2007 Red Carpet Confidential
The hottest stars, biggest parties and freshest looks of this year's awards season
Pix & Vids
PEOPLE Critics (9 entries)
Academy Awards, PEOPLE Critics
5 Oscar Movies You Might Not Have Seen (But Should)
Need a cure for the winter movie blahs after such sorry recent releases as Norbit, Because I Said So and Smokin' Aces?
PEOPLE movie critic Leah Rozen has some Oscar-nominated solutions, with five worthy selections (including Children of Men, right) – each boasting at least one nomination. ...
Watch Tonight's Show: The One Time the Police Should Raid Your Living Room
Who really cares about the awards? The Grammys are all about the performances. Here are five reasons our music critic Chuck Arnold says not to take a bathroom break when the show airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on CBS:
1. The Police. Do not miss the beginning because the Police are reuniting – after more than 20 long years for Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers – to open the show. This is a must-see moment in rock history.
2. John Legend, John Mayer and Corinne Bailey Rae. These three talented twentysomething singer-songwriters – up for 11 Grammys between them – will take the stage together in what is sure to be a memorable mash-up.
3. Justin Timberlake. Pop's man of the moment will get his sexy on not once but twice this year: He'll perform solo and with the winner of the My Grammy Moment contest for unsigned singers.
4. Mary J. Blige. She's been the showstopper twice before: in 2002 when she sang "No More Drama" and last year when she rocked "One" with U2. Wouldn't bet against her bringing down the house again ...
5. Gnarls Barkley. They've dressed up as characters from movies like Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz, so already we know theirs will be the Grammy get-ups worth really checking out.
Chuck's Daily Pick: Best Country Album
PEOPLE music critic Chuck Arnold counts down to Sunday's Grammy Awards, category by category.
WILL WIN: Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way
SHOULD WIN: Dixie Chicks, Taking the Long Way
The fact that Rascal Flatts sold more albums than any other country act in 2006 didn't nab them a nomination for Me and My Gang. Nor did Carrie Underwood, the new darling of Nashville, get the nod for her kazillion-selling smash Some Hearts. But hey, this is supposed to be about quality, not quantity, right? The biggest surprise here is Little Big Town getting tapped for The Road to Here, but their road to Grammy ends with the nomination. Three male solo artists – Alan Jackson (up for Like Red on a Rose ), Willie Nelson (You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker) and Josh Turner (Your Man) – are likely to split the good-ol'-boy vote. This paves the way for the Dixie Chicks, who, having refused to make nice with the country establishment, will be embraced by the liberal types in the Academy. It also helps that they made the best album of the bunch.
Watch Them: Click here to watch the Dixie Chicks performing live at Sessions@AOL Music!
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Chuck's Daily Pick: Best Rock Song
PEOPLE music critic Chuck Arnold counts down to Sunday's Grammy Awards, category by category.
WILL WIN: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Dani California"
SHOULD WIN: The Killers, "When You Were Young"
This category boasts a pretty rocking set of songs with a little something for everyone. Neil Young (up for "Lookin' for a Leader") and Bob Dylan ("Someday Baby") represent the old school, while Snow Patrol ("Chasing Cars") and The Killers represent the new one. Then you have the Chili Peppers, who – eternally cool dudes that they are – fall somewhere in between. My hunch is that Young and Dylan will split the geezer vote, while Snow Patrol and the Killers will split the hipster vote. That will open the door for the Chili Peppers, who, with six nominations, seem ripe for their big Grammy moment this year. Even though "When You Were Young," which rides on the tailpipe of Springsteen's "Born to Run," is the most killer song of the bunch.
Watch Them: Click here to watch The Killers performing live at Sessions@AOL Music!
Chuck's Daily Pick: Best Electronic/Dance Album
PEOPLE music critic Chuck Arnold counts down to Sunday's Grammy Awards, category by category.
WILL WIN: Madonna, Confessions on a Dance Floor
SHOULD WIN: Madonna, Confessions on a Dance Floor
This category is as notable for what didn't get nominated as for what did. I mean, they must have been crazy to overlook Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere! (Instead, it's up for best alternative music album, which makes far less sense.) And where the heck is Justin Timberlake? Come on now – there was no better electronic/dance album last year than FutureSex/LoveSounds. Those two glaring omissions left room for Pet Shop Boys to get nominated for Fundamental, but these '80s synth-popsters are not about to win their first Grammy now. Paul Oakenfold (up for A Lively Mind), Zero 7 (The Garden) and Goldfrapp (Supernature) are all genre faves, but none of those acts stands a chance of dancing with Grammy come Sunday night. Not when the Material Girl is back to doing what she does best: burning up the dance floor.
Watch it: Click here to watch a live video of Madonna performing 'Hung Up' from Confessions on a Dance Floor on AOL Music!
Chuck's Daily Pick: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
PEOPLE music critic Chuck Arnold counts down to Sunday's Grammy Awards, category by category.
WILL WIN: Justin Timberlake featuring T.I., "My Love"
SHOULD WIN: Justin Timberlake featuring T.I., "My Love"
If there were an award for clunkiest category name, this would win hands-down. Fortunately, these collaborations are smoother than that. Eminem – who needs to get back to the business of making solo albums already – appears on two of the nominated songs, "Smack That" with Akon and the similarly titled "Shake That" with Nate Dogg. (What, no "Squeeze That"?) Also up is "Unpredictable" by Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris, but that track was about as predictable as contemporary R&B gets.That leaves us with two worthy contenders in "Déjà Vu" by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z and "My Love." In any other year, this prize goes to Beyoncé and her boo for almost matching "Crazy in Love." But JT and T.I. will and should win this award for uniting one nation under a funky, futuristic groove.
HEAR IT: Click here to listen to Justin Timberlake's Future Sex/Love Sounds album on AOL Music!
Earlier: Why Keane Should Win
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Chuck's Daily Pick: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
PEOPLE music critic Chuck Arnold counts down to Sunday's Grammy Awards, category by category.
WILL WIN: Mary J. Blige
SHOULD WIN: Mary J. Blige
HERE'S WHY: Mariah Carey had her Grammy moment last year, and Beyoncéis up for the wrong song (the smash "Irreplaceable" won't be eligible until next year). That leaves Mary J. Blige, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, to rule here (Natalie Cole and India.Arie are also up). It's amazing that she's only won once before in this category, and not even for "No More Drama." (Now come on, folks, really!) Judging by her Grammy-leading eight nominations, the Academy will be sure to reward her with some long-overdue props this year. Her performance of "Be Without You" is classic Blige, equal parts passion and preaching. By the end of it, was there anyone who wasn't putting their hands up for Miss Mary?
WATCH IT: Click here to see "Be Without You" on AOL Music.
Academy Awards, PEOPLE Critics
Best & Worst of the Oscar Noms
PEOPLE movie critic Jason Lynch reports in on the triumphs and head-scratchers that were the Oscar nominations:
BIGGEST MISSED-CHANCE FOR FUN: Especially on the heels of his uproarious Golden Globes speech, I was hoping against hope that Sacha Baron Cohen would sneak into the Best Actor category for Borat.
WORST SNUBS: No, I'm not talking about Dreamgirls (although those lavish, glitzy musicals are usually like crack to Oscar voters). The three best films of the year ...
Top 5 Reasons to Watch the Globes
Not long ago, the Golden Globes were little more than a pit stop to the Academy Awards. Now, it's one of PEOPLE movie critic Jason Lynch's favorite award shows – so much so he'll be live blogging it for us starting at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 15. Here's why:
5. Bizarre Acceptance Speeches: Jack Nicholson once "talked" out of his rear (pulling an "Ace Ventura" in honor of co-nominee Jim Carrey) ...
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