aultabulta: February 2009

Actor NAGESH DEAD

CHENNAI: A million smiles faded when comedian Nagesh died of cardiac arrest in Chennai on Saturday. He was 76.

The actor, who was not keeping good health after a fall in November last year, had a heart attack and was rushed to a private hospital in Tiruvanmiyur. He died on the way at 10.30am.

The last rites will be performed at the Besant Nagar crematorium on Sunday. Hundreds of admirers and fans, including the superstars of Tamil cinema Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth, came to his St Mary’s Road residence to pay their last respects.

Networking sites sported the sad emoticon, as citizen obituaries jammed the networks in mourning the passing away of a man who was 'laughter guaranteed'.

The Jerry Lewis of Tamil cinema - and Nagesh was a big fan of the American comedian and closely followed his style of dressing - had acted in more than 500 movies, the last one being ‘Dasavatharam’.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS 2009

Men's Singles

Rafael Nadal
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Women's Singles

Serena Williams
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Men's Doubles

Bob Bryan / Mike Bryan
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Women's Doubles

Serena Williams / Venus Williams
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Mixed Doubles

Sania Mirza / Mahesh Bhupathi
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Boys' Singles

Yuki Bhambri

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Girls' Singles
Ksenia Pervak
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Boys' Doubles
Francis Casey Alcantara / Cheng-Peng Hsieh
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Girls' Doubles
Christina McHale / Alja Tomljanovic
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Wheelchair Men's Singles
Shingo Kunieda
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Wheelchair Women's Singles
Es r Vergeer
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Wheelchair Quad Singles
Peter Norfolk
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Wheelchair Men's Doubles
Robin Ammerlaan / Japan Shingo Kunieda
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Wheelchair Women's Doubles
Korie Homan / Es r Vergeer
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Wheelchair Quad Doubles
Nick Taylor / David Wagner

WAR IN SRILANKA

THERE is only one recent case of absolute victory over terrorists: India completely crushed the Sikh Khalistan terror groups.

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - due both to grave miscalculation by the LTTE and success by the military.

The beginnings of the collapse can be traced to October 2004, when an LTTE delegation undertook a month-long tour of Europe and held meetings with senior officials in 10 European countries.

After years of pursuing a military strategy, the LTTE had come to believe the next phase towards statehood was gaining international acceptance.

And it believed direct diplomatic access in Europe had paved the way for "proto-state" status with the Western powers.

The Tigers were over-confident about their military capabilities.

By enforcing a boycott of the 2005 presidential polls in LTTE-held areas, it ensured a candidate who wanted a political solution lost.

Then Anton Balasingham, key to communications with foreign governments, died in December 2006.

The LTTE had no replacement and the diplomatic victories faded.

Meanwhile, the Tigers had blatantly disregarded the capacity of the state to mobilise militarily.

Also, they had not factored in Mr Gotabaya, elder brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse.

As Defence Secretary, he set a three-pronged strategy: Manpower

Between 2006 and 2008, the security forces expanded by 70,000 soldiers and the auxiliary civil-defence force, by 40,000 persons.

Targeting Tigers' weapons supply capability

The navy sank almost the entire shipping fleet of the LTTE: Seven large merchant vessels were destroyed in international waters.

Personal ties

Mr Gotabaya Rajapakse's ties with senior commanders of the three military services ensured effective operational coordination.

From July 2006, the military began to evict the LTTE from the areas it controlled.

It first controlled the coasts so the LTTE could not land supplies.

Innovative battlefield strategies helped, including special-forces teams operating in enemy territory to disrupt the Tigers' mobility.

Ultimately, though, the LTTE could not resist the army's advance due to ammunition shortages.

The LTTE's survival is now completely dependent on the survival of its elusive leader, Velupillai Prabakran.

Yet even if he survives, perhaps in exile, the LTTE as a conventional force has been completely annihilated. -THE ISLAND/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

NAAN KADUVUL :MOVIE REVIEW

Finally the much hyped and awaited movie released yday (Feb 6th). I was also one of the people who were eagerly waiting for this movie mainly coz of Bala. Ofcourse the terrific stills of Aarya and the Kaasi location , plus the awesome trailer increased the expectation.

Good things first...

Baala...Hats off to bala for still thinking different and bold even in this age of commercial cinema. Only he can touch the neglected chars of tamil cinema as main chars - be it a suffering mentally challenged person at yervaadi or the vettiyan of a suddukadu.

Aarya...It was Kamal who used to set bars for costumes,makeups and "living" the character. In the new age actors, it was Surya who used to mend and strain himself to do the same and he did set a new bar in his latest movie "Vaaranam Aaiyram". Now Aarya has raised the bar to a new level with his awesome performance and straining himself to live the character - ruthran , an angry saadhu in Kaasi who believes that he is the God - "Aham Bramasmi".

Pooja...Its rare to see heroines who volunteers to show them non-glamorous coz the cast mandates it. Not just non-glamorous, in this movie she even comes as visually handicapped with whitened eyes and also gone thin to live the character of a homeless needy girl.

Music...As usual the maestro rocks especially the kaasi BGMs, the intro song of aarya and the stomach swirling "udukai"

Visuals...None can show the intensity of Kaasi like the way it was portrayed in this movie.

Dialogues...Penned by Jayamohan is superb. I love one dialog by aarya which goes something like this "nerupula yedhuda nalla nerupu ketta nerupu" when he lights his cigar from a holy diya.

Movie has all the defacto baala touch - dance for yesteryear song , an abnormal hero, a girl wearing shirt, scary locations and closeups, dark comedy, a mentor for the hero etc...The movie has lot of his earlier movie impact - pithamagan.

Now the disappointing stuffs ...

From the initial hype , rumors, articles and the trailers, I was under the impression that the movie is about an angry young abandoned man in Kaasi and his phases of life.

But the movie totally deviates from this and portrays the dark side of the needy physically challenged people and how a "hero" finally saves them by killing the "villan". The "hero" is none other than our angry young man from Kaasi.

Either it should be fully about the former topic or fully about the later topic. But Baala struggles a lot to balance between these and this results in aarya character totally missing in second half and everyone wonders where is he other than coming in the "dope" smoking scenes rarely.

Baala has used real people for the cast of the needy physically challenged people and shows the pathetic life of them in a very disturbing manner. These scenes will make one have sleepless night after watching the movie.

I agree its all true and happening in our cities , but is sitting in an AC posh multiplex, eating popcorn and drinking pepsi , the right way to watch and know about their life. What are we acheiving by this ? What is going to happen to these people ? Will the producer or Baala be doing or already did something to these people out of the huge profits from this movie ? I wish they should.

Its an irony that these pity cast makes us laugh by their crude dark comedy more than our famoues comedians. Hats off to them. Even the character of the "supervisor" done by one of member of vadivelus sidekicks is simply amazing.

My only question is why a person from kaasi should come and save them and why not a local normal person ? I guess the answer is than the movie wont be a typical baala movie since it will be void of an abnormal lead cast ! This aarya character also loses its weightage coz of the monotonous scenes like sitting somewhere with fixed eyes, smoking dope and posing in weird positions (there is an even a pose where he sits like a typical calvin klien model during a fight !)

What is Baala suggesting ? That all these phy challenged needy people should die ? But one thing for sure, I will seriously think twice b4 donating money to these people coz the movie has showcased the evil "corporate" world behind these challenged but sweet people, who operates them and treats them as their slaves. May be i should just get them food or things.

Bottomline, if you are expecting aarya and kaasi for full of the movie, you will be disappointed. But it can be watched for a the bold unique baala, awesome aarya and poojas performance.

THE OSCAR GOES TO...................

81st Annual Accademy Awards

Best picture
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire"

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Director
WINNER: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"

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Actor
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
WINNER: Sean Penn, "Milk"
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

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Actress
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
WINNER: Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

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Supporting actor
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
WINNER: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"

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Supporting actress
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
WINNER: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"

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Animated feature
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
WINNER: "WALL-E"

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Adapted screenplay
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," screenplay by Eric Roth, screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
"Doubt," written by John Patrick Shanley
"Frost/Nixon," screenplay by Peter Morgan
"The Reader," screenplay by David Hare
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire," screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

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Original screenplay
"Frozen River," written by Courtney Hunt
"Happy-Go-Lucky," written by Mike Leigh
"In Bruges," written by Martin McDonagh
WINNER: "Milk," written by Dustin Lance Black
"WALL-E," screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon

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Art direction
"Changeling," James J. Murakami; set decoration: Gary Fettis
WINNER: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Donald Graham Burt; set decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
"The Dark Knight," Nathan Crowley; set decoration: Peter Lando
"The Duchess," Michael Carlin; set decoration: Rebecca Alleway
"Revolutionary Road," Kristi Zea; set decoration: Debra Schutt

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Cinematography
"Changeling," Tom Stern
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Claudio Miranda
"The Dark Knight," Wally Pfister
"The Reader," Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire," Anthony Dod Mantle

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Costume design
"Australia," Catherine Martin
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Jacqueline West
WINNER: "The Duchess," Michael O'Connor
"Milk," Danny Glicker
"Revolutionary Road," Albert Wolsky

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Documentary feature
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
WINNER: "Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"

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Documentary short
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
WINNER: "Smile Pinki"
"The Witness -- From the Balcony of Room 306"

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Film editing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight," Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon," Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"Milk," Elliot Graham
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire," Chris Dickens

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Foreign language film
"The Baader Meinhof Complex," Germany
"The Class," France
WINNER: "Departures," Japan
"Revanche," Austria
"Waltz with Bashir," Israel

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Makeup
WINNER: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Greg Cannom
"The Dark Knight," John Caglione Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army," Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

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Original score
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance," James Newton Howard
"Milk," Danny Elfman
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E," Thomas Newman

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Original Movie Song Source

"WALL-E," music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, lyrics by Peter Gabriel
WINNER: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," music by A.R. Rahman, lyrics by Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire," music and lyrics by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam

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Animated short
WINNER: "La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory -- Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"

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Live-action short
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
WINNER: "Spielzeugland"

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Sound editing
WINNER: "The Dark Knight," Richard King
"Iron Man," Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
"Slumdog Millionaire," Glenn Freemantle and Tom Sayers
"WALL-E," Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
"Wanted," Wylie Stateman

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Sound mixing
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
"The Dark Knight," Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
WINNER: "Slumdog Millionaire," Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
"WALL-E," Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
"Wanted," Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

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Visual effects
WINNER: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
"The Dark Knight," Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
"Iron Man," John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Slumdog Millionaire got 8 Oscar

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Slumdog Millionaire, a joyous story of enduring love and unexpected riches among the lower castes of India, took home the Oscar for best picture at last night's 81st annual Academy Awards, capping an unlikely awards season for a movie that barely got released in this country.

The movie, which was picked up at the last minute by Fox Searchlight Pictures, dominated the awards, winning eight of the nine categories in which it was nominated (its only loss came in the sound editing category). In addition to best picture, the movie's awards included best director for Danny Boyle, best adapted screenplay, best original score and best original song for "Jai Ho."

On her sixth try, Kate Winslet finally won her Oscar, taking home the best actress prize for the Holocaust drama The Reader. And Sean Penn took home his second best actor Oscar, for playing gay-rights icon Harvey Milk in Milk. Although Mickey Rourke may have been the sentimental favorite, for his surprising comeback performance in The Wrestler, Penn's performance proved too strong and charismatic for Oscar voters to resist.

"You commie, homo-loving sons of guns," Penn said as he accepted the Oscar. He also paid tribute to his prime competitor, saying, "Mickey Rourke rises again, and he is my brother."

Earlier in the evening, Heath Ledger and Penelope Cruz made history in taking the awards for best supporting actor and actress.

Ledger, who was perhaps the evening's most prohibitive favorite, won only the second acting Oscar ever given posthumously. Cruz's win represented the first for a Spanish actress.

Although a leaner Oscar telecast had been promised, chances for that looked slim from the beginning. The evening's emotional high point came midway through with the best supporting actor win for Ledger, whose mesmerizing turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight became an unexpected epitaph after he died at age 28 of an accidental drug overdose 13 months ago. His parents, Sally Bell and Kim Ledger, and his sister Kate Ledger accepted his Oscar. Both father and sister were near tears as they spoke from the Kodak Theatre stage.

"We proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda," Kate Ledger said, referring to Ledger's 3-year-old daughter with actress Michelle Williams.

Peter Finch won the first posthumous acting Oscar 32 years ago, earning the best actor nod for 1976's Network.

The expected Oscar showdown between Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button played out through the early evening; at the two-hour mark, each film had won three Oscars. But other films got to enjoy the spotlight as well.

Dustin Lance Black, who won the original screenplay Oscar for the biopic Milk, talked backstage of how much comfort and inspiration he took from Milk.

"Harvey gave me his story, and it saved my life," Black said. "I felt it was time to pass it on."

For the second straight year, a movie from Pixar studios won the animated feature Oscar. The winner last night was WALL-E, the adventure of an anthropomorphic trash compactor left behind as the last occupant of an ecologically devastated Earth with only a cockroach and a VHS of the movie Hello, Dolly! to keep him company.

Director Andrew Stanton, an earlier animated feature Oscar winner for 2004's Finding Nemo, thanked his high-school drama teacher for casting him as Barnaby in a production of Hello, Dolly! "Creative seeds are sewn in the oddest of places," he deadpanned.

This also proved to be a good year at the Oscars for Japan, as films from that country won for foreign language film (director Yojiro Takita's Departures) and animated short (director Kunio Kato's La Maison en Petits Cubes).

The evening's first Oscar, for best supporting actress, was presented by a team of five previous winners in that category: Eva Marie Saint, Goldie Hawn, Whoopi Goldberg, Anjelica Huston and Tilda Swinton. Each nominee was afforded a short vocal tribute. And the winner Cruz, for Woody Allen's passionate romantic comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona, began her remarks by promising to go over the time allotted for an acceptance speech.

"I'm not going to be 45 seconds, I can promise you that," she said.

The team presentation, however, was a big hit with her.

"It was amazing to see all those women up there," Cruz said backstage, "women that I admire so much."

Even before last night's ceremony, Slumdog Millionaire was the talk of the town. A group of youngsters who acted in the film, all amateurs found on location in Mumbai, were brought to Hollywood, at least in part to answer charges that they had been exploited and underpaid by the filmmakers. The kids proved the hit of the red carpet.

Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, who won the adapted screenplay Oscar for Slumdog, praised the young actors backstage.

"It's wonderful being 9," he said. "You don't have stress or tension. They're just having fun."

Other Oscars went to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (visual effects, art direction, makeup), Slumdog Millionaire (cinematography, sound mixing, film editing), The Duchess (costume design) and The Dark Knight (sound editing).

The feature-length documentary Oscar went to James Marsh and Simon Chinn's Man on Wire, the story of French tightrope walker Philippe Petit's 1974 walk between the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York.

A.R.RAHMAN WIN golden 2 Oscars

It was great seeing all the Indian actors having their step over the RED carpet at the 81st Academy Awards.

As the show started the movie Slumdog Millionaire started to count its Oscar Awards.

There was a great excitement and expectations among everyone in the show, as they were curious to know who all would receive the Oscar award.

Especially all the Indian were excited to know the result of how many awards would Slumdog Movie and A.R.Rehman would get.

Slumdog with 10 nominations along with Rehman’s 3 nominations, everyone made their own prayers to win all the 10 awards.

With all those prayers and wishes Slumdog Millionaire movie received 8 Oscar Award with 2 for A.R.Rehman.

It was a great pleasure for India having the great Music Maestro A.R.Rehman bagging 2 Oscars for being the best Indian Music Maestro and for his own composition of Jai Ho song for the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Hats off A.R.R

Grammy Awards
Winners are in bold.

General field

Record of the Year

* "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
o Eg White, producer; Tom Elmhirst & Steve Price, engineers/mixers
* "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
o Markus Dravs, Brian Eno & Rik Simpson, producers; Michael Brauer & Rik Simpson, engineers/mixers
* "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis
o Ryan Tedder & Jesse McCartney, producer; Craig Durrance, Phil Tan & Ryan Tedder, engineers/mixers
* "Paper Planes" – M.I.A.
o Diplo, producer; Switch, engineer/mixer
* "Please Read the Letter" – Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
o T Bone Burnett, producer; Mike Piersante, engineer/mixer

Song of the Year

* "American Boy" – Estelle featuring Kanye West
o Estelle, Keith Harris, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, Kweli Washington, Kanye West & will.i.am, songwriters
* "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
o Adele & Eg White, songwriters
* "I'm Yours" – Jason Mraz
o Jason Mraz, songwriter
* "Love Song" - Sara Bareilles
o Sara Bareilles, songwriter
* "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
o Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, songwriters

Album of the Year

* Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay
* Tha Carter III - Lil Wayne
* Year of the Gentleman - Ne-Yo
* Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
* In Rainbows - Radiohead

Best New Artist

* Adele
* Duffy
* Jonas Brothers
* Lady Antebellum
* Jazmine Sullivan

Pop field

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

* "Chasing Pavements" – Adele
* "Love Song" - Sara Bareilles
* "Mercy" – Duffy
* "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis
* "I Kissed a Girl" – Katy Perry
* "So What" – Pink

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

* "All Summer Long" – Kid Rock
* "Say" – John Mayer
* "That Was Me" – Paul McCartney
* "I'm Yours" – Jason Mraz
* "Closer" – Ne-Yo
* "Wichita Lineman" – James Taylor

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

* "Viva la Vida" – Coldplay
* "Waiting in the Weeds" – Eagles
* "Going On" – Gnarls Barkley
* "Won't Go Home Without You" – Maroon 5
* "Apologize" – OneRepublic

Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals

* "Lesson Learned" – Alicia Keys featuring John Mayer
* "4 Minutes" – Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
* "Rich Woman" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
* "If I Never See Your Face Again" – Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna
* "No Air" – Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown

Best Pop Instrumental Performance

* "Love Appetite" – Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere
* "I Dreamed There Was No War" – Eagles
* "Fortune Teller" – Fourplay
* "Steppin' Out" – Stanley Jordan
* "Blast!" – Marcus Miller

Best Pop Instrumental Album

* Sax for Stax – Gerald Albright
* Greatest Hits Rerecorded Volume One – Larry Carlton
* Jingle All the Way – Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
* The Spice of Life – Earl Klugh
* A Night Before Christmas – Spyro Gyra

Best Pop Vocal Album

* Detours – Sheryl Crow
* Rockferry – Duffy
* Long Road Out of Eden – Eagles
* Spirit – Leona Lewis
* Covers – James Taylor

Dance field

Best Dance Recording

* "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" (Alive 2007 version) – Daft Punk
o Daft Punk, producers/mixers
* "Ready for the Floor" – Hot Chip
o Hot Chip, producers; Dan Carey, mixer
* "Just Dance" – Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis
o RedOne, producer; Robert Orton, mixer
* "Give It 2 Me" – Madonna
o Madonna & The Neptunes, producers; Andrew Coleman & Spike Stent, mixers
* "Disturbia" – Rihanna
o Brian Kennedy, producer; Phil Tan, mixer
* "Black and Gold" – Sam Sparro
o Jesse Rogg & Sam Sparro, producers; Jeremy Wheatley, mixer

Best Electronic/Dance Album

* New York City – Brazilian Girls
* Alive 2007 – Daft Punk
* Bring Ya to the Brink – Cyndi Lauper
* X – Kylie Minogue
* Last Night – Moby
* Robyn – Robyn

Traditional Pop field

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

* Still Unforgettable – Natalie Cole
* The Sinatra Project – Michael Feinstein
* Noël – Josh Groban
* In the Swing of Christmas – Barry Manilow
* Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall – Rufus Wainwright

Rock field

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance

* "Gravity" – John Mayer
* "I Saw Her Standing There" – Paul McCartney
* "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" – Bruce Springsteen
* "Rise" – Eddie Vedder
* "No Hidden Path" – Neil Young

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

* "Rock N Roll Train" – AC/DC
* "Violet Hill" – Coldplay
* "Long Road out of Eden" – Eagles
* "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon
* "House of Cards" – Radiohead

Best Hard Rock Performance

* "Inside the Fire" – Disturbed
* "Visions" – Judas Priest
* "Wax Simulacra" – The Mars Volta
* "Saints of Los Angeles" – Mötley Crüe
* "Lords of Salem" – Rob Zombie

Best Metal Performance

* "Heroes of Our Time" – DragonForce
* "Nostradamus" – Judas Priest
* "My Apocalypse" - Metallica
* "Under My Thumb" – Ministry
* "Psychosocial" – Slipknot

Best Rock Instrumental Performance

* "Castellorizon" – David Gilmour
* "Suicide & Redemption" – Metallica
* "34 Ghosts IV"[3] – Nine Inch Nails
* "Hope" – Rush
* "Peaches En Regalia" – Zappa Plays Zappa

Best Rock Song

* "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" – Bruce Springsteen
o Bruce Springsteen, songwriter
* "House of Cards" – Radiohead
o Radiohead, songwriters
* "I Will Possess Your Heart" – Death Cab for Cutie
o Death Cab for Cutie, songwriters
* "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon
o Kings of Leon, songwriters
* "Violet Hill" – Coldplay
o Coldplay, songwriters

Best Rock Album

* Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay
* Rock N Roll Jesus – Kid Rock
* Only by the Night – Kings of Leon
* Death Magnetic – Metallica
* Consolers of the Lonely – The Raconteurs

Alternative field

Best Alternative Music Album

* Modern Guilt – Beck
* Narrow Stairs – Death Cab for Cutie
* The Odd Couple – Gnarls Barkley
* Evil Urges – My Morning Jacket
* In Rainbows – Radiohead

R&B field

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

* "Me, Myself, and I" – Beyoncé Knowles
* "Heaven Sent" – Keyshia Cole
* "Spotlight" – Jennifer Hudson
* "Superwoman" – Alicia Keys
* "Need U Bad" – Jazmine Sullivan

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance

* "You're the Only One" – Eric Benét
* "Take You Down" – Chris Brown
* "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo
* "Can't Help But Wait" – Trey Songz
* "Here I Stand" – Usher

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

* "Ribbon in the Sky" – Boyz II Men
* "Words" – Anthony David featuring India.Arie
* "Stay with Me (By the Sea)" – Al Green featuring John Legend
* "I'm His Only Woman" – Jennifer Hudson featuring Fantasia
* "Never Give You Up" – Raphael Saadiq featuring Stevie Wonder & CJ Hilton

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance

* "A Change Is Gonna Come" – Wayne Brady
* "You've Got the Love I Need" – Al Green featuring Anthony Hamilton
* "Baby I Know" – (Linda Jones) with Helen Bruner & Terry Jones
* "Love That Girl" – Raphael Saadiq
* "In Love with Another Man" – Jazmine Sullivan

Best Urban/Alternative Performance

* "Say Goodbye to Love" – Kenna
* "Wanna Be" – Maiysha
* "Be OK" – Chrisette Michele featuring will.i.am
* "Many Moons" – Janelle Monáe
* "Lovin You (Music)" – Wayna featuring Kokayi

Best R&B Song

* "Bust Your Windows" – Jazmine Sullivan
o Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan, songwriters (Deandre Way, songwriter)
* "Customer" – Raheem DeVaughn
o Carvin & Ivan, Raheem DeVaughn, K. Oliver & J. Smith, songwriters
* "Heaven Sent" – Keyshia Cole
o Keyshia Cole, Jason Farmer & Alex Francis, songwriters
* "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo
o Ne-Yo & StarGate, songwriters
* "Spotlight" – Jennifer Hudson
o Ne-Yo & StarGate, songwriters

Best R&B Album

* Love & Life – Eric Benét
* Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA – Boyz II Men
* Lay It Down – Al Green
* Jennifer Hudson – Jennifer Hudson
* The Way I See It – Raphael Saadiq

Best Contemporary R&B Album

* Growing Pains – Mary J. Blige
* Back of My Lac' – J. Holiday
* First Love – Karina
* Year of the Gentleman – Ne-Yo
* Fearless – Jazmine Sullivan

Rap/Hip-Hop field

Best Rap Solo Performance

* "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." – Jay-Z
* "A Milli" – Lil Wayne
* "Paris, Tokyo" – Lupe Fiasco
* "N.I.G.G.E.R. (The Slave and the Master)" – Nas
* "Sexual Eruption" – Snoop Dogg

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group

* "Royal Flush" – Big Boi featuring André 3000 & Raekwon
* "Swagga Like Us" – Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
* "Mr. Carter" – Lil Wayne featuring Jay-Z
* "Wish You Would" – Ludacris featuring T.I.
* ""Put On" – Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

* "American Boy" – Estelle featuring Kanye West
* "Low" – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
* "Green Light" – John Legend featuring Andre 3000
* "Got Money" – Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain
* "Superstar" – Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos

Best Rap Song

* "Lollipop" – Lil Wayne featuring Static Major
o D. Harrison, Lil Wayne, J. Scheffer, Static Major & R. Zamor, songwriters
* "Low" – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
o Flo Rida, M. Humphrey & T-Pain, songwriters
* "Sexual Eruption" – Snoop Dogg
o S. Lovejoy, Snoop Dogg & Shawty Redd, songwriters
* "Superstar" – Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos
o Lupe Fiasco & Soundtrakk, songwriters
* "Swagga Like Us" – T.I. & Jay-Z featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne
o T.I., Lil Wayne, Jay-Z & Kanye West, songwriters (Diplo, Topper Headon, Mick Jones, M.I.A., Paul Simonon & Joe Strummer, songwriters)

Best Rap Album

* American Gangster – Jay-Z
* Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne
* Lupe Fiasco's The Cool - Lupe Fiasco
* Untitled Nas album - Nas
* Paper Trail – T.I.

Country field

Best Female Country Vocal Performance

* "For These Times" – Martina McBride
* "What I Cannot Change" – LeAnn Rimes
* "Last Name" – Carrie Underwood
* "Last Call" – Lee Ann Womack
* "This Is Me You're Talking To" – Trisha Yearwood

Best Male Country Vocal Performance

* "You're Gonna Miss This" – Trace Adkins
* "In Color" – Jamey Johnson
* "Just Got Started Lovin' You" – James Otto
* "Letter to Me" – Brad Paisley
* "Troubadour" – George Strait

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

* "God Must Be Busy" – Brooks & Dunn
* "Love Don't Live Here" – Lady Antebellum
* "Every Day" – Rascal Flatts
* "Blue Side of the Mountain" – The SteelDrivers
* "Stay" – Sugarland

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals

* "Shiftwork" – Kenny Chesney & George Strait
* "Killing the Blues" – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
* "House of Cash" – George Strait & Patty Loveless
* "Life in a Northern Town" – Sugarland, Jake Owen & Little Big Town
* "Let the Wind Chase You" – Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban

Best Country Instrumental Performance

* "Sumatra" – Cherryholmes
* "Two Small Cars in Rome" – Jerry Douglas & Lloyd Green
* "Sleigh Ride" – Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
* "Is This America? (Katrina 2005)" – Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Jerry Douglas & Bruce Hornsby
* "Cluster Pluck" – Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert & Steve Wariner

Best Country Song

* "Dig Two Graves" – Ashley Gorley & Bob Regan, songwriters (Randy Travis)
* "I Saw God Today" – Rodney Clawson, Monty Criswell & Wade Kirby, songwriters (George Strait)
* "In Color" – Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller & James Otto, songwriters (Jamey Johnson)
* "Stay" – Jennifer Nettles, songwriter (Sugarland)
* "You're Gonna Miss This" – Ashley Gorley & Lee Thomas Miller, songwriters (Trace Adkins)

Best Country Album

* That Lonesome Song – Jamey Johnson
* Sleepless Nights – Patty Loveless
* Troubadour – George Strait
* Around the Bend – Randy Travis
* Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love – Trisha Yearwood

Best Bluegrass Album

* Cherryholmes III: Don't Believe – Cherryholmes
* Del McCoury Band — Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Del McCoury Band
* The Ultimate Collection / Live At The Ryman – Earl Scruggs with Family & Friends
* Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 And 1947 – Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
* Wheels – Dan Tyminski

New Age field

Best New Age Album

* Meditations – William Ackerman
* Pathfinder – Will Clipman
* Peace Time – Jack DeJohnette
* Ambrosia – Peter Kater
* The Scent of Light – Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra

Jazz field

Best Contemporary Jazz Album

* Randy in Brazil – Randy Brecker
* Floating Point – John McLaughlin
* Cannon Re-Loaded: All-Star Celebration Of Cannonball Adderley – Various Artists
* Miles From India – Various Artists
* Lifecycle – Yellowjackets featuring Mike Stern

Best Jazz Vocal Album

* Imagina: Songs Of Brasil – Karrin Allyson
* Breakfast On The Morning Tram – Stacey Kent
* If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything – Kate McGarry
* Loverly – Cassandra Wilson
* Distances – Norma Winstone

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo

* "Be-Bop" – Terence Blanchard (Track from: Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival)
* "Seven Steps To Heaven" – Till Brönner (Track from: The Standard (Take 6))
* "Waltz For Debby" – Gary Burton & Chick Corea (Track from: The New Crystal Silence)
* "Son of Thirteen" – Pat Metheny (Track from: Day Trip)
* "Be-Bop" – James Moody (Track from: Live At The 2007 Monterey Jazz Festival)

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group

(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of Instrumental tracks.)

* The New Crystal Silence – Chick Corea & Gary Burton
* History, Mystery – Bill Frisell
* Brad Mehldau Trio: Live – Brad Mehldau Trio
* Day Trip – Pat Metheny With Christian McBride & Antonio Sanchez
* Standards – Alan Pasqua, Dave Carpenter & Peter Erskine

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

* Appearing Nightly – Carla Bley and Her Remarkable Big Band
* Act Your Age – Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
* Symphonica – Joe Lovano With WDR Big Band & Rundfunk Orchestra
* Blauklang – Vince Mendoza
* Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard – The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Best Latin Jazz Album

* Afro Bop Alliance – Caribbean Jazz Project
* The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter – Conrad Herwig & The Latin Side Band
* Song For Chico – Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
* Nouveau Latino – Nestor Torres
* Marooned/Aislado – Papo Vázquez The Mighty Pirates

Gospel field

Best Gospel Performance

* "I Understand" – Kim Burrell, Rance Allen, BeBe Winans, Mariah Carey & Hezekiah Walker's Love Fellowship Tabernacle Church Choir
* "East to West" – Casting Crowns
* "Get Up" – Mary Mary
* "Shall We Gather at the River" – Take 6
* "Waging War" – CeCe Winans

Best Gospel Song

* "Cover Me" – 21:03 with Fred Hammond, Smokie Norful & J. Moss
o James L. Moss, songwriter
* "Get Up" – Mary Mary
o Warryn Campbell, Eric Dawkins & Mary Mary, songwriters
* "Give Me Your Eyes" – Brandon Heath
o Brandon Heath & Jason Ingram, songwriters
* "Help Me Believe" – Kirk Franklin
o Kirk Franklin, songwriter
* "You Reign" – MercyMe
o Steven Curtis Chapman & MercyMe, songwriters

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album

* Hello – After Edmund
* Our World: Redeemed – FLAME
* We Need Each Other – Sanctus Real
* Rock What You Got – Superchick
* Alive and Transported – tobyMac

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album

* This Moment – Steven Curtis Chapman
* What If We – Brandon Heath
* Opposite Way – Leeland
* Hello Love – Chris Tomlin
* Thy Kingdom Come – CeCe Winans

Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album

* Room for More – Booth Brothers
* Lovin' Life – Gaither Vocal Band
* Steps to Heaven – Charlie Louvin
* Hymned Again – Bart Millard
* Ephesians One – Karen Peck & New River

Best Traditional Gospel Album

* Down in New Orleans – The Blind Boys of Alabama
* I'll Say Yes – The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
* Take It Back – Dorinda Clark Cole
* Deitrick Haddon Presents . . . Together In Worship – Voices Of Unity
* Bishop Charles E. Blake Presents... No Limit – The West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album

* Reflections – Jason Champion
* The Fight of My Life – Kirk Franklin
* The Sound – Mary Mary
* Donald Lawrence Introduces: Family Prayer – The Murrills
* Stand Out – Tye Tribbett & G.A.

Latin field

Best Latin Pop Album

* Cara B – Jorge Drexler
* Palabras del Silencio – Luis Fonsi
* La Vida... Es un Ratico – Juanes
* Cómplices – Luis Miguel
* Tarde O Temprano – Tommy Torres

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

* Sonidos Gold – Grupo Fantasma
* 45 – Jaguares
* La Verdad – Locos por Juana
* Tijuana Sound Machine – Nortec Collective
* Mediocre – Ximena Sariñana

Best Latin Urban Album

* La Novela – Akwid
* La Sinfonia – La Sinfonía
* The Royalty/La Realeza – R.K.M. & Ken-Y
* En lo Claro – Voltio
* Los Extraterrestres – Wisin y Yandel

Best Tropical Latin Album

* Cuba: Un Viaje Musical — A Musical Journey – Albita, Rey Ruiz & Donato Poveda
* Renacer – DLG
* Señor Bachata – José Feliciano
* Frutero Moderno – Gonzalo Grau y La Clave Secreta
* Back On The Streets... Taste Of Spanish Harlem Vol. 2 – New Swing Sextet

Best Regional Mexican Album

* Amor, Dolor y Lágrimas: Música Ranchera – Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano
* Desde México: Cumbia Cusinela' – Huichol Musical
* Vámonos Pa'l Río – Los Pikadientes de Caborca
* Canciones de Amor – Mariachi Divas
* A Puro Dolor – Nadia

Best Tejano Album

* Music Lessons – Chente Barrera y Taconazo
* Friends & Legends – Joe Posada
* Viva La Revolucion – Ruben Ramos & The Mexican Revolution
* All That Jazz... – Tortilla Factory
* Heir To The Throne – Albert Zamora

Best Norteño Album

* Me Enamore de Un Angel – Los Palominos
* Raíces – Los Tigres del Norte
* Corridos: Defendiendo El Honor – Pesado
* Six Pack – Siggno
* Cuidado – Solido

Best Banda Album

* Tu Inspiracion – Alacranes Musical
* Que Bonito... ¡Es Lo Bonito! – Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga
* Vive Y Dejame Vivir – Cuisillos
* Tiro de Gracia – Lupillo Rivera
* No Es De Madera – Joan Sebastian

Blues field

Best Traditional Blues Album

* The Blues Rolls On – Elvin Bishop
* Skin Deep – Buddy Guy
* All Odds Against Me – John Lee Hooker Jr.
* One Kind Favor – B.B. King
* Pinetop Perkins & Friends – Pinetop Perkins & Friends

Best Contemporary Blues Album

* Peace, Love & BBQ – Marcia Ball
* A Fire – Solomon Burke
* City That Care Forgot – Dr. John And The Lower 911
* Maestro – Taj Mahal
* Simply Grand – Irma Thomas

Folk field

Best Traditional Folk Album

* Coal – Kathy Mattea
* Comedians & Angels – Tom Paxton
* Bring Me Home – Peggy Seeger
* At 89 – Pete Seeger
* Strangers in Another Country – Rosalie Sorrels

Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album

* Day After Tomorrow – Joan Baez
* I, Flathead – Ry Cooder
* Sex & Gasoline – Rodney Crowell
* All I Intended to Be – Emmylou Harris
* Raising Sand by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Native American Music Album

* Songs from the Black Hills – Bryan Akipa
* Spo'Mo'Kin'Nan – Black Lodge
* Red Rock – Northern Cree
* Come to Me Great Mystery: Native American Healing Songs – Various Artists (Tom Wasinger, producer)
* Faith – Kevin Yazzie

Best Hawaiian Music Album

* 'Ikena – Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho
* 'Aumakua – Amy Hanaiali'i
* Force of Nature – Led Kaapana & Mike Kaawa
* Hawaiian Slack Key Kings Masters Series Vol. II – Various Artists (Chris Lau & Milton Lau, producers)
* The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar – Various Artists (Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Dennis Kamakahi, Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers)

Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album

* Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – BeauSoleil & Michael Doucet
* From Now On – Michael Doucet
* Homage Au Passé – Pine Leaf Boys
* Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
* Cedric Watson – Cedric Watson

Reggae field

Best Reggae Album

* Jah Is Real – Burning Spear
* Let's Get Physical – Elephant Man
* Vibes – Heavy D
* Repentance – Lee Perry
* Intoxication – Shaggy
* Amazing – Sly & Robbie

World Music field

Best Traditional World Music Album

* Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey – Debashish Bhattacharya
* The Mandé Variations – Toumani Diabaté
* Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
* Dancing in the Light – Lakshmi Shankar

Best Contemporary World Music Album

* Shake Away – Lila Downs
* Banda Larga Cordel – Gilberto Gil
* Global Drum Project – Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju & Giovanni Hidalgo
* Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take) – Youssou N'Dour
* Live at the Nelson Mandela Theater – Soweto Gospel Choir

Polka field

Best Polka Album

* El Maestro del Acordeón y Sus Polkas – Paulino Bernal
* Speechless – LynnMarie & Charlie Kelley As The Boxhounds
* Back to Back Hall of Fame Polkas – Walter Ostanek & His Band, Jerry Darlak & The Touch And Bob Kravos & His Band
* Hungry for More – Polka Family Band
* Let the Whole World Sing – Jimmy Sturr and His Orchestra

Children's Music field

Best Musical Album For Children

* Beethoven's Wig 4: Dance Along Symphonies – Beethoven's Wig
* Big Round World – Trout Fishing in America
* Here Come the 123s – They Might Be Giants
* Here Comes Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could – Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could
* The Shoe Bird – Gerard Schwarz Conducting the Seattle Symphony

Best Spoken Word Album for Children

* Around the Campfire – Buck Howdy With BB
* The Big One-Oh – Dean Pitchford
* Brown Bear and Friends – Gwyneth Paltrow
* The Cricket in Times Square – Tony Shalhoub
* Yes To Running! Bill Harley Live – Bill Harley

Spoken Word field

Best Spoken Word Album

* An Inconvenient Truth – Beau Bridges, Cynthia Nixon & Blair Underwood
* Born Standing Up – Steve Martin
* I Am America (And So Can You!) – Stephen Colbert (& Various Artists)
* Life Beyond Measure – Sidney Poitier
* When You Are Engulfed in Flames – David Sedaris

Comedy field

Best Comedy Album

* Anticipation – Lewis Black
* Flight of the Conchords – Flight of the Conchords
* For Your Consideration – Kathy Griffin
* It's Bad for Ya – George Carlin
* Songs of the Bushmen – Harry Shearer

Musical Show field

Best Musical Show Album

* Gypsy – 2008 Broadway Cast with Patti LuPone & Others
o Robert Sher, producer (Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist)
* In the Heights – Original Broadway Cast with Lin-Manuel Miranda & Others
o Kurt Deutsch, Alex Lacamoire, Andrés Levin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joel Moss & Bill Sherman, producers; Lin-Manuel Miranda, composer/lyricist
* The Little Mermaid – Original Broadway Cast with Sierra Boggess, Tituss Burgess & Others
o Bruce Botnick, Michael Kosarin, Alan Menken & Chris Montan, producers; Alan Menken, composer; Glenn Slater, lyricist (Howard Ashman, lyricist)
* South Pacific – New Broadway Cast with Kelli O'Hara, Paulo Szot & Others
o David Caddick, David Lai & Ted Sperling, producers (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist)
* Young Frankenstein – Original Broadway Cast with Roger Bart, Megan Mullally, Sutton Foster & Others
o Doug Besterman, producer; Mel Brooks, composer/lyricist

Soundtrack field

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

* American Gangster
* August Rush
* Juno
* Mamma Mia!
* Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

* The Dark Knight
o James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer, composers
* Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
o John Williams, composer
* Iron Man
o Ramin Djawadi, composer
* There Will Be Blood
o Jonny Greenwood, composer
* WALL-E
o Thomas Newman, composer

Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media

* "Down to Earth" (from WALL-E) – Peter Gabriel
o Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, songwriters
* "Ever Ever After" (from Enchanted) – Carrie Underwood
o Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters
* "Say" (from The Bucket List) – John Mayer
o John Mayer, songwriter
* "That's How You Know" (from Enchanted) – Amy Adams
o Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz, songwriters
* "Walk Hard" (from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) – John C. Reilly
o Judd Apatow, Marshall Crenshaw, Jake Kasdan & John C. Reilly, songwriters

Composing / Arranging field

Best Instrumental Composition

* "The Adventures of Mutt" (from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) – John Williams
o John Williams, composer
* "Alegria" – Chick Corea & Gary Burton
o Chick Corea, composer
* "Claire's Closet" – Yellowjackets featuring Mike Stern
o Russell Ferrante, composer
* "Danzón De Etiqueta" – Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin
o Dave Grusin, composer
* "Hit The Ground Running" – Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
o Gordon Goodwin, composer

Best Instrumental Arrangement

* "Define Dancing" (from WALL-E) – Thomas Newman
o Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman, arrangers
* "Down in the Valley" – Frank Macchia featuring The Prague Orchestra
o Frank Macchia, arranger
* "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" – Joe Lovano with WDR Big Band & Rundfunk Orchestra
o Michael Abene, arranger
* "St. Louis Blues" – The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
o Bob Brookmeyer, arranger
* "Yesterdays" – Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band featuring Art Tatum
o Gordon Goodwin, arranger

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

* "Alfie" – Traincha & The Metropole Orchestra
o Vince Mendoza, arranger
* "Grace" – Take 6
o Cedric Dent, arranger
* "Here's That Rainy Day" – Natalie Cole
o Nan Schwartz, arranger
* "Johnny One Note" – John Pizzarelli
o Don Sebesky, arranger
* "Lazy Afternoon" – Danilo Perez
o Claus Ogerman, arranger

Package field

Best Recording Package

* Death Magnetic – Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffatt & David Turner, art directors (Metallica)
* Hawk Nelson...Is My Friend! – Don Clark, art director (Hawk Nelson)
* Nouns – No Age & Brian Roettinger, art directors (No Age)
* Radio Retaliation – Neal Ashby, Matthew Curry & Patrick Donohue, art directors (Thievery Corporation)
* Summer Rains – Amanda Barrett, Abby DeWald, Renee Jablow & Rick Whitmore, art directors (The Ditty Bops)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package

* Ghosts I–IV – Jeff Anderson, Trent Reznor & Rob Sheridan, art directors (Nine Inch Nails)
* In Rainbows – Stanley Donwood, Mel Maxwell & Xian Munro, art directors (Radiohead)
* Poems & Songs – Qing-Yang Xiao, art director (Wu Sheng)
* Pretty. Odd. – Alex Kirzhner & Panic At The Disco, art directors (Panic At The Disco)
* @#%&*! Smilers – Aimee Mann & Gail Marowitz, art directors (Aimee Mann)

Album notes field

Best Album Notes

* Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music – Documented By Art Rosenbaum; Art Rosenbaum, album notes writer (Various Artists)
* Debate '08: Taft And Bryan Campaign On The Edison Phonograph – Patrick Feaster & David Giovannoni, album notes writers (William Jennings Bryan & William Howard Taft)
* Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition – Francis Davis, album notes writer (Miles Davis)
* Rare & Unreleased Recordings From The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of Soul – David Ritz & Jerry Wexler, album notes writers (Aretha Franklin)
* The Unsung Father Of Country Music: 1925-1934 – Henry Hank Sapoznik, album notes writer (Ernest V. Stoneman)

Historical field

Best Historical Album

* Art Of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music – Documented By Art Rosenbaum; Steven Lance Ledbetter & Art Rosenbaum, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
* Classic Columbia, OKeh And Vocalion Lester Young With Count Basie (1936-1940) – Scott Wenzel, compilation producer; Malcolm Addey, Michael Brooks, Matt Cavaluzzo, Andreas Meyer & Mark Wilder, mastering engineers (Lester Young With Count Basie)
* Debate '08: Taft And Bryan Campaign On The Edison Phonograph – David Giovannoni, Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (William Jennings Bryan & William Howard Taft)
* Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette – Ken Flaherty, Jr., compilation producer; Marcos Sueiro Bal, Ken Flaherty, Jr., Kurt Nauck & Glenn Sage, mastering engineers (Polk Miller & His Old South Quartette)
* To Be Free: The Nina Simone Story – Richard Seidel, compilation producer; Mark G. Wilder, mastering engineer (Nina Simone)

Production, Non-Classical field

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

* Consolers of the Lonely – The Raconteurs
o Joe Chiccarelli, Vance Powell & Jack White III, engineers
* Just A Little Lovin' – Shelby Lynne
o Al Schmitt, engineer
* Lay It Down – Al Green
o Jimmy Douglass, Russell Elevado & John Smeltz, engineers
* Still Unforgettable – Natalie Cole
o Steve Genewick, Al Schmitt & Bill Schnee, engineers
* We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. – Jason Mraz
o Dyre Gormsen & Tony Maserati, engineers\
o [this is not true]

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

* Danger Mouse
o Attack & Release (The Black Keys)
o Modern Guilt (Beck)
o The Odd Couple (Gnarls Barkley)
* Nigel Godrich
o In Rainbows (Radiohead)
* Johnny K
o Big Bad World (Plain White T's)
o The Illusion of Progress (Staind)
o Light from Above (Black Tide)
o 3 Doors Down (3 Doors Down)
* Rick Rubin
o Death Magnetic (Metallica)
o Home Before Dark (Neil Diamond)
o Mercy (Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy) (Ours)
o Seeing Things (Jakob Dylan)
o Weezer (Red Album) (Weezer)
* will.i.am
o American Boy (Estelle featuring Kanye West)
o Encanto (Sergio Mendes)
o Funky Bahia (Sergio Mendes featuring will.i.am & Siedah Garrett)
o In the Ayer (Flo Rida featuring will.i.am)
o Pick It Up (Fergie)
o Picture Perfect (Chris Brown featuring will.i.am)
o What's Your Name (Usher featuring will.i.am)

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical

* "Closer" (StoneBridge Radio Edit)
o StoneBridge, remixer (Ne-Yo)
* "Electric Feel" (Justice Remix)
o (MGMT), remixers Justice
* "4 Minutes" (Junkie XL Remix)
o Junkie XL, remixer (Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
* "Just Fine" (Moto Blanco Remix)
o Moto Blanco, remixers (Mary J. Blige)
* "The Longest Road" (Deadmau5 Remix)
o Deadmau5, remixer (Morgan Page featuring Lissie)

Surround Sound field

Best Surround Sound Album

* Divertimenti - Øyvind Gimse & TrondheimSolistene - Morten Lindberg & Hans Peter L'Orange
* Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; Prelude to Khovanshchina - Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra - Michael Bishop & Robert Woods
* Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works - Charles Bruffy, Phoenix Bach Choir & Kansas City Chorale - John Newton, Jonathan Cooper, Mark Donahue & Blanton Alspaugh
* Ringo 5.1: The Surround Sound Collection - Ringo Starr - Chris Bellman, Bill Crowley, Ringo Starr & Bruce Sugar
* Sensurround + B-Sides - Cornelius - Tohru Takayama Keigo Oyamada

Production, Classical field

Best Engineered Album, Classical

* Fred Vogler - Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique - Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic
* Morten Lindberg & Hans Peter L'Orange - Divertimenti - Øyvind Gimse & TrondheimSolistene
* Michael Bishop - Puccini: La bohème - Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
* John Newton - Respighi: Church Windows, Brazilian Impressions, Rossiniana - JoAnn Falletta & Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
* David Frost, Tom Lazarus & Christopher Willis - Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago - Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man, Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Producer of the Year, Classical

* David Frost
o Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique - Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic
o Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music
o Schubert: Sonata in D major; Liszt: Don Juan Fantasy - Min Kwon
o Traditions And Transformations: Sounds Of Silk Road Chicago - Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Alan Gilbert, Yo-Yo Ma, Silk Road Ensemble, Wu Man & Chicago Symphony Orchestra
* David Groves
o Baroque - Gabriela Montero
o Beethoven: Piano sonatas - Jonathan Biss
o Polish Spirit - Nigel Kennedy & Jacek Kaspszyk
o Respighi: Roman Trilogy, Il Tramonto - Antonio Pappano
o Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Martha Argerich
* Judith Sherman
o Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5 - Pacifica Quartet
o Piano music of Salonen, Stucky, And Lutosławski - Gloria Cheng
o Reich: Daniel Variations - Grant Gershon, Alan Pierson, Los Angeles Master Chorale & London Sinfonietta
o Terry Riley: The Cusp of Magic - Kronos Quartet & Wu Man
o String Poetic - Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida
* Robert Woods
o Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; Prelude to Khovanshchina - Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
o Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, Lieutenant Kijé Suite - Paavo Järvi & Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
o Puccini: La bohème - Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
o Ravel: Boléro - Erich Kunzel & Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
o Revolutionary - Cameron Carpenter
* Robina G. Young
o Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 1 - 6, Opus 18 - Tokyo String Quartet
o Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 Eroica - Andrew Manze & Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra
o Birds On Fire - Fretwork
o Heavenly Harmonies - Stile Antico
o Scattered Rhymes - Paul Hillier, Orlando Consort & The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

Classical Field

Best Classical Album

* Kurt Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny - James Conlon, conductor
* Maria - Cecilia Bartoli with Orchestra La Scintilla, Adam Fischer, conductor
* Tarik O'Regan: Threshold of Night - Company of Strings, Company of Voices, and Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
* Arnold Schoenberg: Violin Concerto, op. 36/Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, op. 47 - Hilary Hahn, violin, with Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor
* Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary - Phoenix Chorale, Charles Bruffy, conductor

Best Orchestral Performance

* Rumon Gamba, conductor (Icelandic Symphony Orchestra) - Vincent d'Indy: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1
* José Serebrier, conductor (Royal Scottish National Orchestra) - Glazunov: Symphony No. 6, La Mer, Introduction and Dance from Salome
* Alan Gilbert, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) - Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Op. 20 - Traditions And Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago
* Bernard Haitink, conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) - Shostakovich: Symphony No. 4
* Chris Walden, conductor (Hollywood Studio Symphony) - Chris Walden: Symphony No. 1, The Four Elements

Best Opera Recording

* Tan Dun: The First Emperor - Tan Dun, conductor; Jay David Saks, producer; Michelle DeYoung, Plácido Domingo, Elizabeth Futral, Paul Groves, Wu Hsing-Kuo & Hao Jiang Tian - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
* Lully: Psyché - Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer; Colin Balzer, Karina Gauvin, Carolyn Sampson & Aaron Sheehan - Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra and Chorus
* Monteverdi: L'Orfeo - Rinaldo Alessandrini, conductor; Jean-Pierre Loisil, producer; Sara Mingardo, Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli & Furio Zanasi - Concerto Italiano
* Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin - Valery Gergiev, conductor; Jay David Saks, producer; Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky & Ramón Vargas - Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
* Weill: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny - James Conlon, conductor; Fred Vogler, producer; Anthony Dean Griffey, Patti LuPone & Audra McDonald - Donnie Ray Albert, John Easterlin, Steven Humes, Mel Ulrich & Robert Wörle; Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and Chorus

Best Choral Performance

* O'Regan: Threshold Of Night - Craig Hella Johnson, conductor - Company of Strings; Company of Voices & Conspirare
* Rheinberger: Sacred Choral Works - Charles Bruffy, conductor - Phoenix Bach Choir & Kansas City Chorale
* Symphony of Psalms - Sir Simon Rattle, conductor; Simon Halsey, chorus master - Berlin Philharmonic; Rundfunkchor Berlin
* Szymanowski: Stabat Mater - Antoni Wit, conductor; Henryk Wojnarowski, chorus master - Jaroslaw Brek, Iwona Hossa & Ewa Marciniec; Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra; Warsaw Philharmonic Choir
* Tippett: A Child of Our Time - Colin Davis, conductor; Joseph Cullen, chorus master - Steve Davislim, Mihoko Fujimura, Matthew Rose & Indra Thomas; London Symphony Orchestra; London Symphony Chorus

Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra)

* John McLaughlin Williams, conductor; Elmar Oliveira (National Symphony Orchestra Of Ukraine) - Bloch/Lees: Violin Concertos
* Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor; Wu Man (Chicago Symphony Orchestra) - Harrison: Pipa Concerto - Traditions And Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago
* Leif Ove Andsnes (Norwegian Chamber Orchestra) - Mozart: Piano Concertos 17 & 20
* Charles Dutoit, conductor; Jean-Yves Thibaudet (Orchestre De La Suisse Romande) - Camille Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 2 & 5
* Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Hilary Hahn (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra) - Schoenberg/Sibelius: Violin Concertos

Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra)

* Marc-André Hamelin - In a State of Jazz
* Gloria Cheng - Piano music of Salonen, Stucky, and Lutosławski
* Wei Li - Red Cliff Capriccio
* Cameron Carpenter - Revolutionary
* Joan Jeanrenaud - Strange Toys

Best Chamber Music Performance

* Stephen Hough; Takács Quartet - Johannes Brahms: String Quartet Op. 51, No. 2, Piano Quintet Op. 34
* Pacifica Quartet - Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5
* Trio Mediæval - Folk Songs
* ARC Ensemble - Right Through The Bone — Julius Röntgen Chamber Music
* Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida - String Poetic

Best Small Ensemble Performance

* Øyvind Gimse, conductor; TrondheimSolistene - Divertimenti
* Roman Balashov, conductor; Yuri Bashmet; Moscow Soloists (Wu Man) - Tan Dun: Pipa Concerto; Hayashi: Viola Concerto; Tōru Takemitsu: Nostalgia
* Reinbert De Leeuw, conductor; Barbara Sukowa; Schoenberg Ensemble - Im Wunderschoenen Monat Mai
* Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble - Meredith Monk: Impermanence
* Charles Bruffy, conductor; Phoenix Chorale - Spotless Rose: Hymns To The Virgin Mary

Best Classical Vocal Performance

* Hila Plitmann - Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan - JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
* Sanford Sylvan - Wilde - Gil Rose (Boston Modern Orchestra Project)
* Isabel Bayrakdarian - Gomidas Songs - Eduard Topchjan, Serouj Kradjian (Chamber Players of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra)
* Cecilia Bartoli - Maria - Ádám Fischer (Orchestra La Scintilla)
* Anne Sofie von Otter - Theresienstadt - Christian Gerhaher & Daniel Hope, Bengt Forsberg & Gerold Huber

Best Classical Contemporary Composition

* Concerto Pour Flûte - Marc-André Dalbavie (Peter Eötvös)
* The Garden Of Cosmic Speculation - Michael Gandolfi (Robert Spano)
* Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan - John Corigliano (JoAnn Falletta)
* Violin Concerto No. 2 - George Tsontakis (Douglas Boyd)
* Symphony No. 1, The Four Seasons - Chris Walden (Chris Walden)

Classical Crossover Album

* Baroque - Gabriela Montero
* Indigo Road - Ronn McFarlane
* Olde School - East Village Opera Company
* The Othello Syndrome - Uri Caine Ensemble
* Simple Gifts - King's Singers

Music videos field

Best Short Form Music Video

* "Honey" – Erykah Badu
o Erykah Badu & Mr. Roboto, video directors; Megan Gutman, video producer
* "Who's Gonna Save My Soul" – Gnarls Barkley
o Chris Milk, video director; Anne Johnson, video producer
* "Another Way to Die" – Alicia Keys & Jack White
o PR Brown & MK12, video directors; Mick Ebeling, Sheira Rees-Davies & Jane Tredget, video producers
* "House of Cards" – Radiohead
o James Frost, video director; Dawn Fanning, video producer
* "Pork and Beans" – Weezer
o Mathew Cullen, video director; Bernard Rahill, video producer

Best Long Form Music Video

* Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles – John Mayer
o Danny Clinch, video director; Lindha Narvaez, video producer
* Runnin' Down a Dream – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
o Peter Bogdanovich, video director; Skot Bright, video producer
* Good Girl Gone Bad Live – Rihanna
o Paul Caslin, video director; John Paveley, Ruth Paveley & Rupert Style, video producers
* Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story – Various Artists
o Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video directors; Mark Crosby, Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video producers
* Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who – The Who
o Paul Crowder & Murray Lerner, video directors; Murray Lerner, Robert Rosenberg & Nigel Sinclair, video producers

aultabulta

10 February 2009

February 2009

09 February 2009

strike holiydays

10 February 2009

February 2009

09 February 2009

strike holiydays

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