The Grammys And Dance Music: A Long, Awkward Pas De Deux

Soundcheck | Jan 23, 2014

Daft Punk is no stranger to the Grammys. Since 1998, the French electronic duo has been nominated 13 times, and, five years ago, they won the awards for Best Dance Recording and Best Electronic/Dance Album. But this year, Daft Punk's 2013 megahit Random Access Memories managed to break into what’s known as the “Big Four” categories -- making the group the first electronic group to ever be nominated for Album of the Year.

Chris Weingarten, music editor at Rolling Stone, joins us to explain the significance of this nomination within the dance music community. Plus, he walks us through the Grammys' long and rather awkward history with dance music -- from the ill-fated 1980 "Best Disco Recording" category, to the nomination of a song from the Space Jam soundtrack for "Best Dance Recording" in 1998, to Skrillex's non-televised acceptances of three awards last year. 

 

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