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Tito Jackson’s death on Sunday Sept. 15 at age 70 has put a spotlight on the Jackson 5 (later the Jacksons), which had a string of classic hits in the 1970s and ’80s.
You may be surprised to learn that the J5 never won a Grammy. Michael Jackson won 13 Grammys, but all were for his solo career.
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Three J5 classics – “I Want You Back,” “ABC” and “I’ll Be There” – have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which functions as a second chance for the Recording Academy to honor great recordings.
The J5 have yet to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy, though Michael received a posthumous lifetime achievement award in 2010.
The J5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 by their old pal Diana Ross, who was credited with having discovered them. (Whether or not she actually discovered them, she did lend her name to their 1970 debut studio album, which was titled Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5.) Michael was inducted into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2001.
Here are the three Jackson 5 records that were nominated for, but did not win, Grammys.
“ABC” (1970)
Nominated for: Best contemporary vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus
Lost to: Carpenters, “Close to You”
Notes: Both family acts were red-hot at the time. “Close to You” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks and was Billboard’s No. 1 song of the summer for 1970. “ABC,” which topped the Hot 100 for two weeks, was the J5’s second No. 1 hit of 1970 (out of a career-launching volley of four consecutive No. 1 hits). “Close to You” was also nominated for record of the year (unlike “ABC”), which showed its strength with Grammy voters. “ABC” and “Close to You” have both been voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a sign that both are now regarded as top-tier classics.
Fun fact: Michael was known to be a fan of the Carpenters.
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“Dancing Machine” (1974)
Nominated for: Best R&B vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus
Lost to: Rufus’ “Tell Me Something Good”
Notes: “Dancing Machine” was an important record in the J5’s career. It not only became their biggest Hot 100 hit in three years, but it showed them to be all grown up, with little trace of the bubblegum of such early hits as “ABC.” The record peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 behind Ray Stevens’ inane novelty hit “The Streak,” a look at the then-hot fad of streaking (see also: the streaker who raced across the stage behind David Niven on the 1974 Oscars). Stevie Wonder wrote the beyond-funky “Tell Me Something Good,” which was Rufus’ first Hot 100 hit. It reached No. 3.
Fun fact: The J5 performed “Dancing Machine” on The Carol Burnett Show in 1974 and on Cher’s solo TV show the following year. Cher, who did not lack for nerve, joined the group in a medley of five of their hits, capped by “Dancing Machine.”
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Triumph (1980)
Nominated for: Best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocal
Lost to: The Manhattans’ “Shining Star”
Notes: How were Grammy voters expected to compare performances on full albums like Triumph with performances on singles like “Shining Star”? Good question. (The Recording Academy no longer pits albums and singles against each other in performance categories.)
Triumph reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group’s first top 10 album since the J5 (which had four top 10 albums) evolved into the Jacksons in 1976. Triumph spawned four Hot 100 hits on the Hot 100: “Lovely One” (No. 12), “Heartbreak Hotel” (No. 22). “Can You Feel It” (No. 77) and “Walk Right Now” (No. 73). None of them were as big as “Shining Star,” which reached No. 5, becoming the second-biggest group by the old-school R&B vocal group, whose “Kiss and Say Goodbye” reached No. 1 in the summer of 1976.
Fun fact: The Manhattans were signed to Columbia, sister label to The Jacksons’ Epic. That may have made CBS Records’ post-Grammys party a little awkward that year.
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It’s been an exceptionally strong period for country music, with many albums and songs having tremendous critical and commercial success as the genre has transcended borders both stylistically and geographically. Additionally, artists from outside the world of country music jumped in with confidence, providing some of the best and most substantial music of the year.
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Grammy nominations for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be announced on Nov. 8, with the ceremony taking place Feb. 2, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. As Grammy eligibility draws to a close today (the eligibility period is Sept. 16, 2023-Aug. 30, 2024), here are Billboard’s best bets for the contenders in best country album and best country song.
Best Country Album
Grammy voters often pull from a wide range of albums and artists here, considering records that fall into Americana and country-adjacent music styles and, therefore, make this category harder to predict than for the country-only awards shows. Other than Chris Stapleton’s Higher, which is a guaranteed nominee, and Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind, the other three slots could just as easily go to the albums mentioned in Within Reach — but that only speaks to the strength of this Grammy season’s contenders.
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Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
Grammy voters tend to be less insular than CMA Awards voters, so look for Bey to land her first nomination in this category. The album is not only a cultural touchstone, and “Texas Hold ‘Em” went to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, but voters want to support Beyoncé and show Nashville and the country community have changed after her less-than-welcoming reception at the 2016 CMA Awards.
Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well
Musgraves’ 2021 album, star-crossed, became her first album to not be nominated for best country album when the country committee took it out of contention. Will she return to the category this year, or is Musgraves now considered a pop or Americana artist? Deeper Well is a largely mid-tempo, gentle exploration by this cosmic cowgirl of many of life’s bigger questions that Nashville should be proud to embrace.
Post Malone, F-1 Trillion
Post Malone came to Nashville and conquered the town like few outsiders before him. He put in the work, spending months writing with top songwriters and playing local spots as he crafted a duets-heavy album that reflects where country music is at the moment, but also, especially in the solo songs, pays homage to its rich, deep history. Add in the overwhelming success of “I Had Some Help,” his collaboration with Morgan Wallen, and you have a contender that is going to draw votes from both the country and pop communities.
Chris Stapleton, Higher
Higher is a sure bet in this category, as Stapleton has been nominated for every album he has released and taken home the trophy three times. Like his previous four studio albums, Higher debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and first single “White Horse” rode to No. 2 on Country Airplay. His unmistakably gruff, bluesy voice tackles affairs of the heart in an intimate way that few other contemporary artists can muster.
Lainey Wilson, Whirlwind
Wilson’s last album, Bell Bottom Country, is the reigning champ in this category, and with Whirlwind, which came out a week before eligibility period closed, Wilson has released a set that will not only be fresh on voters’ minds but is her most confident one to date. From the fun-loving rush of first single, “Hang Tight Honey” to the heart-tugging “Whiskey Colored Crowd” and sassy kiss-off of “Ring Finger,” Wilson’s broad appeal may prove irresistible to voters.
Within Reach: Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene; Luke Combs, Fathers & Sons; Cody Johnson, Leather; Megan Moroney, Am I Okay; Willie Nelson, The Border
Best Country Song
Given the range of artists, from country newcomers to established pop stars, who have released country and country-adjacent music over the past year, it seems likely that the best country song nominations (which honors songwriters) will span from multi-week chart leaders to more boutique fan favorites. And given country’s surging global appeal, the writers on these songs have credits spanning the genres of country, pop, hip-hop, R&B and more.
Nominees for best country song must have been released on a recording for the first time, or achieved prominence for the first time, during the current eligibility year. There are traditionally five nominees in this category, but in three of the past six years there have been six (due to ties), so we’re showing six possibilities.
“The Architect” (Kacey Musgraves)
Songwriters: Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
From Musgraves’ Deeper Well album comes this exquisitely-crafted song that questions whether there is a higher power guiding life events, or if situations are simply the results of a series of random chances. Musgraves wrote the song with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Musgraves has won twice in this category, with “Merry Go ‘Round” (also written by Musgraves, McAnally and Osborne) and “Space Cowboy” (written by Musgraves McAnally and Luke Laird).
“Dirt Cheap” (Cody Johnson)
Songwriter: Josh Phillips
Johnson is no stranger to this category, and certainly knows how to pick an award-worthy song. One of Johnson’s previously-recorded songs, “’Til You Can’t,” won in this category in 2023. His song “Dirt Cheap,” which is in the top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, is a solo write by songwriter Josh Phillips. Similar to “’Til You Can’t,” the song is built on vivid imagery and a heartfelt sentiment.
“Halfway to Hell” (Jelly Roll)
Songwriters: Jason DeFord (Jelly Roll), Jesse Frasure, Matt Jenkins, Jessie Jo Dillon
Released in January, this track continues Jelly’s penchant for rock-propelled songs detailing the duality of life, giving a voice to the masses who ride the line between wholesome living and various vices, particularly on lines such as “I’m a dive bar Sunday sermon/ Holy water with my bourbon.” “Halfway to Hell” serves as the third single from Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel and topped the Country Airplay chart this year.
“I Had Some Help” (Post Malone and Morgan Wallen)
Songwriters: Ernest Keith Smith, Louis Bell, Morgan Wallen, Ashley Gorley, Austin Post, Chandler Paul Walters, Hoskins, Ryan Vojtesak
Post Malone has notched 10 Grammy nominations but could notch his first country category nominations leading up to 2025’s ceremony, thanks to this Wallen collab. “I Had Some Help” has spent six nonconsecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, and seven weeks atop the Hot Country Songs chart. While, in recent years, the best country song category has often tilted toward songs that haven’t been multi-week chart-toppers, last year’s nominations included another Wallen-recorded song, “Last Night,” which spent 16 weeks atop the all-genre Hot 100.
“Texas Hold ‘Em” (Beyoncé)
Songwriters: Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bulow, Nate Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq
Beyoncé stands alone as the artist who has earned the most Grammys, with 32 trophies — but the upcoming Grammy Awards ceremony could very well see the musical iconoclast extend her wins into country categories, including best country song, thanks to “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Beyoncé has previously earned Grammys for songwriting in the R&B field (for “Say My Name,” “Crazy in Love,” “Drunk in Love,” “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” and “Cuff It”) and in the rap field (for “Savage”). Earlier this year, Beyoncé became the first solo Black woman to top Hot Country Songs, with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which ruled the chart for 10 weeks from February through April.
“Tucson Too Late” (Jordan Davis)
Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins
“Tucson Too Late,” the fourth single from Davis’ Bluebird Days, topped the Country Airplay chart in May, becoming Davis’ fifth leader on that chart. The song was penned by two sets of brothers — Davis and his brother Jacob, as well as brothers Josh and Matt Jenkins. This songwriter group is the same one behind Davis’ CMA song of the year winner “Buy Dirt.” Though “Tucson Too Late” ventures into a more mid-tempo groove than some of his previous balladry, the earnest storytelling here has connected with listeners.
Within Reach: Zach Bryan, “Pink Skies”; Ashley Cooke, “Your Place”; Megan Moroney, “No Caller ID”; Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”; Scotty McCreery, “Cab in a Solo”; Chris Stapleton, “Think I’m in Love With You”
If you win the Grammy Award for album of the year, it stands to reason that you must have also won whatever genre album award you competed for. And most album of the year winners since 1995, when the Grammys introduced numerous genre album categories, have won also won in the appropriate genre album categories. […]
Olivia Rodrigo has good reason to be “Obsessed” with the Grammy eligibility rules, specifically the one that states: “Tracks from an album released during last year’s eligibility period are eligible in the current eligibility period, provided the same tracks were not entered the previous year and the album did not win a Grammy.”
That means that Rodrigo’s “Obsessed,” a single from the deluxe Guts (Spilled) edition of her 2023 album Guts, is eligible for the 67th annual Grammy Awards. The single was released on March 22, 2024, well within the eligibility period for the 2025 Grammys (Sept. 16, 2023 to Aug. 30, 2024). It was not entered in last year’s awards process (the focus was on “Vampire,” which was nominated for record and song of the year and best pop vocal performance, and “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” nominated for best rock song). And crucially, Guts didn’t win a Grammy, though it was nominated for both album of the year and best pop vocal album at the ceremony.
On the other hand, if Noah Kahan were to look over the Grammy rulebook, he might find less to cheer about. Stick Season (Forever), which was released on Feb. 9, 2024, will not be eligible to compete for album of the year. Here’s the rule from the Grammy rulebook: “Updated, revised or expanded versions of previously submitted albums will not be eligible.”
Stick Season (Forever) is an expanded version of Kahan’s Stick Season album, which was released on Oct. 14, 2022. An earlier expanded version, Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), was entered for album of the year and best Americana album at the ceremony that was held earlier this year. It wasn’t nominated in either category, but it was “submitted.” (Kahan’s only Grammy nomination to date is best new artist at the ceremony held earlier this year.)
Current voting and professional members of the Recording Academy are hunkering down today and tomorrow – or, at least, the Academy fervently hopes they are – to enter recordings for the 67th annual Grammy Awards. The submission window closes on Friday Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. PT.
The rules and guidelines handbook for the 67th annual Grammy Awards runs 75 pages – and it’s not exactly a “beach read.” Fortunately, the Academy prepared a one-page summary of “Basic Guidelines.” We combed through that document to cull these eight highlights.
Recordings must meet these three basic eligibility guidelines.
There are just two more days for current voting and professional members of the Recording Academy to enter recordings for the 67th annual Grammy Awards. The submission window closes Friday (Aug. 30) at 6 p.m. PT.
The entry process has changed in recent years. There used to be no limit to the number of entries members could make. Some members took advantage of that liberal policy and submitted a large number of entries, causing the entry list to bloat. The Academy now allows each voting or professional member just five “courtesy entries” before charges apply.
Furthermore, in an effort to get procrastinators to make their entries in timely fashion, those entry fees escalate the closer we get to the eligibility cut-off. The charge for members was $40 per entry from July 17-July 31 (what the Academy calls “early bird pricing”) and $75 per entry from Aug. 1-Aug. 22 (standard pricing). In this final week, it is $125 per entry (final deadline pricing). (In all cases, these are the charges for entries beyond the five courtesy entries.)
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In its rules, the Academy notes: “There will be no refunds for any entries once submitted to the Recording Academy, including those entries found to be ineligible.”
Media companies may also enter entries, but they don’t get five courtesy entries. And their charges were higher for the first two submission submission periods – $65 through July 31 and $95 through Aug. 22. The final deadline pricing charge for media companies is the same as for members – $125 through Aug. 30.
The Recording Academy defines a media company as “a legitimate business entity whose core business function is to create, aggregate and promote audio and/or video content for multiple artists for commercial purposes, and must have product in national U.S. commercial distribution on our approved streaming platforms within the current eligibility period. It cannot just be an imprint in name only for the artist.” Media companies pay an annual $180 registration fee.
It is the submitter’s responsibility to provide streaming links or physical product in some cases. “Without streaming links or commercially released product (if applicable), your entries cannot be screened or verified, which can result in disqualification,” the Academy notes.
Physical product must be submitted for consideration in five craft categories – best recording package, best boxed or limited edition package, best immersive audio album, best album notes and best historical album. Rules note “If you made entries in craft categories that require physical product, you will receive a separate email detailing the product required and further shipping instructions. Include a copy of the packing list with shipped product. Send in as soon as possible but no later than Sept. 6.”
No physical product is necessary in six other craft categories – best engineered album, non-classical; best engineered album, classical; best immersive audio album; best instrumental composition; best arrangement, instrumental or acapella; and best arrangement, instruments and vocals.
The Academy notes “Prior to the first round of voting [which opens on Oct. 4], we will be sending each submitter an email showing final category placement of their entries.”
The eligibility period for the 67th Grammy Awards is Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024. First-round voting runs from Oct. 4 through Oct. 15. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 8. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 3, 2025. The Grammys will be presented on Feb. 2, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars have won a combined 28 Grammy Awards – 13 for her, 15 for him – so it doesn’t take a genius to know that their newly-released collaboration, “Die With a Smile,” is a strong contender for Grammy nods. The song was released on Aug. 16, two weeks before the close of eligibility for the 67th annual Grammy Awards.
The instant smash has a good chance of nominations for record of the year, song of the year and best pop duo/group performance.
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Both artists have been nominated multiple times for record of the year for previous collaborations. Mars has been nominated three times for collaborations – as a featured artist on B.o.B.’s “Nothin’ on You” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” and as the co-lead artist with Anderson .Paak on Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open.” If he is nominated again for “Die With a Smile,” he’ll break out of a tie with Jay-Z and Rihanna as the artist with the most record of the year nods as part of a collab.
Gaga has been nominated for record of the year with two previous collabs – “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper and “I Get a Kick Out of You” with Tony Bennett. Counting all singles, not just collabs, this would be Mars’ seventh record of the year nod; Gaga’s fourth.
The Grammy nominations will be announced on Nov. 8. The 67th annual Grammy Awards will be presented on Feb. 2, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Gaga and Mars co-wrote and co-produced “Die With a Smile” with Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II and Andrew Watt. James Fauntleroy was an additional co-writer.
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Mars has one of the best batting averages of any artist in Grammy history. He has won 15 awards from just 31 nominations. Adele at one point had won 15 awards from just 18 nominations, but her batting average came down to earth a bit when she won just one award from seven nominations in 2023. (Her current standing – 16 awards from 25 nods – is still pretty great!)
Gaga has won 13 awards from 36 nominations.
While it’s too early to predict who is going to win in the marquee categories, if “Die With a Smile” does win record of the year, Mars would set a big Grammy record: the first artist to win record of the year four times. He’d break out of a tie with Paul Simon, who has won three times (counting two Simon & Garfunkel classics).
Mars won the award in 2016 as a featured artist on Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!,” in 2018 for the solo smash “24K Magic” and along with Anderson .Paak in 2022 for Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open.”
If it wins song of the year, Mars and D’Mile would become the first three-time winners in that category. They are currently in a tie with Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer, Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell, Adele, Brody Brown, James Horner, Will Jennings and the members of U2, with two wins each.
Mars previously won song of the year for co-writing “That’s What I Like” and “Leave the Door Open.” D’Mile previously won for co-writing H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe” and “Leave the Door Open.”
If “Die With a Smile” wins record or song of the year, it would be Gaga’s first win in a so-called Big Four category (album, record or song of the year plus best new artist).
If the collab wins best pop duo/group performance, it would be Gaga’s record-setting third win in that category, following wins for pairings with Cooper (“Shallow”) and Ariana Grande (“Rain on Me”). Gaga is currently tied with SZA with two wins each in the category (which was introduced at the 2012 ceremony).
Gaga and Mars share another Grammy common bond: Neither was nominated for best new artist, despite both getting off to hot career starts. In both cases it’s because they blew up so fast that they ran afoul of Grammy eligibility rules in that category.
Gaga was entered in the best new artist competition for the awards that were presented in 2009, but she wasn’t nominated. She was nominated that year for best dance recording for “Just Dance,” her Hot 100-topping collab with Colby O’Donis. That nomination precluded her from getting a second shot at best new artist the following year (which is the norm in that category for artists whose breakthroughs don’t neatly fall into one Grammy eligibility year).
Mars was never even entered for best new artist. He received seven nominations at the awards that were presented in 2011, winning best pop vocal performance, male for his Hot 100-topping “Just the Way You Are.” But because his first full-length album hadn’t been released by the close of that eligibility year – it was released four days later, on Oct. 4, 2010 – he wasn’t eligible for best new artist that year. And he wasn’t allowed in the category the following year because he was, by that point, a Grammy winner. (That’s what you call a Grammy Catch-22.)
The failure of both artists to be nominated for best new artist hasn’t seemed to unduly slow their career momentum.
“Die With a Smile” is expected to challenge for a debut inside the top 10 on next week’s Billboard Hot 100. The chart will be unveiled on Monday (Aug. 26).
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Remarkably, 10 of those 14 artists are women.
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Will Beyoncé finally win album of the year at the 2025 Grammy Awards? Queen Bey has gone 0-4 in the category (as a lead artist), which has been a source of frustration for many in the BeyHive — and also those in her inner circle. Accepting an honorary award at the 2024 ceremony, Jay-Z confronted the issue head-on. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year, so even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.”
Jay-Z’s remark suggests that Bey’s fate in the category will be the most-watched moment at the 67th annual Grammys, which will be presented Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Nominations will be announced Nov. 8. Here are Billboard’s best bets for nods in the top four categories.
It’s likely that solo women will take seven of the eight slots here. That’s comparable to the 2024 Grammys, where solo women took six of the eight slots and an all-woman group, boygenius, took a seventh. Jon Batiste was the only male artist to be nominated at this year’s ceremony. Chris Stapleton may have the best chance of repping men next year. Nominees for album and record of the year must have been released during the eligibility period (Sept. 16, 2023-Aug. 30, 2024).
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Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
This is Bey’s eighth solo studio album and would be her fifth to be nominated in this category following I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé, Lemonade and Renaissance. She would be the first Black artist to be nominated for a country album since Ray Charles for Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (though none of the singles from that trailblazing 1962 album appeared on Hot Country Songs). Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Sabrina Carpenter, Short N’ Sweet
Carpenter’s sixth studio album is due Aug. 23, one week before the end of the eligibility period. The album was co-produced by Jack Antonoff and Julian Bunetta. Antonoff has received eight album of the year nods — four with Taylor Swift, two with Lana Del Rey and one each with Lorde and his own pop trio, fun. He has also won producer of the year, non-classical the last three years running.
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
Eilish’s third album features 10 tracks, two songwriters (Eilish and FINNEAS), one producer (FINNEAS) and no featured artists. That may appeal to traditionalists in the Recording Academy’s voting membership who are put off by this era’s collaboration-heavy approach. Eilish won in this category five years ago for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and was nominated three years ago for Happier Than Ever. Billboard 200 peak: No. 2.
Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine
This is Grande’s seventh studio album and would be her second to be nominated in this category. She was nominated five years ago for Thank U, Next. Swedish hit-makers Max Martin and ILYA, who were nominated as producers of Thank U, Next, are also among the producers of this album. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
The singer’s debut album arrived Sept. 22, 2023, one week after the start of the eligibility period. This is vying to become the first debut album by a woman pop artist to receive an album of the year nod since Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR in 2022. Daniel Nigro, who has been nominated twice in this category for work with Rodrigo, co-produced the album with Ryan Linvill and Mike Wise. Billboard 200 peak: No. 5.
Chris Stapleton, Higher
This is Stapleton’s fifth studio album and would be his second to be nominated in the category. Traveller was nominated nine years ago. Stapleton is vying to become the first male country solo artist to land two nominations in this category. “White Horse,” the lead single from Higher, won two Grammys in February. Higher won album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16. Billboard 200 peak: No. 3.
Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department
This would be Swift’s seventh nod in the category, which would allow her to stand alone as the woman artist with the most album of the year nods. She currently shares that distinction with Barbra Streisand, with six nods each. Swift co-produced the album with Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Patrik Berger. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (12 weeks so far).
Tyla, Tyla
The South African singer’s “Water” won the inaugural Grammy presented for best African music performance. It was the lead single from her self-titled debut album, which was released during the current eligibility period. Tyla features guest appearances from stars such as Tems, Gunna, Becky G and Travis Scott. Tyla won two BET Awards on June 30 — best new artist and best international act. Billboard 200 peak: No. 24.
Within Reach: Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene; Charli xcx, brat; Doja Cat, Scarlet; Future & Metro Boomin, We Don’t Trust You; Post Malone, F-1 Trillion (due Aug. 16); Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well; 21 Savage, American Dream; Kali Uchis, Orquídeas; Usher, Coming Home; Lainey Wilson, Whirlwind (due Aug. 23).
From left: Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Kendrick Lamar and Hozier.
Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Jo Hale/Redferns; Dennis Leupold; Timothy Norris/Getty Images; Barry McCall
Beyoncé already holds the record for most career nominations in this category. Her total of eight includes an early record with Destiny’s Child and collaborations with Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion. Will she extend her lead this year? And could two Black artists — Bey and Shaboozey — be nominated for country hits in the same year? Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, was entered last year and thus is ineligible.
Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ’Em”
Two years ago, Beyoncé pulled ahead of Frank Sinatra for the most nominations in this category. This would give her a record-extending ninth nod. The big question: Will it compete for best solo performance honors in pop or country? “Texas Hold ’Em” wouldn’t be the first poker-themed hit to land a record of the year nod. Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” was nominated at the awards in 1980. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things”
This song is constructed like Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” which was nominated for record and song of the year three years ago. It starts out soft and builds in intensity to a rock-inflected finish. This was Boone’s third Hot 100 entry, but his first to climb above No. 82. Hot 100 peak: No. 2.
Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
Carpenter’s camp has to decide which hit to enter — “Espresso,” which topped Billboard’s staff list of The 50 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far), or “Please Please Please,” which was Carpenter’s first No. 1 on the Hot 100. The former is one of the catchiest singles of recent years; the latter, an offbeat, country-shaded follow-up. They’ll probably go with “Espresso,” but either would be a strong nominee. Hot 100 peak: No. 3.
Billie Eilish, “Lunch”
This would be Eilish’s fifth nod in this category. She won for “bad guy” and “Everything I Wanted” and was nominated for “Happier Than Ever” and “What Was I Made For?” Eilish’s brother, FINNEAS, produced all of these records. Nominations will be announced five weeks before Eilish turns 23. No one else has ever amassed five nods in this category at such a young age. Hot 100 peak: No. 5.
Ariana Grande, “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”
This record could give Grande a second nod in this category. She was nominated five years ago for the Rodgers & Hammerstein-interpolating “7 Rings.” Grande produced this track with Swedish pop masterminds Max Martin and ILYA, who were among the producers of “7 Rings.” Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (one week).
Hozier, “Too Sweet”
Hozier got some Grammy love nine years ago when his breakthrough smash, “Take Me to Church,” was nominated for song of the year. He came roaring back this year with this impeccably produced record. Hozier is vying to become the fourth Irish artist to be nominated for record of the year, following Gilbert O’Sullivan, U2 and Sinéad O’Connor. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (one week).
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
This scathing dis track is from Lamar’s bitter and highly public feud with Drake. This would be Lamar’s fourth nod in this category following “HUMBLE.” (2018); “All the Stars,” a collaboration with SZA (2019); and “The Heart Part 5” (2023). If this is nominated, Lamar will tie Jay-Z for the most record of the year nods by a rapper. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).
Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”
This song, Roan’s first Hot 100 hit, was produced by Daniel Nigro, who has been nominated in this category for his work on two Olivia Rodrigo hits. Nigro has received eight Grammy nods, all for work with Rodrigo. He won best pop vocal album as the producer of her debut album, SOUR. Hot 100 peak: No. 10.
Within Reach: Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”; Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”; Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”; Muni Long, “Made for Me”; Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”; Tommy Richman, “Million Dollar Baby”; Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”; Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, “Fortnight”; 21 Savage, “Redrum”; SZA, “Saturn.”
From left: FINNEAS, Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, ILYA and Dan Nigro.
Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Robin L. Marshall/Getty Images; David O’Donohue; Jason Koerner/Getty Images; Anna Sky; Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
Last year, five of the eight nominees for record of the year were also nominated for song of the year. The year before that, six of the 10 nominees for record of the year also received song of the year nods. This year, seven of the eight record of the year nominees could double up. Taylor Swift has amassed seven nominations in this category, more than any other songwriter, but she has yet to win. Will this finally be her year?
“Beautiful Things”Songwriters: Benson Boone, Jack LaFrantz, Evan Blair
This song touches on themes that have long been attractive to Grammy voters — gratitude for life’s blessings and awareness of how quickly in life fortunes can change. Other philosophical songs that have been nominated here in recent years include “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Bless the Broken Road,” “7 Years” and “God’s Plan.” In addition to co-writing “Beautiful Things,” Blair produced Boone’s single.
“Espresso”Songwriters: Sabrina Carpenter, Amy Allen, Julian Bunetta, Steph Jones
This confection may seem a little light for a song of the year nod, but the irresistible tune has been inescapable in recent months. Even Adele was caught up in the hooky line “I’m working late/’Cause I’m a singer,” praising the song during her Las Vegas residency. (And being light didn’t prevent Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” from winning in 2019.) Allen was nominated for the inaugural songwriter of the year, non-classical award two years ago.
“Fortnight”Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Jack Antonoff
All three writers are past nominees in this category: Swift has been nominated a record seven times, Antonoff four times and Post Malone once. Alternatively, Swift could enter “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version),” which she also co-wrote with Antonoff. Both songs topped the Hot 100, for two and one weeks, respectively.
“Good Luck, Babe!”Songwriters: Chappell Roan, Justin Tranter, Daniel Nigro
Tranter and Nigro are past nominees in this category — Tranter for co-writing Julia Michaels’ “Issues,” Nigro for co-writing Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” and “Vampire.” “Good Luck, Babe!” is about a woman parting ways with a woman who is denying her true sexual orientation. The next song on the list is about a woman accepting and embracing her own.
“Lunch”Songwriters: Billie Eilish, FINNEAS
The siblings have been nominated four times in this category, winning twice. If they win again, they’ll become the first three-time winners in the history of the category. They won most recently this year with “What Was I Made For?” They have another very pretty ballad (“Birds of a Feather”) that they could enter here instead, but “Lunch” feels like the more likely option.
“Not Like Us”Songwriter: Kendrick Lamar
As with record of the year, this would be Lamar’s fourth nod in this category following “Alright” (2016), “All the Stars” (2019) and “The Heart Part 5” (2023). And, as with record of the year, if this is nominated, Lamar will tie Jay-Z for the most song of the year nods for a rapper.
“Texas Hold ’Em”Songwriters: Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Nathan Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow
This would be Beyoncé’s sixth nomination in the category. That would put her in a tie with Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie for second place on the list of all-time nominees in this category. Swift leads with seven nods. Saadiq has been nominated for best R&B song five times, winning twice, but this would be his first song of the year nod.
“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”Songwriters: Ariana Grande, Max Martin, ILYA
This would be the first nomination in this category for Grande and ILYA and the fifth for Martin, following nods for Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.” Martin, a Swede, and U2, from Ireland, are the only songwriters who hail from somewhere other than America or England to amass four or more nods in this category.
Within Reach: “Agora Hills” (artist: Doja Cat); “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (Shaboozey); “Deeper Well” (Kacey Musgraves); “I Had Some Help” (Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen); “Made for Me” (Muni Long); “Obsessed” (Olivia Rodrigo); “Pink Skies” (Zach Bryan); “Redrum” (21 Savage); “Saturn” (SZA); “Too Sweet” (Hozier).
Clockwise from top: Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Sexyy Red, Teddy Swims and Megan Moroney.
Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Ryan Clemens; Daniel Prakopcyk; Chris Allmeid; CeCe Dawson; Aaron Marsh
According to the rules, “This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness.” Artists with previous Grammy nominations are generally not allowed, nor are artists who have previously been entered in the category three times (whether or not they were nominated). That latter rule disqualifies Tate McRae. The last seven winners in this category have been solo women, which tied the record established in 1997-2003. If another solo woman wins next year, a new record will be set.
Benson Boone
Boone, 22, is the youngest of this year’s likely best new artist nominees. He is vying to become the first male artist to win in this category since Chance the Rapper in 2017. Boone could also become the second winner in this category with that surname. Debby Boone won in 1978.
Sabrina Carpenter
Short N’ Sweet is Carpenter’s sixth studio album, so how can she be considered new? Prior to this eligibility year, she had never climbed higher than No. 48 on the Hot 100. The Grammys aren’t charts-based, but they do think in terms of “public consciousness” and achieving “prominence.” Carpenter, 25, is vying to become the second winner in this category with that surname. Karen and Richard Carpenter won in 1971.
Megan Moroney
Moroney, 26, was passed over for a best new artist nod two years ago, when “Tennessee Orange” became a top 30 hit on the Hot 100. But she has continued to build. Moroney was nominated for the Country Music Association’s new artist of the year prize last year and won the Academy of Country Music’s new female artist of the year honor (on her second try) in May. Her second album, Am I Okay?, arrived July 12.
Chappell Roan
Atlantic Records dropped Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, following the release of a 2017 EP, School Nights. Her smash debut album was released through Island Records last September. Roan, 26, supported Olivia Rodrigo (who won in this category in 2022) on two major tours. She also opened for Vance Joy and Ben Platt, among others, and performed at Coachella in April.
Sexyy Red
The rapper, 26, reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200 with her third mixtape, In Sexyy We Trust. The tape spawned the top 20 Hot 100 hit “Get It Sexyy.” Sexyy Red was nominated in five categories, including best new artist, at the 2024 BET Awards, but was shut out.
Shaboozey
Shaboozey, 29, is at the forefront of bringing more diversity to the world of country music. His third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. Its smash single, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” has made it to No. 1 on the Hot 100. Shaboozey is also featured on two tracks on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.
Teddy Swims
Swims’ debut studio album, I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1), reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200. “Lose Control,” the smash single from the album, topped the Hot 100. Before becoming a headliner, Swims opened for Zac Brown Band, which won in this category in 2010, and Greta Van Fleet, which was nominated in 2019. Swims, 31, is the oldest of this year’s likely best new artist nominees.
Within Reach: The Beaches; Dasha; Djo; 4Batz; Knox; October London; Tommy Richman; Nate Smith; Brittney Spencer; Tigirlily Gold
This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.
For the first time in four years, the Recording Academy didn’t add to its list of categories for the 67th annual Grammy Awards, set for Feb. 2, 2005. There will be 94 categories for the second year in a row. There were 84 categories as recently as the Grammy telecast in 2021, but the number jumped to 86 in 2022, 91 in 2023 and 94 in 2024.
There were 28 categories in 1959, the first year of the awards. There were 47 (exactly one-half of the current total) in 1975. The number reached its all-time high (to date, anyway) of 110 categories in 2008 and 2009.
The academy also announced amendments that were passed at the semiannual board of trustees meeting. The meetings were held from May 22-24 in Laguna Niguel, Calif. All updates go into effect immediately.
The Recording Academy’s awards and nominations committee, comprised of academy voting members, meets annually to review proposals to update awards categories, procedures and eligibility guidelines. Their recommendations are ratified by the academy’s trustees.
The 67th annual Grammy Awards are set to take place Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Crypto, formerly known as Staples Center, has hosted all but four Grammy telecasts since 2000.
First-round voting, to determine the nominations, will be conducted from Oct. 4 to Oct. 15. Nominations will be announced on Friday, Nov. 8. Final-round voting to determine the winners will be conducted from Dec. 12 through Jan. 3, 2025. As is the academy’s usual practice, voting will conclude nearly a full month before the results are announced on the show.
The 67th annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live on CBS, the Grammys’ home network since 1973, and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Here are this year’s amendments to its 75-page Rules and Guidelines handbook. The first two rules are general; the remainder apply to specific categories.
General
The producers of the 1984 Grammys knew they needed to book a performance by Michael Jackson, who in 1983-84 was hotter than anyone had been in pop music since The Beatles in 1964-65. The need was made even clearer when the Grammy nominations were announced in early January, and Jackson set a new record with 12 nods.
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There was just one problem: Jackson didn’t want to do it. As Ken Ehrlich, who was producing the show for the fifth year (of a remarkable 40-year run) put it in his 2007 book At the Grammys!, “Even after his record nominations, Michael hadn’t said yes to performing, and without him, it could be wildly embarrassing.”
In an attempt to stave off that embarrassment, Jackson’s manager arranged what Ehrlich called “a very quiet, discreet meeting at his home for us to talk about what we wanted to do. We sat, Michael barely talking, and when he did, directing his words to the manager, and I knew that we were up against it. No matter where we went, it wasn’t going to be satisfactory. I left very discouraged.”
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Ehrlich had allies who were trying to convince Jackson to do it. As Ehrlich wrote: “The people at Epic Records, Michael’s label, wanted him to perform. His father wanted him to perform. [His sister] Janet, with whom I was then working at [the TV series] Fame, talked to him about performing. But no matter what kind of pressure was applied, there was no budging Michael. He wasn’t going to do it. … Even Quincy Jones, a great friend of the Grammys, was unable to sway him, and we went into the Grammy show Michael-less.”
John Denver hosted the show that year, promising “a show so hot it’s going to pop if we don’t get right into it.” I was at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles that year covering the show for Billboard and remember it as a lively and entertaining show. A Jackson performance would have lifted the show even higher, but it did phenomenally well as it was. The show was seen by more than 51.67 million viewers – an all-time record for the Grammys that is unlikely to ever be broken.
Why was Jackson so resistant to performing on what was clearly shaping up to be his big night?
For one thing, he probably knew he didn’t need to perform to dominate the night. So, why take the risks that are in inherent in a live TV performance? (Taylor Swift may have made the same calculation when she declined to perform on this year’s ceremony.)
Also, Jackson may have been spooked by a widely reported accident that happened when he was filming a Pepsi commercial at the Shrine on Jan. 27. During a simulated concert, pyrotechnics accidentally set Jackson’s hair on fire, causing second-degree burns to his scalp.
In his book, Ehrlich suggested another reason: “And then we discovered that, as with other artists, he had felt mistreated in the past by the Grammy voting process, and this was his way of getting back.”
Jackson had indeed been underrecognized by Grammy voters. The Jackson 5 (and later The Jacksons) never won a Grammy. Jackson had never previously been nominated in a “Big Four” category – album, record and song of the year plus best new artist. Even the blockbuster Off the Wall was passed over for an album of the year nod. Jackson’s only Grammy victory to that point was a 1980 win for best R&B vocal performance, male for “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” So, he had a right to feel he hadn’t gotten his due from the Academy.
Jackson had also opted not to perform at the American Music Awards, which were also held at the Shrine (his home away from home that year) on Jan. 16. In his absence, Barry Manilow performed The J5’s “I’ll Be There.” Jackson had performed on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever special which was taped on March 25, 1983. That was the show where Jackson moonwalked publicly for the first time during “Billie Jean” – a performance that brought him a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Jackson, who was 25 at the time – and as it turned out, halfway through his life – could not have been hotter than he was in 1984. His every move made news. The way it is with Swift now, it was with MJ back then, and he didn’t have a high-profile romance fueling the publicity flames.
Though Jackson didn’t perform on Grammy night, there were many cutaways to him, as he sat in the front row, accompanied by his date for the night, actress Brooke Shields; Emmanuel Lewis, the 12-year-old star of the hit sitcom Webster; and the legendary Jones, who produced Thriller (with Jackson credited as co-producer of three tracks). Lewis’ presence was an unspoken reminder that Jackson had also been a child star, landing his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 at age 11, fronting The Jackson 5.
Jackson dressed regally, as if seeking to live up to his preferred appellation, the King of Pop. (Writing in Rolling Stone decades later, Andy Greene took a less respectful tone, saying he looked like “the captain of the disco navy.”)
Near the top of the show, Denver explained that the big buzzwords of the past year had been “videos, Boy George and Michael…” Denver didn’t even need to finish the sentence. Fans in the audience screamed out the star’s last name.
Jackson won a record eight Grammys in 1984, seven for his work on Thriller and one for narrating a children’s recording, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. That’s one more than Paul Simon had won in 1971, the year of the first live Grammy telecast.
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Jackson won five of the eight awards on the telecast – including two in categories that are rarely presented on-air – producer of the year, non-classical and best recording for children. He and Jones were co-winners in those two categories, and in two other categories that Jackson won on the air that night – album and record of the year. So, the two men, who were 25 years apart in age and looked very much like father and son, made a lot of trips up the stage together.
Without a Jackson performance to trumpet, the producers had to get creative. They booked performances by all five of the nominees for best pop female vocal performance. That smart decision gave the show a thematic element that Jackson was not part of, which helped to broaden the show’s focus. It helped that the nominees in that category that year were exceptionally strong and varied.
Donna Summer had the first performance of the night with her terrific hit “She Works Hard for the Money,” which she performed wearing a pink waitress outfit. (She wore a similar outfit on the album cover and single sleeve.) It was a big production number and got the show off to a rousing start.
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Performances by the other four nominees in the category were sprinkled throughout the show. Bonnie Tyler sang her thundering power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Linda Ronstadt, backed by Nelson Riddle and his orchestra, crooned “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” the 1928 Gershwin tune that was a highlight of What’s New, her 1983 hit collection of standards. Sheena Easton sang her trendy “Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair).” Irene Cara performed “Flashdance…What a Feeling,” which was so good you could forgive it for borrowing so heavily from the Summer hit playbook.
Four of these songs had been top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. The exception was Ronstadt’s ballad, which was featured on an album that stunned the industry by spending five weeks at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 over the peak holiday sales period. The award went to Cara, who went on to win an Oscar for best original song on April 9 for co-writing the song.
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In an unfortunate development, the first three winners on the telecast were no-shows, because they were on tour, we were told – Sting for song of the year for “Every Breath You Take” (the only Big Three award Jackson didn’t win); The Police for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal for Synchronicity; and Duran Duran for best video album for Duran Duran. (The fact that the latter category was presented on-air was a sign of the times. Two and a half years after MTV’s debut, video was driving the music business.)
Fortunately, Jackson and Jones were in the house to accept the fourth award of the night, producer of the year, non-classical, which was presented by Toto, the previous year’s winners in the category.
Jackson shared the spotlight on his five trips to the podium, calling up his sisters – Janet, then 17; La Toya, 27; and Rebbie, 33, as well as CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff (“the best president of any record company,” Jackson said of the man who strong-armed MTV into adding the “Billie Jean” video). In a poignant moment, Jackson remembered R&B pioneer Jackie Wilson, who had died five weeks earlier at age 49. “Jackie Wilson was a wonderful entertainer. He’s not with us anymore, but Jackie, where you are, I’d like to say I love you and thank you very much.”
The 1984 Grammy telecast was just the second to run three hours. CBS had bumped the Grammys from two to three hours the year before so they could have extra time to mark their 25th anniversary. The show has run three hours (or more) ever since.
The 1984 show marked the first time in 12 years that the Academy presented lifetime achievement awards. They had probably stopped because of severe time constraints on the telecast, but now that they had more airtime to fill, they were able to resume this tradition. The 1984 honorees were rock pioneer Chuck Berry, then 57, and, posthumously, jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker and Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini.
Berry, who had blazed a trail for Jackson and other Black superstars of the modern era, performed his 1955 classic “Maybelline,” after which George Thorogood and Stevie Ray Vaughan performed “Roll Over Beethoven,” before all three teamed for “Let It Rock.” In his performance, Berry did his famous duckwalk. How great would it have been to have the duckwalk and the moonwalk on the same show?
Herbie Hancock performed his instrumental hit “Rockit.” The performance replicated the acclaimed video, which was directed by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. As Ehrlich recounted in his book: “We located the original robots [that were featured in the video], worked on a system of making them work live (it had taken four days to tape the video) and it was far and away the performance of the show. The crowd loved it.” “Rockit” went on to receive a video of the year nod at the inaugural MTV Video Music Awards later that year.
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Wynton Marsalis, 22, performed both jazz and classical numbers, underscoring his versality. He was the first person to perform songs nominated in two different genres on the telecast. Marsalis wound up winning for both best jazz instrumental performance, soloist and best classical performance – instrumental soloist or soloists (with orchestra).
The show cut away twice to London where Boy George of Culture Club and Joan Rivers provided comic relief. In their first segment, they read the rules (an awards-show custom that seems to have fallen by the wayside). Rivers offered a humorous explanation for reading the rules: “Every one of the nominees out there should know why they lost out to Michael Jackson.”
Rivers’ jokes were topical, at least, including a reference to a MJ/Paul McCartney song that had topped the Hot 100 for six weeks in December 1983 and January 1984. “I am thrilled to be on a music show because I know very little about music. I thought the song ‘Say Say Say’ was Mel Tillis trying to do the National Anthem.”
In their second spot, Culture Club was awarded best new artist (over Eurythmics, among others). The presenters were Cyndi Lauper, the previous year’s winner, and Rodney Dangerfield. Boy George’s acceptance speech was an instant classic: “Thank you, America, you’ve got taste, style and you know a good drag queen when you see one.”
Cross-dressing was a recurring theme on the show. Annie Lennox was dressed as Elvis, complete with sideburns, for Eurythmics’ performance of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” which had been a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100.
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Walter Charles, from the company of the Broadway smash La Cage Aux Folles, performed that show’s standout song, “I Am What I Am,” in full cross dress, joined by cast member Jamie Ross. The show’s stars Gene Barry and George Hearn did not make the trip to Los Angeles, a decision they may have regretted when they saw the ratings. La Cage went on to win the Tony for best musical on June 3.
Denver teamed with Floyd the Muppet (Jerry Nelson) of The Muppets to perform “Gone Fishin’” from their album Rocky Mountain Holiday, which was nominated for best recording for children (and lost to you-know-who).
Other performers on the telecast were Big Country (doing their pop/rock hit “In a Big Country”), The Oak Ridge Boys’ (the Hot Country Songs-topping “Love Song”), Phil Driscoll (the classic Christian hymn “Amazing Grace”) and Albertina Walker with the Pentecostal Community Choir (“Spread the Word”).
As is often the case with Grammy telecasts, the show honored the past, while looking to the future. Jones announced that year’s five inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame, including such immortal hits as Glenn Miller & His Orchestra’s “In the Mood” and Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart.”
The Academy’s then-president Mike Melvoin held up a vinyl LP and then a shiny silver object and announced “This is the new compact disc.” Despite Melvoin’s enthusiastic pitch, CDs didn’t surpass LP sales until 1987 and didn’t surpass cassette tapes to become the top medium for music until 1991. Melvoin also announced a trustees award for the late composer and conductor Béla Bartók.
The show was not glitch-free. As Ehrlich relates in his book, Summer’s limo had stalled blocks away from the Shrine. Summer, who was set to perform the opening number, got out of the limo and hot-footed it to the venue. “She ran into the house, winded, about two minutes before the hard wall rose on the number,” Ehrlich remembered. “But it was a big score.”
Mickey Rooney (another former child star), who co-presented the award for best cast show album, hammed it up to the point that director Walter C. Miller asked Ehrlich “to go out onstage and pull him off, anything we could do to end this embarrassing moment.” In his book Ehrlich wrote, “To this day I can’t tell you whether Mickey was a little hammered or he’s just that way.”
Classical clarinetist Richard Stolzman, who was set to present the classical awards, had been ill-served by the accountants working the show: “He opened the envelope to find it empty, and vamped … until one of the accountants rushed out onstage to give him the right envelope,” Ehrlich remembered.
The glitches and Jackson’s decision not to perform were forgotten when the ratings came in.
Will the Grammys ever reach such a vast audience again? It’s highly unlikely. The only Grammy telecast that got anywhere close to the 51.67 million who tuned in in 1984 was the 2012 telecast, which attracted 39.9 million viewers. There were two main draws that year – a red-hot Adele, who won six awards, and Whitney Houston, who had died the previous afternoon. Viewers wanted to see how the Grammys would handle something they couldn’t possibly have foreseen.
Rewatching the 1984 telecast 40 years later, I was struck by how much the Grammys have changed. Back then, the show still attempted to cover all genres on the telecast, including jazz, classical and gospel. It still attempted to give on-air recognition to the winners of pre-telecast awards, something that became more difficult as the number of categories ballooned. There were 67 categories in 1984. There were 94 this year. And the show was not as fast-paced. Clip packages, showing the nominees in each category, went on much on much longer than they do now.
I was also struck by how many of the night’s biggest stars are no longer with us – Jackson, Denver, Summer and Cara, as well as Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albertina Walker and Walter Charles. I guess 40 years is a long time, though in some ways it seems like yesterday.
So, was Jackson right to decline to perform on the biggest night of his career? That’s impossible to answer, but here’s what Ehrlich wrote in his book, which was published two years before Jackson’s death: “To this day I wonder whether the show that he saw up on the stage that night made him feel as through he had missed the boat by not performing. On the other hand, he was to perform a few years later and give one of his greatest-ever television performances, so perhaps he was right in spurning the 1984 show since the Academy had done the same to him in previous years.”
Indeed, Jackson performed two songs – “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Man in the Mirror” – on the 1988 Grammy telecast, which was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York. His performance that night will always stand as Exhibit A to anyone who wants proof of his artistry and command when he was at the peak of his powers.
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