Yesterday The Recording Academy presented the 56th Grammy Awards, honouring "artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position". Although the validity of the awards often is contested, the awards show is known for featuring surprising musical collaborations. Yesterday's show however had possibly the most emotionally powerful and uplifting performance I have ever seen at an awards show. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Same Love featuring Mary Lambert segued into a magical and moving moment – Queen Latifah officiating the weddings of 33 couples onstage. Not the wedding ceremony itself made the moment memorable, but the fact that many (most?) of the couples were non-traditional: same sex, transgender… These are moments where I don't want to be cynical and simply see this as a strong message towards regimes that are dialing back gay rights. Remember I am a native of the second country worldwide after The Netherlands to legalise same sex marriage back in 2003. Regarding the sad, sad people who oppose same sex and transgender marriage, I am persuaded that one day we will look back on their futile attempts with pity, exactly in the same way we now look back on those poor misguided souls who opposed mixed race marriages half a century ago. Video after the jump; have your tissues handy.
Below is an overview of the nominees and winners of categories that are of interest for our My Type of Music-loving readers: categories 63 and 64, respectively Best Recording Package and Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package, and categories 81 and 82, for Best Short Form Music Video and Best Long Form Music Video.
Best Recording Package
Reckless Kelly's Long Night Moon album cover in normal light
Reckless Kelly's Long Night Moon album cover in LED UV light
Reckless Kelly |Long Night Moon[winner]
The packaging on the Backstage Design Studio website.
Art Directors | Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds
Label | No Big Deal Records
Geneseo |Automatic Music Can Be Fun
Art Directors | Mike Brown, Zac DeCamp, Brian Grunert & Annie Stoll
Label | Temperamental Recordings
Jay Z |Magna Carta… Holy Grail
Art Director | Brian Roettinger
Label | Roc Nation
Metallica |Through The Never(Music From The Motion Picture)
Art Directors | Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat, Brian Steele & David Turner
Label | Blackened Recordings
David Bowie |The Next Day
The concept is explained and the packaging shown on the Barnbrookblog. The typeface is Doctrine.
Art Director | Jonathan Barnbrook
Label | Columbia Records
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
Paul McCartney And Wings |Wings Over America(Deluxe Edition) [winner]
Art Directors | Simon Earith & James Musgrave
Label | Hear Music
The Rolling Stones |The Brussels Affair
Art Directors | Charles Dooher & Scott Sandler
Label | Rolling Stones Records
Mayer Hawthorne |How Do You Do(Limited Edition Box Set)
Art Director | Mayer Hawthorne
Label | Universal Republic
Mumford & Sons |The Road To Red Rocks(Special Edition)
Art Director | Ross Stirling
Label | Glassnote Records
The Smith Tapes
Art Director | Masaki Koike
Label | The Smith Tapes
Best Music Video
Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z |Suit & Tie[winner]
Video Director | David Fincher
Video Producer | Timory King
Label | RCA Records
Capital Cities |Safe And Sound
Video Director | Grady Hall
Video Producers | Buddy Enright, Javier Jimenez, Danny Lockwood & Daniel Weisman
Label | Capitol Records
Jay Z |Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film
Video Director | Mark Romanek
Video Producers | Shawn Carter & Aristides McGarry
Label | Roc Nation
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Ray Dalton |Can't Hold Us
Video Directors | Jon Jon Augustavo, Jason Koenig & Ryan Lewis
Video Producers | Tricia Davis, Honna Kimmerer & Jenny Koenig
Label | Macklemore LLC
Jack White |I'm Shakin'
Video Director | Dori Oskowitz
Video Producer | Saul Levitz & Candice OvaKnine
Label | Columbia Records
Best Music Film
Paul McCartney |Live Kisses
Video Director | Jonas Åkerlund
Video Producers | Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine & Scott Rodger
Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Coldplay |Live 2012
Video Director | Paul Dugdale
Video Producer | Jim Parsons
Label | Capitol
Green Day |¡Cuatro!
Video Director | Tim Wheeler
Video Producer | Tim Lynch
Label | Reprise
Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite |I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone: The Making Of Get Up!
Video Director | Danny Clinch
Video Producer | Ben Harper
Label | Stax
Mumford & Sons |The Road To Red Rocks
Video Director | Nicolas Jack Davies & Frederick Scott
Video Producer | Dan Bowen
Label | Glassnote Records
