The Grammy Awards are never going away, like it or not. They’ve just renewed with CBS until 2026. By then they will have been on CBS for 54 years. Also, in 2026 Justin Bieber, a pop star from the 20-teens, will have a duets album with cats. His song, “Anne Frank, I Love You” will be number 7 on the Geezer Chart.
The Grammys’ entire success is due to Pierre Cossette, the producer who invented the show and ran until his death a few years ago. Cossette was an incredible TV mind, a raconteur, a man with taste who also invented the concept of duets or triplets, putting disparate singers on stage together occasionally for huge moments. He brought excitement to the Grammys.
But this year’s show was a mess. There were all kinds of mash ups that didn’t work. Plus the ratings dropped to a 7 year low.
The next show in February 2017 should be better. Adele will be the main attraction. Plus we’ve had big albums from Drake, Beyonce and Kanye West. Also, Paul Simon, a David Bowie tribute with “Blackstar,” and the Monkees should pull in the older crowd. Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Sting each should have some new music out before the end of the year.
But the Grammys must return to diversity– and I don’t mean race, I mean the kinds of music they present on the broadcast. Pandering to crap top 40 for ratings is what killed them this year. Where is classical, jazz, opera? Why isn’t Renee Fleming singing on that show? They’ve got to make it smart again, and not a jukebox for people with ADHD. Otherwise it will be DOA.
