From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Rustling, bustling, the entire awards ceremony was swept up in a wave of excitement.

The presence of the August Thirty-First Band, and the presentation of the general awards, provided both talking points and prestigious prizes, offering everything one could want.

Unknowingly, the 46th Grammy Awards reached its climax.

The first award presented was Song of the Year.

Undoubtedly, this year's competition was exceptionally fierce. The Billboard singles chart featured a series of phenomenal singles, and beyond rankings and sales, a series of works with far-reaching influence emerged, making the nomination stage particularly brutal.

"Dance With My Father," Luther Vandross.

"Lose Yourself," Eminem.

"I'm With You," Avril Lavigne.

"Beautiful," Linda Perry.

"Viva la Vida," August Thirty-First Band.

These were the top five nominees.

In fact, even within this nomination list, countless people believed that the August Thirty-First Band should have been nominated for "Wake Me Up." This song, from its creation to its arrangement, lyrics, and performance, entered the music scene with an overwhelming force, and it deserved recognition.

It's not that "Viva la Vida" wasn't good enough, but rather that "Wake Me Up" deserved more recognition.

However, this was the Grammy nomination list, a cutthroat competition.

The five nominated works each had their own merits and supporters, and any winner would not be considered an upset—

Luther Vandross ultimately won the award with "Dance With My Father."

When this legendary veteran took the stage to accept the trophy, the entire audience stood and applauded, cheering for him in the most solemn and sincere manner.

Was it unexpected?

Perhaps a little, and supporters of the August Thirty-First Band might have felt a slight sense of regret; but honestly, "Dance With My Father" was absolutely well-deserved.

People should not feel regret, because in the end, every music lover is a winner.

Immediately following was the presentation of Record of the Year.

"Lose Yourself," Eminem.

"Clocks," Coldplay.

"Crazy in Love," Beyoncé \u0026 Jay-Z.

"Hey Ya!," Outkast.

"Viva la Vida," August Thirty-First Band.

These were the five nominees.

The competition was not only fierce but even brutal. Each work had its own story and impact, and created a powerful influence. The victory of any one work meant that the other four would regrettably miss out on the award.

Exciting, cruel.

It made hearts race. Until the moment the award was announced, no one could predict the outcome; or rather, everyone had their own choice.

Even to the point where everyone might have different choices. In the morning, they might choose Eminem, but at noon, they couldn't help but be moved by Outkast. In the afternoon, they might be considering Coldplay, but in the evening, they might be conquered by the August Thirty-First Band.

Intentions were like reeds, swaying in the wind, making it impossible to choose.

And the one that ultimately stood out was—

"Clocks," Coldplay.

In an incredibly fierce, close, and intense competition, Coldplay emerged victorious. After five long years of anonymity, this independent band from England finally sparked a global storm with their first studio album; now, their second studio album has also achieved success.

Finally!

In a period of decline and hardship for rock music, fresh blood like Coldplay, Linkin Park, August Thirty-First Band, and Evanescence rose one after another, reawakening people's passion for rock and proving with practical actions that music still has countless possibilities.

Rock is not dead.

The entire Staples Center stood up, slightly surprised and slightly shocked—

Not because Coldplay wasn't worthy, but because, based on the overall momentum of the night, R\u0026B was dominating, even pushing hip-hop to the side.

From Beyoncé to Luther Vandross to Justin Timberlake, tonight's Grammys were indeed witnessing the brilliance of R\u0026B.

Although the August Thirty-First Band won in the Best New Artist category, there were no typical R\u0026B styles among the Best New Artist contenders. To some extent, the August Thirty-First Band was the last one standing in an environment without real competition, which wouldn't affect the overall situation.

However, with Coldplay beating Beyoncé for Record of the Year, things suddenly became interesting.

So, does this mean that there might be a change in the Album of the Year award?

Perhaps, this time it should be hip-hop's turn?

After all, 50 Cent, Eminem, Outkast, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, and other hip-hop/rap artists shone brightly this year. A brand new trend is sweeping across North America, and a Grammy that values keeping up with trends and times cannot remain indifferent.

You don't need to be too smart, just look at the data in front of you to know:

Best New Artist, rock.

Song of the Year, R\u0026B.

Record of the Year, rock.

Originally, if Record of the Year belonged to Beyoncé, also R\u0026B, then the possibility of Album of the Year evolving into an R\u0026B monopoly would skyrocket. The Grammys would follow the market, the trend, and the times, witnessing the full rise of R\u0026B, which would be the normal development of the story.

But now, things are completely different.

In a situation where rock is declining and hip-hop is sweeping, it would be really unreasonable for the four major general awards to not have a place for hip-hop. Given the Grammys' penchant for following trends, with 50 Cent being completely ignored all night, the possibility of awarding Album of the Year to hip-hop as compensation is steadily increasing.

After all, the clues can already be seen from the nominations.

"Speakerboxxx/The Love Below," Outkast.

"Fallen," Evanescence.

"Under Construction," Missy Elliott.

"Justified," Justin Timberlake.

"A Midsummer Day's Dream," August Thirty-First Band.

In this nomination list, Evanescence and August Thirty-First Band belong to rock, Outkast and Missy Elliott belong to hip-hop/rap, and Justin Timberlake belongs to pop/R\u0026B.

The sales of all five albums entered the top twenty of the year-end charts, with "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below," "Fallen," and "A Midsummer Day's Dream" all entering the top ten.

Each album has its own weight and position, and Album of the Year is the most important and core overall award of all the Grammy Awards, equivalent to Best Picture at the Oscars, setting the tone for the annual Grammys and being recorded in history like a coordinate with the awards ceremony.

Judging from all indications, the focus should be on Outkast or Missy Elliott.

Record of the Year was an upset that wasn't really an upset. If Album of the Year isn't hip-hop/rap again, then it would be an upset of the magnitude of an annual sensation.

Before the presenters took the stage, eager eyes were already gathering towards the two members of Outkast and Missy Elliott.