Notable New Artists: Estelle and Katy Perry

The year may be at its midpoint, but when it comes to the Grammys, that mark has long since passed. With the eligibility period for next year's awards ending on Sept. 30, there's little more than three months left in the world of Grammy.

Though it's admirable that the Recording Academy coincides the end of its year with the conclusion of baseball's regular season, new artists are at a disadvantage. There isn't much time left in the Grammy year to establish a “public identity," the vaguely written criteria that determines who is eligible for a best new artist nomination.

Indeed, it's rare that a best new artist nominee is actually a new artist. Even last year's winner, the troubled Amy Winehouse, had been nominated for a Brit Award back in 2004 (she lost to Dido). And rarer still does a best new artist nominee come from outside the major label system. It took signing with a major for Recording Academy voters to notice R&B singer Ledisi, a veteran of the independent world.

It makes for one of Grammy's most confounding -- and most debated -- categories. So with the year at it's midpoint, and Grammy season only weeks away, all this week Extended Play will be taking a look at some of 2008's notable new artists, and how they may fare come Grammy time. Next week, the same treatment will be given to the mid-year's top albums.