As we head into the 67th Grammys, it’s easy to get caught up in the biggest stories coming out of the nominations. Honestly, it’s the same story every year; the biggest names in our culture dominate the headlines, get all the attention, and keep our eyes glued to the screen for their performances, allowing the network to maximize the ratings for the show.
That’s not cynicism, that’s just reality.
But as I erased this year’s full nominations list, I found myself struck by some of the more remarkable names I read further down the list. Names that brought me great joy to see. Names far away from the zeitgeist at this point. Names that were… old. Like me. So here are three bands still getting it done after more than four decades after they got their starts.
These musical artists (and one President) are worthy of their 2025 Grammy Award nominations
The Black Crowes
Nominated this year for Best Rock Album for Happiness Bastards, the Crowes get their second overall Grammy nomination an incredible 34 years after they got their first. Back then, it was for Best New Artist.
Now, here they are, showing the power of longevity in returning to the awards spotlight after so long. And when you consider that the Robinson brothers and friends founded the band in 1984, you’ve got to be appreciative. 40-plus years means plenty of bumps in the road, but they’ve made it pretty far.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Founded back in 1983, Cave and company have gone through numerous lineup iterations across the time span, but they’ve never sacrificed quality in that journey. Nominations for two Grammys this year (Best Alternative Music Album, Wild God, and Best Alternative Music Performance, “Song of the Lake”) remind listeners of just how brilliant the band has been for so long.
The amazing thing is that they do have one prior Grammy win, but it’s for Best Music Film, seven years ago for One More Time With Feeling. How the band hasn’t received musical kudos previously is astonishing to me. We’ll see how it plays out this time.
Judas Priest
1969, Birmingham, England saw these blokes come together for the first time, and after 55 tumultuous years and infinite combinations of members, they are still the reigning kings of heavy metal. Nominated again for Best Metal Performance for “Crown of Horns,” this could potentially be their second win after 2010’s “Dissident Aggressor.”
Still, how can you not be impressed by a metal band who could also be swigging Metamucil at their AARP meeting? Their commitment to the music and the lifestyle is amazing and worthy of tremendous respect.
Jimmy Carter
I’d be remiss if I didn’t throw in an Honorable Mention to all of this in the form of the recently deceased President Jimmy Carter. Carter, a man of tremendous faith, had three Grammy wins out of 10 nominations he received over the years, mostly in the category of Best Audiobook, Narration, and Storytelling Reading.
His Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration is nominated this year, and with the man’s passing, I can’t help but feel like he’s going to get a fourth trophy. Carter lived to see his 100th birthday, and getting a Grammy at 100 seems more gangster than just about any rock star could hope to be. Respect, sir. Rest well.