Why did Beck win for “Where It’s At”? Because he had “two turntables and a microphone,” and that was apparently enough to defeat everyone else.… Read More »1997 Archive: Best Male Rock Vocal

Why Vince Gill? (Again). We’re starting to suspect Vince Gill actually lives in the trophy room. Part of the 34 Grammy Jokes: The 1997 “Falling… Read More »1997 Legacy: Best Male Country Vocal

Why did “Give Me One Reason” win? Because Tracy Chapman is the only person who can make a simple blues riff sound like a masterpiece… Read More »1997 Legacy: Best Rock Song

Why “Believe” by Cher? Oh wait, that’s later. In 1997, it was Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder—the Grammys finally admitting disco was cool again. Part… Read More »1997 Archive: Best Dance Recording

Why did Words by Tony Rich lose? Because the Grammys decided that Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite was the only place they wanted to hang out… Read More »1997 Archive: Best R&B Album

Why Oracle by Michael Hedges? Because it was the only thing playing in every spa in North America. Part of the 34 Grammy Jokes: The… Read More »1997 Legacy: Best New Age Album

Why did Coolio lose to LL Cool J? Because “Hey Lover” was smoother than a velvet suit, and Coolio’s braids were starting to scare the… Read More »1997 Vintage: Best Rap Solo Performance

Why Babyface? Because he produced 50% of the songs on the radio and probably 10% of the songs in your head. Part of the 34… Read More »1997 Archive: Best Producer of the Year

Why did Rage Against the Machine win for “Tire Me”? Because the Academy wanted to show they were “down with the revolution,” as long as… Read More »1997 Archive: Best Metal Performance

Why Toy Story? Because “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” is the only song both a 5-year-old and a Grammy voter can agree on. Part… Read More »1997 Vintage: Best Recording for Children