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Sideshow: Grammys nominators snub Jay-Z, Kanye

Grammy surprises The list of Grammy nominations in 82 categories came out Friday night, producing a few story lines:

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2012 file photo, Jay-Z performs at the grassroots rally in support of President Barack Obama at the Nationwide Arena, in Columbus, Ohio. Jay-Z was among the top nominees for the 56th annual Grammy Awards announced Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2012 file photo, Jay-Z performs at the grassroots rally in support of President Barack Obama at the Nationwide Arena, in Columbus, Ohio. Jay-Z was among the top nominees for the 56th annual Grammy Awards announced Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP, File)Read more

Grammy surprises

The list of Grammy nominations in 82 categories came out Friday night, producing a few story lines:

Jay-Z, whose would-be opus Magna Carta Holy Grail elicited general indifference on release in July, led with nine nominations, but was shut out in the major categories of album of the year, song of the year, and record of the year, widely considered the only ones that matter.

Lorde, the 17-year-old New Zealander, was nominated for record and song of the year for "Royals," but not best new artist. Too new, I guess. The five nominees: James Blake, Ed Sheeran, Kacey Musgraves (good for her), Kendrick Lamar, and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.

Kanye West, whose Yeezus has been named album of the year by Entertainment Weekly and Spin, received only two nominations, in lesser categories. Justin Timberlake, who sold big with both halves of The 20/20 Experience, pulled down seven, none a major. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Pharrell Williams also got seven, the latter mostly for co-writing two heavily nominated hits, Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" and Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines."

Album of the year nominees are Daft Punk's Random Access Memories. Taylor Swift's Red, Lamar's good kid, M.A.A.D. City, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' The Heist, and a big head scratcher, singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles' The Blessed Unrest, neither a critical nor a commercial success.

Locally, Swift, who grew up in Wyomissing, Pa, got four noms. Abington-born, Doylestown-reared Pink contends for song of the year for "Just Give Me a Reason." Also in that category are Bruno Mars for "Locked Out of Heaven," Katy Perry for "Roar," Lorde for "Royals," and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis for "Same Love."

The big local nom-getter was Camden County gospel singer Tye Tribbett, up for three - for gospel/contemporary Christian performance for "If He Did it Before . . . Same God," also in contention for best gospel song. And he's nominated for best gospel album for Greater Than.

The Grammys will be awarded Jan. 26.
- Dan DeLuca

'Catching Fire' cools

In its second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale Frozen finally cooled off The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, while the week's lone new wide release, Out of the Furnace, trailed both.

Frozen led with $31.6 million, taking over from Catching Fire, which led for two weeks but slid to second with $27 million in its third week of release.

Relativity Media's steel-town drama Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, opened with $5.3 million, good enough for third.