Will Long-Overdue Grammys Come Their Way at Last?

Neil Young, AC/DC among rock legends up for first Grammys Feb. 8.

ByABC News
January 30, 2009, 4:39 PM

Jan. 31, 2009 — -- "I'll be an old troubadour when I'm gone," George Strait sings on "Troubadour." But will he be old and Grammy-less? The "king of country" and overdue veterans AC/DC, Judas Priest, James Moody, Rush and Neil Young are all in the running to score their first Grammy on Feb. 8. USA TODAY's Edna Gundersen takes stock with handicap assists from Grammy prognosticator Paul Grein, Yahoo's Chart Watch columnist.

AC/DC

Why they're overdue: The Aussie band, formed in 1973, is among heavy metal's most revered acts — admired by critics, worshiped by fans and slavishly imitated by countless copycats. Since Nielsen SoundScan began tabulating sales in 1991, AC/DC has sold 29.3 million albums, eclipsed only by The Beatles. Their latest, "Black Ice," a Wal-Mart exclusive, has sold nearly 2 million copies since its October release.

Win or lose? "Everyone knows AC/DC had a big comeback this year, but I don't see how they can get past Coldplay and Radiohead, who are both up for album of the year," Grein says.

Overlooked: Grammy should have recognized 1976's "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," 1979's "Highway to Hell" and 1980's "Back in Black," still among the most potent weapons in metal's vast arsenal.

Judas Priest

Why they're overdue: Knocking around since 1969, the band brought British heavy metal to prominence in the '70s, popularized the twin-guitar attack and inspired speedier strains of the genre while building a solid fan base that survived trends from disco to hair bands.

Win or lose? Priest's only shot is in hard rock. "There's no front-runner and no laggards," Grein says. They're unlikely to beat Metallica, "the Grammy-approved metal act."

Overlooked: 1979's "Hell Bent for Leather," a punishing cyclone of vocal aggression and guitar mayhem, and 1980's "British Steel," a more accessible, precision attack, mark the peak of Priest's powers. Both enjoyed critical and commercial success while shaping a new generation of headbanger titans that included Metallica.

James Moody

Why he's overdue: Sax and flute master James Moody has been a revered jazz fixture for 60 years, starting with his 1949 recording of I'm in the Mood for Love. He made marks in genres from be-bop to big band, whether in collaboration with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton or as an agile bandleader.