Depressing Signs of the Grammys' Continuing Lameness
Nods for Chris Brown, Pharrell, and John Mayer

Sure, Brown is a cute kid with some decent dance moves, but a Best New Artist of 2006? His first single, ''Run It!,'' was a blatant rip-off of Usher's ''Yeah!'' and that's the best tune on his self-titled debut. There were other examples of general lameness and laziness in this year's announcement, like a nod to Pharrell's commercial and critical dud In My Mind in the Best Rap Album group and the inexplicable inclusion of the John Mayer Trio's Try! in the Best Rock Album category (for one, it's a wanky blues album, not a rock record, and secondly... well, it stinks).