Milli Vanilli made Grammy history in 1990, becoming the first (and still the only) act to have a Grammy revoked. Their best new artist award was stripped from them after it became known that the duo hadn’t sung on their smash debut album Girl You Know It’s True.
But Milli Vanilli’s Grammy saga may not be over. The acclaimed documentary Milli Vanilli is among 72 films vying for a Grammy nomination for best music film. The award is given for concert/performance films or music documentaries. Awards are generally presented to the artist, video director and video producer, though we’ll have to wait for the announcement of the nominations on Nov. 8 to see exactly who is being nominated in each case this year. The entry list, from which voting members vote in the first-round of voting, shows the name of the artist in each case for identification purposes, but includes no director or producer credits.
Three past winners in the category are represented. The Beatles, who won for The Beatles Anthology (and had two subsequent titles also win in the category, though they didn’t personally win for those), are entered with Now and Then – The Last Beatles Song (Short Film). Michael Jackson, who won for Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller, is entered with Thriller 40. U2, which won for Zoo TV: Live From Sydney, is entered with Kiss the Future.
Coldplay, who have been nominated three times in the category (though they have yet to win), is entered with Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate. The band’s Music of the Spheres album was nominated for album of the year and best pop vocal album last year.
Three past nominees in the category are entered again this year. The Beach Boys are entered with The Beach Boys; Bon Jovi with Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story; and Travis Tritt with Country Chapel. Jon Bon Jovi received the MusiCares Person of the Year honor on Feb. 2.
Taylor Swift/The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) is also entered. The doc documents one of the most successful concert tours of all time. Taylor Swift is the only four-time Grammy winner for album of the year and is almost certain to be back in the running in that category this year with The Tortured Poets Department.
The Greatest Night in Pop, which tells the story of the recording of the 1985 smash “We Are the World,” is entered. The film received a Primetime Emmy nomination for outstanding documentary or non-fiction special, but lost to Jim Henson Idea Man. Among the producers of the film: Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song with Michael Jackson, and Harriet Sternberg, a close associate of the late Ken Kragen, who spearheaded the project.
Jon Batiste’s American Symphony, which was shortlisted for an Academy Award for best documentary feature film late last year (though it wasn’t ultimately nominated), is also entered here. Meanwhile, Céline Dion, who performed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics on July 26, is entered with I Am: Céline Dion.
Several films that are linked to albums that have received Grammy nominations in the past are still in the running. We’ve already told you about Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate. In addition, Lady Gaga, who was nominated for best pop vocal album four years ago for Chromatica, is entered with Gaga Chromatica Ball, and Lil Nas X, who was nominated for album of the year three years ago for Montero, is entered for Long Live Montero.
The list also features numerous films by or about musicians who have died. In addition to Jackson, they include Chet Atkins (The Making of We Still Can’t Say Goodbye – A Musicians’ Tribute to Chet Atkins and His Legacy Remembered); Syd Barrett (Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd); James Brown (James Brown: Say It Loud); June Carter Cash (June); Roy Hargrove (Hargrove); Jerry Lee Lewis (Trouble in My Mind); and Ryuichi Sakamoto (Ryuichi Sakamoto/Opus). A previous film about Brown, Mr Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown, was nominated in 2016.
Willie Nelson, who has always been prolific, is the only artist with two films on the entry list — Willie Nelson & Family and Willie Nelson’s 90th Birthday Celebration.
Thriller 40 isn’t the only anniversary release on the ballot. Weezer’s The Blue Album LIVE/Spotify THIRTY – the 30th Anniversary is also listed.
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. is entered. A previous film about the fabled record company, Great Performances: Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story, was nominated in 2009.
Jennifer Lopez’s This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, which was made amid the star’s rekindled romance with Ben Affleck, is on the entry list, even though the couple separated in April and Lopez filed for divorce in August.
Other films of note on the entry list include Sheryl Crow & Jason Isbell featuring Don Isbell’s The Art of Music; Melissa Etheridge’s I’m Not Broken; The Kid LAROI’s Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About a Kid Named LAROI; Cyndi Lauper’s Let the Canary Sing; Kacey Musgraves’ Apple Live Music Live: Kacey Musgraves; Run DMC’s Kings From Queens; Paul Simon’s In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon; and, Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza.
First-round voting opened Friday (Oct. 4). Voters have until Oct. 15 to make their choices. Nominations will be announced on Nov. 8. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 3. The winners will be revealed on Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
