Opinion: Grammys 2015: another year all the same

Mike Richards is a senior English major and a columnist for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].

Mike Richards

The hills, they’re alive with the sound of music.

With songs they have sung (for what feels like) thousands of years.

The hills, they fill my heart with the sound of music (or some other profound feeling, something with fire).

My heart, it wants to sing every song it hears (or because it’s all I hear and can remember).

The Grammys happened. That’s about it. People were nominated though we despise the tortured repetition of their songs being overplayed. People won awards that they thought would win awards — save for Beck, which I’ll get back to. Sam Smith killed it with four awards — and good for him, I enjoyed that album. Kanye made his presence known with two spectacular performances. Paul McCartney was alive.

Look up a recap, that’s not what I’m here for.

Let’s talk about Beck.

What I’m going to say is that he earned that award for Album of the Year. Sorry, everyone, but it’s true.

I don’t hold a biased opinion, either, because I enjoyed every other nominee on that list. But, like years that have passed (Bon Iver, Arcade Fire), Beck will go down as that guy all the Top 40 kids hate for robbing Queen Bey, or their redheaded prince, Ed Sheeran.

There is more to making music than getting recognized by Ryan Seacrest. Beck has proven that for 20 something years. He has quite the accessible catalogue of music ranging various genres, and he has mastered them all. What this should do is open up people’s lives to some variety in what they listen to, maybe in hopes to further their musical knowledge and tastes.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I love Kanye. Yeezus. I’m a Ye’ciple.

He proceeded to storm the stage as Beck was about to accept his award, just before turning around with a grin, a sign he finally put to rest his 2009 fiasco with Taylor Swift. But, it didn’t stop there.

“Beck needs to respect artistry and he should have given his award to Beyoncé, and at this point, we tired of it…Because what happens is, when you keep on diminishing art and not respecting the craft and smacking people in the face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you’re disrespectful to inspiration and we as musicians have to inspire people who go to work every day ,” Kanye said.

I couldn’t disagree anymore with this. Here’s Beck’s response:

“I was just so excited he was coming up. He deserves to be on stage as much as anybody. How many great records has he put out in the last five years right? I thought she was going to win. Come on, she’s Beyonce! You can’t please everybody, man. I still love him and think he’s genius. I aspire to do what he does.”

The difference is being arrogant versus being humble. Beck has always been a humble, talented musician. Whether there were accolades or not, he still did what he loved, and he does it so well.

If you want to inspire people, give genuine respect to those around you and those who brought you to where you are, like Beck has. Don’t shove hatred down the mic and through everyone’s screens.

Can you hear the “music” roaring through the hills yet?

Kanye, I love you, but you’re bringing me down.