"Babel" Wins "Album of the Year" at 2013 Grammys

by Leroy Douresseaux

Babel, the second album from English folk rock band, Mumford and Sons, won "Album of the Year" at the 55th Grammy Awards.  Dan Auerbach was the night's big winner, winning four trophies - three as a member of The Black Keys and one as "Producer of the Year, Non-Classical."

The 55th Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and hosted for the second time by LL Cool J. Nominations were announced on December 5, 2012.

There are currently 81 categories, up from 78 at the 54th Grammy Awards. The three new categories are “Best Classical Compendium,” “Best Latin Jazz Album,” and “Best Urban Contemporary Album.”  A full list of winners can be found at www.grammy.com or www.grammy.org.

Winners in top categories for the 55th annual Grammy Awards:

Record of the Year:
"Somebody That I Used To Know," Gotye Featuring Kimbra
- Wally de Backer, producer; Wally de Backer & François Tétaz, engineers/mixers; William Bowden, mastering engineer

Album of the Year:
"Babel," Mumford & Sons
- Markus Dravs, producer; Robin Baynton & Ruadhri Cushnan, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer

Song of the Year:
"We Are Young," Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (fun. featuring Janelle Monáe).

New Artist:
fun.

Pop Vocal Album:
"Stronger," Kelly Clarkson

Rock Album:
"El Camino," The Black Keys

R&B Album:
"Black Radio," Robert Glasper Experiment

Rap Album:
"Take Care," Drake

Country Album:
"Uncaged," Zac Brown Band

Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album:
"Imaginaries," Quetzal

Jazz Vocal Album:
"Radio Music Society," Esperanza Spalding

A top category that does not get enough attention, as far as I’m concerned:

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Dan Auerbach (from The Black Keys)

Of concern to movie fans are the film music and soundtrack categories:

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media (best movie soundtrack):
Midnight In Paris – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (best original music-score for a film):
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers

Best Song Written for Visual Media (best song for film or television):
"Safe & Sound" (from The Hunger Games)
 - T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White & Joy Williams, songwriters (performed Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars)

Nominees in the three new categories for the 55th Grammys:

Best Classical Compendium:
Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis - Antoni Wit, conductor; Aleksandra Nagórko & Andrzej Sasin, producers

Best Latin Jazz Album:
¡Ritmo! – The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Channel Orange – Frank Ocean