The Grammy award eligibility period ends on September 15, and I don’t believe there should be anymore cast album drops between now and then(correct me if I’m wrong).
I thought to get the ball rolling on predictions for the Grammy award for best musical theatre album. For a refresher, last year had 6 nominees with Into the Woods(winner), Mr. Saturday Night, Six, A Strange Loop, Caroline, or Change, and MJ.
My prediction:
1. Sweeney Todd(winner)
2. Funny Girl
3. Kimberly Akimbo
4. Some Like It Hot
5. & Juliet
6. Parade
Wild Card: Shucked
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The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
Jesse St. James said: "Parade is the best cast recording released this year and it’s not even close, it 100% deserves to win."
I agree, but overall it’s gonna be competitive.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
jkcohen626 said: I'd kill for this outcome. I LOVE those London albums and Akimbo is my favorite album of the year."
You and me both, jkcohen626! I totally can see Mincemeat as the underdog here, but I believe Akimbo is the frontrunner in this race. Again, it will be VERY COMPETITIVE. As for Mincemeat, that show was absolutely brilliant and one of the funniest shows I saw in London this year! Really hope it comes over to the US for a short run.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
I'm keeping in mind that the winners have usually been the Best Musical winner, the most-recognized title/IP, or have popular songwriters (Kinky Boots, Carole King, Alanis, Green Day, etc.)... that being said, here are my 8 "frontrunner" nominees and who I think may win...
Kimberly Akimbo
Shucked
& Juliet
Some Like It Hot
Cabaret
Sweeney Todd (winner)
Parade
Funny Girl
I wouldn't count out Shucked or & Juliet and their connections to the music industry (Shane/Brandy and Max Martin) and the draw of Josh Groban.
& JULIET and the West End CABARET are good alternates as well, but I think FUNNY GIRL and SWEENEY are leading the fray! (My personal pick would be PARADE or SOME LIKE IT HOT.)
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
Sweeney will run away with this. Groban alone makes it Grammys bait and Sondheim love continues too. Helpful to remember Into The Woods won last year against a reigning Best Musical winner.
OhHiii said: "Sweeney will run away with this. Groban alone makes it Grammys bait and Sondheim love continues too. Helpful to remember Into The Woods won last year against a reigning Best Musical winner."
This post made me want to look up Josh Groban's history with the Grammys. I 100% thought he was a Grammy winner, but he's actually not (yet) won a Grammy despite being nominated four times.
OhHiii said: "Sweeney will run away with this. Groban alone makes it Grammys bait and Sondheim love continues too. Helpful to remember Into The Woods won last year against a reigning Best Musical winner."
Josh has been nominated 4 times but NEVER won. The Grammy voters do not love him.
Is it me or does the winner seem less obvious than usual? Love that.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Folks, remember that there are also a couple of really good London cast albums that deserve a Grammy nod as well.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
BETTY22 said: "OhHiii said: "Sweeney will run away with this. Groban alone makes it Grammys bait and Sondheim love continues too. Helpful to remember Into The Woods won last year against a reigning Best Musical winner."
Josh has been nominated 4 times but NEVER won. The Grammy voters do not love him."
I should clarify that he's the type of name, when associated with a Broadway cast recording, that would draw votes.
OhHiii said: "Sweeney will run away with this. Groban alone makes it Grammys bait and Sondheim love continues too. Helpful to remember Into The Woods won last year against a reigning Best Musical winner."
That's true, but the Strange Loop album is just bad. The audio problems that plagued that show continued in the album. I'm saying this as someone who adores that show. The ITW album was leagues better
''Josh has been nominated 4 times but NEVER won. The Grammy voters do not love him.''
But the Grammy voters LOVE Sondheim.
He's won in this category for ''Company,'' ''A Little Night Music,'' ''Sweeney Todd,'' ''Sunday in the Park With George,'' ''Into the Woods'' and ''Passion,'' plus there were wins for ''Follies in Concert,'' two different recordings of ''West Side Story.''
AND last year's ''Into the Woods.''
Maybe the combo of Groban AND Sondheim IS a winner!
Then again, who knows? ''Riverdance'' beat out ''Rent.''
Earning nominations in the Best Musical Theater Album category are the Broadway albums of Kimberly Akimbo, Parade, Shucked, Some Like It Hot, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Also picking up nominations were Liz Callaway's To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Stephen Sondheim and Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions) Vol. 3, both in the Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.
Shucked also didn't nominate specific performers, which is interesting. Is it just up to the producers to submit a list when they submit for consideration?