Audiogon Grammys

I would nominate Beck's Sea Change (it was really nominated come to think of it) and Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for recording quality.

Patrica Barber for Verse and Nora Jones.

and the envolope please.....

Patrica Barber

i second jposs's recommendations even though he's really, really ugly.

and add 'dust' by peter murphy. very well recorded.

Audioslave

and

the ubiquitous (rightly so) Norah Jones

I do not think Verse is PB's best offering.

Norah Jones came out of nowhere, and sings in a style which is a cross between country and jazz. That combined style may not sound good on paper, but I love her style.

Norah Jones deserves it.
Finally a really good and interesting vocalist (not to mention well recorded) sells a lot of albums and is very popular.

KF

I nominate Patti Griffith, 1000 Kisses. I play this and the afore-mentioned Beck, Sea Change, all the time.

In the film score category, I'd nominate the soundtrack from Lord of eh Rings - The Two Towers. Superbly recorded and stunning music. Theater systems will not prepare you for how good this soundtrack is. If you liked the film at all, this recording will bring it back to you in spades. And I will guarantee that this CD will tell you what your system's made of. Check it out, folks.

Favorite tracks:
3. The Riders of Rohan
6. The King of he Golden Hall
8. Evenstar
11. The Leavetaking
12. Helm's deep
14. Breath of Life
15. The Hornburg
16. Forth Eorlingas

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men, "Out In California" a killer live album of great songs.

In the movie soundtrack category I nominate "The Royal Tenenbaums". There are some great original compositions by Mark Mothersbaugh and an excellent mix of other pop/folk-like material. And the recording quality is first rate.