A Question of Career Staying Power…[Honors?]

For any of us with our heads deep in the clouds as regards “our” chances at the Grammys, here is a bit of a letdown piece from Todd Martens of the LA Times music blog Pop & Hiss.

He assesses the crop of Best New Artist nominees, and while he sees some sort of merit in our Boys, he surely doesn’t call the award chances in their favor at all, as Rolling Stone did recently.

I am simultaneously thankful for the reality check and typically annoyed by the hurdles that seem to forever be set between the Jonases and formal industry respect.

Read how Martens tamps down our high expectations, after the jump…

Says Todd…

That all sounds nice, but we may as well give the award to the Jonas Brothers, no?

Not quite, but JoBros should not be taken lightly, either. Despite their Disney-connections and participation in “Camp Rock” shenanigans, Disney has done a good of job of positioning the boys as the real deal. Additionally, the JoBros have managed to keep one foot in the teen pop world — check the upcoming Disney Channel series “J.O.N.A.S.” — while still getting big boy gigs such as performing on the MTV Video Music Awards, not to mention the Grammys.

Finally, the kids surely scored some goodwill amidst Recording Academy voters when they gifted about $75,000 to the recently-opened Grammy Museum. While that won’t buy the band the award, it further illustrates that they mean business when it comes to scoring a Grammy.*

If anything hurts them, it’s the fact that they were also superstars in 2007, and should have been nominated for this award last year. Additionally, Grammy voters may opt to bestow the prize upon an artist that the world takes just a little more seriously. As big as the JoBros are, there’s a question of career staying power from anyone coming from the teen pop world, and Adele, Duffy and Sullivan are all safer long-term bets.

Read the rest, here.

* [Let it be noted that on top of that donation, the Boys are also going on two events which benefit the Grammy/NARAS foundation Musicares: the Ryman show and an upcoming Neil Diamond "Person of the Year" recognition event. Never underestimate a savvy team's ability to campaign!!!]

Sigh. Well, fine. I know it was a coup just to get nominated.

I also know it is no secret that NARAS is not known for its daring choices, hence the ridicule the Grammys often receive from some pop culture watchers.  In this category, the Academy will likely get some dissing whichever direction it takes – in picking the Boys or one of the several retro-flavored (debatable in some cases), female, R&B, other choices they seem more likely to go with (mainly “other” because this is a JB blog, as they are all obviously excellent artists!).  Especially if they go with a British one, since that will feel all too familiar.

For me – as someone who has been bored with the music industry for almost a decade, was always pretty nonplussed by pop music to begin with, and of course is a Jonas superfan – I logically think the Boys deserve a lot more credit than they are getting, here. To wit, I repeat..

Disney has done a good of job of positioning the boys as the real deal…

Which is Martens’ nice way of tiptoeing around having to say the band might actually be “the real deal” in reality.  Grrrr.  Perhaps unjust disregard is common in the pop world, and I’ve just never noticed it because I don’t usually pay close attention to pop artists (or find very many to be as worthwhile as the brothers), but it seems pretty unfair.  I certainly think they measure up.  They may have room to grow and develop…but isn’t that the whole point and potential of a “Best New Artist”?

Anyway. Whatever, Critics: Keep bringing it on – your reluctance can be nothing but good exercise for the Jonas funk muscle.

But come on, Academy:

Can’t you take a chance on the Jonases?!?!

So…what do you say, Revelers?  How do you really think the Boys stack up to the supposed Grammy “requirements” and potential for career longevity?

The requirements are described (on Wikipedia, grain of salt) as follows: For a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist. Note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist.

And – What would be a bigger upset…a Jonas win or a Jonas loss at the Grammys?

[Via: LA Times' Pop & Hiss Music Blog]