Grammys Diss Heavy Metal Yet Again With Tenacious D ‘Best Metal Performance’ Win

[caption id="attachment_315620" align="aligncenter" width="615"] [Photo: Getty Images][/caption]Well, sad to say but we called it. Yesterday in our breakdown of what’s right and wrong about this year’s ‘Best Metal Performance’ Grammy nominees we said musical comedy due Tenacious D would win. Not should, but would. Why? Because since 1989, the first year they recognized the genre and Jethro Tull infamously beat Metallica, the Grammys have shown time and time again they have no clue and one can only assume little respect for heavy metal music. Nothing against The D, who are without a doubt talented, funny and truly love hard rock and metal, but to award them for ‘Best Metal Performance’ is to fundamentally misunderstand the genre and what makes it great.

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Things seemed to have started well enough, as legendary hard rockers AC/DC began the festivities with their high decibel opening performance. But that’s only because most people didn’t know about Tenacious D’s win, since the Grammys don’t even feel the award merits inclusion in their primetime telecast. As word spread of their victory, outrage traveled throughout the metal community. Veterans however reacted with ambivalence, as the slight is just the latest in a history of heavy metal Grammy fails.

[caption id="attachment_315625" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Curiously dressed Atlanta prog metal band Mastodon, who many felt deserved to win the 2015 'Best Metal Performance' Grammy. [Photo: Getty Images][/caption]To reiterate, nothing against Tenacious D, but they are not a metal nor even a rock band. They are a comedy act. Sure, one that loves hard rock and metal and references it in their act, but they are not a musical group. Them winning the ‘Best Metal Performance’ is the equivalent of “Weird Al” Yankovic winning the ‘Best Rap Solo Performance’ Grammy for his Coolio send-up “Amish Paradise” or Anthrax’s “I’m The Man” getting a comedy Grammy just because it was funny. Every other nominee this year was more deserving of this award, however once again the Grammys showed they don’t know anything about the genre and really don’t seem to care.