green Day to win.
SONG OF THE YEAR:
Carey will win this catagory, because the voting process that probably will split votes in the album catagory enough for U2 to win works against U2 hear with Springsteen being nominated. He'll take more from U2 than McCartney will and Carey does not have to contend with West or Staffani here, so the POP/TOP 40 crowd will come out for her in full force.
BEST ROCK ALBUM:
U2 wins! Rarely if ever does an album that gets nominated for album of the year, not win its own music catagory. It takes a tremondous amount of votes just to get nominated for Album of the Year across the board. Because of that, U2 will win!
ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP:
Same as above! U2 will win this for the same reason.
ROCK SONG:
Here U2 have "COBL" nominated which did not get nominated for any of the major awards. If there is a chance U2 will lose in the rock catagory, it will be here.
Still, I have to go with U2 here simply because they have such a strong voting base in the acadamy.
