Tag Archives: Eminem

2023 Grammy Awards – Best and Worst

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Admittedly, I initially did not plan on making this post. Because honestly, my overall reaction to this year’s Grammy Awards was – “I mean, I guess…” Plus, at first, I honestly could not think of five moments from the night that I genuinely loved. The worst definitely outpaced the best for me. But I persevered and managed to pull together five things about this year’s Grammy Awards that I didn’t hate. Read on for the full list of best and worst.

BEST 

  1. Everyone’s a Winner – Well, almost everyone. I did appreciate that there was no sweep, like the last time Adele was nominated for example, for 25, and she won AOTY, SOTY, and ROTY, along with the pop categories. This year, Grammy voters definitely spread the wealth. Multiple people went home with at least one or two awards. 
  1. Queer Representation – Kim Petras made history as the first openly transgender woman to win a Grammy for her collaboration with Sam Smith before the duo served up one of the few memorable performances of the night. It was also sweet to have Brandi Carlile’s wife and their two adorable children introduce her performance. 
  1. 50 Years of Hip-Hop/Rap Celebration – I’ll avoid my rant about how Grammy voters obviously have little to no respect for Hip-Hop/Rap (more on that below) and appreciate this brilliantly assembled celebration of the genre. From old-school legends like Rakim and Run DMC to artists who defined the early ‘00s like Missy Elliot and Nelly, and the new talent on the rise, like Da Baby and GloRilla – it was a fitting celebration of one of the most beloved, yet misunderstood art forms. It would have been nice to see some legends like Nas and Eminem, though it was understandable why the latter was not present, considering his feelings about the Grammys. 
  1. Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rican Celebration – It was certainly not my favorite opening performance at the Grammys – not even close. Admittedly I’m not the biggest or, honestly, even a mild fan of Bad Bunny’s music. However, I appreciated the high energy of the performance and its tribute to Bad Bunny’s cultural heritage. And it certainly got the audience on their feet, which is always a win. 
  1. In Memoriam – Unless it is the Academy Awards, which for some reason, cannot seem to get something as simple as an In Memoriam tribute right, the In Memoriam segments are usually one of my favorite parts of an award show. I know that may seem a bit morbid, however, it’s more an appreciation of the celebration of the talented artists who left an indelible impact on the industry. And this year’s In Memoriam segment struck the perfect chord from Kacey Musgraves’ tender cover of Loretta Lynn’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, Quavo’s emotional tribute to Takeoff and culminating in Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt and Mick Fleetwood’s pitch-perfect performance of Songbird, in tribute of Christine McVie. 

Honorable Mention – Taylor Swift NOT winning Song of the Year for a more than decade-plus song originally from a decade-plus old album that was already nominated for Album of the Year years ago. I don’t care that it is a re-recording that was expanded to 10 minutes, complete with an accompanying insufferable video. It is an old song that should not have been nominated. 

WORST 

  1. The Show that Wouldn’t End – Four hours! Four long hours. It was like a bad date that seemingly would not end. And for the record, by the third hour, it felt like five. Grammy producers need to do better. There is simply no reason why this show has to be so long. Especially when it is not like most of the performances were particularly interesting or memorable. 
  1. Lackluster Performances – Outside of a few that I have already referenced – Bad Bunny’s opening performance, In Memoriam segment, Hip-Hop/Rap tribute – many of the performances ranged from serviceable to unmemorable, to plain boring. And that just made an already very long night feel a lot longer. 
  1. No Adele, Beyoncé or Kendrick Performance – It probably should have been a sign that this was not going to be a great night when three of the biggest names in music, with the most nominations, all declined to perform. With Adele, one can argue that it may have been down to logistics, as she was still wrapping up her residency show. But with Kendrick and Beyoncé, the cynic in me almost wonders if it was because they knew exactly how this night would go and did not want to give Grammy producers another chance to use their appearance for ratings, all while they never win the big awards. 
  1. Is a Host Necessary – In fairness to Trevor Noah, he wasn’t awful by any means. Certainly not the worse I have seen in terms of award show hosts. However, even while serviceable, I was left with the feeling all night that the show would have lost nothing if there was no host. 
  2. Beyoncé Loses AOTY (Again) – *Sigh* Get comfortable, this one is going to be a little long. A few disclaimers before I start. One, I did not hate Harry Styles’ album. I thought it was a perfectly fine pop album. Two, I am not a Beyoncé stan or one of the Beyhive. I like and respect her as an artist, but that’s it. Three, I didn’t initially love Renaissance. It was an album that had to grow on me over several months. That said, her loss for AOTY this past Sunday night was frustrating because of the many layers and nuances of the situation. It is easy to say, “it’s just an award,” and it is. But it also represents a much larger and deeper conversation. The Grammys were first handed out in 1959. In its 63-year history, only 11 black artists have won AOTY – 11, as in the number after 10. Now stop and think about how many legendary, impactful black artists you can list in a minute. And yet, only 11 have won AOTY. And of that 11, only three were women – the last in 1999. So yes, that means it has also been 24 years since a black woman won AOTY. That’s issue number one. But this year’s ceremony also significantly piggy-backed off Beyonce ́ s popularity by regularly promoting that she could become the most-winning artist ever. And that she did. Except for the quiet part that was left unsaid – that only one of those wins was in the big categories. A SOTY win for Single Ladies. So no AOTY awards, ever. But touting this “most winning artist” narrative allowed them to pat themselves on the back and play, “see, we award black artists. She’s won a lot.” And the narrative extended to some Grammy voters, who in an anonymous voter article, declared how she “won all the time.” See how that manipulative psychology works? Play up her breaking a record so once again, many can insist how, “she always wins,” except for how that never seems to extend to the major categories. Mind you, for all the, “she wins all the time,” voters seem to have no such issue regarding Taylor Swift who currently sits at a record-breaking three Album of the Year awards and is very likely, poised to make it a fourth, come next year. That is okay. That is acceptable and deserving, even. But suddenly Beyoncé, “wins too much.” Issue number two. The bottom line is that a white artist can make a good album that is critically well-received and they will win AOTY. See Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, etc. Yet black artists almost need to be perfect and they STILL don’t win. My friend commented after this year’s show that she’s not sure what else Beyoncé can do. And I warily responded to her that the answer is nothing. Because it’s not that she needs to make an amazing album – she has, multiple times. It’s not that she needs to be culturally relevant and have a musical impact – she has. And repeatedly the voters decided it simply wasn’t good enough – issue number three. And I haven’t even touched on issues regarding the Academy’s attitude towards Hip-Hop/Rap – a genre that is continuously treated as the barely tolerated step-child. It is clear that most recording academy voters, still one, do not understand Hip-Hop/Rap and two, don’t have much respect for the genre. And until they do, we will continue to have situations where Eminem wins an Academy Award for the record-breaking Lose Yourself but loses ROTY for the same song and Kendrick Lamar will win a Pulitzer Prize for his album DAMN. and yet the award that supposedly represents the best of the music industry decides said album is not worthy of Album of the Year.

10 Biggest Grammy Awards Upsets of the 2000s

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While working on my article about the biggest snubs of this year’s Grammy Awards nominations, it got me thinking about the multiple moments of the last two decades in the show’s history that have made me go “WTF”. And trust me, there were quite a few. But for the sake of brevity, I’m limiting this list to only ten.

Like many award shows, there are times The Grammys get it so right – Adele winning Best New Artist (BNA), Outkast winning Album of the Year (AOTY) for Speakerboxx/The Love Below (the last time a rap album won AOTY though certainly not the last time the genre deserved to win…more on that in a second) and other times when they get it so wrong that it just leaves you baffled.

As is always the case, let me be clear that these were moments that stood out for me. Naturally, I’m sure there are those who don’t think some of these moments were upsets or who felt other moments were bigger upsets. Fair enough.

And let me also add that I wasn’t necessarily angry or even disappointed by all of these moments. Some of these were just moments that based on various factors – biggest hit that year, critical acclaim, etc. – the winner was surprising and so yes, would be considered an upset. So without further ado, here are my top 10 Grammy Awards upsets of the last two decades.

1989 Beats To Pimp a Butterfly for Album of the Year – No, just no. And before any of the Swifties come with the argument of, “Taylor had five Billboard Top 10 hits from the album”, I will remind all that one Katy Perry had five Number 1 Billboard hits off her Teenage Dream album. The only artist to do so since Michael Jackson’s Thriller. And by my last count, Katy Perry not only did not win AOTY for Teenage Dream, she still doesn’t have a single Grammy Award. So let’s get that weak argument out of the way. And then the next go-to is of course, “1989 sold a lot…” Yes, yes it did. But if we were basing quality and awards only on what sold a lot, there would be some very questionable winners over the years. Popularity does not always equal good. That said, I want to be very clear that I believed then and still do that 1989 was a good pop album and it deserved to be nominated for Album of the Year. What it didn’t deserve, in my opinion, was to win. 1989 was a good, solid album – To Pimp a Butterfly was a masterpiece. Lyrically, thematically and musically, it was stellar and career-defining from beginning to end. There will never be any argument that will convince me this was the right call.

Maroon 5 Bests Kanye West for Best New Artist – This is one of the moments on this list that I wasn’t necessarily outraged about but would still categorize as an upset. To be clear, I was a fan of both Maroon 5 and Kanye West during their debut years. Songs About Jane still gets heavy rotation on my playlist. And in the interest of fairness, the album had significant commercial success, spawning multiple Billboard Top 20 hits. However, the critical and commercial response to The College Dropout was something significantly greater. That album positioned Kanye West as one of the most prolific and powerful voices in music.

Herbie Hancock Wins Album of the Year – This win would have been surprising if only because Jazz often gets slept on in the major categories. But what made it particularly shocking is that Hancock defeated both Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and Kanye West’s Graduation. To say this one came out of left-field for many would be an understatement.

Steely Dan Upsets Eminem and Radiohead for Album of the Year – Much like Herbie Hancock’s win, this would have been a surprising win for many regardless. But what made it particularly shocking is that it came at the expense of some of the most critically acclaimed albums and artists of the year. Unlike some, despite being a fan of Eminem’s, I never thought he would win. There was too much controversy around him and the album at the time. Not to mention he was still a relatively new artist and award shows sometimes like for artists to “pay their dues.” But with Beck, Radiohead, and hell Paul Simon in the mix, Steely Dan is not the name I expected to be called that night.

Esperanza Spaulding Wins Best New Artist – I feel like no one was more surprised when Esperanza Spaulding’s name was called that night, than Esperanza herself. As previously noted, Jazz isn’t often shown much love in the major categories (unless you are a phenomenon called Norah Jones) and that fact in itself made Esperanza seemingly a longshot. But then you considered who she was up against that year, and it seemed all but impossible that she’d have any chance of winning – i.e. Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and The Machine and Mumford & Sons (they would win Album of the Year just two years later). But win she did.

Eminem’s Recovery Loses Album of the Year – So remember that thing I said about artists paying their due? Well, Eminem’s comeback year with Recovery was supposed to be that. After a few years of personal and emotional upheavals owing to his addiction, Eminem got things back on track, channeling all he’d been through into his best album since The Eminem Show. Recovery was a commercial and critical smash. The media and industry were no longer screaming about boycotting his music and how evil and dangerous he was to impressionable youths. In short, Eminem had earned the respect of many and solidified his legacy. All that was missing was a win for Album of the Year – and, it didn’t happen.

John Mayer’s Daughters Wins Song of the Year – There is nothing inherently wrong with John’s Mayer’s Daughters. Albeit it’s a bit maudlin and sleepy. However, it’s not an all-around awful song. It just wasn’t in my opinion, the song of the year. Especially not when it was competing against Kanye West’s Jesus Walks and even Alicia Keys’ If I Ain’t Got You.

Kendrick Lamar is 0-7 at 2014 Grammy Awards – Yes, you read that correctly. For the 2014 Grammy Awards, Kendrick Lamar had seven nominations for his breakout debut album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. He lost in every category. And the losses might not have been so disappointing, were it not for who he lost to, particularly in the Rap categories. Yes, I am, of course, referring to the saga of Macklemore & Lewis sweeping the Rap categories. Here’s the thing – much like Maroon 5 versus Kanye West, I’m not going to argue that Macklemore & Lewis had a stellar year and The Heist was a good album. Kendrick’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City however, was better, which was a sentiment seemingly shared across the industry. And yet come Grammy night the votes went Macklemore & Lewis’ way.

Lose Yourself Loses Record & Song of the Year – Considered by many to be the best song of Eminem’s career, Lose Yourself was commercially and critically, an unquestionable smash. The song spent a whopping 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts and was certified diamond in sales (that’s 10 million records sold, for those who don’t know). Oh, and there was also that whole Academy Award for Best Original Song. And yet, come Grammy Awards 2004, it lost ROTY and SOTY to Clocks by Coldplay and Dance with My Father by Luther Vandross, respectively. And it’s no shade to either of these songs that are both perfectly fine. And of course, Dance with My Father had, at the time, the additional emotional punch of Luther Vandross’ having passed away prior to the song’s release. But the plain truth is neither of these songs was in any way as exceptional and well-crafted as Lose Yourself, and time and distance have only furthered this belief. Lose Yourself has aged like fine wine and still holds up almost twenty years later. Case in point, even former President Barack Obama is talking about how Lose Yourself was one of the songs that inspired him during his 2008 presidential run.

O Brother Where Art Thou Wins Album of the Year – A certain person is going to agree with this one. At the 2002 Grammy Awards, a quirky, bluegrass-inspired soundtrack, perfect for the Coen Brothers film of the same name, O Brother, Where Art Thou? won the award for Album of the Year. There was one major problem with this – many assumed and deservedly so, that U2’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind was the forgone winner. All That You Can’t Leave Behind was unquestionably U2’s best album since 1991’s Achtung Baby. Just the previous year, on the strength of the lead single, Beautiful Day, the band won both Song and Record of the Year. So it just seemed inevitable that the album was going to win Album of the Year. Alas, it was not to be.

10 Essential Albums to Get Through Isolation

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“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything” (Plato) – isn’t that the truth. And as we all continue to make sense of our current reality and try to put our best foot forward, the healing power of music has never been more essential.

So if you’re looking for another playlist to add to your growing musical library, here is a suggested list of some essential albums to help get you through any mood you’re currently in. As an aside, most of these suggestions could fit multiple categories.

  1. For Having a Dance Party – 24K Magic by Bruno Mars. Thirty-three minutes of just pure unadulterated fun. An eclectic mix of Pop, Soul, R&B, and Funk, Mars channeled all his musical idols to deliver a sound that was both retro yet modern, classic yet experimental. Arguably one of the best male artists out today, Bruno Mars has a way of giving you what you didn’t even know you wanted or needed. Good luck staying seated during the singles 24K Magic, Finesse, That’s What I Like… I could go on.

 

  1. For Staying Calm and Easing Anxiety – Come Away With Me by Norah Jones. Seriously, I dare you to suggest a more calming musical voice than Norah Jones’. Subtle, yet powerful; listening to Norah Jones is like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold morning. There’s just a calm and a softness that envelopes you when listening to her music. And Come Away With Me is truly her magnum opus. Falling and being in love never sounded so good.

 

  1. For Nostalgia – Legend by Bob Marley. The title of this greatest hits compilation is pretty apt. Because there really is no other word to describe what Bob Marley meant to reggae and music in general and the legacy he left behind. And whether you were alive or not during his years of success (I wasn’t), this album is a perfect representation of his musical legacy.

 

  1. For Singing Along (Loudly) – 21 by Adele. Admit it, you probably already have, numerous times. I mean come on, who wasn’t singing along to every song on 21, back in 2011-2012. And yes, for anyone who’d ever had their heart broken, was going through a breakup, you probably dramatically sang along with tears streaming down your face as you reminisced about the one that got away or the asshole you hoped to never see again. So go on and let it rip once more, and belt out Someone Like You to your heart’s content.

 

  1. For Introspection – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. Against a backdrop of various musical styles that celebrates the black tradition, i.e. Funk, Jazz, Soul, R&B, and Spoken Word, Kendrick Lamar delivered a musical masterpiece that explores the themes of race, culture, discrimination, mental health, and self-identity. Jam along to I, pump your fists to Alright or contemplate your own socially conscious journey with The Blacker the Berry. From beginning to end, every song on To Pimp a Butterfly will make you feel something, make you question your own beliefs and values and those of the world around you. Not one song on this album is filler. It’s all part of a masterfully constructed dialogue between an artist and his audience.

 

  1. For An Underrated Artist – Body Talk by Robyn. Chances are you’ve probably already heard and been singing along for years, to Dancing on My Own by Robyn. It was the unofficial theme song for Girls and in 2015, Calum Scott became a worldwide sensation for his beautiful cover, which he first performed on Britain’s Got Talent. But trust me when I say, Dancing on My Own is just a tease of how incredible Robyn’s music is. Body Talk is chock-full of her signature Pop/Dance infused ballads. A mix of electro-pop, reggae-funk, you never stop moving all the while you go through a roller coaster of emotions.

 

  1. For Feeling Like a BOSS – Lemonade by Beyonce. Let’s face it, is there any other choice? From “middle fingers up” to “fucking up all his shit” to pushing and keeping on no matter what because “a winner don’t quit on themselves”, Queen Bey will have you booty popping while feeling like you have the strength and power to conquer the whole damn world.

 

  1. For a Classic – Purple Rain by Prince. All hail his majesty. Still one of the greatest albums of all time. Just a solid collection of pop perfection from beginning to end. What could the man not do? Singer, songwriter, musician – Prince did it all and did it all brilliantly. And Purple Rain is without question the seminal album of his illustrious career. So go on and get crazy and have a Prince Party.

 

  1. For a Comeback – Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple. For her first album in eight years, Apple delivers a collection of songs that continues down the whimsical and off the beaten path that’s been the cornerstone of her career. Listening to this album will leave you feeling confused (there are some very interesting sounds on there), amused, enchanted, and spellbound. Because no matter how weird it gets and it gets plenty weird, you can’t turn away from it.

 

  1. For a Great Soundtrack – 8 Mile Soundtrack by Various Artists. I swear this is not because of Eminem’s surprise performance of Lose Yourself at this year’s Oscar ceremony – at least it’s not the sole reason. Because admittedly, that appearance reminded many, in case they’d forgotten, just how brilliant said song is. But here’s a little secret, the entire 8 Mile Soundtrack is brilliant. While Lose Yourself is understandably the standout, Eminem’s masterful wordplay and delivery in Rabbit Run and 8 Mile showcases him at his absolute best. Jay-Z’s appearance on 8 Miles and Runnin is Hov doing what Hov does best. Even the non-rap songs were amazing. So if you’re looking for a great movie soundtrack to jam to and not feeling Disney at the moment, get reacquainted with this classic.

And there you have it. Just a few musical suggestions for your next private listening party. What are some of your musical picks that you’ve been jamming to?

Best & Worst Oscars 2020

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The 92nd Academy Awards is officially in the bag. And despite many predictabilities heading into the night (we all knew the acting categories were a done deal), there were still some very exciting surprises. All in all, it wasn’t my favorite Oscar ceremony but it was certainly one of the most memorable for a number of reasons. Here are my best and worst moments from this year’s Oscars.

BEST

  • Parasite (Almost) Sweep – Losing only two of the six categories it was nominated in, the South Korean drama about love, family and class disparity, dominated this year’s Oscar ceremony and making history along the way. Not only was Parasite the first South Korean film to ever be nominated for Best International Feature and Best Picture, but it also became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture, in the history of the Academy. Think about it for a second – we’re talking about a 91-year record. That’s amazing. And best of all, it was deserved.

 

  • Eminem Surprise – One minute we were watching a very lovely montage tribute to songs in the movies and the next, Marshall Mathers himself, aka Eminem, was on stage at the Academy Awards, delivering not only one of his greatest hits but simply one of the best damn rap songs of all time. If nothing else, this performance proved how deserving this Oscar win was. Because let’s face facts, this song has aged amazingly well. Whether you love him or hate him, you cannot deny his talent and Lose Yourself is one of the best representations of that. Oh and ignore all of the media chasing their clicks with misleading headlines about how confusing it all was and how the audience was so baffled, etc. Because what actually happened was we saw an audience of young and old singing along, rapping every word to this song, and culminating in a full-on standing ovation at the end. Oh and Lose Yourself has jumped back up the charts. Rap God indeed.

 

  • Brad Pitts Wins Long Overdue Acting Oscar – Not just a pretty face after all. Brad Pitt has been quietly delivering amazing performances for the better part of two decades at this point. Unfortunately, for a long time, the thing that was in some ways a blessing was also a curse for him – i.e. those amazing good looks. The fact is, for a long time, many considered Pitt nothing more than a pretty-faced actor. So it was nice to see him finally rewarded and celebrated for his acting chops. And he delivered one of the best speeches of the night. It was political without being too preachy, respectful of his co-stars, crew members and director and finally ending on an emotionally poignant and heartfelt note.

 

  • Joaquin’s Sometimes Awkward but Always Heartfelt Speech – I know there were numerous twitter jokes about the cow insemination part. And admittedly it felt a wee bit cringe-worthy at certain points. But ultimately, his heart was in the right place and it was a truly moving and beautiful speech, not least of all ending on the tribute to his late brother River. But most importantly, it was just great to see one of the greatest actors of his generation, finally getting his long-deserved Academy Award.

 

  • Multiple Firsts – While Parasite’s groundbreaking wins as the first foreign language film to not only win Best Picture but a Screenplay award as well, were plenty historic, there were a few other firsts that made this year’s Awards worth celebrating. Including, Taika Waititi becoming the first indigenous person to be nominated in and win, Adapted Screenplay and also become the first indigenous director to win an Oscar. Hildur Guðnadóttir broke a 22-year streak of only men winning in the Best Original Score category when she took home the prize for her work on Joker. Yes, we know things are by no means perfect and there definitely needs to be more diversity across the categories – and that includes people of all races and gender. However, I do think these small gains are worth celebrating.

 

WORST

  • Opening Number (WTF) – No really, what the hell was that? I sort of, maybe understand what it is they were going for. However, it just didn’t come together as seamlessly as I imagine was envisioned. It probably also doesn’t help that I’ve never been the biggest Janelle Monae fan. Sorry, her sound and style are not really my vibe. So yeah, all in all, that whole number just made me wish we could have gotten Queen and Adam Lambert to do an encore.

 

  • Mid-Ceremony Recap of the Ceremony (Again, WTAF) – When I thought it couldn’t get more baffling after that opening number, along came the mid-show recap by an artist that I admit I was not familiar with. Unlike the opening number, I cannot say I get what the hell they were going for with that. Like if someone turned on the show late, all they’d have to do to catch up, was to go on social media. It just didn’t make any sense. It wasn’t adorably quirky or catchy or overly creative. It was just weird. Weird and pointless.

 

  • Billie Eilish’s Uninspired Performance of Yesterday – Listen, I get it. Billie Eilish is the “It Girl” of the moment. It doesn’t mean she needs to be shoehorned into everything. At least last year when they brought on that year’s Grammy winner for Album of the Year, Kacey Musgraves, it was to introduce the nominated song from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which was a sweet little country song. Kacey’s presence didn’t feel as random and shoehorned as Billie’s was. And yeah this was simply not the song for her. All in all, next time I say just stick to the orchestra for the In Memoriam.

 

  • Presenters Presenting Presenters (WHY) – Again, why? They eliminate the individual presentations of all the nominated films for Best Picture, which you assume is to save time. But then they do this? It felt like there were too many presenters available, with not enough awards to hand out. And so they had to find a way to shoehorn them in any way they could. Next time, I say just cut out half of the presenters.

 

  • Fashion – Sigh. Once again, the fashion at this year’s Academy Awards ranged from meh, to disappointing, to flat out, “do you not own a mirror”? I don’t get it. Fashion and entertainment magazines will have you believe that unlike in past decades, 90 percent of celebrities now have a stylist and for some a whole team, whose job it is to make them look out of this world amazing at these big red carpet moments. And it doesn’t get any bigger than the Oscars. And yet, in the last few years, Oscar fashion has been so basic and boring or just plain bad. There was no wow factor. No knockout, iconic fashion moment. It was all just whatever, except for the ones that I’m convinced were meant to be as horrible as possible as either a joke or some attempt at irony that I did not get (looking at you Kristin Wiig and Maya Rudolph).

And that’s all she wrote. Another Awards Season in the bag. Let’s do it all again next year.