Who will be the big winner when the 40th annual Grammy Awards are held this week at Radio City Music Hall?
Easy. Paula Cole.
The 29-year-old, who's in the running with seven nominations - the same as Sean ``Puffy'' Combs and just one fewer than Babyface - may not take home a single trophy. But with the Grammys, to be hosted by Kelsey Grammer and televised on Channel 3 at 8 p.m. Wednesday, it's not whether you win or lose: It's how much exposure you get. And Cole has a lot to gain.
She's a veteran of the Lilith Fair tour, which - judging from the presence of fellow-Lilith-ites Sarah McLachlan and others in the nominations - had a big impact on National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences voters. And her slinky, love-it-or-hate-it hit ``Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?'' has earned her album This Fire modest critical and commercial success. But as household names go, she's no Jewel.
By performing before a global TV audience of 1.5 billion viewers, give or take, Cole is likely to win where it counts: in the record-sales department.
Overall, this year's Grammy nominations - which recognize recordings released between Oct. 1, 1996, and Sept. 30, 1997 - are the usual two steps forward, one step back.
On the upside, the Spice Girls and Elton John's ``Candle in the Wind 1997'' were shut out, while Radiohead and Bob Dylan were included. There are new dance-music and re-mix categories, and, remarkably, Cole's nominations for producing her record- and album-of-the-year entries are the first ever for a woman.
On the downside, undisputed producer of the year Sean ``Puffy'' Combs was snubbed. Paul McCartney's insipid Flaming Pie is up for album of the year. Bruce Springsteen is nominated for a six-year-old recording of a 23-year-old song. And though the dance slot was created to make room for electronica, the Chemical Brothers and Prodigy wound up in the alternative category instead.
Of course, arguing over Grammy's inconsistencies is only half the fun. There's also the debate over the races themselves. What follows is a critical guide to a dozen match-ups, including the four major categories - record, song and album of the year, plus best new artist.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR The contenders: The Day, Babyface; This Fire, Paula Cole; Time Out of Mind, Bob Dylan; Flaming Pie, Paul McCartney; OK Computer, Radiohead.
