My wise old Dad warned me about smooth talkers. And for the past few years, it seems that there have been few talkers smoother than the Grammy Awards folks. The show used to be a musical travelogue, displaying for viewers a broad sampling of musicians and styles far beyond what they heard on the radio. It was an evening of discovery and of performances by many of the most talented artists in the world. But as we documented in 2012 and again earlier this year, while they've talked a great game about diversity, the Recording Academy has abandoned a majority of the greatest musical genres and has instead created an annual prime time show that focuses almost exclusively on the biggest sellers (regardless of artistic merit), with nearly the entire show being devoted to Rock, Country and Hip-Hop.
My wise old Dad warned me about smooth talkers. And for the past few years, it seems that there have been few talkers smoother than the Grammy Awards folks. The show used to be a musical travelogue, displaying for viewers a broad sampling of musicians and styles far beyond what they heard on the radio. It was an evening of discovery and of performances by many of the most talented artists in the world. But as we documented in 2012 and again earlier this year, while they've talked a great game about diversity, the Recording Academy has abandoned a majority of the greatest musical genres and has instead created an annual prime time show that focuses almost exclusively on the biggest sellers (regardless of artistic merit), with nearly the entire show being devoted to Rock, Country and Hip-Hop.
So it was with suspicion that I read the new press release issued by the Recording Academy, breathlessly hyping the newly named "Premiere Ceremony." Here is an excerpt, in their language:
"The Recording Academy® today announced the official name of the annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony™. Formerly referred to as the GRAMMY Awards® Pre-Telecast Ceremony, the event presents the first GRAMMY Awards of the day in approximately 70 – 73 categories and is streamed live internationally at GRAMMY.com...Attended by nominees and industry VIPs, the star-studded Premiere Ceremony has already grown into a memorable affair with notable guest presenters and live performances. Presented with full production values appropriate for the GRAMMY Awards, the new official title of the ceremony serves as a reflection of the evolution of the event in recent years, and provides an appropriate platform to recognize all of the outstanding nominees in a wide array of categories. The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony™ will take place at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. PT. Following the Premiere Ceremony, the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast will take place at STAPLES Center and will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. ET/PT."
Now, here's our translation: Hey, we kinda like the changes we made in the past few years and ratings are good. So...lovers of R&B, Jazz, Latin, Classical, Gospel, and every other form of music other than Rock, Hip-Hop and Country music, don't even bother to tune into the prime time show. We're going to be broadcasting for teenagers and for suburban America. Want to see your artists and categories? You'd better go online and you'd better go there early. Because once 8:00 rolls around, the closest you'll get to the music you love will be a Target commercial.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.
By Chris Rizik