Summary 2021: The Neglect Of The Weeknd And J Balvin And More About The Year Of Controversy At The Grammy Awards And AMAs

According to the criteria of

Know more

“The Grammy they are still corrupt. They owe transparency to me, the industry and my fans”, Canadian Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd, seeing how his blockbuster album After Hours was olympically scorned in every one of the 90 categories the Academy considers. Moreover, not even the millionaire rotation of his single “Blinding Lights” “deserved a minimum consideration. Then suspicions were reinstated about an institution sufficiently questioned by its unforgivable oversights, undeserved awards and lackluster stardom. And while these and other dilemmas overshadowed the night, the music industry’s biggest act took place quietly at the MGM casino in Nevada.

READ ALSO: J Balvin’s father’s response to Residente: “The whole world enjoys hot dogs”

The event was certainly scandalous. And it only paid in the discredit of an institution that could never prove the omission. In addition, it was already seriously damaged from within: with 62 years of exclusively male rule, it had just fired Deborah Dugan, its first female president, under flimsy accusations of labor abuse. Considering a prodigious trajectory in revelations of machismo, racism and sexism, this untimely cessation was translated as a response from the most retarded and conservative wing. Before leaving, Dugan said that it was “a guy’s club, with a toxic work environment, sexual harassment and race and gender discrimination.” She was also lavish in denouncing arbitrariness in the nominations. And slammed the door.

Of lime and sand

Thus, before the ceremony, spirits were already heated. “Unless you send them gifts, there are no nomination considerations. Next year I will send you a basket of sweets, ”tweeted the British Zayn Malik, ignored as The Weeknd. And after the act also: “I had seven songs on the charts simultaneously and the best release by a female rapper in a decade. But the award was given to the white man Bon Iver“Trinidadian Nicki Minaj tweeted, fueling what was already hell. In which, it must be admitted, historical figures such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eillish shone with dignity, although the latter grabbed the statuette as if it were someone else. “This goes for her,” he said, pointing at Megan The Stallion.

And then the memory of a few years ago when I was nominating for album of the year Beyoncé’s Lemonade flew overhead and they gave Adele the Grammy. “I cannot accept the award. I am very, very grateful, but the artist of my life is Beyonce”Said the latter leaving the academics who had voted for her with the frizzy facts. Or the time the award-winning Eddie Vedder said in the middle of the ceremony: “I don’t know what this means, I think it means nothing”. And also when another recipient, Glen Hansard of The Frames, declared: “The Grammys are nothing more than a gigantic promotional machine for the music industry. They target a low intelligence audience and feed the masses. They are not dedicated to honoring the creations of artists. It’s the music business celebrating itself”.

None of which will prevent recognizing its suitability in the recognition of groups such as Black Pumas, Post Malone or Haim who escorted Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” in its consecration as album of the year. Or the almost inevitable song of the year award to HER’s “I can’t breathe” built on powerful anti-racist foundations. There is also the pertinent presence of Billie Eilish and Roddy Ricch in that category, the worldwide launch of artists such as Ingrid Andress, Phoebe Bridgers, Doja Cat, Chika, Noah Cyrus, Kaytranada or D Smoke. And, even, the recognition of acts of roots and garage (Brittany Howard), indie folk (Phoebe Bridgers), indietrónica (Tame Impala) and dance (Disclosure).

J Balvin also went through his own controversy when he was not nominated for the Latin Grammy 2021, publicly complaining. After these words, Residente responded by comparing the Colombian's music with fast food. J Balvin appropriated this comparison for promotional reasons, which led to a video by the Puerto Rican where he criticized his colleague. Photos: @residente on Instagram / AFP. — J Balvin also went through his own controversy when he was not nominated for the Latin Grammy 2021, publicly complaining. After these words, Residente responded by comparing the Colombian’s music with fast food. J Balvin appropriated this comparison for promotional reasons, which led to a video by the Puerto Rican where he criticized his colleague. Photos: @residente on Instagram / AFP.

Amas and masters

And if the oxygenated BTS left the Grammy with empty hands – they lost to the “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande in the diamond for best performance of a duo or pop group that they shared, among others, with the infumable J Balvin and Bad Bunny—, they would take their revenge at the American Music Awards: they obtained a thunderous hat-trick, including the artist of the year category, becoming the first Asian group to obtain such a coveted medal.

While the affair generated understandable outrage on both sides of the Atlantic, consider that the Koreans lead the largest and best-organized army in the world – it’s called the ARMY. And the AMAs obey the vote through two portals: their official website and TikTok; Despite this, it will be possible to notice the versatility of a very young Olivia Rodrigo projecting onto the horizon alongside the no less talented 24kGoldn, Giveon, Masked Wolf and The Kid Laroi. It will be worthy to acknowledge that in the ‘Latin’ category, Caribbean reggaeton artists and charro collectives continue to dominate – La Arrolladora Banda El Limón by Rene Camacho and Los Dos Carnales, for example – and that the Billboard awards have been fully awarded to Maluma and his gang . But the AMAs leaked a thread of hopeful electronic light thanks to remixes of Illenium, Marshmello and Regard in their deck duel with veterans like Tiësto and David Guetta. As things are, it is to be hoped that 2022 will be more propitious, please.