B'way Does the Grammys: Five Cast Recordings Nominated, But Why Was Idina Menzel Frozen Out?

After a particularly stingy 2014, when only three Broadway cast albums were nominated in the Best Musical Theater Album Grammy, showtunes are now getting some more love. Five cast recordings received nominations for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.

The five albums vying for the golden gramophone are the recordings of Aladdin (Walt Disney Records), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Ghostlight/Razor& Tie), A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder (Ghostlight/Razor & Tie), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Atlantic) and the San Francisco Symphony's West Side Story (SFS Media). Notable releases snubbed this year include the recordings for If/Then, The Bridges of Madison County and Here Lies Love.

Additionally, the Oscar-winning Frozen anthem "Let It Go" was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media, though the song's beltress, If/Then's Idina Menzel, did not receive a nod for her vocal performance. The animated blockbuster's soundtrack was nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Others nominees of note to Broadway fans include Great White Way alum Ariana Grande, who picked up a Best Pop Vocal Album nomination for My Everything, as well as for Best Group Performance for "Bang Bang" alongside Nicki Minaj and West End vet Jessie J. Broadway alums James Franco and the late Joan Rivers were nominated for Best Spoken Word Album for Actors Anonymous and Diary of a Mad Diva, respectively. Meanwhile, Bright Star’s Steve Martin and Edie Brickell received a nod in the American Roots category for “Pretty Little One.”

Each nominee for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album has Broadway ties: Annie Lenox's Nostalgia features covers of Great American Songbook standards, including Porgy and Bess' "Summertime," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga's Cheek to Cheek includes many tunes from stage and screen musicals, Barbra Streisand's Partners features duet takes on showtunes such as "People" and "Somewhere," and Johnny Mathis and Barry Manilow, who were nominated for Sending You a Little Christmas and Night Songs, respectively, have both played Broadway.

The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will air on February 8, 2015 on CBS.