The 2015 GRAMMYs have been etched in the history books and the big story of the night is Beck’s Morning Phase winning the top honor of the night, only because Kanye West made it a story.
Although Kanye was totally off base in knocking Beck’s artistry, the looming fact remains that BeyoncĂ©’s self-titled album was inescapable last year, first for the way it was released and second, for the critical acclaim it amassed afterwards.
Music judging is extremely subjective and relative to the person doing the reviewing, but take a look in the gallery below at several GRAMMY Albums Of The Year that still have people baffled over their win. Sometimes the best album doesn’t win. Just ask Macklemore.
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Photos: CBS, Amazon.
John Lennon & Yoko Ono – Double Fantasy (1982)
More Popular Pick: Steely Dan’s Gaucho
When The Beatles legend was tragically murdered in 1980, this album suddenly became a gem. Call the jig like you see it.
Steely Dan – Two Against Nature (2001)
More Popular Pick: Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP; Radiohead’s Kid A
The euphoria that Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were back at it couldn’t overshadow the fact that Slim Shady and Thom Yorke were in their prime (and they were not).
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand (2009)
More Popular Pick: Coldplay’s Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
This was the moment when countless publications began their “Is The GRAMMYs Out Of Touch” groupthink pieces. Lil Wayne also had his breakout year during this time with Tha Carter III.
Christopher Cross – Christopher Cross (1981)
More Popular Pick: Pink Floyd’s The Wall
What needs to be said about this that already hasn’t been written in stone?
Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company (2005)
More Popular Pick: Pick one.
It wasn’t as surprising for The Academy to let Ray Charles go out with a posthumous bang than it was disappointing. We’re sure Kanye West, Usher, Alicia Keys and Green Day humbly took the lump knowing what it was.
U2 – How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2006)
More Popular Pick: Kanye West’s Late Registration
Although this happened well before the reign of social media, Bono and the boys would soon learn that their baby-booming backing wasn’t bulletproof. For the record, Kanye did not turn up after this L.
Norah Jones – Come Away With Me (2003)
More Popular Pick: Dixie Chick’s Home; Eminem’s The Eminem Show
The jazzy singer came out of nowhere causing Eminem to rap, “What the f**k is going on? Who the f**k is Norah Jones?/Shady, wait a minute, baby, leave the whore alone/Just go up there and be humble and take them awards home” which was a far cry from his “Think I give a damn about a Grammy? on the losing album.
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (2011)
More Popular Pick: Pick one.
While there’s no denying its dopeness, to say The ‘Burbs reached the critical and cultural impact of Ladies Antebellum and Gaga, Eminem and Katy Perry’s project is overstating things a bit.
Herbie Hancock – River: The Joni Letters (2008)
More Popular Pick: Kanye West’s Graduation; Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black
For what it’s worth, nobody can accuse the GRAMMYs of ageism.
Dixie Chicks – Taking The Long Way (2007)
More Popular Pick: Pick one.
Sure Justin Timberlake, Gnarls Barkley, John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were media darlings at the time. Yet, what’s really surprising was the Dixies ability to get back any major outlet’s good graces after they had the cojones to speak out against President Bush when the country’s patriotism was at its highest since 1776. This album is great, however, and that’s coming from a Hip-Hop site.
10 Grammy Albums Of The Year That Didn’t Deserve To Win
