Holy moly! Arcade Fire won a Grammy! The world is ending.

[girlwithnoname]

Usually, the Grammys are a gigantic popularity contest. So how did Arcade Fire win?

Are dark days upon us?

[Oops--meant to put this in GWBG section]

[the ghost of guitarplayer]

I suppose it's more of that backslapping awards like our Brit awards is. The judges look around a bands or prominent artists in the public eye and give them awards willy nilly. I suppose it helped that Arcade Fire's last album got to no 1 in the billboard charts, but don't know about you lot, over here people generally ignore these awards. There's better ones like the Mercury. The nominations are better taking in wider genres of music and not necessary based on popularity, although sometimes the winner is surprising.

[withahip]

Usually, the Grammys are a gigantic popularity contest. So how did Arcade Fire win?

Are dark days upon us?

[Oops--meant to put this in GWBG section]

Not at all. Whenever someone wins a Grammy you can be safe to assume sales were very high. The Grammy is an award for sales it would seem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/arts/ ... rcade.html

“The Suburbs,” the new album by the Arcade Fire, the accordion- and strings-loving Montreal band that has been indie-rock royalty since it emerged in 2004, edged out Eminem’s latest blockbuster for the top spot on Billboard’s album chart. “The Suburbs,” released last week, has sold 156,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan; Eminem’s “Recovery” (Aftermath/Interscope), which spent its first five weeks of release at No. 1, held at No. 2 in its seventh week, with 152,000 sales.

[the ghost of guitarplayer]

And in other news, Radiohead will release a new album online that nobody knew about... this Saturday.

[girlwithnoname]

I just expected that with Lady Gaga and Eminem as competition, anindie-label group like AF wouldn't have much of a chance. But I would agree that the Grammy means nothing in terms of actual quality--it is a big popularity contest.

No, I didn't watch. I'm not sitting through Lady Gaga hatching from an egg, thank you.

[withahip]

The Cure was one of the biggest album sellers of the late 80s, but mall chain record stores (well, at least one) were instructed not to advertise they had Cure albums in stock as one of the biggest selling points of the band was idea that you and only you were into them.

[fat cherry]

who by? which one? And yet they still sold millions - in spite or because of said publicity

[mrsmac]

Usually, the Grammys are a gigantic popularity contest. So how did Arcade Fire win?

Are dark days upon us?

[Oops--meant to put this in GWBG section]

They deserve it, it's a great album

[girlwithnoname]

They deserve it, it's a great album

I'm rather fond of it myself, though I may prefer "Neon Bible".

[mrsmac]

Have you ever seen them live? they're amazing

[girlwithnoname]

Have you ever seen them live? they're amazing

Unfortunately, no. They played near me a few months ago; however, it was a Monday and hence a school night for my daughter, for whom I could not procure sitting. I'll catch them at some point soon.

They're headlining one of the Coachella festival evenings later this year, but that's down in the Palm Desert, which is quite a drive from where I am. Someday... :)

[zabird]

Hope you get to see them sometime ... they're fantastic in concert!

[Voodoo Billy]

I'm rather fond of it myself

Jesus, my eyesight's going, I'd swear to God that said 'I'd rather fondle myself'

[girlwithnoname]

Jesus, my eyesight's going, I'd swear to God that said 'I'd rather fondle myself'

Everyone should fondle him/herself--it's good for mental and physical health!

I promise no one will go blind.

[black francis]

I'm pleased to report that is merely a wive's tale and other than ulnar claw there are no known side effects to chronic masturbation or "fondling of oneself"