Grammys 2014: Led Zeppelin’s ‘Celebration Day’ wins rock album
Grammy voters love catching up with acts that weren’t significantly recognized when they were at their creative peaks, and this year one of those nods went to Led Zeppelin’s “Celebration Day,†the live album documenting the surviving members’ 2007 reunion in London.
Group founders Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were supported by drummer Jason Bonham, filling in for his departed dad, John Bonham, for these shows that retraced the group’s history in 17 songs including such cornerstone numbers as “Whole Lotta Love,†“Rock and Roll,†“Black Dog,†“Dazed and Confused†and “Stairway to Heaven.â€
Fans clamored for a tour in the wake of the acclaimed show, and there continues to be talk of the possibility, but nothing’s been confirmed to date.
FULL COVERAGE: Grammy Awards 2014
A strong sense of déjà vu ran through the rock album category, and a lot of people could be forgiven for wondering if they’d time traveled back to the 1970s given nominations for Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, David Bowie and Neil Young & Crazy Horse. But the presence of contenders from more recent vintage rockers Kings of Leon and Queens of the Stone Age reassured that voters weren’t fully in rear-view mirror mode this year.
Despite the regular presence of classic rockers among the nominees, voters in recent years have tended to give the nod to bands that emerged in more recent times, including Coldplay, Green Day, Muse, Foo Fighters and the Black Keys, who won last year for “El Camino.â€
And this year’s winner can thank Foo Fighters for not releasing an album during the qualifying period. The group is a Grammy favorite and has won the category four times over the last decade.
The Grammys are determined by about 13,000 voting members. The eligibility period for nominated recordings was Oct. 1, 2012, to Sept. 30, 2013. The 56th awards are being held at Staples Center and telecast on CBS. They are broadcast live except for viewers on the West Coast. The latest headlines and any breaking news will be posted here on Pop & Hiss.
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PHOTOS: Grammys 2014 top nominees and winners
TIMELINE: Grammy winners through the years
COMPLETE LIST: Grammys 2014 nominees and winners
Follow Randy Lewis on Twitter: @RandyLewis2
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