How Did Al Walser Get A Grammy Nod?

This year's Grammy nominations brought many upsets, including a notorious snub for Beliebers everywhere, but also many fresh faces. So who are these new nominees, and how'd they score the prestigious nod?

Of this year's many surprises and newcomers (Frank Ocean, The Lumineers, Alabama Shakes to name a few), by and large the nominees have
some fantastic, well-produced records to back up their nominations. The
same can't be said for Al Walser, the curious, mysterious addition to
the Best Dance Recording category. Now, here's the thing. If you're not
an avid follower of Electronic dance music, or if you've never heard of
it in your life, you're still just as likely to have heard of Al Walser
as the genre's most rabid fans. That's what makes this nomination such a
shock.

RELATED - The 2013 Grammy Nominees!

So how did artists like Justin Bieber, with millions of adoring fans
worldwide and countless records sold lose out on the nominations when
this guy got one (for this song by the way)? The answer of course, is
networking. See, Walser is a member of the Recording Academy (which you
can join in exchange for money), and had access to
their social networking site, which consists almost entirely of voting
members. The final step was simply to spam them with his submission and
wait. The Grammy voters, who much like your grandparents, have no real
idea of what electronic dance music is, and were really just happy you
called, rewarded his efforts with a nomination.

To be fair, not everyone is stunned by Walser's nomination. Namely, Walser himself. In an interview with MTV defending the selection, Walser stated that he's been a voting member for years, adding "there's nothing wrong with using the capabilities that you have, and just networking on an emotional level. And yes that can get you that far." And his nomination proves he's right. The nod should be a message to future nominees: if you want a Grammy, but aren't exactly the Adele of your generation, just pay the Recording Academy money to join their club and then hound them with your music. For years.

To see if Al wins, catch the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, live on CBS February 10th, 2013 at the Staples Center.