Grammy Family Week | Record of the Year
The Grammys are this Sunday. GeniusTalk loves music. GeniusTalk loves making predictions. GeniusTalk loves saying ridiculous things on the internet. We did all three this week during Grammy Family Week.
Monday through Thursday of this week, each of us reviewed a category we know well and a category we know nothing about. If you missed it (SHAME ON YOU!), you can read those reviews here, here, here, and here.
Today, GeniusTalk give Grammy picks for Record of the Year. Got it? Good. Let’s go.
Beyoncé— Formation
Dayo — The first time I listened to this song in its entirety was right before typing this. Listen, my annoyance of Beyoncé and her fan base is well-documented. I understand her status amongst the strong, powerful women of this country and why a female role model is so important. I try not to let my bias get the best of me. No one can objectively tell me this is a great song. It’s not. If anyone else sang this, we would be more critical of it. This would be like the seventh best song on Solange’s A Seat at The Table album. Let’s keep it 100 folks.
Maegan — For some Tidal related reason, I’m sure, this song isn’t on Spotify — thank God! As a hater of all things Beyoncé, thank you Spotify for eliminating all chances of this playing. Aside from the occasional meme/GIF/whatever, I’ve never heard the full song and plan to keep it that way.
Kenny — Formation was more of an event than it was a song. This song received a lot of attention more so for it’s “political” undertones than actually being a good song. I honestly don’t think anyone who isn’t a certified card carrying member of the #BeyHive (Hi Afua!) actually thinks this song is a contender.
Yvonne — C’mon ladies! Listen, no lie, I don’t think this is the best song of all time, but it was a serious lituation and it was definitely #ICONIC. The first time I saw the video I cried like two tear drops. I’m not a member of the Beyhive but the video said so much, it was so empowering to black women. I want Bey to take the Grammy just for that reason! I don’t care. Bey better get in formation.
Rihanna (feat. Drake) — Work
Dayo — Remember when this song came out and people were all like “Ugh, what is Rihanna saying? Is this even English? Is she speaking Jamaican? This is America.” Oh, good times. People on the internet never cease to amaze me. Same lames complaining about this initially were in the club last week tryna catch a dub to this. Can’t blame them doe. It’s impossible to hear this beat and not wanna rub up on something. Fuck a twerk (I don’t really mean that — lezbehonest). Cheers to the lost art of the slow grind.
Maegan — CLEARLY, this was my fucking shit. Even as I am sitting on a plane writing this, I’m still dancing in my seat. So much happiness in one song. The dream team that is Rihanna & Drake, written by PartyNextDoor. Aside from having to explain to so many wypipo what Rihanna is saying instead of punching them in the face, this was undeniably my favorite international banger of the year. From Boston to Bali, I heard it everywhere in 2016 and never got sick of it.
Random fact: Rihanna basically locked a bunch of writers in a dope ass mansion, had them write shit and present it to her and she chose this song on the spot to be her lead single for the album even though her team was against it. #boom
Random fact #2: This song almost went to Alicia Keys. Can you fucking imagine the garbage that would have been?
Kenny — THIS song is my personal favorite and I would love nothing more to see AubRihanna on stage together again to accept this award BUT I still think “Hello” wins. Regardless, the “Work” x “Controlla” x “One Dance” combo in the club during the Summer of 2016 was UNDEFEATED!
*Word to Maegan, PND’s reference track goes just as hard as the Rihanna version.
Yvonne — Oohh the competition is tight. I want Bey to win off the fact that Formation was so #ICONIC for the culture. But ZAMN, “Work” was hands down my record of the year. It was one of the only songs that never actually got played out for me.If the song came on now I would twerk just as diligently as I would have when it first came out. Oh, and the video? OR VIDEOS I should say. I love a good visual, and I also love a good Carribbean house party vibe. I also love the fact that PND wrote it. Ok, I give it to Rihanna and Drizzy Drake. THEY WINNING!
Lukas Graham — 7 Years
Dayo — Once I was 7 years old too. Shit was lit. This is the new wave version of Five for Fighting’s 100 Years. I started crying off the piano intro alone. I just wanna look out the window on a rainy and tear up about the non-existent girl who scorned me. Also had no idea this was a band, not just one dude. Shows how much I know. But European male artists have been killing it lately (Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran). I know I’m not the target demo for these songs, but if you produce fire, imma listen.
Maegan — No idea what this dude is talking about. Is he sad about soon turning 30 years old? I’m closer to 30 than I’d like to be, but I envision business class flights to tropical islands and shit so I’m pretty excited. Now he’s sad about turning 60. This dude needs to chill and learn to take life step by step, day by day. This shit is depressing as fuck, talk about #privilege. Nigga’s so bored that he’s crying about problems that don’t even exist. I’ll never listen to this song again.
Kenny — This song is an okay song. I don’t even think anyone realized Lukas Graham is a Swedish Pop/Soul band with FOUR actual members but why should we care? This song is stupid repetitive to me and it’s not a contender, regardless of how many times alternative/pop radio played this record.
Yvonne — Man this song is written to millennials for sure. “Once I was 7 years old, soon I’ll be 30 years old.” I love a good track about perseverance and strength. This song definitely makes me feel nostalgic and mushy and think about life and stuff. I love good lyrics. It’s just missing that memorable beat that would make it stand out amongst the Grammy competitors. Not a winner, sorry guys.
Twenty One Pilots — Stressed Out
Dayo — This shit currently has almost 643 MILLION spins on Spotify. How is this even possible? I mean I’ve heard this song out and about, and it’s somewhat catchy. But Grammy nominee? Kenny and I have better a cappella remixes than this. Maybe people listened to this so much because it was a microcosm of how we all felt during the 2016 election? That’s the only logical explanation.
Maegan — What the fuck is this? The Grammys got joookes. Migos better be nominated for Record of the Year next year if this is what’s making the list. This is worse than Macklemore.
Kenny — I’ve never really messed with Twenty One Pilots. They’re pretty much the official band of the children of Trump supporters. This was another song that got continuous play on the radio this year but I don’t think it’s special, honestly. GTFOH with that fake Linkin Park rappin shit. Tyler Joseph ain’t got no bars b.
Yvonne — Never heard this track before reviewing it, or maybe I have, but it’s not super memorable. For that reason, I don’t think it deserves Record of the Year. ROTY has to be universal and iconic. The song is chill though, and definitely speaks to the millennial struggle.
Adele — Hello
Dayo — I remember the day this came out. I think I had stayed up late the night before, so following work, I passed out on my couch. After seven hours of sleep, I woke up at 3:00 am hella wired. I open Twitter per usual, and see a post from Adele 2 minutes ago. I proceeded to listen/watch the Hello music for five straight hours — alone — — in the dark. Adele is a goddamn queen and anyone who disagrees can catch these hands. No one does emotion like Adele. She don’t fucking miss.
Maegan — I may lose friends over this, but aside from Tristan Wilds starring in this video, I never really cared about this song. Not once did I have to play this song on my own since radio, TV & mankind took care of that for me and I never even bothered to listen to the album. Blasphemy, I know.
Kenny — Adele Adkins shut the whole game down when “Hello” dropped. This song/video was literally inescapable in 2016. This song was referenced to nearly everywhere and anywhere in pop culture. I can’t see how this doesn’t win Record the Year.
Yvonne — This song was type overrated. Honestly Adele has done better. That opening “HELLO” definitely started a serious meme movement, and the chorus did get stuck in my head for like 20 minutes, but I wasn’t super obsessed with this song in 2016. I did however appreciate the Tristan Wilds cameo in the video. He’s bae for sure.
GENIUSTALK’S WINNERS
Dayo: Adele — Hello
Maegan: Rihanna (feat. Drake) — Work
Kenny: Adele — Hello
Yvonne: Rihanna (feat. Drake) — Work
Enjoy the Grammys this Sunday everyone!
Piece edited by Afua A.
