3) Live songs and covers keep getting nominated (and winning)

We’ve already lamented the fact that two of the five songs nominated this year were covers. Last year, another Anthrax cover was nominated. In 2010, Judas Priest won for a live version of “Dissident Aggressor,” and it was one of two nominated live songs. In fact, six of the  26 Grammy winners have been for live songs or covers. We’re not saying there aren’t some definitive live albums out there, or some iconic covers of songs, but so far, it doesn’t seem like any of the winners have made their way into metal folklore, unless you’ve listened to 1994’s Grammy-winning  version of Ozzy’s “I Don’t Want to Change the World,” from 1993’s Live & Loud recently. This isn’t to say these covers and live versions are bad, but are any of them really essential? With only five songs to be chosen per year from such a wide-encompassing variety of music, it’s an insult to music to go back to the well.