Update: On January 26, 2020 at the 62nd Grammy Awards, Morten Lindberg won the Best Immersive Audio Album Grammy Award for Lux by Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor, bringing his streak to an end.
Los Angeles, CA (December 16, 2019)—The Grammy Awards are an institution that earns its nickname of “Music’s Biggest Night” every year as it serves up over-the-top production numbers, stellar celebrities and rushed ‘thank you’ speeches that resemble a verbal sack race. When the 62nd Grammy Awards take place on January 26, 2020 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, however, one of the most dramatic stories of the Awards will have already unfolded earlier in the day.
2020 Production Grammy Nominations Announced
While a handful of high-profile awards like Album of the Year will be handed out during the televised evening ceremony, the vast majority of Grammys—approximately 70-75—will be presented earlier in the day at the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony across the street inside the Microsoft Theater. Among those vying for a prize will be Norwegian classical music producer/engineer Morten Lindberg, who is nominated in two categories—Producer of the Year/Classical and Best Immersive Audio Album, the latter for his work as producer, engineer and mastering engineer on Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor’s Lux album.
While everyone nominated wants to win, it’s likely that no one will be more interested in the day’s results than Lindberg who, with a lifetime total of 28 nominations and 0 wins, has the longest streak of unsuccessful nominations in Grammy history.
Lindberg landed his first nomination in 2007 for Best Surround Sound Album, acknowledging his efforts on Ensemble 96’s Immortal Nystedt. Since then, he’s become a mainstay of the category (since renamed Best Immersive Audio Album) and has been nominated in it every year except 2008, accumulating 18 nominations to date. Strikingly, in 2016, he had three of the five nominations in the category, but lost to the Immersive edition of Roger Waters’ Amused to Death.
Having the unluckiest streak in Grammy history does have an upside, however, as it has accidentally become something of a calling card; for better or worse, he’s the champ at not being the champ. Lindberg’s closest rivals are rap legend Snoop Dogg and R&B mainstay Brian McKnight, each tied with 17 nominations and no wins. If nothing else, he has become a good sport about the situation, telling the Los Angeles Times last spring, “Getting an award now would actually ruin my record—my track record would be completely blown away.”
Will 2020 finally be Morten Lindberg’s year? To find out, watch the Premiere Ceremony, which will be streamed live at 3:30 EST, January 26, on the awards’ website. Click HERE For a complete list of all production category nominees.
Grammy Awards • www.grammy.com
