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Bob Dylan in Los Angeles, California. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for VH1

Bob Dylan has been voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, marking the first time a rock musician has been chosen for the elite honor society. Officials in the Academy – which recognizes music, literature and visual art – were unable to decide if Dylan belonged for his words or his music and instead inducted him as an honorary member like previous honorees Meryl Streep, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese.

100 Greatest Artists: Bob Dylan

"The board of directors considered the diversity of his work and acknowledged his iconic place in the American culture," executive director Virginia Dajani told the Associated Press. "Bob Dylan is a multi-talented artist whose work so thoroughly crosses several disciplines that it defies categorization."

Outside of the honorary choices, the American Academy of Arts and Letters consists of 250 artists, musicians and writers. Openings are available upon a member's death, and current members conduct the nominating and voting process. The Academy, founded in 1898 and based in New York, has historically locked out the likes of Dylan, dismissing jazz artists to modernist poets; it has largely recognized classical musicians but has also honored artists like Stephen Sondheim and Ornette Coleman. Dajani and other officials have pointed to other organizations that recognize rock music, like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as to why the Academy has skipped out on rock musicians.

50 Best Albums of 2012: Bob Dylan, 'Tempest'

For his part, Dylan has accepted the membership – a stipulation for him to be voted through – but his manager, Jeff Rosen, had no comment on whether he'll attend the Academy's April dinner or May induction ceremony. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon will be the keynote speaker at the May ceremony, and his address is titled "Rock & Roll."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Friday, March 15, 2013

Bob Dylan Voted Into American Academy of Arts and Letters

11:28 PM

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Bob Dylan in Los Angeles, California. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for VH1

100 Greatest Artists: Bob Dylan

50 Best Albums of 2012: Bob Dylan, 'Tempest'

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Academy Award Ratings Best Since 2007

7:14 AM

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Adele performs during the 85th Academy Awards.

Seth MacFarlane can breathe a sigh of relief: Sunday night's telecast of the 85th Academy Awards ceremony ratings were up, according to early reports.

The MacFarlane-hosted awards show on ABC garnered a 26.6 overall rating with households and a 41 share, a four percent gain over last year's show. In the coveted adult 18-49 demo, the telecast fared even better: up 19 percent over last year by earning a 12.1 rating.

Those overall numbers make it the most-watched Oscars telecast since 2007 (27.7/42 overall rating), when Ellen DeGeneres hosted and Martin Scorsese's The Departed won Best Picture. In 2012, the show nabbed a 25.5/38 overall, with veteran host Billy Crystal stepping back into his role and the black-and-white silent film The Artist winning five awards.

The year-over-year improvement could be attributed to the fact that six of the nine Best Picture nominees – which included winner Argo, Lincoln, Les Misérables and Silver Linings Playbook – have earned more than $100 million at the box office to date – as opposed to The Artist, which only banked about $45 million when all was said and done. Also, high-profile stars like Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway walked away with the night's top acting prizes.

Other ratings-boosting factors could include general interest in first-time host MacFarlane, best known for creating raunchy comedies, including the movie Ted and the animated TV series Family Guy. The ceremony also had a theme, "Music in Film," for the very first time.

In the spirit of the theme, the night was chock full of musical performances, including ones by Adele, who won Best Original Song for the title track from Skyfall; Barbra Streisand, who sang "The Way We Were" as part of the In Memoriam segment; Jennifer Hudson, whose rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" helped nab her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2007 for Dreamgirls; and Shirley Bassey, who capped off a tribute celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond films.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Monday, September 3, 2012

Academy Awards Revamp Rules for Best Original Song

11:06 AM

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After considering just a pair of tunes this year for the Best Original Song Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revamped its rules for the category, setting a new minimum of five nominees, The Associated Press reports. The final candidates will be determined by the highest number of votes from music branch members, a change from the previous rules that only allowed songs with an average score to be nominated.

The last iteration of the Oscars saw only two songs make the final nomination cut from the original 39-song shortlist, which included tracks by Lady Gaga, Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Zooey Deschanel, Willie Nelson and Brad Paisley. "Man or Muppet" from The Muppets won the award.

The 85th Academy Awards will take place on February 24th, 2013.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Academy Awards Revamp Rules for Best Original Song

7:56 AM

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The 85th Academy Awards will take place on February 24th, 2013.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Kenny Chesney Leads 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Nominations

7:14 PM

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Kenny Chesney performs at the 45th annual CMA Awards.

Kenny Chesney is the top nominee at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, with nine nods including Entertain of the Year, a category he has won four times since 2004. The singer is also up Male Vocalist of the Year and as both artist and producer for Album of the Year for Hemingway's Whiskey.

Jason Aldean is the second most-nominated artist, with nods for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and Single Record of the Year for "Don't You Wanna Stay," his hit duet with Kelly Clarkson. Lady Antebellum is just behind Aldean with five nominations, including Vocal Group of the Year, which they have won the past two years. Taylor Swift leads in the female categories with three nominations overall, including her third consecutive nomination as Entertainer of the Year.

The ACM awards ceremony will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 1st on CBS. The show will be hosted by Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire.

The major nominations for the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards are as follows:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Chris Young

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Love and Theft
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Thompson Square

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Chief – Eric Church (EMI-Nashville)
Produced by: Arturo Buenahora, Jr., Jay Joyce

Four the Record – Miranda Lambert (RCA)
Produced by: Chuck Ainlay, Frank Liddell, Glenn Worf

Hemingway's Whiskey – Kenny Chesney (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean (Broken Bow Records)
Produced by: Michael Knox

Own the Night – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

"Crazy Girl" – Eli Young Band (Republic Nashville)
Produced by: Mike Wrucke

"Don’t You Wanna Stay" – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson (Broken Bow Records)
Produced by: Michael Knox

"Red Solo Cup" – Toby Keith (Show Dog-Universal Music)
Produced by: Toby Keith

"Tomorrow" – Chris Young (RCA)
Produced by: James Stroud

"You and Tequila" – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter (BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

SONG OF THE YEAR

"Crazy Girl" – Eli Young Band
Composers: Lee Brice, Liz Rose
Publishers: Cake Taker Music (BMI), Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Sweet Hysteria Music (BMI)

"Home" – Dierks Bentley
Composers: Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson
Publishers: Big White Tracks (ASCAP), Chestnut Barn Music (BMI), Chrysalis Music/BMG Rights (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Songs (BMI)

"Just A Kiss" – Lady Antebellum
Composers: Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott
Publishers: Dwhaywood Music (BMI), EMI Blackwood Music, Inc. (BMI), EMI Foray Music (SESAC), Hillary Dawn Songs (SESAC), Radiobulletspublishing (BMI), String Stretcher Music (BMI), Warner-Tamberlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

"Threaten Me With Heaven" – Vince Gill
Composers: Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O’Brian, Will Owsley
Publishers: Grant Girls Music (ASCAP), Vinny Mae Music (BMI), Willie-O Music (ASCAP)

"You and Tequila" – Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter
Composers: Matraca Berg, Deana Carter
Publishers: Deanaling Music (ASCAP), Hannaberg Music (BMI), Songs of Universal Inc. (BMI), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here