Customer Reviews

96 Grammy Nominees

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...I normally do not review "old" albums, but I will make an exception with this masterpiece. The Grammy series has seen both ends of the spectrum and this editon is conpletely flawless. There is not one song on this album that I disapprove of. I did not listen to music back in 1995, this album makes me wish that I did. An analysis of these classic tracks:
1.Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men"One Sweet Day"A-.Beautiful,that is the only word to describe the powerful and masterful work.No wonder it was #1 for 16 Weeks in that year.
2.Coolio feat. L.V."Gangsta's Paradise"A+.This bangin' summer track was THE best song of 1995.Right from the chilling beat to the deep lyrics,this song is what rap should be.Surprising that the Academy was bold enough to give this a Record Of The Year nod.
3.Joan Osborne"One Of Us"A-.She may have been forgotten,but this song is easily a classic.Everyone knows the words to this inventive and inspired theological track.It does pose a very good idea about God.
4.Seal"Kiss From A Rose"A.The song may be ungainly in construction,but it is graceful in delivery.It is one of those songs that just plain resounds with you and uses some brilliant "images".
5.TLC"Waterfalls"A.Since Lisa Lopez has passed a way the group is in danger.The is one the best R&B songs of the '90s.The message seems verey heartfelt whlie the lyrics and horn arangments provide a perfect vehicle for it.
6.All-4-One"I Can Love You Like That"A.They may have been second compared to Boyz II Men, but this a superb and perfect slow dance song.Very well done.
7.Michael Jackson"You Are Not Alone"A-.In the midst of all his legal troubles,here is reminder of his talent.MJ singing R.Kelly's emotional lyrics make this a terrific song choice.
8.Alanis Morissette"You Oughta Know"A.It's no mystery why Alanis was such a huge hit with everyone.This song shows the kind of rage and straight forward attitude most females don't have. Truly a one of a kind song.
9.Brandy"Baby"A-.The song shrinks in comparison to "The Boy Is Mine" and "What About Us?",still it is very catchy and slick in it's production.
10.Hootie & The Blowfish"Let Her Cry"B.When "Cracked Rear View" sold 12 Million copies,no one predicted them to be on the bottom of the bargain bin now.This song is not original or spectacular,but it delivers what it promises to.

11.Shania Twain"Any Man Of Mine"A-.This early track from Shania may not have been her best,but it shows true talent and a lot of potential as an artist.
Bottom Line:****.A perfect album, shows that sometimes less can be more(it only has 11 songs). Grammy got it right way back in 1995!

All of these songs brought back memories of 1996 as I listened to them

I love compilation CDs that include hits from a certain year. These songs are often never heard from again. Solution? 1996 Grammy Nominees! This excellent CD includes huge hits (One of Us, Kiss From a Rose, Waterfalls) that we became sick of. Now, 4 years later, we wonder where they went. This is a great CD to be listened to at any time. It is very upbeat and includes the first hits from Shania Twain (who now has about 60493 hits), Hootie & the Blowfish, Alanis Morissette, and the divine Joan Osborne. This disc is recommended for its wide spectrum of styles and variety. You will love this!

1996 Grammy Nominees has nothing but outstanding songs from 1995. Of course, we don't get literally all the songs that were nominated in each and every category for 1995; but what we do get is incredible music that easily stands the test of time. I love the music on this CD. These songs bring back memories, too. The quality of the sound is nothing short of excellent; and I really like that artwork. I truly hope that they bring this album back into print soon; it's all THAT good.

The album starts out with an extraordinary ballad from Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men entitled "One Sweet Day." To say that "One Sweet Day" is a masterpiece is practically an understatement. The percussion goes along with a very lush musical arrangement; Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey deliver this with panache. "One Sweet Day" is a sad song that never fails to move me with its poignancy and beauty. I practically choke up when I hear this; and these artists never sounded better. "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio is another excellent tune; this is rap at its finest and Coolio deserved every bit of recognition he got for this number. "Gangsta's Paradise" is another major highlight of this album; and Joan Osbourne does a wonderful job on the controversial "One Of Us." "One Of Us" may have been controversial; but it took Joan far! Listen for Seal performing "Kiss From A Rose." "Kiss From A Rose" has a well-crafted melody that it instantly memorable. Seal proved he had the chops to make a huge hit with "Kiss From A Rose." I love it.

"Waterfalls" by TLC is another tune I always liked from the very first time I heard it; 1995 was one cool year for music! "Waterfalls" is a R&B ballad that gets the royal treatment from TLC; this trio (including the late Lisa Lopez) couldn't have delivered this any better. TLC never lets go of a superfluous note and this ballad really makes its point! The percussion sounds great and the musical arrangement keeps TLC squarely in the spotlight. There's also a fine performance by Michael Jackson who sings "You Are Not Alone." "You Are Not Alone" is a tender and very sweet love song that sounds almost like a lullaby; it's THAT soothing. Michael sings this faultlessly; his voice never sounded better and "You Are Not Alone" is a wonderful highlight of this CD.

"You Oughta Know" features Alanis Morissette squarely front and center--right where she belongs! Alanis sings this with a great deal of passion and the guitar work enhances the ballad. "You Oughta Know" is angry and somewhat sad to say the least; it makes a fine addition to this album. In addition, "Baby" by Brandy has a catchy treatment that I really enjoy; and "Let Her Cry" by Hootie & The Blowfish has a somewhat country flavor. Hootie & The Blowfish perform "Let Her Cry," a solid artful ballad with great guitar work; they bat this straight out of the ballpark! Shania Twain ends the album with "Any Man Of Mine." "Any Man Of Mine" is yet another catchy tune that has guitar work to enhance it; and Shania Twain sounds wonderful--her excellent diction makes her singing great and she never sings a bad note. "Any Man Of Mine" also provides a strong ending for this album.

Overall, 1996 Grammy Nominees is full of remarkably fine music that showcases some of the best of 1995. I highly recommend this CD for anyone into solid, high quality music from the mid 1990s.

my step sister would always come over to my house and play this CD non stop. i grew up on this CD, literally. I developed my ear for hip hop, my first true love. i remember rapping to Left Eye's rap from Waterfall in my living room. i still know every lyric to this CD even today. "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal and "One Sweet Day" by Boyz II Men feat. Mariah Carey are my favorite romantic songs ever. And "One of Us" literally changed my life. It made me think philosophically at such a young age. i was such a hip hop baby. I remember rapping in the car to "Gangsta's Paradise" over and over again until my mom yelled at me. This CD is magical in my opinion. its the ultimate CD for any collection and i advise everyone to have it.

The service you provided me was excellent!! Fast and efficient and arrived in perfect condition. thank you!!!!

Great songs for a great price

This was a good year at the Grammy's. Alanis, Mariah, and other created a good mix of music for this album, and I was glad to actually see some diversity at the award show. "One Sweet Day" "You Are Not Alone" "Any Man of Mine" "You Oughta Know" and "One of Us" are the sweet spots on the album. A good year for the Grammy's.

Another great Grammy album. 11 good songs from the Grammy nominated songs of 1996. The categories are "Record of the year", "Song of the year" and "Best new artist". Featuring artists as diverse as Coolio and Shania Twain, it makes for a good mix. Something for most tastes.