The Sweetest Brand New?

This is Sade, who is believed to be gearing up for another tour later this year behind a new studio album. But back in 1986 she was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. And wouldn't you know it, she won.

The Best New Artist dates back to 1960 when Bobby Darin took home the award with Bob Newhart winning the award the following year. Carly Simon, Bette Midler and Sheryl Crow are a few who have won it while the Jonas Brothers joined the ranks of KC & The Sunshine Band, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and Led Zeppelin as those who just were glad to be nominated.

This year's Best New Artist has perhaps three contenders: a really safe pick, a not as safe but still safe pick and a dark horse.

R&B singer Keri Hilson had a few stick in your head hit singles (Turnin' Me On) and isn't adept just yet at the irritating octave-changing hand lowering and raising other established divas are famous for, but she would probably be the safest bet to win if the voters stuck to their middle of the road pattern as they've often done.

The not as safe but still safe pick is MGMT, a Best New Artist in their fifth year as a band who have gotten an incredible amount of ink and attention for what I wouldn't really call great tunes. Kids and Time To Pretend both have their moments, but it's far from anything worth repeated listens. That and the fact they always look like they've just gotten back from a hippie-inspired orgy never really turns this hack's crank.

Which leaves the dark horse and hopefully the band that ends up taking home the trophy: The Ting Tings, a quirky little duo from the UK who dance on LPs on stage as part of their act but have started something with their album We Started Nothing. Simple but infectious singles like Great DJ and That's Not My Name are not deep in philosophical thought, but they tend to hit you in all the right places.

So, if there is a band worthy of this award, let it be The Ting Tings.

More such predictions will be made up to the Grammys, but categories such as Best Western Polka from a Laos-based Mariachi band may have to be bypassed.