2013 Grammy Nominations Show Nashville’s Varied Sounds

Taylor Swift and LL Cool J host the Grammy nominations concert.

The list of 2013 Grammy nominees shines with Nashville-based artists from a spectrum of genres. Revealed last night (12/5), the nominations reaffirmed that Music City is home to quality artists of all formats, which was a major factor in The Recording Academy’s decision to bring its nominations concert here. The Grammy Nominations Live!–Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night aired live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, marking the first time the show was held outside Los Angeles.

Nashville based rocker Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys earned six nominations, tying for the lead with five other stellar acts. Five of Auerbach’s noms were for The Black Keys, and he scored an additional nod for Producer of the Year, thanks to work with his band and others including Dr. John and Hacienda.

Hunter Hayes reveals nominees. Photo: Kevin Winter

Earning a substantial three nods each were Nashvillians including pop star and recent country crossover success Kelly Clarkson, revered rocker Jack White, pop/country’s unstoppable superstar Taylor Swift, country wiz kid Hunter Hayes (who could be shaping up to enjoy Swift’s cross-genre success), and CCM star Mark Hall of Casting Crowns.

This places Hayes and Swift as tied for the most nominations by a country singer. They are both in the running for overall categories: Hayes for Best New Artist, and Swift for Record of the Year for “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Hayes’ other nods are for Best Country Solo Performance (“Wanted”) and Best Country Album (Hunter Hayes). Swift’s other noms come from her collaboration with The Civil Wars, “Safe & Sound,” for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written For Visual Media. The track was from The Hunger Games film.

Country stars receiving two nominations apiece were Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, and The Time Jumpers, which includes perennial Grammy darling Vince Gill. Also scoring two nods were CCM hitmaker Matthew West, and musical mastermind T Bone Burnett, who is spending lots of time here as executive music producer for TV show Nashville. Alabama Shakes, who recorded their album in Nashville, earned two nominations.

Leading the slate with six nominations each are Auerbach, Jay-Z, fun., Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West.

A slew of country performances dotted the nominations concert. Luke Bryan performed “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” while The Band Perry and Dierks Bentley joined up for Johnny Cash’s “Jackson” in tribute to the late country legend. Hunter Hayes sang, rather than read, the nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album. Swift and co-host LL Cool J offered a version of her hit “Mean,” with Swift beatboxing. Maroon 5 scored two performance slots during the show, and stuck around after the televised portion to give attendees a full concert. fun. was joined by Janelle Monae for its megahit “We Are Young.” Ne-Yo burned up the stage with hot dance moves and The Who brought their brand of classic rock. Presenters during the telecast included Little Big Town, Sheryl Crow, The Lumineers and Chris Young.

Winners will be announced during the live Grammy telecast on Sun., Feb. 10 in Los Angeles. The eligibility period for the nominees was 10/1/11-09/30/12.

Since 2009, Nashville has been on a Grammy winning streak, started by the acclaimed Alison Krauss and Robert Plant collaboration which was that year’s top winner. In 2010, Taylor Swift racked up the most trophies and in 2011, Lady Antebellum followed suit. In 2012, Adele dominated the overall categories, but Nashville was well-represented with wins by Swift, Lady A, Alison Krauss and Union Station, and The Civil Wars.

—Sarah Skates

Select 2013 Grammy Nominations

Record Of The Year
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Thinkin Bout You” — Frank Ocean
“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” — Taylor Swift

Best Country Solo Performance
“Home” — Dierks Bentley
“Springsteen” — Eric Church
“Cost Of Livin'” — Ronnie Dunn
“Wanted” — Hunter Hayes
“Over” — Blake Shelton
“Blown Away” — Carrie Underwood

Best Country Album
Uncaged — Zac Brown Band
Hunter Hayes — Hunter Hayes
Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran — Jamey Johnson
Four The Record — Miranda Lambert
The Time Jumpers — The Time Jumpers

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart”–Eli Young Band
“Pontoon”–Little Big Town
“Safe & Sound” — Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars
“On The Outskirts Of Town”–The Time Jumpers
“I Just Come Here For The Music”–Don Williams Featuring Alison Krauss

Best Country Song
“Blown Away”–Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
“Cost Of Livin'”–Phillip Coleman & Ronnie Dunn, songwriters (Ronnie Dunn)
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart”–Will Hoge & Eric Paslay, songwriters (Eli Young Band)
“So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”–Jay Knowles & Adam Wright, songwriters (Alan Jackson)
“Springsteen”–Eric Church, Jeff Hyde & Ryan Tyndell, songwriters (Eric Church)

Best New Artist
Alabama Shakes
FUN.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean

Best Song Written For Visual Media
“Abraham’s Daughter” (From The Hunger Games)–T Bone Burnett, Win Butler & Régine Chassagne, songwriters (Arcade Fire)
“Learn Me Right” (From Brave)–Mumford & Sons, songwriters (Birdy & Mumford & Sons)
“Let Me Be Your Star” (From Smash)–Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, songwriters (Katharine McPhee & Megan Hilty)
“Man Or Muppet” (From The Muppets)–Bret McKenzie, songwriter (Jason Segel & Walter)
“Safe & Sound” (From The Hunger Games)–T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars)

Album Of The Year
El Camino — The Black Keys
Some Nights — FUN.
Babel — Mumford & Sons
Channel Orange — Frank Ocean
Blunderbuss — Jack White

Song Of The Year
“The A Team” — Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
“Adorn” — Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
“Call Me Maybe” — Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
“We Are Young” — Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe)

Best Pop Solo Performance
“Set Fire To The Rain (Live)” — Adele
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
“Wide Awake” — Katy Perry
“Where Have You Been” — Rihanna

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Shake It Out” — Florence & The Machine
“We Are Young” — FUN. Featuring Janelle Monáe
“Somebody That I Used To Know” — Gotye Featuring Kimbra
“Sexy And I Know It” — LMFAO
“Payphone” — Maroon 5 & Wiz Khalifa

Best Rock Performance
“Hold On” — Alabama Shakes
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
“Charlie Brown” — Coldplay
“I Will Wait” — Mumford & Sons
“We Take Care Of Our Own” — Bruce Springsteen

Best Rock Album
El Camino — The Black Keys
Mylo Xyloto — Coldplay
The 2nd Law — Muse
Wrecking Ball — Bruce Springsteen
Blunderbuss — Jack White

Best Alternative Music Album
The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do — Fiona Apple
Biophilia–Bjork
Making Mirrors — Gotye
Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming — M83
Bad As Me — Tom Waits

Best Americana Album
The Carpenter — The Avett Brothers
From The Ground Up — John Fullbright
The Lumineers — The Lumineers
Babel — Mumford & Sons
Slipstream — Bonnie Raitt

Best Spoken Word Album
American Grown (Michelle Obama) — Scott Creswell & Dan Zitt, producers (Various Artists)
Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy — Bill Clinton
Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power — Rachel Maddow
Seriously…I’m Kidding — Ellen DeGeneres
Society’s Child: My Autobiography — Janis Ian

Best Comedy Album
Blow Your Pants Off — Jimmy Fallon
Cho Dependent (Live In Concert) — Margaret Cho
In God We Rust — Lewis Black
Kathy Griffin: Seaman 1st Class — Kathy Griffin
Mr. Universe — Jim Gaffigan
Rize Of The Fenix — Tenacious D

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song
“Jesus, Friend of Sinners”–Mark Hall and Matthew West, songwriters (Casting Crowns)
“10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)”–Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman, songwriters (Matt Redman)
“When Mercy Found Me”–Jeff Pardo and Rhett Walker, songwriters (Rhett Walker Band)
“White Flag”–Jason Ingram Matt Maher, Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Passion & Chris Tomlin)
“Your Presence Is Heaven”–Israel Houghton and Micah Massey, songwriters (Israel & New Breed)

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance
“Jesus, Friend of Sinners”–Casting Crowns
“Take Me To The King”–Tamela Mann
“Go Get It”–Mary Mary
“10,000 Reasons”–Matt Redman
“My Testimony”–Marvin Sapp

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Come To The Well–Casting Crowns
Where I Find You–Kari Jobe
Gold–Britt Nicole
Eye On It–TobyMac
Into The Light–Matthew West

Best Gospel Song
“Go Get It”–Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell and Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary)
“Hold On”–Cheryl Fortune, James Fortune and Terence Vaughn, songwriters (James Fortune & FIYA, Monica & Fred Hammond)
“I Feel Good”–Phillip Feaster, Fred Hammond, Jonathan Miller and Calvin Rodgers, songwriters (Fred Hammond)
“My Testimony”–Aaron Lindsey and Marvin Sapp, songwriters (Marvin Sapp)
“Released”–Donald Lawrence, songwriter (Bill Winston and Living Word, Featuring Donald Lawrence)

Best Gospel Album
Identity–James Fortune & FIYA
Jesus At the Center–Israel & New Breed
Gravity–Lecrae
I Win–Marvin Sapp
Worship Soul–Anita Wilson

Best Bluegrass Album
The Gospel Side Of–Dailey & Vincent
Life Finds A Way–The Grascals
Beat The Devil and Carry A Rail–Noam Pikelny
Scratch Gravel Road–Special Consensus
Nobody Knows You–Steep Canyon Rangers

Click here for the complete list of nominees.

If you know of additional Nashville-related nominations please e-mail news@musicrow.com