Anytime the Grammys get anything right, it’s cause for a minor celebration. And at least three good reasons to start a party were revealed when the Recording Academy released its 110-category nomination list Wednesday night.’
The first commendable headline is that the most nominated artist, with eight, is Lil Wayne. “Tha Carter III,” the new album from the New Orleans rapper born Dwayne Carter Jr., is the biggest seller of the year, but the deranged and dreadlocked MC’s abundant talents are of more of a, shall we say, rambunctious variety than the Grammys are in the habit of rewarding. So kudos to you, kudos-givers!

The second happy surprise is that Philadelphia’s rising R&B singer, Jazmine Sullivan, pulled in five nominations, tying her for fourth-most with perennial Grammy favorites John Mayer and Alison Krauss. In a mild shocker, another fresh-faced star with an album called “Fearless,” 18-year-old Taylor Swift, received not a single nod.

It stood to reason that Sullivan, whose “Fearless” debut scored hits with “Need U Bad” and “Bust Your Windows,” and who is signed to Clive Davis’ J Records label, would snag a nomination for best new artist (one of the four major categories, along with album, record and song).

The third pleasant surprise is that M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” has a chance to win record of the year. The nomination puts icing on the cake of one of the most heartening developments of the year.

The Recording Academy is by far the most generous of the organizations giving out popular-arts awards —it hands out trophies like Ronald Reagan gave out jellybeans. So there are several storylines to follow when the miniature gramophones are handed out in February.

By Dan Deluca / McClatchy Tribune