Is this Coldplay or Mariah Carey's year?
 | This is not a true mid-year Top 10 list. The Grammy Awards, as noted last week, are ending the year a little early, with the eligibility period for next year's awards coming to a close Sept. 30. What follows is a look at some of the more notable releases of late 2007 and the first half of 2008, and how they may fare come Grammy time. Some are major efforts from established artists and others, while Grammy long shots, are simply albums deserving of more recognition. MARIAH CAREY, "E=MC2"
The pop diva's follow-up to the Grammy-adored "Emancipation of Mimi".
Grammy possibilities: Carey's "Mimi" marked a huge comeback for the artist, a much-needed return to form after the commercial/critical disappointments that were "Glitter" and "Charmbracelet". Recording Academy voters were apparently delighted that the megastar rebounded, and responded by awarding Carey 8 Grammy nominations, including album of the year. "E=MC2" closely follows the "Mimi" template, and at times feels like a track-by-track response (substitute "It's Like That" for "Migrate"), but audiences don't seem to mind. The album is still in the top 25 on U.S. pop charts two months after its release, and the album has already spawned two hit singles in "Touch My Body" and "Bye Bye". Carey will undoubtedly be awarded with a bevy of Grammy nominations, but don't bet on "E=MC2" scoring as many as "Mimi", and it likely won't be a favorite for an album of the year nod. It too closely sticks to the "Mimi" template.
Grammy deserving: Does it really matter? One of the best-selling artists of all time, Carey is more than critic-proof, and "E=MC2" likely didn't do anything to change anyone's mind about the singer. It's finely-produced dance-pop crafted by an assortment of the industry's highest-paid producers, and the strongest tracks are worthy representations of mainstream trends. But as a whole, "E=MC2" is responding to pop fashions rather than defining them. (excerpt from the Los Angeles Times)
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