Images via AceShowBiz/Antiquiet

Every February, the music world turns its head to Los Angles, CA for the annual Grammy Awards. Music’s most elite get themselves all dolled up, walk the red carpet, and eagerly await to see if fate has shined on them and given them that golden gramophone and all that accolades that accompany a well-deserved win. Fans from far and wide make it a point to obsessively watch the event, blogging live results, and celebrating the wins of their most beloved artists.

And then the next day everyone forgets everything that happened and we go on happily with our lives.

Despite their status as the premiere award for musicians and those in the music industry, the Grammys are, for all intents and purposes, worthless. It has nothing to do with hegemonic voting committee or the lack of diversity in the nominee’s pool (sure, we will believe Taylor Swift had the best album of 2010. Yeah yeah. Bob’s your uncle.) Instead, it’s the fact that the art of celebrating artists with a gold statue is a rather antiquated model, especially when we can join their mailing list, follow them on Twitter, buy merch literally 24-7-365 on their site, or even help finance their new album.

But like we catch some kind of horrid fever each year, the whole thing starts anew with the Grammy Nominations Concert. Hosted this year by LL Cool J, it’s the first phase in what is a long, drawn-out process where we seemingly always know what will happen, are never surprised, and still begrudgingly enjoy every moment of it. Perhaps it’s instinct; maybe the need for comfort. It could even be that every one of us is a glutton for punishment. Either way, you’ve probably skipped ahead to just get to the nominees. Hey, don’t worry about it; we’re right there with ya.

Oh, and yes, Arcade Fire and Justin Bieber can finally appear in a headline together!

The Grammy Awards take place February 13, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Record of the Year

B.o.B. ft. Bruno Mars – “Nothin’ On You”

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Love The Way You Lie”

Cee-Lo Green – “Fuck You”

Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”

Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Album of the Year

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

Eminem – Recovery

Lady Antebellum – Need You Now

Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster

Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

Song of the Year

Ray Lamontagne – “Beg Steal Or Borrow”

Cee-Lo Green – “Fuck You”

Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Love The Way You Lie”

Miranda Lambert – “The House That Built Me”

Best New Artist

Justin Bieber

Drake

Florence and the Machine

Mumford & Sons

Esperanza Spalding

Best Rock Song

Neil Young – “Angry World”

Mumford & Sons – “Little Lion Man”

Kings of Leon – “Radioactive”

Muse – “Resistance”

The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”

Best Alternative Album

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

The Black Keys – Brothers

Broken Bells – Broken Bells

Vampire Weekend – Contra

Best Rap Song

Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”

Eminem ft. Rihanna – “Love The Way You Lie”

Eminem – “Not Afraid”

B.o.B. ft. Bruno Mars – “Nothin’ On You”

Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz – “On To The Next One”

Best Rap Album

B.o.B. – The Adventures Of Bobby Ray

Drake – Thank Me Later

Eminem – Recovery

Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3

The Roots – How I Got Over