How the Grammy's made me appreciate my favorite music even more

The Grammy's - yeah. The music industry was celebrating itself for the 51st time last Sunday.

Like Oliver, I watched the Grammy's for the very first time ever but unlike Oliver, I pretty much enjoyed the show. Granted, aside from U2, Radiohead, to a lesser degree Coldplay and of course Sir Paul McCartney, I am not exactly "fan" of the Grammy presented music. Hip-hop, R&B, Country, Soul? Not my thing! Super cool rapper, drunken presenters, teenage girls, teenage boys - give me a break!

I even agree with Oliver that the pairings of the performing musicians were a bit odd and too staged. And even if there weren't any odd combos, the musicians themselves moved like they were working out - that goes to you Chris Martin! While I agree with VIVA LA VIDA being the top song of 2008, I hated Coldplay's performance!

Totally different story with Radiohead! Thom Yorke's and Jonny Greenwood's show together with the USC Marching Band alone was worth sitting through the 3.5 hours Grammy spectacle! Their performance reminded me of what I love about music in the first place: the feelings that it evokes. The memories that it brings back. The unique experience wich is not comparable with anything else.

Which also made me re-think the significance of the simple "Favorite Music" question as to be found on all social networking sites.

I have a lot of favorite music. I like Nine Inch Nails, and I like Thievery Corporation, I like Chemical Brothers, and I like Snow Patrol. But do I like them that much that I'd like to listen to them in good and in bad times? Would they make the cut if I could only store, let's say 4 gigabyte of music?

And that's when I started to re-organize "my favorite music" on facebook and Fotolog. You'll now find me differentiating between music I already love for years and would't want to live without - thanks Radiohead! - and music I just discovered recently, less than 10 years ago and love and wouldn't want to live without. And everything else, is just music that's pleasant or interesting to listen to, but not really dear to my heart and relevant for me.

Having learned something important about myself, I'd say, this was time well spent.

-- By Elke

Photo depicts John Law of The Statues of Liberty, Arlene's Grocery, January 9th 2009