GRAMMY WTF?  1970 - Album Of the Year. More: tomorrow.

The Grammy Awards are one of music’s most prestigious trophies. Since the inaugural ceremony in 1959, winners have spanned a vast array of musical styles and winners as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Eminem and Lizzo. There have, however, been some instances where one can’t comprehend the outcomes and omissions. Caffè Lattè looks back on some of the most baffling moments and unsuccessful -yet influential- acts…

GRAMMY WTF?

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 1970

WINNER:

NOMINATED BETTER CHOICE:

By the close of the 1960s, the full impact of The Beatles was as clear as ever. No other rock group had transformed the musical landscape as profoundly as The Fab Four. Despite all of John, Paul, George & Ringo’s contributions, their intended swansong missed out on the Album of the Year Grammy.

In 1970, the award went to the group Blood, Sweat & Tears and its self-titled sophomore LP. That album contained three unforgettable hit songs: “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy”, “And When I Die” and “Spinning Wheel”. The parent LP reached #1 in America. This was a worthy nominee.

The Academy had nominated albums by The Beatles before 1970. First there was ‘Help!’, nominated in the same category in 1966. It lost to Frank Sinatra. The Beatles received a nomination the following year for ‘Revolver’. Again, Sinatra collected the prize. The Academy finally acknowledged a Beatles album in 1968, bestowing the Album of the Year Grammy to ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. While not the best Beatles LP, this disc was a watershed. ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ was nominated in 1969, but lost to Glen Campbell’s ‘By The Time I Get To Phoenix’.

In 1970, The Beatles called it a day. The globe was shocked as life without the group seemed impossible. Although ‘Let It Be’ would be released after ‘Abbey Road’, the latter was the final album recorded by the band.

As well as featuring an iconic front cover, ‘Abbey Road’ contained new impressive additions to The Beatles’ canon: “Something”, “Come Together”, “Golden Slumbers”, “Here Comes The Sun” and “Oh! Darling”.

It is worth noting that The Fab Four received 23 Grammy nominations. The Beatles only won a meagre seven awards from the Academy. A group as revolutionary as it was, definitely deserved many more.

NEVER WON A GRAMMY AWARD*:

*(excludes life achievement categories)

 

CHIC

The nucleus of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards injected a funky edge to the dance music created by the group. These two men wrote and produced some of the dancefloor’s staples. They led performers such as drummer Tony Thompson and singers Norma Jean Wright, Luther Vandross and Alfa Anderson. Chic scored 2 US #1 hits: “Le Freak” and “Good Times”.

Furthermore, Edwards and Rodgers also created timeless hits such as “We Are Family”, “He’s The Greatest Dancer” and “Thinking Of You” for Sister Sledge. Almost every Chic track has been sampled. Sheila B. Devotion’s “Spacer” was used on Alcazar’s “Crying At The Discotheque”; the Sugarhill Gang used “Good Times” to create “Rapper’s Delight”. Other acts that have sampled Chic include Modjo, Will Smith and Notorious B.I.G.

After the disco boom, Rodgers and Edwards focused on writing and producing projects for acts as diverse as Diana Ross (“Upside Down”), David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), Madonna (“Like A Virgin”) and (“The Wild Boys”).

Edwards died while on tour in 1996. Rodgers continues recording and performing with a new Chic line-up. While the group never received a Grammy, Rodgers finally won in 2013 for his work with Daft Punk. A long overdue recognition of his continual involvement in popular music over several decades.