Alix McAlpine, The Daily Campus’ entertainment editor, and Clark Castle, the editor in chief recently sat down and gave their predictions for the upcoming 47th annual Grammy Awards. The awards air Sunday beginning at 7 p.m. CST on CBS.

Record of the Year

“Let’s Get It Started” — The Black Eyed Peas, “Here We Go Again” — Ray Charles and Norah Jones, “American Idiot” — Green Day, “Heaven” — Los Lonely Boys, “Yeah!” — Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris

Clark: Aright, record of the year. Your thoughts?

Alix: “American Idiot” is going to win.

Clark: Why?

Alix: Everyone’s crazy about the new Green Day stuff. They defined a whole generation in the 90s and that generation gladly picked up where they left off — and then some.

Clark: Well … I’m going with “Yeah!” It was too much of a dance floor hit and simply put “Yeah!” was the ‘it’ song of 2004 and I don’t think voters can ignore that.

Album of the Year

Genius Love Company — Ray Charles & Various Artists, American Idiot — Green Day, The Diary of Alicia Keys — Alicia Keys, Confessions — Usher, The College Dropout — Kanye West

Alix: College Dropout without a doubt. That’s the best hip-hop album to come out in years, and Kanye West will set himself on fire if he doesn’t win.

Clark: I think Ray Charles wins this hands down. I usually don’t like it when awards are given posthumously, but that album is a cut above anything I’ve heard in the past two years.

Song of the Year

“Daughters” — John Mayer, songwriter (John Mayer), “If I Ain’t Got You” — Alicia Keys, songwriter (Alicia Keys), “Jesus Walks” — Miri Ben Ari, C. Smith, Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West), “Live Like You Were Dying” — Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman, songwriters (Tim McGraw), “The Reason” — Daniel Estrin and Douglass Robb, songwriters (Hoobastank)

Alix: “Jesus Walks,” if “Daughters” wins I’ll vomit on myself. “Jesus Walks” is just innovative and flawlessly catchy and wonderful and Kanye West needs to get credit for making a mainstream song with the word Jesus in it.

Clark: If Alicia Keys gets bypassed in the album category, this category is hers. “I Ain’t Got You” is too heartfelt . It’s brilliantly written and that’s what this category is about.

Best New Artist

Los Lonely Boys, Maroon 5, Joss Stone, Kanye West, Gretchen Wilson

Alix: Kanye West. He thinks he’s the best artist in the world, and someone has to agree with him — right?

Clark: I want Gretchen Wilson to repeat her success from the American Music Awards just to see Kanye suffer. I don’t like Wilson’s music, but I dislike West’s bickering more. In all actuality, I liked West’s album, just not his attitude.

Alix: Well, this is about musical talent, not a popularity contest.

Clark: I wish I could believe that.

Best Rap Solo Performance

“On Fire” — Lloyd Banks, “Just Lose It” — Eminem, “99 Problems” — Jay-Z, “Overnight Celebrity” — Twista, “Through the Wire” — Kanye West

Alix: Jay-Z. The faux-retirement thing is played out, since he came back less than a year later with that record with Linkin Park, but that track is flawless. He’s got 99 problems but winning this Grammy ain’t one

Clark: Well put. I agree. I actually like the video more than the song, but the truth behind the song caught my attention. And I think it will win because the song’s message is done in a way that’s attention-grabbing, but clear.

Best Rock Song

“American Idiot” — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool, songwriters (Green Day). “Fall To Pieces” — Duff, Dave Kushner, Slash, Matt Sorum & Scott Weiland, songwriters (Velvet Revolver), “Float On” — Isaac Brock, Dann Gallucci, Eric Judy & Benjamin Weikel, songwriters (Modest Mouse), “Somebody Told Me” — Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer & Ronnie Vannucci, songwriters (The Killers), “Vertigo” — Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge & Larry Mullen, songwriters (U2)

Alix: Modest Mouse will probably win. It’s just a wonderful song, and it’s different than most of what we’ve heard in years, or the general public that is. It would be good to see Modest Mouse get big-name recognition — although it would probably piss them and their fans off.

Clark: Well, it’s no secret that I don’t like Modest Mouse, so I’m going with The Killers here. The beat and the lyrics to that song are catchy. It threw me for a loop the first time I heard it and that was a welcome surprise.

Best R & B Song

“Burn” — Bryan Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & Usher Raymond, songwriters (Usher), “Call My Name” —Prince, songwriter (Prince), “My Boo” — Jermaine Dupri, Alicia Keys, Usher Raymond, Manuel Seal & Adonis Shropshire, songwriters (Usher & Alicia Keys), “Yeah!” — Chris Bridges, Sean Garrett, LaMarquis Jefferson, Robert McDowell, James Phillips, Jonathan Smith & Patrick J. Que Smith, songwriters (Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris), “You Don’t Know My Name” — Alicia Keys, Harold Lilly & Kanye West, songwriters (Alicia Keys)

Alix: “You Don’t Know My Name,” the song is just plain beautiful.

Clark: I don’t know, the phone call in the middle of the song ruined it for me. I hate it when people talk in their songs. And that phone call took talking to a new level.

Alix: I thought that was just on the video.

Clark: I wish. Anyway, Usher’s nominated three times in this category and Alicia Keys two, so who in their right mind wouldn’t give this to their collaborative effort on “My Boo?” That’s an easy pick.

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

“Oceania” — Björk, “The First Cut Is The Deepest” — Sheryl Crow, “Sunrise” -— Norah Jones, “What You Waiting For?” — Gwen Stefani, “You Had Me” — Joss Stone

Clark: I’m going with Sheryl Crow despite the fact that the song’s a remake. I honestly like her version better than Cat Steven’s original and Rod Stewart’s remake. Plus, it was an adult contemporary and country hit which should get it more votes.

Alix: I had a secret love for Sheryl Crow, but honestly, Norah Jones is outstanding. That song is incredible. If not Norah, then Bjork, the fact that all the instrumentals on the album are, well — instrument-free make this song beautiful and impressive, you almost forget the song is all a capella.

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

“Let’s Misbehave” — Elvis Costello, “You Raise Me Up” — Josh Groban, “Daughters” — John Mayer, “Cinnamon Girl” — Prince, “Love’s Divine” — Seal

Alix: Elvis Costello isn’t what Elvis Costello used to be. Seal will probably win this one.

Clark: I agree, Love’s Divine is a really great song. You c
an put that on, light some candles, call someone over, and nine months later … No seriously, its a good love song.

Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocal

“My Immortal” — Evanescence, “The Reason” — Hoobastank, “Heaven” — Los Lonely Boys, “She Will Be Loved” — Maroon 5, “It’s My Life” — No Doubt

Clark: Well, No Doubt’s taken this category the past two years. In 2003, it was for “Hey Baby” and in 2004, it was for “Underneath it All,” and honestly, I won’t be that surprised if they take it again. I’m not a big fan of Los Lonely Boys, I like “My Immortal,” but once again, I have respect for artists that take an original song and improve upon it so my pick is No Doubt, even though other songs are probably more deserving.

Alix: But No Doubt is sort of defunct, I think it would be awkward to have them up there for an award. Maroon 5 will win. Watch.

Clark: But they sucked live. I lost respect for them at their concert even though I think their CD is nearly flawless.

Alix: Really? That’s disappointing. Well, I hate all the artists in that category, so I pick no one.

Clark: Alright, do you think there are going to be any big surprises this year?

Alix: If Kanye West gets snubbed, I think that’ll be a big surprise — to him.

Clark: I’m rooting for and against him. He makes good music so he might rack up some hardware, otherwise, he’ll just have to settle for those insanely expensive goody baskets.