OUT predicts the Grammys

Photo: Getty Images

Glamour. Music. Gaga. Get yourself ready for music's biggest night: The Grammys. With more performers being announced seemingly every day, this year's show looks to be bigger than ever.

Recently under fire for their approval of an ad from the anti-gay group Focus on the Family and subsequent rejection of an ad for gay dating site ManCrunch.com, CBS will be broadcasting the music award show this Sunday at 8pm.

Lady Gaga will be opening the show, with a rumored guest appearance by none other than Elton John. Will our former cover girl's huge 2009 culminate in Grammy success? She's got some tough competition, especially in the big categories, where's she's up against Taylor Swift and Beyonce for Record, Album, and Song of the year. Let's weigh in on everyone's chances.

RECORD OF THE YEAR:
"Halo" ~ Beyonce
"I Got a Feeling" ~ The Black Eyed Peas
"Use Somebody" ~ Kings of Leon
"Poker Face" ~ Lady Gaga
"You Belong With Me" ~ Taylor Swift

It's hard to think of a song that got more radio play than "I Got a Feeling" or that got stuck in your head more often than "Use Somebody." And when I showed my mom the video for "You Belong With Me," she started tearing up. If "Single Ladies" was nominated in this category, I'd say it would win. But with "Halo," I don't think Queen B has it. Lady Gaga was big before "Poker Face" exploded, but that record rocketed her into the stratosphere of stardom. With reference to her controversial muffin, a killer video, and even a hilarious clip of Jude Law reading the lyrics on Jimmy Fallon, nothing was bigger in '09 than "Poker Face."

OUT predicts: "Poker Face"

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:
I am... Sasha Fierce ~ Beyonce
The E.N.D. ~ The Black Eyed Peas
The Fame ~ Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and The Googrux King ~ Dave Matthews Band
Fearless ~ Taylor Swift

These were all huge sellers in 2009, except maybe Big Whiskey and The Googrux King, and it's nice to see the Grammys nominating what people actually seem to be listening to. Beyonce showed a new and fabulously insane side to her with I am... Sasha Fierce and the Black Eyed Peas came back with a vengeance with The E.N.D. I'd love to predict Gaga for every award, but that's not quite fair now, is it? Fearless was by far the highest selling album of 2009. With catchy tunes and a wholesome image that has entranced teenagers and their mothers alike, it's hard to deny Ms. Swift's appeal. I just hope Kanye's not sitting in the front row.

OUT predicts: Fearless

SONG OF THE YEAR:
"Poker Face" ~ Lady Gaga & redOne, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
"Pretty Wings" ~ Hod David & Musze, songwriters (Maxwell)
"Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" ~ Thaddis Harrell, Beyonce Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyonce)
"Use Somebody" ~ Caleb Followill, Matthew Followill, Jared Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings of Leon)
"You Belong With Me" ~ Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)

A lot of people don't understand the difference between Record and Song of the Year. Record is awarded to the artist, for an overall fabulous performance. It's basically "best single." Song of the year, on the other hand, is awarded to the songwriter(s), a group that is often overlooked in this world of countless "artists" who don't write a word of their songs. That being said, was there a song catchier or more widely known than "Single Ladies"? Apparently even Obama knows the dance! Beyonce, even as a married woman, you and your team still rocked it out and produced an anthem for single people everywhere. All hail Queen B.

OUT predicts: "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)"

-- ANDREW WAILES

Previously > Start Your Engines: RuPaul's Drag Race Gears Up for Season Two