Released two weeks before the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, this album represents a small slice of the 500-plus songs, albums, and artists nominated that year. The 19-song track list focuses on 2010's most commercial music, bypassing genres like classical and reggae in favor of sweeping pop anthems, country ballads, and rock songs. Although
Kesha
and
Justin Bieber
are both absent from the mix,
2011 Grammy Nominees
still paints a fairly representative picture of 2010's music scene, featuring three of the year's five highest-charting songs (
Lady Antebellum
's
"Need You Now,"
Train
"Hey, Soul Sister,"
Katy Perry
"California Gurls"
) while highlighting other heavy-hitters like
Miranda Lambert
,
Lady Gaga
Paramore
, and the Glee cast. ~ Andrew Leahey