The 50th Annual Grammy Awards

[Photo courtesy of Getty Images]
I remember when going to school the day after the Grammys meant lengthy discussions (sometimes in class, if you were taking Music as an elective) about whether Christina Aguilera really deserved Best New Artist, and what-in-the-hell was Britney wearing – again!? So the validity of the Best New Artist award is still constantly in flux and we’re still questioning what goes on in that little mind of Britney Spears, but it seems everything else has changed.

For a 50th annual awards show, the Grammy Awards were surprisingly low-key. Everyone (and by this, I mostly mean Kanye West) was well-behaved and cordial, the performances predictably boring (re: Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra’s “duet”). What was surprising was the seeming throwback to rewarding artists based on their actual talent and not how many records they’ve sold. Probably because no one is selling any records these days. The New York Times said that Alicia Keys’ number one album “As I Am” came in at a near record-low for a number one album, at 61,000 records sold.

While the Recording Academy still gave the necessary awards to the Justin Timberlakes and Rihannas, it also awarded Album of the Year to Herbie Hancock! There was almost a snobbery behind it, a la the Academy Awards: Kanye and Amy, you’re still babies, you’ve still got your chance. Well, maybe not for Amy Winehouse, if rehab doesn’t go well for her.

But after all of the bizarre fascination with Amy Winehouse’s drug problems and difficulties with obtaining a visa for the Grammys, last night’s performance had a childlike wonder to it. I don’t know if it was the fact that it was nearly 4am in London, the rehab (and the presumed weight gain), or the mere surreality of winning a Grammy via satellite that did it, but it was kind of touching. And it made me like her a little more for it.

But back to the questions that really matter: what the hell was Beyonce wearing on the red carpet!?