Could-haves and should-haves

So many categories, so little time. The Times’ critics zero in on the awards that mean the most to them, separating the contenders from the pretenders. Let’s start at the top.

Album of the year

Ray Charles and Various Artists: “Genius Loves Company”

Green Day: “American Idiot”

Alicia Keys: “The Diary of Alicia Keys”

Usher: “Confessions”

Kanye West: “The College Dropout”

Even a habitual gambler is probably going to sit out this race because there are so many intangibles involved. West’s album is far and away the most acclaimed work, but the late soul genius Charles could benefit from the sympathy/respect vote, and rockers Green Day might step to the podium if all the R&B; entries split the vote. Here’s hoping justice reigns and West captures the Grammy.

-- Robert Hilburn

*

Record of the year

Black Eyed Peas: “Let’s Get Started”

Ray Charles & Norah Jones: “Here We Go Again”

Green Day: “American Idiot”

Los Lonely Boys: “Heaven”

Usher: “Yeah!”

It’s a wonder how records as ordinary as “Let’s Get Started” and “Heaven” made it past the blue ribbon screening. “American Idiot” has a strong point of view, but is far from memorable. That leaves a tough choice between the wonderful vocal teaming of Charles and Jones and the great ambition and dance-floor zaniness of “Yeah!” I’d vote for Usher.

-- R.H.

*

Rap/sung collaboration

Jadakiss featuring

Anthony Hamilton: “Why”

Christina Milian

featuring Fabolous: “Dip It Low”

Twista featuring

Kanye West and Jamie Foxx: “Slow Jamz”

Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris: “Yeah!”

Kanye West and

Syleena Johnson: “All Falls Down”

Even though “Yeah!” and “All Falls Down” would be deserving victors, the supremely talented Chicago rap pioneer Twista is the one to root for. He broke through in 2004 with “Slow Jamz” after more than a decade below the mainstream’s radar, and the infectious, soulful teaming with West and Foxx gave him an engaging and inviting platform for his sizzling rapid-fire rhymes.

-- Soren Baker

*

Classical album

John Adams: “On the Transmigration of Souls”; Lorin Maazel, conductor; John Adams and Lawrence Rock, producers.

Benjamin Britten: “Peter Grimes”; Sir Colin Davis, conductor; Jonathan Lemalu, Anthony Michaels-Moore, James Rutherford, Janice Watson and Glenn Winslade; James Mallinson, producer.

Elliott Carter: Symphony No. 1/Piano Concerto/”Holiday Overture”; Kenneth Schermerhorn, conductor; Mark Wait, piano; Peter Newble, producer.

Jennifer Higdon: “City Scape”/Concerto for Orchestra; Robert Spano, conductor; Elaine Martone, producer.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: “Le Nozze di Figaro”; Rene Jacobs, conductor; Patrizia Ciofi, Veronique Gens, Simon Keenlyside, Angelika Kirchschlager and Lorenzo Regazzo; Martin Sauer, producer.

There is no such thing as a best classical recording. But let John Adams’ “The Transmigration of Souls” be this year’s no such thing. In his memorial to the victims of 9/11, Adams creates an aural community. Once the developers have their way with Ground Zero, these ephemeral sounds will be all that’s left.

-- Mark Swed

*

Country album

Loretta Lynn: “Van Lear Rose”

Tim McGraw: “Live Like You Were Dyin’ ”

Tift Merritt: “Tambourine”

Keith Urban: “Be Here”

Gretchen Wilson: “Here for the Party”

It’s hard to imagine even the nominees voting for anything other than Lynn’s nervy and muscular collaboration with guitarist-producer Jack White. At 70, Lynn sings with as much force as she had at 30, with the added wisdom that comes only from a full lifetime of experience. Talk about your roses in the snow.

-- Randy Lewis

*

Alternative album

Bjork: “Medulla”

Franz Ferdinand: “Franz Ferdinand”

PJ Harvey: “Uh Huh Her”

Modest Mouse: “Good News for

People Who Love Bad News”

Wilco: “A Ghost Is Born”

Good news for people who love left-of-center sounds: Any one of these albums would be a worthy Grammy standard-bearer for alternative music. Franz Ferdinand and Wilco don’t sound that alternative here, and of the three edgier entries it comes down to PJ Harvey’s blues-rock psychodrama and Bjork’s celestial tour de force. For sheer originality and ambition, “Medulla” best reflects the true alternative spirit.

-- Richard Cromelin

*

Jazz vocal album

Andy Bey: “American Song”

Jamie Cullum: “Twentysomething”

Al Jarreau: “Accentuate the Positive”

Queen Latifah: “The Dana Owens Album”

Nancy Wilson: “R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)”

The jazz vocal category has always been subject to odd nominations, and this year’s no exception, with a list that includes a lot of hyphenate styles and very little straight-ahead jazz singing. A win by Jarreau would help restore credibility. Even better: a victory by Bey’s emotionally insightful, richly rhythmic album.

-- Don Heckman

*

Latin pop album

Marc Anthony: “Amar Sin Mentiras”

Bacilos: “SinVerguenza”

Paulina Rubio: “Pau-latina”

Diego Torres: “MTV Unplugged”

Carlos Vives: “El Rock de Mi Pueblo”

Vives and Bacilos stand head and shoulders above the competition, and either would make a satisfying choice. But while Vives, Colombia’s rootsy singer-songwriter, reconnects with the rousing spirit of his native vallenato, Miami-based Bacilos deserves the trophy for breaking new ground in Latin pop with a provocative, pan-American sound and vision.

Agustin Gurza

*

Just the facts

Where: Staples Center

When: 5 p.m. today. Delayed telecast on CBS at 8 p.m.

Ends: 11 p.m., we hope

Price: $1,800 to $5,100 (on EBay)

Host: Queen Latifah

Presenters: Kevin Spacey, Mark McGrath, Black Eyed Peas, John Travolta, Joss Stone, Ellen DeGeneres, Norah Jones, Ludacris, Gary Sinise, Christina Milian and more

Lifetime achievement award: Mavis Staples

Performers: Green Day, Alicia Keys, U2, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Preston, Gretchen Wilson, Usher, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Kanye West, James Brown, the Blind Boys of Alabama and more

Most stages for one performance: Three, for the opening production number with nominees Franz Ferdinand, Gwen Stefani with Eve, Black Eyed Peas, Los Lonely Boys and Maroon 5