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[Yanks2014]

As Ron says, if you ask anyone who knows some about music who won the "Heavy Metal" Grammy, they're gonna tell you "Jethro Tull."

It's widely referred to as the "Heavy Metal Grammy," regardless of whatever title the NARAS wanted to call it.

And they would be wrong, as such an award didn't exist. And they were at least aware enough to properly divide the category into two distinct awards the following year since its pretty obvious they cover different styles of rock music. Bottom line, if it really were a heavy metal grammy that year, much different bands would have been nominated, aside from Metallica. And The idea that they HAD to win is absurd.

[Scott Bails]

We'll have to disagree, Thomas.

[Yanks2014]

Seriously, has there ever been a more diverse group of nominees than that award?

No, I agree with you there. Based on the nominees, if they had just kept the award as "heavy metal", it would have been even more absurd. When they did redifine the categories, I'm sure the nominees made a bit more sense. I do know Metallica won the following year, which is funny since they didn't have an album out. Brings up a whole lot of silliness that is the grammys. Not sure who Metallica beat out that time.

[Mister Triscuits]

I do know Metallica won the following year, which is funny since they didn't have an album out. Brings up a whole lot of silliness that is the grammys.

For that matter, Tull didn't have an album out the year they won the Grammy either--you'd think the 1989 Grammys should have been for 1988 releases, but Crest was 1987. Metallica got the 1990 Heavy Metal Grammy for the song "One," which although it was part of the album that had already lost out to Tull the previous year, did fit the timeline on a technicality: it was released as a single in early 1989.

[ronmac]

Grammys are pretty much based on unit sales.

[Baribrotzer]

Grammys are pretty much based on unit sales.

Most of the time. Aren't there bands like Kiss, who've sold bundles of records but are seen as uncool by most adults, who have never won any? And, conversely, I'm sure there are classic R&B artists who never even had one hit but got awards for the quality of their work.

[ronmac]

Most of the time. Aren't there bands like Kiss, who've sold bundles of records but are seen as uncool by most adults, who have never won any? And, conversely, I'm sure there are classic R&B artists who never even had one hit but got awards for the quality of their work.

I think Kiss only cracked the Top 40 once or twice. There's no way they were outselling the chart-toppers of their day.

Those classic artists pretty much got lifetime achievement awards.

[Mister Triscuits]

I think Kiss only cracked the Top 40 once or twice. There's no way they were outselling the chart-toppers of their day.

Kiss has had 24 Top 40 albums over the years, nine of them Top 10s (plus two "almosts" that reached #11). And that's not counting solo albums. They have had 9 Top 40 singles.

[ronmac]

Kiss has had 24 Top 40 albums over the years, nine of them Top 10s (plus two "almosts" that reached #11). And that's not counting solo albums. They have had 9 Top 40 singles.

Interesting. I guess the chart info I read was incorrect or incomplete.