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Grammy Performance Lineup Boosted In Hopes Of Ratings Increase

by Robert Sutherland | February 6, 2009 at 12:12 pm

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The 51st Grammy Awards are this Sunday on CBS and Global TV and organizers are hoping that this year's ceremony will break the recent trend of low ratings for award shows over the past few years. The remedy? A full slate of performances this year.

Performing this year: Adele, Chris Brown, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Estelle featuring Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, John Mayer, Keith Urban, Jonas Brothers, Kid Rock, Lil Wayne, Paul McCartney, Katy Perry, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Radiohead, Rihanna, Sugarland, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, T.I. and Justin Timberlake, U2, Carrie Underwood, Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo.

The names that jump out at me are Kanye West, Lil Wayne and M.I.A.

Kanye West is set to perform with Estelle for their smash hit American Boy and he is also going to perform with T.I. Jay-Z and Lil Wayne on the hit Swagger Like Us. Two performances? I know he felt let down last year for not winning all the awards he felt he deserved for his album Graduation, but I think this is a bizarre way to reward him.

I just really like Lil Wayne so I want to see him perform.

The big one for me is M.I.A. The thing is that she is nine months pregnant. She has even said on her MySpace Blog that she is due on Grammy night. Nothing like a live child birth on stage to improve ratings. Which would you prefer: She give birth during her performance of Paper Planes? or Give birth while accepting her award for Record of the Year for Paper Planes?

I for one will be watching the awards this year for the first time ever. I will be looking for these things:

Will M.I.A. give birth on stage?
Will Kanye West through another tantrum?
Will Stephen Colbert win for Best Spoken Word Album?
How will they fit all of these performances in?
Will Lil Wayne pull off the rare double win for Rap Album of the Year and Album of the Year?

Here is a full list of the Grammy Nominees for this year.

If you are watching, what will you be looking forward to the most?

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