Grammys

04 Feb 2024

Taylor Swift Wins Historic Fourth Album of the Year Grammy for ‘Midnights’

Taylor Swift made history at the 2024 Grammys on Sunday night (Feb. 4) by winning her fourth career album of the year award, for 2022’s blockbuster Midnights.

The award was presented by legendary pop singer Céline Dion in a surprise rare public appearance, following her being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2023. “When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” Dion raved. “Those who have been blessed enough to be here on the Grammy awards must never take for granted the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives, and to people all around the world.” 

Dion then announced Swift’s Midnights as the winner, with Swift taking the stage alongside go-to-producer Jack Antonoff and “Snow on the Beach” collaborator (and fellow 2024 album of the year nominee) Lana Del Rey. She thanked both of them in her speech, calling Antonoff one of her best friends and a “once-in-a-generation producer,” and referring to Del Rey as “a legacy artist, a legend in her prime right now … I’m so lucky to know you and to be your friend.”

Swift also stipulated that as overwhelmed as she was with her Grammy triumph, it brought her no more happiness than it does “when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I finish the shot list for a music video … for me the award is the work.” She then repeated her ultimate career-related wish: “All I wanna do is to be able to keep doing this.” 

The album of the year win for Midnights follows previous Swift victories for Fearless (2010), 1989 (2016) and Folklore, moving her out of her tie with Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon, and making her the lone record-holder of most album of the year wins in Grammy history with her four. As she reminded audiences during her introduction of the category, Dion was also a winner herself in 1997, for her RIAA diamond-certified LP Falling Into You.

04 Feb 2024

Miley Cyrus Jokes She ‘Might’ve Forgotten Underwear’ During ‘Flowers’ Record of the Year Win at 2024 Grammys

After winning her first career Grammy earlier in the evening Sunday (Feb. 4), Miley Cyrus took home her first Big Four trophy a few hours later when “Flowers” won record of the year at the 2024 Grammys. The pop superstar proceeded to take the stage and deliver a short but raucous acceptance speech that concluded with Cyrus admitting, “I don’t think I forgot anyone — but I might’ve forgotten underwear. Bye!”

Mark Ronson and Meryl Streep presented Cyrus with record of the year for “Flowers” after the smash hit became her longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 in early 2023. “This award is amazing,” Cyrus declared upon receiving the trophy, but added, “My life was beautiful yesterday. Everyone in this world is spectacular, so please don’t think this is important!”

Cyrus also shouted out her “main gays, because look how good I look!” as well as her “Flowers” collaborators, which included producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson.

Earlier in the evening, Cyrus performed “Flowers” on the stage of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and interjected during the performance, “I just won my first Grammy!”

“Flowers” won the best pop solo performance before Cyrus took home record of the year. Cyrus had previously been nominated for two Grammys before collecting her first trophies in 2024. “Flowers” defeated Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” SZA’s “Kill Bill,” Boygenius’ “Not Strong Enough,” Victoria Monét’s “On My Mama,” Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” and Jon Batiste’s “Worship” for record of the year.

04 Feb 2024

Burna Boy Brings Out Brandy & 21 Savage to Perform ‘Sittin’ on Top of the World’ at 2024 Grammys

Burna Boy made Afrobeats take center stage at the 2024 Grammys Awards Sunday night (Feb. 4) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Earlier in the broadcast, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. introduced the “superstar from Nigeria,” who started his performance with “On Form,” then stomped his way into “City Boys” with his boys. He eventually escorted 12-time Grammy nominee Brandy down to the main stage for “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” which samples her 1998 Mase-assisted track “Top of the World,” and 11-time Grammy nominee 21 Savage, who’s featured on the remix. Savage was up for five awards Sunday.

“Sittin’ on Top of the World” was released on June 1, 2023, as the lead single of Burna’s seventh studio album I Told Them…. The song peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 2 on Rhythmic Airplay, while its parent album I Told Them… peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on World Albums.

Burna was nominated for four Grammys: best African music performance (“City Boys”), best global music album (I Told Them…), best global music performance (“Alone”) and best melodic rap performance (“Sittin’ on Top of the World” with 21 Savage). This year’s Grammys marks the first time best African music performance was awarded, and Tyla won for “Water.”

The 10-time Grammy nominee won his first and only award in 2021 for best global music album with his fifth studio album Twice as Tall.

04 Feb 2024

Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox & Jon Batiste Honor Late Music Legends at 2024 Grammys

Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox and Jon Batiste were among those honoring the lives and careers of late music icons during the Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 4) in Los Angeles.

Wonder honored the late, legendary performer Tony Bennett, who died July 21, 2023, at age 96. Wonder performed “The Best Is Yet to Come,” as well as “For Once in My Life,” the latter as a “duet” with Bennett, with footage of the late artist performing on a big screen. Bennett recorded “For Once in My Life” in 1967, with Wonder’s version of the song releasing in 1968.

Wonder celebrated Bennett’s “love for art, his love for peace, his love for unity, his love for civil rights.” He added, “Tony, I’m going to miss you forever.”

Lennox teamed with duo Wendy & Lisa to fete the late Sinead O’Connor with a rendition of her hit “Nothing Compares 2 You.” Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman were part of Prince’s band The Revolution (the late Prince wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U”). Lennox ended her performance by calling for a ceasefire and asking for world peace, another nod to O’Connor’s own activism. The Irish singer-songwriter died on July 26, 2023, at age 56.

As each musician performed, the names and photos of numerous artists, songwriters, performers and music executives who passed away in the past year scrolled across screens, as the Grammys honored Jimmy Buffett, Chita Rivera, Burt Bacharach, songwriter Cynthia Weil, rapper Magoo, as well as executives including country music radio executive Charlie Monk, A&M Records co-founder Jerry Moss, Sire Records’ Seymour Stein and more.

Lenny Kravitz appeared to honor Clarence Avant, known as “The Godfather of Black Music,” who died in August 2023 at age 92. Avant played key roles in labels including Venture Records and Sussex Records, and managed artists including Little Willie John and Jimmy Smith. Kravitz called Avant “a trusted mentor and believer in the likes of Quincy Jones and Bill Withers, just to name a few.”

The In Memoriam section continued as Batiste joined with Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Ann Nesby and Cory Henry for a soulful, uplifting performance that included “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me” and “Optimistic,” featuring soul-searing vocals from Nesby. Later in the evening, Fantasia Barrino and Oprah Winfrey feted late entertainer Tina Turner.

04 Feb 2024

Billie Eilish Says She’s ‘Shocked Out of My Balls’ After Grammy Song of the Year Win

Billie Eilish won song of the year for “What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture Barbie]” at the 2024 Grammys Sunday night (Feb. 4).

The song won best song written for visual media earlier this evening. It also earned nominations for record of the year, best pop solo performance and best music video. Eilish first won song of the year in 2020 for “Bad Guy” and she was nominated for song of the year in 2021 for “Everything I Wanted” and in 2022 for “Happier Than Ever.” All three of those songs have also been nominated for record of the year, with “Bad Guy” and “Everything I Wanted” taking home the trophy. Her brother Finneas also won the award, which goes to the song’s songwriters, and he joined her onstage for their acceptance speech.

“That’s stupid guys,” Eilish said. “That was a crazy list of incredible people, incredible artists, incredible music. I feel crazy right now. I’m shocked out of my balls. Thank you to the members of the Recording Academy, thank you to my brother who’s my best friend in the world and makes me the person that I am today.”

She also thanked Greta Gerwig for making “the best movie of the year” with Barbie, which is up for eight Oscars. After she saluted the blockbuster Barbie film, the camera cut to Taylor Swift nodding in the audience.

“We’re so lucky. We just continue to be just deeply, deeply privileged, lucky people. And it’s hard to feel deserving ever, but we certainly don’t right now,” added Finneas. “We’re very humble, and we’re very grateful. Thank you so much.”

04 Feb 2024

Jay-Z Calls Out Grammys Over Beyoncé’s Album of the Year Snubs During Acceptance Speech

Jay-Z arrived to the 2024 Grammys Sunday (Feb. 4) to accept the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, bringing wife Beyoncè and daughter Blue Ivy with him.

Taking the stage at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles with Blue Ivy to make his speech, Jay-Z first thanked the award’s namesake — who was watching from the audience — acknowledging Dr. Dre, saying that “all the doors that you opened showed us we could be rock stars.”

Jay-Z then thanked the Grammys’ Black Music Collective for “all the work you guys do … how far we’ve come since Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff winning their first Grammy in ’89 and boycotting because [the award] wasn’t televised.” Jay then joked that Smith and Jeff “went to a hotel and watched the Grammys … it wasn’t a great boycott.” The camera then panned to Meryl Streep laughing hard in the audience.

Jay-Z’s speech then started to get spicy. “Then in ’98, I took a page out of their book. I was nominated for best rap album, and DMX had dropped two albums that year, they both were No. 1 — shout out to DMX — and he wasn’t nominated at all, so I boycotted, and” — he said with a laugh — “I watched the Grammys.”

Jay’s message then took a more serious tone as he continued, “I’m just saying, we want y’all to get it right. We love y’all; we love y’all; we want you to get it right, or at least get it close to right, and obviously it’s subjective … because it’s music and it’s opinion-based, but some things — I don’t wan to embarrass this young lady” — referring to Beyoncè — “but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year, so even by your own metrics that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys and never won an album of the year. That doesn’t work.

“Some of you are going to go home tonight and feel like you’ve been robbed,” he continued. “Some of you may get robbed, some of you don’t belong in the category — when I get nervous I tell the truth.

“But outside of that, we’ve gotta keep showing up. And forget the Grammys for a second, just in life — as my daughter sits and stares at me nervous as I am — just in life, you’ve gotta keep showing up and keep showing up. Forget the Grammys. You’ve got to keep showing up until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve, until they call you ‘chairman,’ until they call you a ‘genius,’ until they call you ‘the greatest of all time.’ You feel me?”

04 Feb 2024

Joni Mitchell Delivers an All-Time Performance of ‘Both Sides Now’ in Her Grammy Debut

Joni Mitchell gave the crowd at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena a performance for the ages on Sunday night (Feb. 4), in what was technically the legendary singer-songwriter’s Grammys debut.

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Mitchell was introduced by Brandi Carlile, who saluted her importance and influence as “the matriarch of imagination” and her own personal hero — as well as for the struggles she had to go through after suffering a brain aneurysm (including having to learn how to walk again three separate times), among other issues. “Joni just turned 80, my friends,” Carlile raved, “but we all know she’s timeless.”

Mitchell then performed her signature ballad “Both Sides Now” seated from a large cushioned throne. Despite her voice of course being huskier and octaves lower than it was on the original 1969 recording, and the arrangement significantly slower, her performance of the classic song was absolutely stunning and thoroughly indelible. Attendees from Beyoncé to Meryl Streep to Dua Lipa were caught rapt in attention, visibly overpowered by the moment. Carlile assisted on the performance on the guitar, with further backing from Alison Russell, Lucius and Jacob Collier.

Mitchell has won 11 Grammys in her career, including one at this year’s ceremonies — dating all the way back to 1969, when her “Both Sides” parent album Clouds won best folk performance. She also took home best folk album earlier in this year’s ceremonies for her Joni Mitchell at Newport live set. Her own version of “Both Sides Now” never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, but Judy Collins’ contemporaneous version of the song reached No. 8 in late 1968.

04 Feb 2024

Lainey Wilson Reveals How She Ended Up Filling In for Ryan Gosling on ‘I’m Just Ken’ at Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala

On Sunday (Feb. 4), Lainey Wilson scored her first Grammy, taking home best country album for Bell Bottom Country. It previously won album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards and at the Country Music Association Awards — becoming just the ninth album to win all three awards.

Wilson has had a busy Grammys week, performing alongside best new artist nominee Jelly Roll at Spotify’s Best New Artist party on Thursday night, and on Saturday, she delivered a surprise performance at Clive Davis’ annual Pre-Grammy Gala.

Deep inside the Beverly Hilton, Wilson happily filled in for Ryan Gosling to perform the hit Barbie song “I’m Just Ken,” accompanied by the song’s co-writer Mark Ronson. As she said backstage at the Grammys while celebrating her win: “First of all, I feel more like Ken than Barbie, for sure.”

“I believe it was Tuesday evening,” she recalled of how the performance came together in the Grammy press room at Crypto.com Arena. “We were on a flight over here, and Clive Davis called my booking agent, Austin Mullins. He was like, ‘Hey, I’ve got this opportunity. Would Lainey like to sing “I’m Just Ken” with Mark Ronson?’ And first of all, I mean, when Clive Davis asks you to go to a party, of course you’re gonna say yes. And then when you find out that it’s with Mark Ronson, you’re definitely gonna say yes. So I had just a few days to learn it, but it was so much fun. And it was stepping outside of my comfort zone, which I like to do – it was awesome.”

Ronson also shared some love for Wilson, writing on Instagram: “We were so flattered when @clivejdavis asked Ryan, Andrew and I to perform ‘i’m just ken’ last night. As Ryan couldn’t be there, he told us to make sure we got the baddest country voice in the land and boy did we get lucky with @laineywilson.”

Watch video from the performance below:

04 Feb 2024

U2 Takes the 2024 Grammys to ‘Atomic City’ From Las Vegas’ Sphere

U2 took center stage at the 2024 Grammy Awards Sunday (Feb. 4) and performed “Atomic City” from Sphere in Las Vegas, where recording cameras were allowed inside the venue for the first time. 

The Sphere has been the home base for the legendary Irish rock group since September 2023, when they first began their residency. The group was in tip-top shape as they performed their latest record, “Atomic City,” which became their 14th No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay in November. Following their performance, U2 frontman Bono presented the best pop vocal album nominees, with Taylor Swift’s Midnights winning. 

As for the quartet’s upcoming string of performances for its U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere residency, the band will continue through the spring after announcing new dates in December. The show will now run through March 2. U2 will also be playing back-to-back shows during Super Bowl weekend. During an interview with Zane Lowe in December, the group gave fans a glimpse of what consisted of the Sphere. 

“Walking in and actually seeing our stage there and seeing our instruments and light and the finished building was quite a moment,” U2’s The Edge relayed to Lowe. “That’s when it really got real. When you’re actually imagining there’s going to be person in each one of these seats. The proximity is incredibly intimate that’s what so amazing. It’s only 18,000 (seats) but everyone is going to get this perfect view of the stage. Unfortunately, with this incredible visual we’re going to have our work cut out to get people’s attention. It’s like a throw down, how do you make this personal connection in this big venue?”

04 Feb 2024

Annie Lennox Calls on ‘Artists for Ceasefire’ During Sinéad O’Connor Tribute at 2024 Grammys

New wave icon Annie Lennox brought her advocacy to the state of Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night (Feb. 4) when she called for a ceasefire in Palestine and Israel.

During the in memoriam tribute to the late Sinéad O’Connor, Lennox appeared on stage with fellow ’80s icons Wendy & Lisa to give a moving performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U.” As the song came to a close, Lennox — who had a single glitter-encrusted tear painted on her face — raised her fist into the air and shouted, “Artists for ceasefire! Peace in the world!”

Lennox was one of the dozens of artists who signed an open letter to President Joe Biden in late October 2023, calling on him “to honor all of the lives in the Holy Land and call for and facilitate a ceasefire without delay – an end to the bombing of Gaza, and the safe release of hostages.” The president has yet to openly advocate for a ceasefire.

Over the last few months, Lennox has dedicated much of her social media output to advocating for a ceasefire. Earlier in the day on Sunday, Lennox posted a lengthy Instagram caption in which she expressed her outrage at the ongoing bombings in Gaza. “Is there ANY point in posting every day to keep calling for peace and ceasefire, while it’s perfectly obvious that the military objective is to bring about the total decimation of Gaza and her people?” she wrote. “I find it impossible to witness these appalling atrocities and just be indifferent or silent.”

Lennox was just one in a cast of superstar performers at Sunday’s ceremony. Fellow nominees — including Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Luke Combs and plenty more — took to the stage to help celebrate Music’s Biggest Night during the telecast.