Grammy nominee John Rausch, who engineered part of Taylor Swift's "Red" album, and Star Tribune critic Jon Bream take a run at the top Grammy Awards:
Album of the year
Nominees: Sara Bareilles, "The Blessed Unrest"; Daft Punk, "Random Access Memories"; Kendrick Lamar, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City"; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "The Heist"; Taylor Swift, "Red."
Rausch: "Is it selfish of me to say I really hope we win and I think we have a good shot? I'm scared of Macklemore. I'd feel better if I got beat by Daft Punk because I love that record as well."
Bream: Critically admired acts like Arcade Fire or the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration sometimes triumph. No such luck for Lamar. I think Swift's blockbuster will probably win unless Macklemore heists the trophy or Daft Punk gets lucky.
Song of the year
Nominees: Pink, "Just Give Me a Reason"; Bruno Mars, "Locked Out of Heaven"; Katy Perry, "Roar"; Lorde, "Royals"; Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "Same Love."
Rausch: "I like 'Roar' and 'Royals.' It's a tossup."
Bream: The Recording Academy will send a message by honoring "Same Love," a same-sex celebration.
Record of the year
Nominees: Daft Punk, "Get Lucky"; Imagine Dragons, "Radioactive"; Lorde, "Royals"; Bruno Mars, "Locked Out of Heaven"; Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines."
