Grammy Awards look to be golden night for Winehouse, Rihanna and Underwood

Grammy Awards look to be golden night for Winehouse, Rihanna and Underwood

by Albert Rodriguez - SGN A&E Writer Will Amy Winehouse win a Grammy? Yes, yes, yes! But how many? The beehive-coiffed Brit, a tabloid regular for her oddball behavior and party-girl troublemaking, is nominated for six awards, including nods in each major category. But that doesn't translate to frontrunner status. Winehouse faces competition from Rihanna and Carrie Underwood, fellow divas who also had banner years in 2007. There's also Kanye West, the outspoken rapper who has never won Album of the Year on two previous tries. Many worthier artists, such as Spoon and M.I.A. were omitted from the nominations, a sign that Grammy voters value commercial success over artistic merit. Let's hope the Recording Academy gets hip fast. At press time, a ceremony was still being planned despite the Hollywood writers strike. Tune in Sunday night, February 10 (8 p.m., CBS), for some form of a telecast with MTV and VH1 covering red carpet arrivals. Here are eight categories to keep an eye on for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. RECORD OF THE YEAR Nominees: Irreplaceable - Beyonce, The Pretender - Foo Fighters, Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z, What Goes Around Comes Around - Justin Timberlake, Rehab - Amy Winehouse Will Win: Everyone has a decent shot here, though Timberlake 's slick-as-silk cut from his 2006 release is most likely to appeal to voters of all genres. Should Win: Very tough call between Rihanna and Winehouse . Rather than choose, I'll split my vote in half. ALBUM OF THE YEAR Nominees: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters, These Days - Vince Gill, River: The Joni Letters - Herbie Hancock, Graduation - Kanye West, Back to Black - Amy Winehouse Will Win: He's never won a Grammy in a major category, his mom passed away recently, and hip-hop is in desperate need of a comeback. This is West 's award to lose. Should Win: The only worthy nominees here are West and Winehouse. Of these two, West is long overdue a big prize for producing a trio of contemporary classics. SONG OF THE YEAR Nominees: Before He Cheats, Hey There Delilah, Like a Star, Rehab, Umbrella Will Win: Carrie Underwood's mega-single "Before He Cheats " is too big to ignore. Should Win: For songwriting honors, the most deserving is Winehouse's retro-delicious "Rehab." BEST NEW ARTIST Nominees: Feist, Ledisi, Paramore, Taylor Swift, Amy Winehouse Will Win: In a landslide, it's Winehouse. Should Win: Winehouse didn't just emerge in 2007. She owned it. DANCE RECORDING Nominees: Do It Again - The Chemical Brothers, D.A.N.C.E. - Justice, Love Today - Mika, Don't Stop the Music -Rihanna, Lovestoned/I Think She Knows - Justin Timberlake Will Win: Unless Timberlake spoils the party, Rihanna will strut to victory. Should Win: Vive la France! Justice turned in the coolest, appropriately titled dance single of the past year. COUNTRY FEMALE Nominees: Simple Love - Alison Krauss, Famous in a Small Town - Miranda Lambert, Nothin' Better to Do - LeAnn Rimes, Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love - Trisha Yearwood Will Win: Album sales of nearly ten million, countless industry awards, and the biggest selling country debut of all-time puts Underwood in the drivers seat. Should Win: One of country's greatest divas, Yearwood' s gospel-flavored tune was a godsend. ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM Nominees: Alright, Still& - Lily Allen, Neon Bible - Arcade Fire, Volta - Bjork, Wincing the Night Away - The Shins, Icky Thump - The White Stripes Will Win: Unless Arcade Fire pulls an upset, The White Stripes are guaranteed a three-peat in this category. Should Win: As much as I adore The White Stripes and The Shins, the best album of 2007 was Arcade Fire 'schamber rock masterpiece. ROCK SONG Nominees: Come On, Icky Thump, It's Not Over, The Pretender, Radio Nowhere Will Win: Even though Foo Fighters are nominated for Record of the Year for the same single as the one here, Bruce Springsteen's anti-corporate anthem "Radio Nowhere " is sure to woo veteran Recording Academy members. Should Win: Springsteen's thunderbolt single, a mysterious omission from the Record of the Year lineup, would be a great pick if it weren't for Meg and Jack's infectious "Icky Thump. " SHORT FORM MUSIC VIDEO Nominees God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash, 1234 - Feist, Gone Daddy Gone - Gnarls Barkley, D.A.N.C.E. - Justice, Typical - Mute Math Will Win: If voters go the sympathy route, Cash will triumph. Otherwise, Feist is the likely winner for her quirky, quasi-choreographed video. Should Win: Creative and clever, Justice made a video that we'll be watching ten years from now.

pictures: Above - Amy Winehouse below - Carrie Underwood