David Bowie Snubbed in Favor of Justin Bieber for Grammy Album of the Year
The nominations for next year's Grammy Awards have been revealed, and somehow David Bowie's universally praised farewell album Blackstar isn't up for either Album of the Year or Best Rock Album.
Blackstar, which has ranked at or near the top of nearly all of the rock and alternative music industry's year-end "best album" polls - including ours - was passed over for Album of the Year in favor of Adele's 25, Beyonce's Lemonade, Sturgill Simpson's A Sailor's Guide to Earth and ... Justin Bieber's Purpose.
Blink-182's California, Cage the Elephant's Tell Me I'm Pretty, Gojira's Magma, Panic! At the Disco's Death of a Bachelor and Weezer's latest self-titled album all got nominated over Blackstar in the Best Rock Album category.
Bowie did get a Best Alternative Music Album nod for Blackstar, joining Bon Iver's 22, A Million, PJ Harvey's The Hope Six Demolition Project, Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool and his good friend Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression.
In addition, the title track to Blackstar is up for Best Rock Performance, against "Don't Hurt Yourself" by Beyonce featuring Jack White, "Joe (Live From Austin City Limits)" by Alabama Shakes, Disturbed's cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence (Live on Conan)" and Twenty One Pilots' "Heathens."
"Blackstar" is also up for Best Rock Song, facing off once again with "Heathens" as well as Radiohead's "Burn the Witch," Metallica's "Hardwired" and Highly Suspect's "My Name Is Human."
The highly creative packaging for Blackstar, which changes when exposed to sunlight, was rewarded with a Best Recording Package nomination. The album was also nominated in the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical category.
The 2017 Grammy Awards ceremony will be broadcast live February 12, 2017 on CBS.
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