The Woodies Are Edgier Than That Old Car

If there is one moment this year when flipping channels to MTV or any of its proxy channels does not qualify as vegging, the Woodies are it. MTVU, MTV’s college-targeted branch, will hold its fifth award show ceremony this coming Wednesday at the Roseland Ballroom.

Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Plain White T’s, and Death Cab for Cutie were the honored recipients of Woodies months before releasing the singles that made them famous—therefore, watching the show might qualify as consulting a musical crystal ball.

College students are in power when it comes to voting for their favorite musicians, and this makes all the difference. Artists who are too alternative for the general commercialized industry get their chance to be recognized. “It’s great because all other award shows are so far removed from the pulse of music,” said nominated singer and songwriter Santogold. “Usually the spectrum of artists isn’t as diverse as what is going on right now in music.”

With a hands-on approach to music creation that is only present in those who start small, artists like Santogold and Zooey Deschanel from She & Him push the music industry in unpredictable ways. Self-defined as a producer of “optimistic, sixties-influenced country/pop,” Deschanel is excited to be nominated for the Left Field Woodie this year.

In this way, the Woodies definitely break the mainstream mold, awarding upcoming artists the coveted block of wood that solidifies them as all-time college favorites. Most categories bear their own vibe, from Breaking Woodie (best new artist), to Woodie of the Year (artist of the year), to Best Video Woodie (best music video), to Performing Woodie (best tour). A few categories go further into the college-specific arena: the Left Field Woodie (most original artist), the Good Woodie (greatest social impact), and the Radio Woodie (best campus radio station) are the gems of the award show, recognizing the effort, innovation, values, and passion that are so vibrant in indie music. The 2007 winners of the wood include Madvillain, Guster, and Gym Class Heroes.

This year’s nominees include Columbia’s own Vampire Weekend and Chromeo, among other famous, signed bands. The show’s lineup will be equally star-studded, with performances from Vampire Weekend, Santogold, Lykke Li, and All Time Low—a teen-oriented pop-punk band along the lines of Blink-182 that MTV is pushing although it seems out of place with the rest of the program.

With most of the performers and a good number of the nominees already commercially peaked, who will be the next big Woodie? Has MTVU aimed too high and out of indie-up-and-coming territory? Only time will tell.