The Beach Boys scored a Grammy nomination.

[Runaways]

I actually like fun too.  Listen to some of their music, they clearly have a songwriter who likes being adventurous and writing good hooks. I wouldn't be surprised if they put out a great album someday.

The dude has already, it's called Dog Problems by The Format though~

I mean like musically important.  I think this last album has 4-5 of my fav tracks from him.  But I hope he keeps pushing his music styles.

[guitarfool2002]

Some Girls is a solid album, definitely: I'm just surprised it would be considered worthy of the box set treatment, and above that the box set worthy of a Grammy nod. Beast Of Burden is one of the best things they've ever done and combined with Miss You worth the price of the album alone, I think, but the whole album? Was it a case of critics perhaps over-praising it a bit because the Stones were back in rocking form rather than judging the quality of the album as a whole? I still hear a few terrific singles placed into a mixed bag of covers and Jagger originals that "miss" Keith quite a bit in places, I don't hear the overall flow of the better Stones albums.

Better question, and one which I don't know the answer short of looking it up: Were any of the superb Monkees deluxe box sets ever nominated in these Grammy categories? I'd put the Headquarters box set as one of those which set the standard for these single-album types of releases as we see with Ram and Some Girls and the others, not to mention the deluxe Monkees sets which have appeared more recently.

[I. Spaceman]

Some Girls is a solid album, definitely: I'm just surprised it would be considered worthy of the box set treatment, and above that the box set worthy of a Grammy nod. Beast Of Burden is one of the best things they've ever done and combined with Miss You worth the price of the album alone, I think, but the whole album? Was it a case of critics perhaps over-praising it a bit because the Stones were back in rocking form rather than judging the quality of the album as a whole? I still hear a few terrific singles placed into a mixed bag of covers and Jagger originals that "miss" Keith quite a bit in places, I don't hear the overall flow of the better Stones albums.

Better question, and one which I don't know the answer short of looking it up: Were any of the superb Monkees deluxe box sets ever nominated in these Grammy categories? I'd put the Headquarters box set as one of those which set the standard for these single-album types of releases as we see with Ram and Some Girls and the others, not to mention the deluxe Monkees sets which have appeared more recently.

Yeah, Some Girls was definitely overrated by critics because of it being a more overt rock album. I do like the punk feel of Jagger's songs such as Respectable and Lies.
No, the Monkees sets weren't nominated and they were deserving of it, for sure. Not to mention the stunning series of archival Motown releases from Hip-O.

[Cabinessenceking]

I swear to god if that fu*king FUN. Album wins anything I MEAN ANYTHING I will kill every teenage girl and "yolo" user on the planet.

who cares what teen girls and yolo people are into? not worth the thought tbh
just like all the people hating on this Justin Bieber kid, there is no point....

[Dr. Tim]

I could see Trent Reznor's "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"  winning for best "visual media" score (movie soundtrack).  It is a good listen if you like his more atmospheric "Ghosts" side.  But yeah, I don't see why it's in  for best box set, other than being 3 CD's worth of stuff, weird.  And the exclusion of TSS from the best box set category there is very odd considering the assembly of "Smile" on disc 1 (and most of the other 4 CD's) was never heard in that form before -- unlike Ram or Some Girls.

[Howie Edelson]

"Ram" -- which is a masterpiece, and arguably McCartney's greatest post-Lennon work -- absolutely deserves the Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package award. The remaster, although crisp, is negligible and the bonus tracks have mainly available in similar quality for eons. It's not comparable to the type of project that "The Smile Sessions" -- or "Quadrophenia: The Director's Cut" (which was criminally snubbed) -- is. That said, "Ram" should never be knocked, because it remains a massive musical accomplishment -- just as important/impressive (if not more so) than "JOL/POB" or "All Things Must Pass." It absolutely deserves a Grammy (perhaps even MANY Grammys) -- just not "Smile's" Grammy.

The bottom line is the packaging and info within the "Ram" box easily trumps the "Smile" box. It's truly a gift. The reason why "Smile" deserves to win -- and I believe WILL win in its category -- is for what Linett & Boyd did. Their work -- in all actuality, above BRIAN's even -- is what will earn this project the Grammy.  It's really THEIR Grammy. I hope that the powers that be realize that.

[AndrewHickey]

Better question, and one which I don't know the answer short of looking it up: Were any of the superb Monkees deluxe box sets ever nominated in these Grammy categories? I'd put the Headquarters box set as one of those which set the standard for these single-album types of releases as we see with Ram and Some Girls and the others, not to mention the deluxe Monkees sets which have appeared more recently.

No -- but I suspect that's because they were made available in such limited quantities that they were essentially impossible to get hold of. The Headquarters box I actually thought was overdoing it -- it's not an album that repays that kind of detailed set (very few do). But the Birds, The Bees And The Monkees 3-CD set was absolutely stellar, turning one of their lesser albums into something of a masterpiece by presenting it in the context of their unreleased work of the time. That's one of the all-time great archival releases.

[Cabinessenceking]

SWEDISH FROG HAS RETURNED

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Better question, and one which I don't know the answer short of looking it up: Were any of the superb Monkees deluxe box sets ever nominated in these Grammy categories? I'd put the Headquarters box set as one of those which set the standard for these single-album types of releases as we see with Ram and Some Girls and the others, not to mention the deluxe Monkees sets which have appeared more recently.

No -- but I suspect that's because they were made available in such limited quantities that they were essentially impossible to get hold of. The Headquarters box I actually thought was overdoing it -- it's not an album that repays that kind of detailed set (very few do). But the Birds, The Bees And The Monkees 3-CD set was absolutely stellar, turning one of their lesser albums into something of a masterpiece by presenting it in the context of their unreleased work of the time. That's one of the all-time great archival releases.

You mean you didn't find those Zilch tracks to be enlightening?

[Lonely Summer]

The Monkees getting a Grammy nod? Never gonna happen. Still too many idiots in the biz that see them as the 60's Milli Vanilli.

[guitarfool2002]

Better question, and one which I don't know the answer short of looking it up: Were any of the superb Monkees deluxe box sets ever nominated in these Grammy categories? I'd put the Headquarters box set as one of those which set the standard for these single-album types of releases as we see with Ram and Some Girls and the others, not to mention the deluxe Monkees sets which have appeared more recently.

No -- but I suspect that's because they were made available in such limited quantities that they were essentially impossible to get hold of. The Headquarters box I actually thought was overdoing it -- it's not an album that repays that kind of detailed set (very few do). But the Birds, The Bees And The Monkees 3-CD set was absolutely stellar, turning one of their lesser albums into something of a masterpiece by presenting it in the context of their unreleased work of the time. That's one of the all-time great archival releases.

A few points to consider, namely the one that unless I'm simply not remembering my release history - Was there any precedent to the Headquarters Sessions box set? I don't believe a single pop album such as that had ever received that kind of archival treatment prior to this, at least in this rock-pop genre. If that is the case, they (Rhino) were elevating that music to the levels afforded jazz artists like Miles and Bird, who had extensive, limited run sets dedicated to specific works, and if repaying is a goal, hearing take after take of the same chart with barely any differences or studio chatter apart from those jazz fans who wish to hear every note a player like Bird ever blew, they were quite tedious at times and targeted only a very select group of fans who would pay for such sets. Yet, those too were sought after by the hardcore fans and in some cases, they went out of print before many bought them.

Second, consider that the "Birds, The Bees..." project simply had a wealth of available material to pull from the vaults. Never mind that it was originally slated to be a multi-album release back in the day, the band members were recording all kinds of things at that time. The vaults were full of Tork demos, Nesmith's country-rock sessions, various songs from Dolenz, various performances from Jones. They had many, many more tapes available to compile the set and create a comprehensive picture of that era and what the band was recording. If it had not been for Chip Douglas with the Headquarters session tapes, much of the more interesting and fascinating material caught on conversations between takes would never have survived anyway, since it was his journal reels which he had made back then which archived all of that neat stuff from Headquarters.

So they had less to work with on the HQ box, but again the precedent of it won the day: They had enough solid, interesting session material so you could get a snapshot of how these guys were building up an album, from demo stage to recording sessions up to final mono and stereo mixes of the album. They worked with what they had, and I don't think it counts against the quality of the release any more than it would be to say similar things about the BB's 93 box set because certain key Smile tracks were not included.

Last, I don't think availability should be or should have been a factor. Rhino knew the audience for something like this, even among Monkees fans, would be small. And they put it on the "Handmade" label, knowing it was a unique audience who would spend that much money on material like this. Time proved them wrong, because word spread about how cool the set was in the years after, I'd say, and that is why it did became so sought after by those who missed the first pressing. If intended audience and availability are variables, how does that stack up against the Trent Reznor movie soundtrack deluxe box, or the Ben Kweller set which are both nominated for Grammys? Did they really think more casual fans of Reznor, Kweller, etc would rush to spend that much money on these deluxe releases, and likewise were they widely available as a normal release would be? Or did they have in mind a more limited run for a much more narrow and select audience who would buy them?

I'm still sad there was not enough material in the vaults for a "Pisces Aquarius..." deluxe box that was a revelation in some way, or which would capture some of the audio verite of a session as HQ did.

[Lonely Summer]

Smile Sessions SHOULD win - one of the most historic releases ever. But the Beach Boys don't have a good track record with the Grammies. McCartney's Ram is a good album, but it's not Smile.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I agree that Smile Sessions should win but I don't understand when we begin comparing Smile with Ram. This is not a competition between those two albums. It's a competition between box sets. And while I personally prefer Smile Sessions despite Ram being one of my favourite albums, I nevertheless don't think it's out of the realm of possibilities that, perhaps, there will be some voters that prefer listening to, say, the Thrillington album than a disc of Heroes and Villains sessions.

And we are completely ruling out the strength of the Woody Guthrie set too.

[Shady]

Smile Sessions SHOULD win - one of the most historic releases ever. But the Beach Boys don't have a good track record with the Grammies. McCartney's Ram is a good album, but it's not Smile.

And that pretty much sums it up.

Come to think of it, Smile really isn't Grammy music, it wasn't in the 60s it isn't now.

 Win or lose at least we have it.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I hate fun because it's mainstream pop, i'm a teenage beach boys fan

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

...And yes, i've listened to them, but all it made me wanna do is hate being an "ignorant teenager" and listen to the actual song by Simon and Garfunkel

[I. Spaceman]

I hate fun because it's mainstream pop, i'm a teenage beach boys fan

Yes, because The Beach Boys are Norwegian Death Metal, and not mainstream pop.

[I. Spaceman]

A few points to consider, namely the one that unless I'm simply not remembering my release history - Was there any precedent to the Headquarters Sessions box set?

I'd argue that the Pet Sounds Sessions set, tho obviously not as completist, is the clear precedent, and the inspiration for the HS set.
Also, The Complete Funhouse Sessions was released the year before the Headquarters set.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I hate fun because it's mainstream pop, i'm a teenage beach boys fan

Yes, because The Beach Boys are Norwegian Death Metal, and not mainstream pop.

The year is 2012, I'm 15. The Beach Boys are NOT mainstream for me.

[I. Spaceman]

OK, cool. You're not the only person on the planet. Their last album hit the Top 5. Highly mainstream, thus.

[Shady]

I hate fun because it's mainstream pop, i'm a teenage beach boys fan

Yes, because The Beach Boys are Norwegian Death Metal, and not mainstream pop.

The year is 2012, I'm 15. The Beach Boys are NOT mainstream for me.

If the Beach Boys are not mainstream what are they?

As far as hits go, relevancy and lasting appeal you can't get much bigger than The Beach Boys

[Jay]

You mean to tell me "Isn't It Time" isn't "song of the year"?

I reckon From There To Back Again is a more right choice for "The Song of The Year" nom. It's like the only song that everybody agreed on to be the best track on TWGMTR record. Even there are some people who aren't fond of Summer's Gone & Pacific Coast Highway.

In my opinion, From There To Back Again should be song of the Millennium.

[Lonely Summer]

The Beach Boys in 2012 are not mainstream in an Adele/Taylor Swift way. True, the album did debut in the top 5, but it was off the 200 within a matter of weeks, no staying power. The staying power, commercially, is with the old stuff, i.e, Sounds of Summer. That thing has been on the 200 off and on for years, probably their biggest seller since Endless Summer.

[hypehat]

Yeah, reckon Woody will get it - a friend of mine has it and it's simply incredible. Dare I say, a better 'product' than TSS - the amount of archival work involved and the material presented is incredible, regardless of the actual music within.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Was the Neil Young Archives ever nominated for a Grammy?