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To These Maryland Rappers, ‘DMV’ Stands For ‘Dope Music Village’

Near and Far

Grammy Show: Light On Awards, Heavy On Entertainment

Over the years, the Grammy awards have become less and less about music and more about an entertainment spectacle. The nominations were even announced on an hour-long TV show on a Friday night.

Daft Punk won the Grammy for Album of the Year for Random Access Memories and for Record of the Year for "Get Lucky."

Daft Punk, Lorde And Macklemore Win Major Grammy Awards

Daft Punk picked up trophies for album and record of the year, Lorde won two awards for “Royals,” and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took home four, including Best New Artist.

Robert Ellis' new album, The Lights From the Chemical Plant, comes out Feb.11.

First Listen: Robert Ellis, ‘The Lights From The Chemical Plant’

Ellis eludes categorization within either mainstream country or Americana music by going the route of both formats’ greatest maverick craftsmen; you’ll hear Merle Haggard here along with Willie Nelson, and a bit of Rodney Crowell’s sparkle.

CEO's new album, Wonderland, comes out Feb. 4.

First Listen: CEO, ‘Wonderland’

Wonderland is, at times, superficially soothing and fun, an almost hedonistic paean. But not far beneath the surface lies something more unsettling and challenging: a statement about isolation and loneliness and a delicate search for meaning.

Gina Chavez's new album, Up.Rooted, comes out Feb. 15.

First Listen: Gina Chavez, ‘Up.Rooted’

Whether she sings in English or Spanish, Chavez captures a healthy dose of American soul, country and rock music, and she could hold her own with any Mexican ranchera singer, past or present.

Marissa Nadler's new album, July, comes out Feb. 4.

First Listen: Marissa Nadler, ‘July’

On her sixth album, the Bostonian singer-songwriter gets darker and more sinister than ever before. Its title must refer to a cold, polarizing kind of July, with the frigid climes that accompany an early-February release.

Jeremy Messersmith's new album, Heart Murmurs, comes out Feb. 4.

First Listen: Jeremy Messersmith, ‘Heart Murmurs’

With its subtle strings and sly infectiousness, Heart Murmurs is no less than an attempt to craft a new batch of pop standards. Whether Messersmith succeeds depends mostly on how many people are lucky enough to hear him.

First Listen: ‘Sweetheart 2014’

The Sweetheart compilations adhere to a simple concept in which well-liked contemporary artists cover well-liked classic love songs just in time for Valentine’s Day. This year’s participants include Fiona Apple, Vampire Weekend, Sharon Jones, Ben Harper, Jim James, Beck, Valerie June and more.

David Crosby's new solo album, his first such release in two decades, is called Croz.

David Crosby: ‘Serve The Song,’ Not The Self

A prolific collaborator, Crosby says a good song is better off shared than strategically set aside. His new solo studio album, Croz, is his first such release in two decades.

US singer Bruno Mars performs during the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) 2013 ceremony in Amsterdam in November 2013.

Watch The Grammy Awards With Us

Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson get together for the umpteenth time (well, sixth time) to provide live commentary on the Grammy Awards.

Jay-Z performs during his Magna Carta World Tour at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, earlier this month. Jay Z has nine nominations at this year's Grammys.

5 Things To Know About The Grammy Awards Show

Among other things, Daft Punk is up for Album of the Year, the Beatles will get a Lifetime Achievement award and Madonna and Beyoncé might perform together.

Mastering engineer Emily Lazar poses with producer Scott Jacoby (top right) and members of the band School is Cool at her Manhattan studio, The Lodge.

The Woman Behind The Curtain, Making Good Songs Sound Great

Emily Lazar is a rarity in the music industry: a female mastering engineer with a slow, collaborative approach. She’s had a hand in more than 2,000 songs and albums, working with everyone from Lou Reed to Vampire Weekend.

The Business Of Hip-Hop; Luring Millennials To Life Insurance

Ozy.com co-founder Carlos Watson talks about a rising star who has made writing about hip-hop serious business, and the advertising tactics that life insurance companies are using to attract young people.

Angélique Kidjo's new album, Eve, showcases the voices of women from Kenya and her home country of Benin.

Angélique Kidjo Shares The ‘Shiver’ Of Hearing A Beautiful Voice

‘I had a vision,” says the singer, whose latest album showcases the voices of women from Kenya and her home country of Benin.

The American band San Fermin performs an informal "Take Away Show" in a Chinese restaurant in Paris — part of a series of videos produced by the French website La Blogothéque.

Reinventing The Music Video, One Street Corner At A Time

The French website La Blogothéque is famous for what it calls “Take Away Shows”: original, informal videos of musicians from across the U.S. and Europe playing live in unlikely places.

Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow, host LL Cool J and Executive Vice President of Specials, Music and Live Events at CBS Entertainment Jack Sussman pose at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 23, a few days before the 2014 Grammy Awards.

How The Organization Behind The Grammys Spends The Other 364 Days

What exactly does The Recording Academy do besides stage the annual Grammys telecast? The non-profit has been criticized for how it spends its money — and for how it hands out awards.