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 On 02/17/2016 at 12:39 AM by Super Step See More From This User » |
But I teach an Intro to Media class and am going to spend class time linking it to concepts like illegal downloading, music streaming, and the propensity for music to advance social justice in my class tomorrow, so here's the blog I'm writing anyway.
But you can all still be extra special snowflakes for being "above" popular music. I wouldn't dare take that trophy away from you. 
I didn't actually see the first hour cause that time was spent trying to get the stream going in a coffe place my friend invited me to "study" at (he is taking some classes for a license in Psych he needs to advance his career and I think it might also have to do w doctoral classes, his gf is a geology major, I was just gonna build some lesson plans). I have since seen the Lionel Ritchie tribute and Taylor Swift opening. I liked the Lionel Ritchie tribute. Demi Lovato has some pipes. Whenever they traded singing duties on stage though, I noticed the people not singing awkwardly dancing and kind of wondering what to do.
I also enjoyed "Take it Easy" by the Eagles in tribute to Glenn Fry. I thought it was a nice, respectful way to pay tribute. I also liked Adele's performance fine, despite the song not having the same dramatic flair I tend to like from her and the mic/sound issues. It was OK. Nothing spectacular, but not terrible.
People were upset at Lady Gaga's shilling for Intel before and after and during her performance; personally, I understand that (Bowie's son seemed upset on Twitter as well), but the performance itself I liked. She is kind of the perfect choice for a Bowie impersonation. I know I'll get flack from Bowie fans in the comments for saying that, but I'm gonna hold my ground on that one. They're both the "It's ok to be weird" musical archetypes of their respective generations.
One of my older students taking my 101 as an elective for the financial aid money who has shown me pictures he took of Metallica et al in NJ in the 80s (we talk about this a lot, since there's definitely common ground there) thought Alice Cooper and co. stole the show with their supergroup performance, which included "Ace of Spades," but I thought once again Kendrick Lamar was FAR AND AWAY the best performer at the Grammys. I saw the BLM imagery, but beyond that it was such an energetic and powerful live act. I really want to see a show of his. I might pick up To Pimp a Butterfly today for that performance alone. It blew me. Away.
Finally, Taylor Swift threw shade at Kanye West upon winning album of the year and people were pissed it wasn't Kendrick. I was raised by 90s TV to think of a Grammy as kind of a lesser award (The Simpsons especially used to trash them), so I have no beef with 1989's win, but I still know which of those two I'll be buying.
Something I doubt most people noticed was a bit where they discussed streaming services paying a fraction of a penny per song. That'll come up in my class though.
Here's a recap of the Grammys:
So, did you watch? Do you not care (most of the comments I anticipate)?
What was your favorite/least favorite moment either when watching or that you heard of after the fact?
And now, back to sleep.
Here's the thing about Kanye's Taylor Swift dig. Kanye's an idiot, not for what he believes, but how he goes about them. The whole Taylor Swift thing was never about personal taste, but about Black people rarely winning awards outside of the Hip Hop category. It's a bit of a shame but oh well.
And how the fuck has Kendrick not won something yet? Seriously.
It was specifically about Kanye saying "I made that bitch famous" I think, not the awards themselves. When you look at the year he interrupted her, her album actually sold 8x as well as his (so pointed out by Philip Defranco's recap of last night), so I'm on her side in terms of how much Kanye ever had to do with her success.
Kendrick won 5 Grammys, just wasn't Album of the Year.
Just watched that Lady Gaga tribute to Bowie. Super cool! I could care less about the intell stuff, the show was great.
I tried to watch the Alice Cooper vid, but there wasn't a good quality one on youtube.
Plus, it ties in pretty much perfectly to something in my class's textbook about how artists are upping their concert game with digital imagery to counteract album sales.
Look up Hollywood Vampires instead of just Cooper; he is the frontman, but it's him, Johnny Depp, Joe Perry and Dave Grohl intro'd them.
Ok. Got it. I watch that when I get home. Thanks.
I never was a big fan of the Grammys. I hadn't seen it since the '80s and hadn't cared since too.
For not caring, here's a Grammy.
Thank You! "You like me! You really really like me!" Sadly, I think that's from the Oscars. Another awards show I couldn't care less about and hadn't seen since the '80s. 
I didn't watch this year's Grammy's because well I figured that Taylor Swift, and Kendrick Lamar would win big, and because it was going up against wrestling. I did however watch a couple of performances online (thanks YouTube!): I liked the tribute to Glenn Frey and it was fitting that Jackson Browne was singing (if you haven't watched it, check out The History of the Eagles on Showtime). Demi's got some pipes and some of the tracks on her albums showcase it. I liked Kendrick's performance. He let the lyrics talk about his message, not being a total nut job on Twitter, and making an album only available on Tidal. Gaga is always good. I can't fault Taylor Swift winning because 1989 was such a catchy album. Most of those songs live on my phone, heck most of the artists that won are currently on my phone.
I'm assuming the Tidal/Twitter thing is Kanye?
Didn't watch the Grammy's, didn't realize it was on at the time. I mostly ignore Kanye West, he has verbal diarrhea.
And no money.
l never watch the Grammys but watching the Hamilton performance was a treat because I can't go to NY to see it and it won't come to LA until 2017. Also Sophia Vergara in a little taxi outfit dancing the pitbull music. 
I liked the Hamilton part. Pitbull is ok, but Sofia dancing was the highlight of that part for sire.
I don't like Pitbull. I just muted the TV and watch Sophia. LOL!
Out of curiosity, are you putting your class stuff online? I'd like to follow along. As far as media 101 goes, are you watching the OJ tv show? That definitely focuses on media manipulation. I remember a class where we talked about how magazine covers darked OJs image to make him look more menacing, instead of letting the court and jury decide. I think the show is pretty good about race, media and celebrity culture.
Pitbull is not my favorite, but I don't hate him either. I'm that way with a lot of things people either love or hate. I'm kinda just "eh" about them and don't really get worked up either way.
We are not on the TV section yet. Basically, I just needed to fill time with Grammys when I ran out of slides and luckily we are on recordings/radio section of the class, so I was able to tie things together.
When we get to TV, I'm sure that and Making a Murderer will get brought up. BLM has been brought up a couple times now due to Beyonce and Kendrick's performances.
I realized a long time ago that the Grammys aren't really interested or concerned with the music I tend to like, so I stopped caring back then. I did just look at their Metal award and that wouldn't be my personal choice (don't even like the track), but my choice and theirs never line up anyway.
Ghost is a decent band, or was it Cirice? Just funny they gave it to a Satanic outfit ... probably wouldn't fly on main stage. I at least liked the other nominees.
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