Ahoy music lovers! It’s the most respected, well-embraced and reputable music award show of the year: The Grammys.

Everybody knows this event is the be-all and end-all of creative recognition in the music industry. Well, OK, that’s debatable.

Buried among less than stellar nominees such as the Jonas Brothers and Lady Antebellum lie true masterminds like Robert Plant and even a one-time Athenian, Danger Mouse.

So while their votes won’t count, true musical connoisseurs, i.e. people on the street, gave us their predictions on potential winners at this weekend’s show.

RECORD OF THE YEAR

Coldplay – “Viva La Vida”

“They’re always original and their records always sound different from the last. Plus, their music always puts me in a good mood.”

Jeff Hopkins, freshman from Griffin

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Lil Wayne – “Tha Carter III”

“It seems like he has a lot of hits from that album. My favorite is ‘Shoot Me Down.’”

Max Allen, sophomore from Marietta

SONG OF THE YEAR

Coldplay – “Viva La Vida”

“They’re all pretty terrible, but I’m gonna have to go with Coldplay, really just because I can listen to it all the time. I can drink a beer to it, or even sing a little karaoke.”

Mary Lariscy, senior from Athens

BEST NEW ARTIST

Jonas Brothers

“They have a strong following with teens and the pre-teen crowd. They just play lighthearted music. Go Jo Bros!”

Mary Kolodziej, senior from Roswell

BEST ROCK ALBUM

Kings of Leon – “Only by the Night”

“I don’t have the album but Kings of Leon is underrated so I kind of want them to win because of that.”

Lauren Marchman, sophomore from Peachtree City

BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

Radiohead – “In Rainbows”

“Because it’s Radiohead. I’ve been listening to them since I was 11 and this is their best record yet.”

Andrew Warlick, junior from Jefferson

BEST R&B ALBUM

Jennifer Hudson – “Jennifer Hudson”

“She’s a really great quality singer. These days a lot of R&B artists are all about the image, but she’s got the voice to go along with it.”

Crystal Cofer, senior from Atlanta

BEST RAP ALBUM

Lil Wayne – “Tha Carter III”

“I don’t have his CD but I’d choose him because he’s been really popular this year.”

Mollie Rosenberg, sophomore from Sandy Springs

BEST COUNTRY ALBUM

George Strait – “Troubadour”

“I heard on Kicks 101.5 that his song ‘Troubadour’ was the number one requested song on their station.”

Allison Mabry, senior from Sandy Springs

BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder – Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass: Tribute to 1946 and 1947

“Del McCoury Band deserves to win but it will probably be Kentucky Thunder because he’s more well-known.”

Tom Waldron, 24, from St. Louis

BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM

Taj Mahal – “Maestro”

“I’m only gonna say Taj Mahal because that’s the only album I’ve heard, but Dr. John’s past has been incredible.”

Josh Skelton, 27, from Athens

BEST CONTEMPORARY FOLK/AMERICANA ALBUM

Ry Cooder – “I, Flathead”

“I vote for him because he has a pedal steel guitar that said, ‘don’t you f—ing think about touching this’ on the cover. That definitely gave him cool points.”

Wesley Kays-Henry, 23, from Philadelphia

BEST CONTEMPORARY WORLD MUSIC ALBUM

Gilberto Gil – “Banda Larga Cordel”

“He is a proponent in allowing musicians to sell music for sampling and he’s done a lot in the past couple of years. Plus he’s the Brazilian Minister of Culture.”

Joseph Davis, employee at Schoolkids Records, from Athens

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL

Danger Mouse for: The Black Keys – “Attack & Release”; Beck – “Modern Guilt”; Gnarls Barkley – “The Odd Couple”

“Brian [Burton, aka Danger Mouse] worked here for a few years so I’m going to have to root for him. ‘The Odd Couple’ was good but not a huge surprise like their previous album, but Beck’s album was a much bigger hit.”

Robert Brown, employee at Wuxtry Records,

from Athens

BEST ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM

“Alive 2007″ by Daft Punk

“They have consistently positioned themselves on the cutting edge of electronic dance music, and they are a hell of a lot of fun to listen to.”

Drew Wheatley, senior from Marietta