Atlantic Records

Rob Thomas is no stranger to the Grammys. The celebrated frontman has been nominated for four Grammys with his band Matchbox Twenty and he won three statues back in 2000 for “Smooth,” his collaboration with Carlos Santana on the Supernatural album. We caught up with Thomas to get his predictions on this year’s awards show and learn about his own personal Grammy experiences.

Do you remember watching the Grammys when you were a kid?
I don’t know if I can pinpoint my first memory of watching the Grammys but the feeling is similar to when you first go to a show and see the tour bus out in the back of the place and think, “Wow that must be the most exciting thing in the world.” The first time being at the Grammy’s even if you’re not nominated you have that feeling—and then little by little, you’re nominated and you hope you win. That takes a lot of the wonderment out of it because at that point you’re thinking, “I hope I win this” and then if you don’t win you’re like, “I want to get something to eat.” [Laughs.]

Are there any Grammy performances that stick out for you?
The funny thing is I was never a big awards show guy but if I’m nominated it’s like the coolest, most important thing going on that year. I don’t know if I can say, “Yes, that Grammy performance changed my life” because my whole life is made up of life-changing performances, either seeing them live or on video.

How does it feel to win a Grammy?
The coolest part of that night was that when we won, Bono was the one that gave the award to me. I’m a huge U2 fan and I remember he was like “Here you go, Rob” and I’m standing there trying to give my speech and all I can think is “Bono said my name.” It was so much about Carlos that year; it wasn’t about me and it wasn’t even just about “Smooth” because he won so many awards. That said, I got to be on the lead float with Carlos and that was the closest thing to rolling up with Michael Jackson during the Thriller year when he just scooped everything.

Who do you think, whether nominated or not, over the past few years has really stood out to you musically?
I think that Green Day’s big year they deserved all that. [American Idiot] really fit into the landscape of pop that year even though they were this punk band. I also thought that last U2 record [No Line On The Horizon] didn’t get its due, Finally, I really think this Arcade Fire record [The Suburbs] deserves everything it’s got, it probably deserves more.

Who do you think is going to take home Record Of The Year this year?
This sounds like a weird combination but I think it’s going to be either [Jay-Z & Alicia Keys’] “Empire State of Mind” or [Lady Antebellum’s] “Need You Now” because I think both of those songs were completely left-of-center of the pop world. When you talk about real bands that are able to exist in a top 40 world, Lady Antebellum pops up there immediately—and every time I hear “Empire State Of Mind” I throw my clothes off and go running through the club… so that has to mean something.

Did you actually get to keep any of your awards or do they go into a vault somewhere?
I have three of them here and I’m actually looking at them because I’m in my studio. For the longest time we didn’t have a house, so they were in a box in my attic. When we built a [home] studio I didn’t want it to be filled with plaques and Grammys so my wife built a case to put them in a lounge in my studio, which feels more appropriate.