Fearless Grammy predictions

Song of the year
“Bless The Broken Road,” Rascal Flatts
“Devils & Dust,” Bruce Springsteen
“Ordinary People,” John Legend
“Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own,” U2
“We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey

Ree: For the sake of our readers, and not at all because I don’t really know, what’s the difference between Song of the Year and Record of the Year?

Helen: Record is a single track from an LP and the award goes to the artist as well as the producers, engineers, etc. Song is for the songwriter. So when “We Belong Together” undoubtedly wins, the Grammy goes to Carey and her hit-making crew. And it might as well — what a bunch of yawners this year. Springsteen might have a sentimental step up on Carey. “Devils & Dust” doesn’t sound much different from most of his material of the past couple of years, but at least he doesn’t write from formula.

Ree: If it is all about songwriting, then even a mediocre Boss tune should whoop this crowd without taking off its jean jacket. “Bless The Broken Road” ain’t “Born to Run,” but can you picture Mariah sweating over lines such as, “Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough? Who’s gonna talk to me on the phone, ‘til the sun comes up?“ High school poetry alert! The big disappointment in this category will be U2’s loss — I mean to say that will be a disappointment to U2 themselves. (Expect Bono to overcompensate later that evening by bringing peace to the Middle East.)

Best new artist
Ciara
Fall Out Boy
Keane
John Legend
Sugarland

Helen: Legend has the best hope for a lasting career, but that’s never been the criteria for this category’s winner. Still, he has the Kanye West cred, which makes him a strong contender. It might be interesting to see a country act such as Sugarland win. Fall Out Boy is more of that tired fake new wave, Keane is another dull pop band, and Ciara sounds like every other girl on R&B radio.

Ree: Legend should and will get Best New Artist. Then he’ll surprise everyone by breaking this category’s curse and continue to work for years to come. Not because he’s West’s protégé, but because he’s old-school talented. Legend understands R&B as it should be, not the generic trilling-cum-yodeling on so-called R&B radio today. He’s got a great voice and solid songwriting skills that make him a true soul singer.

R&B album
“Illumination,” Earth, Wind And Fire
“Free Yourself,” Fantasia
“Unplugged,” Alicia Keys
“Get Lifted,” John Legend
“A Time To Love,” Stevie Wonder

Helen: It’s odd that Carey didn’t make it into this category. Still, there are several strong contenders. Wonder has the sentimental heads-up over Earth, Wind, And Fire, even though this isn’t Wonder’s best effort. As for Keys, “Unplugged” amounts to greatest hits, so she doesn’t deserve it either. I’d like to see Legend take it. As for Fantasia, it’s hard for me to take “American Idol” winners seriously, though Kelly Clarkson is blazing a trail.

Ree: Fantasia takes it! Snerk — just kidding. Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys fight out this one, though sadly, only figuratively. As you may have guessed from my Best New Artist prediction, Legend should and will take this category too. Wonder recorded some respectable R&B, as did Alicia Keys, but Legend makes the traditional new.

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