grammy party

Primary Wave’s annual pre-Grammy party went down Saturday night at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and this year, for the first time, it celebrated Billboard No. 1s.So it makes sense that a crowd of hitmakers was in the building to celebrate Grammy Weekend, including Jon Bon Jovi, who had just been honored the night prior as MusiCares Person of the Year and is the voice of four Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits with his namesake band. Melissa Etheridge was also there, alongside wife Linda Wallem, and she’s a Billboard chart-topper too, including the Adult Contemporary No. 1 smash “I’m the Only One.”
Then there was Bell Biv DeVoe — the trio of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivens and Ronnie DeVoe — who scored three No. 1s on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in their early ’90s heyday. They were the perfect people for Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to ask “what is the key to making a hit song?” on the red carpet Saturday night.
“Be yourself, have fun, make sure you’re enjoying it,” Bell offered. “Make sure it’s what you would really listen to when you go to the clubs or jump in your car. Just keep it true in that aspect.”
Bivens chimed in next: “I would say get a hot beat. Don’t nothing happen without the beat. Then go straight to the chorus and get something that they want to remember. And then just tell a story that you think connects to men and women.”
Finally, DeVoe said, “It’s about that moment in time too, like being real as far as what you’re feeling in your life at that time. The biggest albums were about a moment in time in any given artist’s career. Whether it’s Prince, Purple Rain or Mary J. Blige, What’s the 411? There’s so many classics based on people’s pain and their victory at any time. A song should speak to that.”
CeeLo was in charge of the night’s music, spinning everything from Usher’s “Yeah!” and Too $hort’s “Blow the Whistle” to his own “F**k You! (Forget You),” a No. 1 hit on Billboard‘s Pop Airplay chart in 2011.
Also at the Waldorf Astoria for the party: Lauren Spencer-Smith, Fifth Harmony alumni Ally Brooke & Dinah Jane, Grandmaster Flash, Gavin Rossdale, “Lovin On Me” co-writer & co-producer Sean Momberger, Johnny Gill, Bonnie McKee, Israeli & Palestinian boy band as1one, Eric Benét, charlieonafriday, Pat Houston, Donna Houston, Damien “DDOT” Washington, Domani Harris, Armani White, James Charles, Crystal Kung MinkoffDom Fenison & Chanel West Coast, Terry Washington and, last but not least, The Hamburglar, who surprised the party with Happy Meal boxes filled with McDonald’s cheeseburgers and french fries.
Find photos from the party below:

Lauren Spencer-Smith

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Lauren Spencer-Smith at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Melissa Etheridge & Linda Wallem

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Melissa Etheridge and Linda Wallem at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

as1one

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Sadik Dogosh, Neta Rozenblat, Ohad Attia, Aseel Farah, Nadav Philips and Niv Lin of as1one at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Ghostwriter

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Ghostwriter at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Grandmaster Flash

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Grandmaster Flash at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Gavin Rossdale

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Gavin Rossdale at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

charlieonafriday

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

charlieonafriday at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Bell Biv DeVoe

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and Michael Bivins of Bell Biv DeVoe at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Pat Houston

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Pat Houston at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Donna Houston

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Donna Houston at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Bonnie McKee

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Bonnie McKee at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Damien “DDOT” Washington

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Damien “DDOT” Washington at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Sean Momberger

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Sean Momberger at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Domani Harris

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Domani Harris at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Eric Benét

Image Credit: Elyse Jankowski for Billboard

Eric Benét at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

CeeLo Green & Armani White

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

CeeLo Green and Armani White at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Ally Brooke & Dinah Jane

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Johnny Gill & Ricky Bell

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Johnny Gill and Ricky Bell at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

James Charles

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

James Charles at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Crystal Kung Minkoff

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Crystal Kung Minkoff at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Dom Fenison & Chanel West Coast

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Dom Fenison and Chanel West Coast at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Terry Washington & Eric Benét

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Terry Washington and Eric Benét at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Jon Bon Jovi

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

Jon Bon Jovi at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

The Hamburglar & CeeLo Green

Image Credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard

The Hamburglar and CeeLo Green at the Primary Wave x Billboard Grammy Party held at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Feb. 3, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.