This is the 22nd installment of the best-selling series of Grammy Nominees. This set features 21 Grammy nominated artists and hit songs from the world s biggest superstars and hottest emerging talent. The lineup might include a few toppers which you might chill out with to a few not so happening tracks by new artists, but it’s worth listening to all for who knows where these same artists would in another few years time. By now the verdict is out and you already know who won, but let’s rundown the ones who matter.
Uptown Funk, Blank Space, Thinking Out Loud and Lips Are Moving represent the best in pop music coming from artists like Mark Ronson, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Meghan Trainor who all won the Grammy in their respective category.
Wiz Khalifa rap on See You Again is impressive and is beautiful tribute to the late Paul Walker. Can't Feel My Face is the best dance song of the year and Weeknd certainly deserves a pat on the back for bringing such a heavy groove to it. No one really knows why he has such a strange hairstyle and goes by the stage name the Weeknd. With his black cap and soft vocals, James Bay had stiff competition from his peers in Best New Artist, but sadly lost out even though his song Hold Back The River is the most uplifting song playing on the channels now. You may’ve never heard of him, but even his album has good moments that fit well in the sentis category. He is also a good guitarist and singer. Girl Crush by Little Big Town is what it says and is a pretty neat piece to rewind to. Newcomer to the industry Sam Hunt’s Take Your Time is a topper and has very infectious lyrics to go with it.
Among The Machine, the other artists who make an appearance on this CD are Alabama Shakes, Maroon 5, Florence + The Machine, Alabama Shakes, D’Angelo and the Vanguard, Kendrick Lamar, Chris Stapleton, Tori Kelly, Sam Hunt, Courtney Barnett, Carrie Underwood, Cam, Lee Ann Womack and Keith Urban.
For those who don’t know, to be eligible, all recordings must be released between 1st Oct, 2014 and 30th Sept, 2015). This compilation brings together the best in the music industry from all music labels, but it would be wise to release this type of a compilation a month before the awards ceremony, so that many who want to keep a copy of the collection (which has also once been a hot seller) can lay their hands on it before the awards are announced. As for this CD, the release was 3 days before the 58th Grammy awards. Production or copyright issues, music lovers should get the release in their hands early, that’s the only way to keep everyone guessing which artist is going to take the Grammy award home in each of the main categories.
Rating: ****
Reviewed by Verus Ferreira