The 64th annual Grammy Awards were the perfect cap on a truly eventful awards season.
After a stripped-down, partially-outdoor ceremony last year, the Grammys were back in full force, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The awards show was going to be held in Los Angeles, as it typically is, but the organizer switched locations in January because of rising COVID-19 cases in the California city.
Silk Sonic, a superduo composed of Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak, were the first performers to take to the stage and also to pick up a major award, winning the Grammy for Song of the Year with Leave the Door Open. The track came out highly decorated, also snagging Record of the Year, Best R&B Song, and tied with Jazmine Sullivan for Best R&B Performance.
Silk Sonic won all the categories it was nominated for, with Paak calling the night “a clean sweep.”
Their intro performance was closely followed by a rendition of drivers license by newcomer Olivia Rodrigo. The teenaged pop star snagged the coveted Best New Artist award after taking the music world by storm with her debut album Sour. Rodrigo also won for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance.
Jon Batiste, a multi-genre artist who garnered the most Grammy nominations this year, being acknowledged in 11 categories, took home Album of the Year for his LP We Are. He earned another four Grammys at the Premiere Ceremony for a total of five wins.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise video appearance at the ceremony, asking artists in the room to use their art to raise awareness about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s speech was followed up by a performance by John Legend, featuring Ukrainian singer Mika Newton and Ukrainian poet Lyuba Yakimchuk — who fled the embattled country just three days ago.
The Foo Fighters won big during the Grammys Premiere Ceremony, grabbing all three awards they were nominated for: Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance. The critically acclaimed band was originally booked to perform tonight but did not attend the ceremony as they grieve the loss of drummer Taylor Hawkins.
A tribute to Hawkins lead the night’s In Memoriam segment. Rachel Zegler, Leslie Odom Jr., Ben Platt, and Cynthia Erivo sang a medley of musical theatre hits, paying homage to some of the music industry’s lost stars this past year, including Stephen Sondheim, Meatloaf, DMX, and Young Dolph.
Billie Eilish also paid tribute to Hawkins at the ceremony, donning a T-shirt with his image for her performance of Happier Than Ever. The pop star is up for five awards tonight including Album and Record of the Year.
Justin Bieber and Daniel Caesar, two artists who hail from Ontario, performed their hit song Peaches for the Grammy audience. Immediately after, Canadian pop-punker Avril Lavigne took to the stage to present the Grammy award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, which was won by Doja Cat and SZA for Kiss Me More.
BTS also took to the main stage to perform an impeccably choreographed routine — their signature — to their Grammy-nominated single, Butter.
Chris Stapleton took home the Best Country Album for his fourth LP, Starting Over. The American singer-songwriter also picked up awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.
But before the Grammys even began it was marred by controversy.
Kanye West was dropped from the performance lineup because of his “concerning online behaviour” of late, including a very public spat with Grammys host Trevor Noah.
Find below a complete list of all the nominees in the major categories. Final winners will be bolded as the ceremony goes on.
Album of the Year
** WINNER: We Are, Jon Batiste
Love for Sale, Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Back of My Mind, H.E.R.
Montero, Lil Nas X
Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
Evermore, Taylor Swift
Donda, Kanye West
Record of the Year
I Still Have Faith in You, ABBA
Freedom, Jon Batiste
I Get a Kick Out of You, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Peaches, Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Kiss Me More, Doja Cat Featuring SZA
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Montero (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
drivers license, Olivia Rodrigo
** WINNER: Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Song of the Year
Bad Habits, Ed Sheeran
A Beautiful Noise, Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile
drivers license, Olivia Rodrigo
Fight for You, H.E.R.
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Kiss Me More, Doja Cat Featuring Sza
** WINNER: Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Montero (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
Peaches, Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Best Pop Vocal Album
Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe), Justin Bieber
Planet Her (Deluxe), Doja Cat
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Positions, Ariana Grande
** WINNER: Sour, Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Solo Performance
Anyone, Justin Bieber
Right on Time, Brandi Carlile
Happier Than Ever, Billie Eilish
Positions, Ariana Grande
** WINNER: drivers license, Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
I Get a Kick Out of You, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
Lonely, Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco
Butter, BTS
Higher Power, Coldplay
** WINNER: Kiss Me More, Doja Cat featuring SZA
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
** WINNER: Love for Sale, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
’Til We Meet Again (Live), Norah Jones
A Tori Kelly Christmas, Tori Kelly
Ledisi Sings Nina, Ledisi
That’s Life, Willie Nelson
A Holly Dolly Christmas, Dolly Parton
Best New Artist
Arooj Aftab
Jimmie Allen
Baby Keem
Finneas
Glass Animals
Japanese Breakfast
The Kid Laroi
Arlo Parks
** WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo
Saweetie
Best Rap Performance
** WINNER: Family Ties, Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
Up, Cardi B
My Life, J. Cole featuring 21 Savage and Morray
Way 2 Sexy, Drake featuring Future and Young Thug
Thot S–t, Megan Thee Stallion
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Pride Is the Devil, J. Cole featuring Lil Baby
Need to Know, Doja Cat
Industry Baby, Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow
Wusyaname, Tyler, The Creator featuring Youngboy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign
** WINNER: Hurricane, Kanye West featuring The Weeknd and Lil Baby
Best Rap Song
Bath Salts, DMX featuring Jay-Z and Nas
Best Friend, Saweetie featuring Doja Cat
Family Ties, Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar
** WINNER: Jail, Kanye West featuring Jay-Z
My Life, J. Cole featuring 21 Savage & Morray
Best Rap Album
The Off-Season, J. Cole
Certified Lover Boy, Drake
King’s Disease II, Nas
** WINNER: Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, the Creator
Donda, Kanye West
Best R&B Performance
Lost You, Snoh Aalegra
Peaches, Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon
Damage, H.E.R.
** WINNER: Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
** WINNER: Pick Up Your Feelings, Jazmine Sullivan
Best Traditional R&B Performance
I Need You, Jon Batiste
Bring It on Home to Me, BJ The Chicago Kid, PJ Morton and Kenyon Dixon featuring Charlie Bereal
Born Again, Leon Bridges featuring Robert Glasper
** WINNER: Fight for You, H.E.R.
How Much Can a Heart Take, Lucky Daye featuring Yebba
Best R&B Song
Damage, H.E.R.
Good Days, SZA
Heartbreak Anniversary, Giveon
** WINNER: Leave the Door Open, Silk Sonic
Pick Up Your Feelings, Jazmine Sullivan
Best R&B Album
Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies, Snoh Aalegra
We Are, Jon Batiste
Gold-Diggers Sound, Leon Bridges
Back of My Mind, H.E.R.
** WINNER: Heaux Tales, Jazmine Sullivan
Best Dance Recording
Hero, Afrojack and David Guetta
Loom, Ólafur Arnalds featuring Bonobo
Before, James Blake
Heartbreak, Bonobo and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
You Can Do It, Caribou
** WINNER: Alive, Rüfüs Du Sol
The Business, Tiësto
Best Dance/Electronic Album
** WINNER: Subconsciously, Black Coffee
Fallen Embers, Illenium
Music Is the Weapon (Reloaded), Major Lazer
Shockwave, Marshmello
Free Love, Sylvan Esso
Judgement, Ten City
Best Rock Album
Power Up, AC/DC
Capitol Cuts – Live From Studio A, Black Pumas
No One Sings Like You Anymore Vol. 1, Chris Cornell
** WINNER: Medicine at Midnight, Foo Fighters
McCartney III, Paul McCartney
Best Rock Song
All My Favorite Songs, Weezer
The Bandit, Kings of Leon
Distance, Mammoth Wvh
Find My Way, Paul McCartney
** WINNER: Waiting on a War, Foo Fighters
Best Rock Performance
Shot in the Dark, AC/DC
Know You Better (Live From Capitol Studio A), Black Pumas
Nothing Compares 2 U, Chris Cornell
Ohms, Deftones
** WINNER: Making a Fire, Foo Fighters
Best Metal Performance
Genesis, Deftones
** WINNER: The Alien, Dream Theater
Amazonia, Gojira
Pushing the Tides, Mastodon
The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition), Rob Zombie
Best Alternative Music Album
Shore, Fleet Foxes
If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey
Jubilee, Japanese Breakfast
Collapsed in Sunbeams, Arlo Parks
** WINNER: Daddy’s Home, St. Vincent
Best Country Album
Skeletons, Brothers Osborne
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
The Marfa Tapes, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram
The Ballad of Dood & Juanita, Sturgill Simpson
** WINNER: Starting Over, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Solo Performance
Forever After All, Luke Combs
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
All I Do Is Drive, Jason Isbell
Camera Roll, Kacey Musgraves
** WINNER: You Should Probably Leave, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
If I Didn’t Love You, Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
** WINNER: Younger Me, Brothers Osborne
Glad You Exist, Dan + Shay
Chasing After You, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home), Elle King and Miranda Lambert
Best Country Song
Better Than We Found It, Maren Morris
Camera Roll, Kacey Musgraves
** WINNER: Cold, Chris Stapleton
Country Again, Thomas Rhett
Fancy Like, Walker Hayes
Remember Her Name, Mickey Guyton
Best Latin Pop Album
Vértigo, Pablo Alborán
Mis Amores, Paula Arenas
Hecho a la Antigua, Ricardo Arjona
Mis Manos, Camilo
** WINNER: Mendó, Alex Cuba
Revelación, Selena Gomez
Best Comedy Album
The Comedy Vaccine, Lavell Crawford
Evolution, Chelsea Handler
** WINNER: Sincerely Louis C.K., Louis C.K.
Thanks For Risking Your Life, Lewis Black
The Greatest Average American, Nate Bargatze
Zero F–ks Given, Kevin Hart
Best Musical Theatre Album
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, Andrew Lloyd Webber (Original Album Cast)
Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater’s Some Lovers, Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater (World Premiere Cast)
Girl From The North Country, Simon Hale (Original Broadway Cast)
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert, Cameron Mackintosh, Lee Mccutcheon and Stephenmetcalfe (The 2020 Les Misérables Staged Concert Company)
Stephen Schwartz’s Snapshots, Daniel C. Levine (World Premiere Cast)
** WINNER: The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, Emily Bear (Barlow & Bear)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Cruella
Dear Evan Hansen
In the Heights
One Night in Miami
Respect
Schmigadoon!
** WINNER: The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Bridgerton
Dune
The Mandalorian Season 2
** WINNER: The Queen’s Gambit
** WINNER: Soul
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