The Grammy Awards are tonight. Last night a friend asked me, in all seriousness, "Does anybody really care about the Grammys?" Yes, I told him. Labels care. Whoever wins the top awards tonight (album of the year, male and female solo artists, best new artist, etc) will get a huge sales increase. Instant sales, and bragging rights for as long as they can muster the energy to be boastful. Nominees care. Winners will get to add "Grammy Award-winning" to their bios. You laugh, but these things matter.

Retailers care. It's a chance to sell more music. Getting people to read a music-related article or watch music on TV is always good for music sales. This is the one award that people know. And some viewers will care. Not the jaded, spoiled music industry types who frown upon anything that cheapens the purity of the art form that is their chosen profession. I mean the viewers who don't live and breath music, who look to the Grammys to find out what music is popular and celebrated. The Grammys are, for many, an introduction to new music and a way to build a relationship with an artist. You laugh, but it's true. This is how people pick a few albums to buy out of the neverending stream of lookalikes and soundalikes.

For your Grammy previewing, go to the Grammy page at Yahoo, the official Grammy online partner, or the Grammy page at AOL Music.

Grammy article of note: Chris Faraone of the Boston Herald says Grammy is hip to rap music.

It all sounds grand, but Coolfer would rather go out and see some bands tonight.