Grammys flashback: Has Marc Cohn’s Best New Artist win over Boyz II Men and Seal aged well?

Jaime Rodriguez
·5 min read
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You might know “Walking in Memphis,” but how well do you know Marc Cohn? The singer-songwriter rose to fame in the early ’90s thanks to the AC staple, which earned him commercial success and a couple Grammy nominations as well. These days, Cohn’s name is best known in regards to his 1992 win for Best New Artist. While the win is definitely something to talk about, we can’t discuss it without understanding Cohn’s background, the song that led to such success, and the competition that Cohn faced on his way to the Grammy stage.

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Cohn started his music career a bit later than most artists. He was already in his 30s when he released “Walking in Memphis,” before which he was a session musician who was discovered by superstar Carly Simon. While his debut album and single were released in 1991, Cohn was signed two years prior, but had been unsuccessful at creating original music despite working with highly sought-after producer David Kerschenbaum, who had most famously worked with singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Tracy Chapman. Cohn decided to switch lanes and work with a new producer and, after a trip to Memphis during an episode of writer’s block, finally came up with his defining hit. As such, “Walking in Memphis” felt much like a godsend for Cohn.

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“Walking in Memphis” hit its number-13 peak on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. Back in the ’90s the Grammys weren’t as swayed by commercial dominance as they are now. Don’t get me wrong, they were definitely influenced by it, but in that era many Record and Song of the Year nominees missed the top 10 or even the top 20, unlike the current Grammy era where most of the nominees are huge smash hits. “Walking in Memphis” was also quintessential Grammy bait: serious singer-songwriter music that references many great staples from the Memphis scene, like Elvis Presley or the iconic Delta Blues. As such, it’s no surprise that Cohn appealed to the voters,.

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Also important to note is Cohn’s competition. Alongside him, the nominees were R&B groups Color Me Badd and Boyz II Men; dance group C+C Music Factory, who you probably know best for their song “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”; and pop/R&B singer Seal. First, let’s state the obvious: Cohn was the only white nominee. Knowing the Grammys have always had a diversity issue, we can’t discount that as a factor. But perhaps more significant were two other factors.

First, Cohn was the closest to your generic, singer-songwriter type that usually gets a lot of support at the Grammys, especially back in the day. Second was vote-splitting. Color Me Badd and Boyz II Men likely split the R&B vote, and while they could’ve gotten pop votes too, it’s unclear which group would be ahead of the other; Boyz II Men are better known now, but Color Me Badd was arguably bigger during that voting period. C+C Music Factory was unlikely to win, as dance music doesn’t have the best track record and they probably weren’t considered “serious” enough. As for Seal, he might’ve had a chance, but probably suffered from the same R&B-pop vote split that afflicted the boy bands. Cohn was likely the most accessible option for country and rock voters in addition to pop.

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In the Grammys’ defense, Cohn’s lack of future success was perhaps a bit shocking. While he wasn’t making anything revolutionary, he fit the singer-songwriter aesthetic of the time. It’s hard not to feel sorry for some of the other nominees with greater shelf lives, though, namely Seal and Boyz II Men, or even Color Me Badd, who were arguably the biggest act in the lineup at the time. Eventually Seal would go on to sweep the Grammys for his single “Kiss From A Rose” and Boyz II Men ended up winning four times.

Cohn has yet to be nominated again, but he has been working actively and has even worked in the Americana genre with Grammy winners The Blind Boys of Alabama. Still, the win does stand out for how badly it aged, especially in a decade with iconic winners like Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, and Lauryn Hill. Cohn’s main competition has out-Grammy’d him at this point, though, so there’s probably no hard feelings.

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