As we know, the Grammy’s were held on Sunday Night. I was iffy on watching them because I knew there would be one notable absence, David Bowie. Since he died so early in 2016, he was given a tribute in last year’s broadcast as well as appearing in the In Memoriam. I’d forgotten that his album Blackstar was eligible. Fortunately, the Grammy’s did not and Bowie swept every category for which he was nominated. Four of the Grammys he won prior to the show and the fifth one for Best Rock Song was announced during the show. Bowie’s son, director Duncan Jones, was as excited as me to hear his father’s name called:
So proud of you dad!
Would hold you up forever.
❤️ #grammys2017 pic.twitter.com/JHU2hveVwq— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) February 13, 2017
This is a departure from Duncan’s reaction last year when Lady Gaga performed the Bowie Tribute:
"overexcited or irrational, typically as a result of infatuation or excessive enthusiasm; mentally confused." Damn it! What IS that word!?
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) February 16, 2016
I was not a fan of Gaga’s tribute but tributes are personal, everyone wants something different from them. And when the artist gets it wrong for you, it strikes a cord, especially if that person is family. For the record, Duncan was very much in favor of Lorde’s tribute at the Brit Awards:
Finally found the links to tonight's Brits. Just… beautiful. Thank you.
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) February 25, 2016
I thought Blackstar was good, not great. I don’t know if it deserved all five Grammys. However, prior to last night, Bowie was nominated 12 times and only ever won for Best Short Form Video for Jazzin’ for Blue Jean. So sit with that a minute – Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Aladdin Sane, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust – none of his albums and none of his songs ever won a Grammy. So I don’t care if Blackstar was the best in each category, I am fine with Bowie taking them. He’s due.
Bowie’s last EP, No Plan, was released in digital form on Jan 8, what would have been his 70th birthday. The CD will be released on the 24th of this month and the vinyl on April 21 with a special edition vinyl releasing on May 26. So maybe he’ll “pop up” at the next Grammys as well.
Even though I am still pissed at the universe for taking Bowie, at least it is trying to curry favor by offering things like posthumous Grammys and album releases. Also being released? 10 tribute stamps from the Royal Mail. So if ten of you lovely UK readers could just pop me a note and slap one of these on the envelope, we would both be happy – me because I get a full set and you because you get to lick Bowie. Or I guess I could just order them here.
Royal Mail announce tribute to David Bowie with 10 Special Stamps. Pre-order: https://t.co/OJLx8FNHho Press Release: https://t.co/QnDxrWzUM9 pic.twitter.com/Dmxe9K6yU1
— David Bowie Official (@DavidBowieReal) January 25, 2017
Photo credit: Twitter, Getty Images and WENN Photos
I adored David Bowie. He was a great artist. But in my honest opinion he won those grammys because he passed away. That’s what I believe just like I believe Heath Ledger only won that Oscars because he passed away.
His album was getting really stellar reviews in the days before he died. People were calling it the album of the year a week into January.
I’m sure his death did help keep it in voters minds, but it’s not like he won for something people had previously judged as mediocre.
I’d usually say agree with this, but Blackstar was meant as a goodbye. It was meant to be closure and healing and to help Bowie process his own slow death. This album isn’t just one made where the artist died, it was made because the artist was dying. I think that makes it a different, worthy of note and unique.
blackstar was an absolutely brilliant work, a tour de force, and gift to his fans from a dying star.
don’t even start with this “he only won bcus DEAD”. that is malarkey.
It’s my opinion just like you thinking it’s brilliant is your opinion. I stand by what I said.
I actually agree with you V4Real and the replies were missing your point – it wasn’t an argument against the quality of Bowie’s music, but on the taste of Grammy voters, which is questionable to say the least.
I find Blackstar to be a much better album than 25 and even Lemonade and I honestly think it should have won in the main catergories of every award show – I fell in love with it instantly on the day of its release and I managed to listen to it dozens of times before finding out that David Bowie died. Plus – he was still alive when the album was released and it got rave reviews. But sadly – the Grammy voters don’t really seem to appreciate good music, just its popularity. The fact that The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust or Hunky Dory never won a Grammy is a huge shame and it means that they most likely wouldn’t be able to appreciate the greatness of Blackstar, if not for Bowie’s death. It’s awful and sad but true.
It’s the same with Heath Ledger – he was a brilliant Joker, but the Academy never awards actors playing comic book characters, no matter how wonderfully and I believe he would’ve been snubbed if he was alive.
Nope – Heath was fantastic as the Joker. He was far better than the other actors nominated in his category, regardless of his death.
I dunno. There’s something weird to me about winning major awards after death. Let them go to the living, and honour some other way.
Bowie was my moms favorite. Her rockstar crush, and I grew up with Bowie being a large part of the soundtrack of my childhood. I’m Afraid of Americans came out when I want in Uni and I listened to that too. Rumours of his cancer started around when my dad was diagnosed. Unlike any other artist, Bowie was woven in the fabric of my life.
His vocals, his theatre, his artistry. He made music , and good music, for longer than almost anyone. Even his death, made into something to share with his fans. I will miss him and his music deeply, but I have a hard time reconciling my love of him and his history with Lori Mattix.
I’m not saying David Bowie was holding the fabric of the universe together, but…
*gestures to everything*
Duncan’s tweet was very moving.
Bowie deserves every award ever.
Bowie is forever. I am happy for his family. But I doubt he would care. He is Bowie. Way above some award.
I still miss him, every day. I’m happy whenever he is honored, even if it is overdue [and I think Blackstar is transcendent and amazing, and thought that before I knew he was ill].
Bowie will never be bettered