As Tone Deaf reported yesterday, the 2016 Grammy nominations were announced this week and it’s simply further proof that our homegrown Aussie artists have had an absolutely stellar year, with nods for the likes of Courtney Barnett and Tame Impala.
Courtney Barnett managed to pick up a nomination for Best New Artist following the success of her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit, while Tame Impala picked up a nom for Best Alternative Music Album.
Meanwhile, Melbourne soul outfit Hiatus Kaiyote scored their second Grammy nomination, with their single ‘Breathing Underwater’ receiving a nod in the Best R&B Performance category. They were previously nominated in 2014.
Australia’s foremost country star, Keith Urban, is also now in the running for a shiny gramophone statuette. He’s up against the likes of Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton in the Best Country Solo Performance category.
However, while everyone was focused on Courtney and Tame Impala, they missed the fact that there were actually even more Aussies on the list, making it a record year for Australian talent at the world’s biggest music awards.
While classical music usually doesn’t get much airtime in the mainstream media, it doesn’t diminish the achievements of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s (CSO) chief conductor Nicholas Milton, who was nominated in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category.
“Nicholas Milton is to be applauded for his work on Joseph Moog’s stunning album Grieg and Moszkowski: Piano Concertos,” the CSO’s chief executive officer Henry Laska told ABC News.
“The magic that he has created on this album is something we’ve been lucky enough to witness him do live on stage many times with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.” Meanwhile, Aussie producer Steve Mostyn picked up a total of three nominations.
“Grammy nominations out! 3 out of 3 categories!” Mostyn wrote on Instagram, sending a special thanks to his high-profile collaborators, which this year included pop singer Kelly Clarkson, rapper Nicki Minaj, and R&B star Miguel.
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It won’t be Mostyn’s first time attending the Grammy Awards, either. He previously received the prestigious award back in 2008 for his work on the Alicia Keys track ‘Superwoman’, which scored Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
One song that definitely won’t be getting Grammy recognition is Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’. Despite being a mega-hit that launched a thousand memes, Consequence of Sound reports that Drake’s label never submitted the single for Grammy consideration.
It’s not the first time the rapper’s shot himself in the foot over one of the biggest songs of 2015. However, he’s still managed to rack up five Grammy nods, including Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance.
