The distinction between tune and report of the yr on the Grammys will be complicated. So complicated, that we messed it up on a narrative on npr.org, and needed to problem a correction.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
At this yr’s Grammy Awards, Lizzo took residence the trophy for report of the yr for her hit “About Rattling Time.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ABOUT DAMN TIME”)
LIZZO: (Singing) In a minute, I’ma want a sentimental man or lady to pump me up.
DETROW: However the award for tune of the yr went to “Simply Like That” by Bonnie Raitt.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST LIKE THAT”)
BONNIE RAITT: (Singing) And similar to that your life can change.
DETROW: In 2016, Bruno Mars received report of the yr for “Uptown Funk.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “UPTOWN FUNK”)
BRUNO MARS: (Singing) I am too scorching. Sizzling rattling.
DETROW: And tune of the yr went to Ed Sheeran’s “Considering Out Loud.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THINKING OUT LOUD”)
ED SHEERAN: (Singing) So, honey, now…
DETROW: The distinction between tune and report of the yr will be complicated – so complicated that we really messed it up on a narrative at npr.org, and we needed to problem a correction. Look, we mess up, and we need to attempt to present our listeners how we take care of our errors behind the scenes. And on this case, I’ll say it is complicated. Tune and report are interchangeable to many individuals. Much more complicated – data weren’t a factor anymore, after which they had been once more. So we’re going to attempt to clear this up, and there may be one clear individual at NPR who might help us try this – Stephen Thompson of NPR Music. Hey, Stephen.
STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: Hey, Scott. Nice to be right here.
DETROW: So I’ll admit that at this second, speaking to you, I really have no idea the distinction between tune and report of the yr. So are you able to clarify it to me earlier than you clarify it to anyone else?
THOMPSON: Nicely, to begin with, Scott, within the spirit of the section, I’ve to appropriate you on one thing you mentioned in your intro. You mentioned “Uptown Funk” is by Bruno Mars. It’s really by Mark Ronson, a report producer working with Bruno Mars.
DETROW: Wow.
THOMPSON: So we’re all about accuracy.
DETROW: Clearly.
THOMPSON: To reply your query in regards to the distinction between tune of the yr and report of the yr, mainly the Grammys cut up these classes as much as differentiate between the entire bundle of a tune and easily the writing of a tune.
DETROW: OK.
THOMPSON: So one is a composition award; one is a composition and efficiency and manufacturing award.
DETROW: So based mostly in your correction of me on this correction section, I will guess that report of the yr is the songwriting focus.
THOMPSON: No.
DETROW: No. Oh.
THOMPSON: Tune of the yr is the songwriting focus.
DETROW: Wow.
THOMPSON: The mnemonic system I exploit is simply tune is brief for songwriting.
DETROW: OK. So let’s simply parse this out a bit bit. Whenever you say songwriting, do you imply the lyrics on paper? Does that imply the musical composition? I imply, what precisely are we speaking about right here?
THOMPSON: It is each.
DETROW: OK.
THOMPSON: Music and lyrics – so melody, phrases, something that goes into writing the tune. And so once they gave Bonnie Raitt tune of the yr for “Simply Like That,” they had been trying on the composition of that tune, the lyrics of the tune. And if you happen to hearken to “Simply Like That,” it’s a stunning lyric. It is a tune about organ donation and form of – there’s a bit little bit of a storytelling angle to the tune the place a thriller is form of solved over the course of the observe.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “JUST LIKE THAT”)
RAITT: (Singing) It was your son’s coronary heart that saved me and a life you gave us each.
THOMPSON: And it is a bit bit completely different from a tune like Lizzo’s “About Rattling Time,” which is that this actually wealthy, lavish manufacturing the place simply, like, each second of that tune simply sounds good. This yr was a case the place I assumed it was fairly – there was a fairly clear delineation between what was a songwriting award versus what was a song-making award.
DETROW: And whenever you discuss in regards to the full bundle of the tune and the song-making, what would the various things that voters are interested by be?
THOMPSON: You understand how yearly now we have a dialogue round, like, what’s the tune of the summer time? What are we going to recollect because the tune of the summer time?
DETROW: Yeah.
THOMPSON: And it is no matter tune was, , blasting out of boomboxes and automotive stereos and no matter. I consider report of the yr as form of that very same kind of factor. What’s the tune that actually represented the sound of well-liked music in a given yr? I feel “Uptown Funk” is a very good instance of a tune that actually felt like a report of the yr as a result of that tune was so ubiquitous. It was inescapable. It was simply, like, a really full and wealthy and vibrant manufacturing. You already know, versus tune of the yr – I consider anyone, like, sitting at a piano and form of crafting some actually heartfelt piece. And clearly, there have been a few years by which the tune of the yr is simply – is, like, a tune that’s simply, like, a richly produced pop hit that is not essentially deeply, lyrically and melodically sensible. However I consider report of the yr as being form of the, what one tune represents the sound of music in a given yr?
DETROW: Nicely, Stephen Thompson of NPR Music, we have made corrections as we speak. We have been corrected. We have listened to some music. Thanks for happening this journey with me.
THOMPSON: Thanks.
DETROW: We at all times try to get it proper. However after we do not, you may ship us an e-mail at corrections@npr.org.
(SOUNDBITE OF SLAJFER’S “ABOUT DAMN TIME (INSTRUMENTAL)”)
Copyright © 2023 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This textual content will not be in its ultimate type and could also be up to date or revised sooner or later. Accuracy and availability might fluctuate. The authoritative report of NPR’s programming is the audio report.
