The 56th Annual Grammy Awards hosted by LL Cool J will air live from the Los Angeles Staples Center this Sunday (January 26) at 8 p.m. EST on CBS. We've examined the biggest categories and have put in our two cents on who we think should win and who we think will win each award. Vote for your pick in the poll at the bottom of the page.
Category: Best Rock Performance
“Always Alright” by Alabama Shakes
“The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” by David Bowie
“Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
“Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin
“My God Is The Sun” by Queens of the Stone Age
“I’m Shakin’” by Jack White
What Song Should Win: “Always Alright”
It would be really great if a woman-fronted band won this category considering female representation is always lacking in awards for the rock genre. This isn’t necessarily Alabama Shakes best song, but Brittany Howard is a powerhouse per usual on the Silver Linings Playbook track. This song manages to be fierce and relaxing at the same time. Howard’s passionate, howling vocals and groovy guitar riffs make you want more of that Southern jam.
Alabama Shakes was nominated last year in this category as the new kids on the block for “Hold On” but lost to The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy.” If the song doesn’t win this time around, we will probably see Howard and the guys back at the Grammy after the release of their sophomore album.
What Song Will Win: Either “Kashmir” or “Radioactive”
Who WILL win this category really depends on how nostalgic the committee was feeling when they voted. Led Zeppelin disbanded more than 30 years ago, following the death of drummer John Bonham. But back in 2007, the surviving members plus Bonham’s son got back together for a one-off concert, which was recorded and released as an album and film called Celebration Day in November 2012. The effort also earned them a nomination for Best Rock Album.
Here’s the thing: Led Zeppelin has never won a non-honorary Grammy despite having four Grammy Hall of Fame awards to its name. Also, “Kashmir” is a damn good song. So it’s possible the voting committee felt that it was about time the legendary rock group got a freaking Grammy for their work and this award could sneak into Zeppelin’s hands.
On the other hand, if the committee was feeling that a more contemporary band should claim the title of Best Rock Performance, the award would likely go to Imagine Dragon’s dub-infused “Radioactive.” The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent more than a year on the chart. It was the No. 3 selling song of 2013 and has sold more copies in a calendar year than any other song by a rock group in digital history. Furthermore, Night Visions, was 2013’s top selling rock album, top selling debut album and top selling album by a group or duo. To say this song has commercial appeal is an understatement. Not to mention the group is performing at the ceremony, so they were probably already on the voters’ radar.
