Though Im not sure which "Academy" award is worse, the Grammys or the Emmys, I do know that it doesn't take much for either one to impress me. Though the Emmys probably have made more horrific choices (I'm not even gonna try to name some examples or it will this whole entry), the Grammys are the worse culprit for just being generally boring. Year after year, U2 wins everything and nobody cares. They occasionally do good (Outkast and Lauryn Hill's best album wins are the standout examples), they mostly do bad, and sometimes do downright bizarre.

This morning's 50th annual nominations probably a better than usual bunch. There were shocking omissions (Bruce Springsteen was favoured by almost everyone to take a boatload of nods and ended up with no big ones, American Idol-er Daughtry was the frontrunner for best new artist but lost his nod to small-time Canadian band Paramour, whos claim to fame is being "discovered" by Avril Lavigne), strange but not necessarily bad inclusions (Herbie Hancock for best album), and it-wasnt-gonna-happen-but-it-still-is-wrong snubs (Arcade Fire for best album, Feist for best record, some M.I.A. love somewhere). They managed to find a way to nominated U2 also (from that John Lennon tribute album), and though I'm impressed with their ability to see through scandal and give Ms. Amy Winehouse all the nominations she deserved (she's nominated in all 4 of the main categories).

But overall, the nominations are pretty whatever. Heres some highlights and lowlights:

-Kanye West, Rihanna and Winehouse seem like the frontrunners, grabbing a ton of nods each.
-Feist and Winehouse get best new artist nods despite years of record-making
-Foo Fighters took very surprising nods for best album and best record
-Canadians did quite well, with aforementioned Paramour and Feist joining The Arcade Fire, Nelly Furtado, Michael Buble, Joni Mitchell
-There ARE some sprinklings of "wow, maybe they do get it" throughout, with standout selections including Feist's 3 nods, The Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Justice, Beck, Bjork, The White Stripes, Lucinda Williams, Wilco and Common.
-But all of that is taken away by the multiple nods for Nickelback, Linkin Park, and Bon Jovi.

A good chunk of the nominees (theres like a million categories) after the jump.

RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Irreplaceable," Beyonce
"The Pretender," Foo Fighters
"Umbrella," Rihanna, featuring Jay-Z
"What Goes Around Comes Around," Justin Timberlake
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
"Echo, Silence, Patience and Grace," Foo Fighters
"These Days," Vince Gill
"River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock
"Graduation," Kanye West
"Back to Black," Amy Winehouse

BEST NEW ARTIST
Feist
Ledesi
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Amy Winehouse

SONG OF THE YEAR
"Before He Cheats" (Carrie Underwood)
Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters
"Hey There Delilah" (Plain White T's)
Tom Higgenson, songwriter
"Like a Star" (Corrine Bailey Rae)
Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter
"Rehab" (Amy Winehouse)
Amy Winehouse, songwriter
"Umbrella" (Rihanna)
Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius "Dream" Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters

BEST FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Candyman," Christina Aguilera
"1234," Feist
"Big Girls Don't Cry," Fergie
"Say It Right," Nelly Furtado
"Rehab," Amy Winehouse

BEST MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Everything," Michael Bublé
"Belief," John Mayer
"Dance Tonight," Paul McCartney
"Amazing," Seal
"What Goes Around...Comes Around," Justin Timberlake

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
"(You Want To) Make A Memory," Bon Jovi
"Home," Daughtry
"Makes Me Wonder," Maroon 5
"Hey There Delilah," Plain White T's
"Window In The Skies," U2

BEST POP COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Steppin' Out," Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
"Beautiful Liar," Beyoncé & Shakira
"Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)," Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
"The Sweet Escape," Gwen Stefani & Akon
"Give It To Me," Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Off The Grid," Beastie Boys
"Paris Sunrise #7" Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
"Over The Rainbow," Dave Koz
"One Week Last Summer," Joni Mitchell
"Simple Pleasures," Spyro Gyra

BEST POP INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM
"The Mix-Up," Beastie Boys
"Italia," Chris Botti
"At The Movies," Dave Koz
"Good To Go-Go," Spyro Gyra
"Roundtrip," Kirk Whalum

BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM
"Lost Highway," Bon Jovi
"The Reminder," Feist
"It Won't Be Soon Before Long," Maroon 5
"Memory Almost Full," Paul McCartney
"Back To Black," Amy Winehouse

BEST DANCE RECORDING
"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

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM
"We Are The Night," The Chemical Brothers
"†," Justice
"Sound Of Silver," LCD Soundsystem
"We Are Pilots," Shiny Toy Guns
"Elements Of Life," Tiësto

BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM
"Call Me Irresponsible" Michael Bublé
"Cool Yule," Bette Midler
"Trav'lin' Light," Queen Latifah
"Live In Concert 2006," Barbra Streisand
"James Taylor At Christmas," James Taylor

BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Timebomb," Beck
"Only Mama Knows," Paul McCartney
"Our Country," John Mellencamp
"Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen
"Come On," Lucinda Williams

BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
"It's Not Over," Daughtry
"Working Class Hero," Green Day
"If Everyone Cared," Nickelback
"Instant Karma," U2
"Icky Thump," The White Stripes

BEST HARD ROCK PERFORMANCE
"Sweet Sacrifice," Evanescence
"The Pretender," Foo Fighters
"I Don't Wanna Stop," Ozzy Osbourne
"Sick, Sick, Sick," Queens Of The Stone Age
"The Pot," Tool

BEST METAL PERFORMANCE
"Nothing Left," As I Lay Dying
"Never Ending Hill," King Diamond
"Aesthetics Of Hate," Machine Head
"Redemption," Shadows Fall
"Final Six," Slayer

BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"The Ecstasy Of Gold," Metallica
"Malignant Narcissism," Rush
"Always With Me, Always With You," Joe Satriani
"Once Upon A Time In The West," Bruce Springsteen
"The Attitude Song," Steve Vai

BEST ROCK SONG
"Come On," Lucinda Williams, songwriter (Lucinda Williams)
"Icky Thump," Jack White, songwriter (The White Stripes)
"It's Not Over," Chris Daughtry, Gregg Wattenberg, Mark Wilkerson & Brett Young, songwriters (Daughtry)
"The Pretender," Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel & Chris Shiflett, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
"Radio Nowhere," Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)

BEST ROCK ALBUM
"Daughtry," Daughtry
"Revival," John Fogerty
"Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace," Foo Fighters
"Magic," Bruce Springsteen
"Sky Blue Sky," Wilco

BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM
"Alright, Still," Lily Allen
"Neon Bible," Arcade Fire
"Volta," Bjork
"Wincing the Night Away," The Shins
"Icky Thump," The White Stripes

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Just Fine," Mary J. Blige
"When I See You," Fantasia
"No One," Alicia Keys
"If I Have My Way," Chrisette Michele
"Hate On Me," Jill Scott

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Woman," Raheem DeVaughn
"B.U.D.D.Y.," Musiq Soulchild
"Because Of You," Ne-Yo
"Future Baby Mama," Prince
"Please Don't Go," Tank

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
"Same Girl," R. Kelly Featuring Usher
"Disrespectful," Chaka Khan Featuring Mary J. Blige
"Hate That I Love You," Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo
"Baby," Angie Stone Featuring Betty Wright
"Bartender," T-Pain Featuring Akon

BEST TRADITIONAL R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Walk A Mile In My Shoes," Otis Clay
"All Night Long," Randy Crawford & Joe Sample
"In My Songs," Gerald Levert
"I Apologize," Ann Nesby
"I Am Your Man," Ryan Shaw

BEST URBAN/ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE
"Make A Baby," Vikter Duplaix
"That's The Way Of The World," Dwele
"Daydreamin'," Lupe Fiasco Featuring Jill Scott
"Fantasy," Meshell Ndegeocello
"Dream," Alice Smith

BEST R&B SONG
"Beautiful Flower" (India.Arie)<
India.Arie & Joyce Simpson, songwriters
"Hate That I Love You" (Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo)
M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters
"No One" (Alicia Keys)
Dirty Harry, Kerry Brothers & Alicia Keys, songwriters
"Teachme" (Musiq Soulchild)
Ivan Barias, Adam W. Blackstone, Randall C. Bowland, Carvin Haggins, Johnnie Smith II & Corey Latif Williams, songwriters
"When I See U" (Fantasia)
Louis Biancaniello, Waynne Nugent, Erika Nuri, Kevin Risto, Janet Sewel & Sam Watters, songwriters

BEST R&B ALBUM
"Funk This," Chaka Khan
"Lost & Found," Ledisi
"Luvanmusiq," Musiq Soulchild
"The Real Thing," Jill Scott
"Sex, Love & Pain," Tank

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
"Konvicted," Akon
"Just Like You," Keyshia Cole
"Fantasia," Fantasia
"East Side Story," Emily King
"Because Of You," Ne-Yo

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
"The People," Common
"I Get Money," 50 Cent
"Show Me What You Got," Jay-Z
"Big Things Poppin' (Do It)," T.I.
"Stronger," Kanye West

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
"Southside," Common Featuring Kanye West
"Make It Rain," Fat Joe Featuring Lil Wayne
"Party Like A Rockstar," Shop Boyz
"Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)," UGK Featuring OutKast
"Better Than I've Ever Been" Kanye West, Nas & KRS-One

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
"I Wanna Love You," Akon Featuring Snoop Dogg
"Kiss, Kiss," Chris Brown & T-Pain
"Let It Go," Keyshia Cole Featuring Missy Elliott & Lil' Kim
"Umbrella," Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
"Good Life," Kanye West Featuring T-Pain

BEST RAP SONG
"Ayo Technology," (50 Cent Featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
Nate (Danja) Hills, Curtis Jackson, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters
"Big Things Poppin' (Do It)," (T.I.)
Clifford Harris & Byron Thomas, songwriters
"Can't Tell Me Nothing," (Kanye West)
A. Davis & Kanye West, songwriters
"Crank That (Soulja Boy)," (Soulja Boy Tell'Em)
Soulja Boy Tell'Em, songwriter
"Good Life," (Kanye West Featuring T-Pain)
A. Davis, F. Najm & K. West, songwriters (J. Ingram & Q. Jones, songwriters)

BEST RAP ALBUM
"Finding Forever," Common
"Kingdom Come," Jay-Z
"Hip Hop Is Dead," Nas
"T.I. vs T.I.P.," T.I.
"Graduation," Kanye West

BEST FEMALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"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

BEST MALE COUNTRY VOCAL PERFORMANCE
"Long Trip Alone," Dierks Bentley
"A Woman's Love," Alan Jackson
"If You're Reading This," Tim McGraw
"Give It Away," George Strait
"Stupid Boy," Keith Urban

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
"Proud Of The House We Built" Brooks & Dunn
"How Long," Eagles
"Moments," Emerson Drive
"Lucky Man," Montgomery Gentry
"Sweet Memories," The Time Jumpers

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
"Days Aren't Long Enough," Steve Earle & Allison Moorer
"Because Of You," Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson
"I Need You," Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
"Lost Highway," Willie Nelson & Ray Price
"Oh Love," Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood

BEST COUNTRY INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
"Little Monk," Russ Barenberg
"Mucky The Duck," The Greencards
"Throttleneck," Brad Paisley
"Rawhide!," Andy Statman
"Fidoodlin'," The Time Jumpers

BEST COUNTRY SONG
"Before He Cheats," (Carrie Underwood) Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters
"Give It Away," (George Strait) Anderson, Buddy Cannon & Jamey Johnson, songwriters
"I Need You," (Tim McGraw & Faith Hill) Tony Lane & David Lee, songwriters
"If You're Reading This," (Tim McGraw) Tim McGraw, Brad Warren & Brett Warren, songwriters
"Long Trip Alone," (Dierks Bentley) Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley & Steve Bogard, songwriters

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
"Long Trip Alone," Dierks Bentley
"These Days," Vince Gill
"Let It Go," Tim McGraw
"5th Gear," Brad Paisley
"It Just Comes Natural," George Strait

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM
"Cherryholmes II Black And White," Cherryholmes
"Lefty's Old Guitar," J. D. Crowe & The New South
"The Bluegrass Diaries," Jim Lauderdale
"Scenechronized," Seldom Scene
"Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular," Tony Trischka