Grammys 2013: Gotye, Fun. victories show pop's winning appeal

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><h2 style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 18px; padding: 0px;">Despite Frank Ocean's pre-show coronation, the evening belongs to Gotye and Fun.</h2><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #292727; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 13px;">By Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times</span></div><div><div class="date" style="background-color: white; color: #930000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; margin-top: 3px; padding: 0px;"><span class="dateString" style="display: inline;">February 11, 2013</span><span class="dateTimeSeparator" style="border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; color: white; display: inline; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: -1px; margin-left: 6px;">, </span><span class="timeString" style="display: inline; text-transform: lowercase;">7:00 a.m.</span></div><div class="date" style="background-color: white; color: #930000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: italic; margin-top: 3px; padding: 0px;"><span class="timeString" style="display: inline; text-transform: lowercase;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Since at least 1989, when it was universally ridiculed for bestowing the hard rock-metal award on<a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/jethro-tull-%28music-group%29-PECLB000005155.topic" id="PECLB000005155" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Jethro Tull (music group)">Jethro Tull</a> over <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/metallica-%28music-group%29-PECLB0040414448.topic" id="PECLB0040414448" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Metallica (music group)">Metallica</a>, the Recording Academy has lived in fear of seeming terminally out of touch.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">British neo-folkies Mumford & Sons won the evening's top prize, album of the year, for its earnestly hand-woven and homespun "Babel." The irreproachably indie duo <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/the-black-keys-%28music-group%29-PECLB00000060625.topic" id="PECLB00000060625" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="The Black Keys (music group)">the Black Keys</a> scored the rock song Grammy for "Lonely Boy."</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Months before Sunday's awards show, R&B newcomer <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/frank-ocean-PECLB0015315.topic" id="PECLB0015315" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Frank Ocean">Frank Ocean</a> had received a full-dress media coronation for his freshman release, "Channel Orange." When his disc deservedly won the Grammy for urban contemporary album, as expected, several scribes in the Grammy press room reportedly erupted into applause.</div><div class="articlerail" style="clear: both; color: black; float: left; font-style: normal; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-transform: none; width: 234px; z-index: 4;"><div class="articleRelates module" style="border: 1px solid rgb(231, 231, 231); margin: 0px 0px 30px; padding: 10px 10px 0px;"><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="newRelatedItem" style="clear: both; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammy-awards-2013-red-carpet-pictures,0,156288.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target=""><img alt="Grammy Awards 2013: Red carpet" height="105" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-5118648c/turbine/la-et-grammy-awards-2013-red-carpet-pictures/186/186x105" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-right: 5px; padding-right: 8px;" title="Grammy Awards 2013: Red carpet" width="186" /></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammy-awards-2013-red-carpet-pictures,0,156288.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target="">Photos: Grammy Awards 2013: Red carpet</a></li><li class="newRelatedItem" style="clear: both; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-ms-grammys-2013-live-updates-show,0,5331456.story" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target=""><img alt="Grammys 2013: Live blogging the show" height="105" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-51187bd8/turbine/la-et-ms-grammys-2013-live-updates-show-thumbnail/186/186x105" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: left; 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padding-right: 8px;" title="Grammys 2013 : Play-at-home Ballot" width="187" /></a><a href="http://ballots.latimes.com/grammys-2013-play-home-ballot/" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target="">Grammys 2013 : Play-at-home Ballot</a></li><li class="newRelatedItem" style="clear: both; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-best-worst-pictures,0,1193575.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target=""><img alt="Grammys 2013: Best & worst moments" height="105" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-51188c7c/turbine/la-et-grammys-2013-best-worst-pictures-thumbnail/187/187x105" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-right: 5px; padding-right: 8px;" title="Grammys 2013: Best & worst moments" width="187" /></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-best-worst-pictures,0,1193575.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target="">Photos: Grammys 2013: Best & worst moments</a></li><li class="newRelatedItem" style="clear: both; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-show-pictures,0,473983.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target=""><img alt="Grammys 2013: Show highlights" height="105" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-511873ab/turbine/la-et-grammys-2013-show-pictures-thumbnail/187/187x105" style="border: 0px; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-right: 5px; padding-right: 8px;" title="Grammys 2013: Show highlights" width="187" /></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-show-pictures,0,473983.photogallery" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;" target="">Photos: Grammys 2013: Show highlights</a></li><li class="viewMore userDefinedViewMore" style="clear: both; display: block; line-height: 1.5; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; text-align: right;"><a class="more" href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-ms-grammy-surprise-frank-ocean-gotye-fun-20130211,0,3388500.story#" id="storiesMore" style="clear: both; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; display: block; text-decoration: none; width: 212px;">See more stories »</a><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></ul></li></ul></div></div><div class="konafilter pm-ad tpl03 " id="pmad-rail" style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 10px 5px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-transform: none; z-index: 4;"><div class="medium_rectangle medium_rectangle1" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; 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Sometimes in music, as a rock 'n' roll troubadour once observed, feelin' good is good enough.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Which might be the mantra of the aptly named Fun., the New York trio of castaways from other bands, and <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/gotye-%28music-artist%29-PECLB0000014801.topic" id="PECLB0000014801" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Gotye (music artist)">Gotye</a>, the project led by Belgian-born Wouter "Wally" De Backer. Both earned multiple gold statuettes Sunday by delivering instant-gratification pop, the kind that we count on to burst the bubble of self-seriousness that surrounds every legacy-media awards show.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Gotye scored in the categories of record of the year and pop duo/group performance ("Somebody That I Used to Know") and alternative music album ("Making Mirrors").</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>GRAMMYS 2013: Full coverage</strong></a> | <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-ms-grammys-2013-live-updates-preshow,0,1671752.story" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Pre-show winners</strong></a> |<a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-en-grammys-2013-top-nominees-pictures,0,1306207.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Winners</strong></a> | <a href="http://ballots.latimes.com/grammys-2013-play-home-ballot/" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Ballot</strong></a></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Fun.'s 2009 debut album, "Aim and Ignite," which reached an unprepossessing No. 71 on the Billboard charts, gave little hint that this year the band would ride the success of its admirably fluffy hit single "We Are Young" (winner for song of the year) to take the perhaps more-coveted prize of best new artist, beating out the heavily favored Ocean.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">It remains to be seen what sort of artistic staying power Gotye and Fun. will have, because pop music stardom tends to be a fickle commodity. Exhibit A, of course, is <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/justin-bieber-PECLB000005153.topic" id="PECLB000005153" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Justin Bieber">Justin Bieber</a>, the Canadian wonderboy (now 18).</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Nominated two years ago for best new artist, he lost to jazz virtuoso bassist-singer Esperanza Spalding in what was considered a major upset.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>GRAMMYS 2013:</strong></a> <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-en-grammys-2013-top-nominees-pictures,0,1306207.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Winners list</strong></a> | <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-best-worst-pictures,0,1193575.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Best & Worst</strong></a> |  <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammy-awards-2013-red-carpet-pictures,0,156288.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Red carpet</strong></a> | <a href="http://timelines.latimes.com/grammy-awards/" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Timeline</strong></a> | <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/fashion/la-ig-grammys-2013-red-carpet-fashion-photos,0,4827614.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Fashion</strong></a> | <a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/music/la-et-grammys-2013-show-pictures,0,473983.photogallery" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Highlights</strong></a></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Although his commercial stock remains relatively high, Bieber this year was snubbed by the Grammys. Some speculated that he was dishing out payback by scheduling a livestream of chatter and new music for his fans that just happened to fall during Sunday night's Grammy telecast.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">But the ploy partially backfired when Bieber reported the livestream had gone over capacity, locking him out. "Since nothing is working im super upset i feel i gotta make it up to u. i should post a new song on twitter you can still be excited," Bieber told his masses of Twitter followers.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Meanwhile, another non-nominated artist named Justin, last name Timberlake, offered an example of how a pop star can stay relevant by not hitting the panic button when listeners (or award voters) shift their attention elsewhere.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>FULL COVERAGE: Grammy Awards 2013</strong></a></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Although at 32 Timberlake is middle-aged in pop years, he still may have his best artistic period ahead of him. On Sunday night, he reminded a global audience that before he became an actor, businessman and one-half of the second-biggest gaffe in Super Bowl history, he was one of the most effortlessly charismatic male singers around.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">He did this by delivering a suave, tuxedo-swathed performance leading a big band called JT & the Tennessee Kids in a medley of two new songs, "Suit & Tie" and "Pusher Love." Just in case home viewers didn't get the swing era allusions, the broadcast segment was swathed in a retro sepia light and set against a background of Art Deco-style structures.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Timberlake wasn't the only performer to take the high road to pop-star longevity.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Early in the telecast, <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/elton-john-PECLB002595.topic" id="PECLB002595" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Elton John">Elton John</a> took a seat at the piano and, metaphorically, at the edge of the spotlight trained on <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/ed-sheeran-PECLB00000014272.topic" id="PECLB00000014272" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" title="Ed Sheeran">Ed Sheeran</a>, to perform a duet of the 21-year-old English singer-songwriter's "The A Team."</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;">Musical fashions may change and pop songs may come and go. Genuine pop stars master the art of sticking around.</div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"><em><a href="mailto:reed.johnson@latimes.com" style="color: #2262cc; text-decoration: none;">reed.johnson@latimes.com</a></em></div><div style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 0px; text-transform: none;"></div><div class="ent-must-reads" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; height: auto; line-height: 20px; margin: 20px 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-transform: none; width: 620px;"><h2 id="title" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">MORE GRAMMYS COVERAGE</a></h2><div class="ent-pick" style="float: left; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 204px;"><a href="http://timelines.latimes.com/grammy-awards/" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><img alt="TIMELINE: Grammy winners through the years" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-50bfe077/turbine/la-et-grammy-timeline-sl-thumbnail/187/16x9" style="border: none; float: left; height: 105px; margin: 3px 7px 2px 0px; width: 187px;" /></a><a href="http://timelines.latimes.com/grammy-awards/" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><div id="ent-hed" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px; width: 192px;">TIMELINE: Grammy winners through the years</div></a></div><div class="ent-pick" style="float: left; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 204px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/la-en-grammys-2013-top-nominees-pictures,0,1275119.photogallery" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><img alt="" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-51185b57/turbine/la-et-three-must-read-grammy-2013-feature-well/400/16x9" style="border: none; float: left; height: 105px; margin: 3px 7px 2px 0px; width: 187px;" /></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/la-en-grammys-2013-top-nominees-pictures,0,1275119.photogallery" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><div id="ent-hed" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px; width: 192px;">PHOTOS: 2013 winners & nominees</div></a></div><div class="ent-pick" style="float: left; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 204px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/la-en-grammys-2013-nominees-complete-list,0,7075586.htmlstory" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><img alt="Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees" src="http://www.latimes.com/media/thumbnails/photogallery/2012-02/67969944-10170802.jpg" style="border: none; float: left; height: 105px; margin: 3px 7px 2px 0px; width: 187px;" /></a><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/grammys/la-en-grammys-2013-nominees-complete-list,0,7075586.htmlstory" style="color: black; margin: 3px; text-decoration: none;" target="_top"><div id="ent-hed" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; padding: 0px; width: 192px;">Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees</div></a></div></div><em style="color: black; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: none;"><br /></em></div></div>

award Grammys 2013 Grammys 2013: Gotye, Fun. victories show pop's winning appeal

Despite Frank Ocean's pre-show coronation, the evening belongs to Gotye and Fun. By Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times February 11, 2013 , ...

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