As expected, the winner’s circle for the Rock, Metal and Alternative categories of the Grammy Awards were doled out during pre-broadcast ceremonies and with nothing being done in person this time around I guess this was all via Zoom, Facebook Live or maybe even WhatsApp. I don’t watch the show myself but do secure the full winner’s rundown for “The Chronicles of Piercing Ken” website and that will post later on tonight since it’s a lot of editing to make work out. You Rockers don’t have to wait that long and can peruse the list before getting to the latest chapter in “The Walking Dead” saga or whatever else you might be watching on a Sunday night. May I have the envelope please….

Best Rock Performance:
WINNER – SHAMEIKA – Fiona Apple
NOT – Big Thief
KYOTO – Phoebe Bridgers
THE STEPS – HAIM
STAY HIGH – Brittany Howard
DAYLIGHT – Grace Potter

Best Metal Performance:
WINNER – BUM-RUSH – Body Count
UNDERNEATH – Code Orange
THE IN-BETWEEN – In This Moment
BLOODMONEY – Poppy
EXECUTIONER’S TAX (SWING OF THE AXE) – LIVE – Power Trip

Best Rock Song:
KYOTO – Phoebe Bridgers, Morgan Nagler & Marshall Vore, songwriters (Phoebe Bridgers)
LOST IN YESTERDAY – Kevin Parker, songwriter (Tame Impala)
NOT – Adrianne Lenker, songwriter (Big Thief)
SHAMEIKA – Fiona Apple, songwriter (Fiona Apple)
WINNER – STAY HIGH – Brittany Howard, songwriter (Brittany Howard)

Best Rock Album:
A HERO’S DEATH – Fontaines D.C.
KIWANUKA – Michael Kiwanuka
DAYLIGHT – Grace Potter
SOUND & FURY – Sturgill Simpson
WINNER – THE NEW ABNORMAL – The Strokes

** Alternative **

Best Alternative Music Album:
WINNER – FETCH THE BOLT CUTTERS – Fiona Apple
HYPERSPACE – Beck
PUNISHER – Phoebe Bridgers
JAIME – Brittany Howard
THE SLOW RUSH – Tame Impala

*** end of rundown ***

PiercingMetal Thoughts: So I will admit to not being up to speed on most of the Rock and Alternative music for this past year as far as nominations went but of course I knew the Metal stuff and felt it was going to be an interesting race. I was happy to see Body Count winning the Grammy but I also like when one of the newer artists wins out at the end of the day which would have been Poppy or Power Trip for me. Still, they did manage to get a pure list of volatile acts in the nominations and only one could take home the prize when all was said and done. Somewhere in the deep recesses of my music library I still have the original and very banned debut Body Count CD and I am sure I’ve a couple of DVD releases in that section as well but it’s been a minute since I’ve played those. The new album is quite solid so kudos to all who worked on it in the Century Media Records family. What do you readers think about this years winners for Rock, Metal and Alternative? Were you mad that you weren’t able to site with a bag of popcorn and watch each of the winners speak during the show or do you even care about the broadcast? Chime in down below and head over to “The Chronicles” around midnight to see the full list of Grammy Awards winners if such things pique your interest. See you again soon, be safe out there.

Official Website: https://www.grammy.com/