Grammy predix: Cobra Starship, Keri Hilson and Zac Brown Band will be nominated for best new artist
Now that the Grammy eligibility date, Aug. 31, has passed, it's time to predict the nominees to be announced in November. Our Grammy prophets David "Guru" Schnelwar and Darrin "DoubleD" Dortch agree on three of the five nominees for best new artist: Cobra Starship, Keri Hilson and Zac Brown Band.
The best new artist award has been won in the past by such notable stars as Carrie Underwood, Amy Winehouse, Mariah Carey and the Beatles, but it's also been considered a curse on careers. Other champs include such forgotten artists as Marc Cohn, Paula Cole and Starland Vocal Band and the disgraced and defrocked Milli Vanilli.
Check out DoubleD's and Guru's Grammy predix for best album and best record of the year.
BEST NEW ARTIST
Guru's predix
(Front-runners)
Cobra Starship
Drake
Keri Hilson (if eligible)
Demi Lovato
Zac Brown Band
(Possible)
3oh3!
The Airborne Toxic Event
Diane Birch
Carolina Liar
Gabriela Cilmi
David Cook
Kid Cudi
Kristinia DeBarge
Marie Digby
Fleet Foxes
Julianne Hough
Missy Higgins
Eric Hutchinson
Laura Izibor
Jeremih
K'Naan
Adam Lambert (if eligible)
Lenka
Erin McCarley
Matt Nathanson
Parachute
Phoenix
Asher Roth
Darius Rucker (If eligible)
Safety Suit
The Script
Shinedown
Silversun Pickups
Theory of a Deadman
Thriving Ivory
Guru's commentary: This is the weakest and bleakest list of best new artist nominees that I've ever made since I have been following the Grammys. No one is a real front-runner to win or to get a nomination.
Darius Rucker is a previous winner in this category for his band, Hootie and the Blowfish. He is now a solo artist and may get the Lauryn Hill treatment.
Demi Lovato recently debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart. She could be a seat filler for the Jonas Brothers.
This list consists of artists who received 2009 MTV Video Music Awards nominations, "You Oughta Know" artists on VH1 or in their video rotation, musical guests on "Saturday Night Live" or the critically acclaimed. Anyone eligible is possible.
DoubleD's predix
(Front-runners)
Cobra Starship
Keri Hilson
Laura Izibor
Jessie James
Zac Brown Band
(Possible)
3OH! 3
Asher Roth
David Cook
Drake
Melanie Fiona
Kid Cudi
Demi Lovato
Erin McCarley
DoubleD's commentary: This category is horribly weak. Had Lady Gaga been eligible — she received a nomination last year, thus making her ineligible for this award — she would've won. Only Zac Brown Band and Keri Hilson are safe bets in this category. The former is the year's most successful new country act and the latter has worked with numerous R&B/hip-hop acts as a songwriter only to break out this year as a solo artist. Izibor has that Jill Scott/Jazmine Sullivan/India.Arie vibe so I think she's in too.
There's going to be a big Grammy campaign surrounding Jessie James — some are comparing her to Christina Aguilera — so she'll get nominated if she has some commercial success. Cobra Starship will represent the "old nominee." They've been around for a few years, but are just now finding commercial success. I don't think lightweight artists like Demi Lovato, Asher Roth, 3OH! 3, etc. will go over well with the blue-ribbon panel, but you never know in a weak year.
RELATED LINKS
Taylor Swift, Green Day and Kanye West will nab noms for best album, our Grammy seers say
Photos: Fueled by Ramen, Interscope Records
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i hope either demi wins or cobra starship!!
Posted by: taylor | January 30, 2010 at 09:45 PM
Jessie James is betta be nominated today! She is the best so far, we can listen to country, pop, rock, and a lil bit of hip hop on her songs!
Posted by: Diiii | December 02, 2009 at 09:49 AM
ok, i'll say this once COBRA STARSHIP IS NOT A NEW BAND. they've been around for 3/4 years, THEY ARE NOT NEW! Cobra is frigging awesome, yes, but they;'re only "famous" because of Good Girls Go Bad which is definitely NOT their best song and is only popular cause of Leighton Meester. I mean Leighton's cool and a great actress and can sing, but Victoria Asher the keytarist can sing is WAY better than Leighton has. cobra is NOT new, and GGGB is NOT their best song. seriously. this pisses me off SO bad. they SHOULD win a Grammy but not best new artist cuz they aren't new.
Posted by: cobrafan | October 31, 2009 at 09:12 AM
Demi is the better, their songs are magníficas!! Go Demi....
Posted by: Mays | September 22, 2009 at 06:47 AM
Demi Lovato all the way. It has nothing to do with her being on disney channel, but she is an artist. Miley Cyrus selling more records means diddly squat. Selling more records does not mean the quality of the album is any better. Demi deserves best new artist for her very witty and clever lyrics.
Posted by: Abby Jackkz | September 21, 2009 at 12:21 PM
keri is to me like a little storm that come up from out no where.....!!!!!!!! I hope she can walk away with...!!!! gammy......
Posted by: janette | September 20, 2009 at 09:13 PM
If the Jonas Brothers got a nomination then Demi should at least get that much.
Posted by: Dude | September 20, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Demi Lovato totally deserves it! She has awesome music and can sing crazy good! Luv her and everything about that girl! Go Demi!
Posted by: Hannah | September 20, 2009 at 04:20 PM
miley cyrus sold more than demi lovato ...she should get a nomination for new artist
Posted by: Lisa | September 20, 2009 at 11:58 AM
LOLOLOLOL I KNEW CBRA STAWR SHEEP BE4 U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: ashley | September 19, 2009 at 11:50 PM
i'd love to see matt nathanson win one. would be really cool.
Posted by: ashley | September 19, 2009 at 11:49 PM
Um nobody knows who demi is... If Demi or the Jonas Brothers get nominated for a Grammy, I'm boycotting.
Posted by: Sean | September 19, 2009 at 07:41 PM
DEMI :DDD
I hope she at least gets nominated she deserves that much.
Yes shes a disney girl
So?
She better get it if ur predicting it!
Posted by: anissa | September 18, 2009 at 08:07 PM
dimi should get a nomination, but idk if she should win or not, cause sometimes the winner of the best new artist dont do good affter they win, so maybe she should just be nominated, buts she is better than all the rest of the choices, so she would, idk, maybe she should be nominated for best female artist or best album, idk what the options are, but she should win something else, and please dont invite kanye west
Posted by: sarah | September 18, 2009 at 05:13 PM
Demi Lovato!!!!
Posted by: Jonathan | September 18, 2009 at 04:40 PM
MILEY CYRUS <--THE CLIMB
Posted by: KAT | September 18, 2009 at 04:37 PM
i love them but, i hope cobra doesnt get nominated.
Posted by: debagerie | September 18, 2009 at 02:01 PM
faith! this is there third album. dont go sounding like your a huge fan of them when you dont even know how many cd's they have.
and they may have been around for some time but they are new to top 40 radio and thats what the category is about.
i hope they win it though. gabe deserves some recognition since his great band Midtown didn't get much
Posted by: ryan | September 18, 2009 at 12:05 PM
wow...Cobra nominated for a grammy? thats pretty crazy, i love them, but they totally dont seem the type...
however I would definitely want them to win over demi lovato if they were both nominated.
Id loved to see Alex and Gabe in some nice suits there lol
Posted by: catlin | September 18, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Midtown > Cobra Starship
Posted by: bryan | September 18, 2009 at 11:05 AM
oohhh demi lovatoooo yeah! she havee a perfect voice a perfect the best!
Posted by: David | September 11, 2009 at 03:33 PM
i'm a cobra fan but all of this attention they're getting is by default because of their association with leighton meester. if you actually listen to the cd there are no other sure fire hits on the record, just gggb. they will be virtually one hit wonders after this song starts losing it's popularity.
Posted by: katrina | September 08, 2009 at 09:50 AM
GO JESSIE!!!
Posted by: Felipe Miranda | September 08, 2009 at 06:12 AM
Cobra has been around since 2005. glad they finally get what they deserve.
Posted by: krstn | September 08, 2009 at 04:22 AM
this makes me sooo mad. i love cobra - heck, i've seen them four times, but they're not new. they've been here like three-four years, this is their third studio album, and now they're nominated for best new artist! i'd be pretty furious if i was them, to be honest. and i agree, the only reason this has happened is because of leighton meester, whoever the fuck she is.
Posted by: zoey | September 08, 2009 at 03:43 AM