Rock Music Grammy Nominees and Winners 2012

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles on February 12, 2012. Pop, country and hip-hop tend to dominate the overall awards, but rock music always has a pretty decent showing as well, partly because they have their own category.

However, for the 2012 Grammys there are fewer rock categories than in previous years. Whereas in the past there were seven categories, this year there will only be four.

So without further ado, here is a list of the complete nominations in the rock field. (The eventual winner will be listed in bold.)

Best Rock Performance

• Coldplay - "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall"
  
• The Decemberists - "Down by the Water"
  
• Foo Fighters - "Walk"
  
• Mumford & Sons - "The Cave"
  
• Radiohead - "Lotus Flower"
  

This is the first year that Best Rock Performance will be a Grammy category. (In the past, there was Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals, and Best Rock Instrumental Performance, but those have all be done away with.) Best Rock Performance is a sort of catch-all that honors a rock track, as opposed to the songwriters of the song. (That award is Best Rock Song.)

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance


• Dream Theater - "On the Backs of Angels"
  
• Foo Fighters - "White Limo"
  
• Mastodon - "Curl of the Burl"
  
• Megadeth - "Public Enemy No. 1"
  
• Sum 41 - "Blood In My Eyes"
  

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance brings together two previous Grammy categories: Best Hard Rock Performance (which last year went to Them Crooked Vultures) and Best Metal Performance (which was won by Iron Maiden). Consequently, this is a category that now runs the gamut from Foo Fighters to Megadeth.

Best Rock Song


• Coldplay - "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall"
  
• The Decemberists - "Down by the Water"
  
• Foo Fighters - "Walk"
  
• Mumford & Sons - "The Cave"
  
• Radiohead - "Lotus Flower"
  

None of the nominees in this category have won before, although Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, and Radiohead have all been up for Best Rock Song before. The two most likely winners -- Coldplay and Foo Fighters -- squared off once before, back in 2006. That year, Coldplay had "Speed of Sound," while Foo Fighters had "Best of You." The eventual winner was U2's "City of Blinding Lights." (It was their second straight Best Rock Song win.) And, by the way, you're not dreaming: These are the same five tracks that are nominated for Best Rock Performance.

Best Rock Album


• Jeff Beck - Rock 'N' Roll Party Honoring Les Paul
  
• Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
  
• Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown
  
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
  
• Wilco - The Whole Love
  

If you're looking for a favorite in the Best Rock Album category, consider this: Foo Fighters have won three Best Rock Album Grammys and have been nominated in this category for every one of their studio albums except their self-titled debut. However, they're not the only previous winners: Red Hot Chili Peppers snagged the Grammy in 2007 for Stadium Arcadium. The other three nominees have all been contenders in this category once before.

Rock Artists Nominated in Other Categories


• The Black Keys: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Dearest")
• Coldplay: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Paradise")
• Death Cab for Cutie: Best Alternative Music Album (Codes And Keys)
• Foo Fighters: Album of the Year (Wasting Light) and Best Long Form Music Video (Foo Fighters: Back and Forth) (Note: Foo Fighters: Back and Forth won Best Long Form Music Video.)
  
• Foster the People: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Pumped Up Kicks") and Best Alternative Music Album (Torches)
• Kings of Leon: Best Long Form Music Video (Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon)
  
• Mumford & Sons: Record of the Year ("The Cave") and Song of the Year ("The Cave")
• My Morning Jacket: Best Alternative Music Album (Circuital)
• Radiohead: Best Alternative Music Album (The King of Limbs) and Best Short Form Music Video ("Lotus Flower")
• Eddie Vedder: Best Folk Album (Ukulele Songs)