Dove Album Nominations Part Two

Letting the Dove Nominations go first has had an unexpected benefit. Clarity and focus. While trying to rush the nomination process I blew up the field of nominees, with the result that some genres doubled. Now, seeing the competition, I refocused and all the categories, except those which lacked a full slate, now are at the seven nominees.

We continue with the Album of the Year Categories. For this year I think I will stick to "major awards", so I will not mention them all, at least to keep the number of posts down. I have my own awards to promote, after all.

Urban Album of The Year

• Angel & Chanelle - Trinitee 5:7
• Church on the Moon - Deitrick Haddon
• From Now On - Dawkins & Dawkins
• Something Big - Mary Mary
• The Next Dimension - GI
• How I Got Over - Smokie Norful

I had 3 of the 6 on this list (Trinitee 5:7, Deitrick Haddon and Marry Mary). Of course I put them all into Gospel/R&B. Sometimes things can be a bit too nuanced at awards shows. "Urban?" wouldn't that apply to any band located in a city as opposed to out in the sticks?

Traditional Gospel Album of The Year

• If You Didn't Know - Norman Hutchins
• Promises - Richard Smallwood
• The Legacy Project - John P. Kee
• XV Live - Chicago Mass Choir

A very short section, and I had none of them, though I had Kee and Smallwood among the early contenders among the Gospel Crowd.

Contemporary Gospel

• Becoming - Yolanda Adams
• Change the Atmosphere - Christ Tabernacle Choir
• Committed - Committed
• Hello Fear - Kirk Franklin
• Make It Loud - Martha Munizzi

Though I didn't think Franklin shone strongly enough this time around, I thought Committed was more R&B than gospel. (Most of the songs were secular covers). My only gripe here is with the inclusion of Munizzi, she's whiter than white bread, and while she went for the Gospel sound (instead of her usual Modern Worship) on her latest album, in my opinion she ran out of steam midway through.

Praise and Worship Album

• 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman
• Aftermath - Hillsong United
• And if Our God is For Us - Chris Tomlin
• Ghosts Upon the Earth - Gungor
• Make It Loud - Martha Munizzi

Wrapping up Album of The Year with this category, mostly it is also a matter of pigeonholing. I had Gungor as Alternative and Tomlin In Modern Worship. I guess the GMA decided to award each half of Munizzi's album separately.

That concludes my coverage of the Album of the Year Dove Nominations for this year. I will return to them in April for my predictions. I am going to try to handle the General Field and Song of The Year with a post for each. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply,