The 66th GRAMMY Awards have come to an end, with some first-time winners and some 14-time winners, some tear-jerking and heart-wrenching performances, and one very strange acceptance speech from one very nervous Jay-Z. There were records broken, standing ovations given, and an epic mic drop from the iconic Miley Cyrus. Here you can find anything you missed from this year’s GRAMMYs, or relive your favorite moments form the night.
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What About Those GRAMMYs That Weren’t Shown on TV?
Notably, the GRAMMYs doesn’t air all of its award acceptances, otherwise the show would be an entire weekend long. There are more awards than what’s shown on TV, though, and here are a few of them:
- Jack Antonoff won Producer of the Year
- Chris Stapleton won Best Solo Country Performance and Best Country Song for “White Horse”
- Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves won Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “I Remember Everything”
- Brandy Clark won Best Americana Performance for “Dear Insecurity” featuring Brandi Carlile
- Killer Mike won Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” and Best Rap Album for Michael
- Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus won Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for “Not Strong Enough” and Best Alternative Music Album for the record
- Paramore won Best Rock Album for This Is Why
- Ludwig Göransson won Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media with Oppenheimer
- Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won Best Song Written for Visual Media with “What Was I Made For?”
Check out the complete list here.
Lainey Wilson Got Some Love for Her Red Carpet Look, Took Home Award for Best Country Album
Decked out in her formal bell bottoms for the GRAMMYs, Lainey Wilson sent fans into a frenzy with her sleek, sophisticated look. This was her first appearance at the GRAMMYs, and she did it up right with an all-black outfit with gold accents and jewelry, topping it off with a wide-brimmed hat over her long blonde waves.
Additionally, Wilson won Best Country Album for Bell Bottom Country, and referenced her long family history of farming in her acceptance speech. She spoke about the people she works with being “farmers too, story farmers” who plant seeds and watch them grow into projects like Bell Bottom Country. For Wilson, it’s more than an album—it’s a part of her soul as well.
Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs Brought the House Down with Their Performance of “Fast Car”
Before the live performance, Luke Combs spoke in a video segment about how his father used to play Tracy Chapman’s self-titled album in his truck. Combs loved the song “Fast Car,” explaining that “it was my favorite song before I knew what favorite songs were.” He took the stage with one of his idols last night and performed one of her most iconic songs.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and the two earned a standing ovation. Chapman, for her part, rarely performs live anymore, so it was a privilege to see her back on a stage with a guitar. While Combs’ rendition didn’t win the award it was nominated for, he’s still won the unofficial award for bringing Tracy Chapman to a new, wider audience.
Miley Cyrus Dropped the Mic After Performing “Flowers” for the First Time on Television
Miley Cyrus took to the GRAMMYs stage to sing her hit “Flowers” for the first time on TV, and gave an electrifying performance that channeled disco divas and some of her many idols—Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, and Dolly Parton among them. Decked out in a bedazzled mini dress with wildly teased hair, Cyrus added smart little quips here and there during the song, such as I didn’t want to leave you baby (but I had to) / Didn’t want to fight (but we did), and she looked to be having a good time doing it. At the end of the number, she threw down the mic stand and sauntered off the stage like the true icon she is.
In addition to her first television performance of “Flowers,” the song also snagged Cyrus her first and second-ever GRAMMY wins. She took home the awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. To conclude her speech for the latter award, Cyrus cheekily admitted, “I don’t think I’m forgetting anyone [to thank], but I might have forgotten underwear, bye!”
Joni Mitchell Made Her GRAMMYs Performance Debut, Earned Standing Ovation After Singing Emotional “Both Sides Now”
Performing from a literal throne and joined by Brandi Carlile, Jacob Collier, and other amazing artists and friends, the legendary Joni Mitchell brought the audience to tears with her song “Both Sides Now.” She has won nine GRAMMYs in her long and illustrious career, but has never performed at the award show. That all changed on February 4, when she took the stage and made everyone cry.
Despite enduring serious health issues recently, Mitchell is still every bit the artist she started out as—passionate about her music and about performing. Her friend Brandi Carlile joined her on guitar and vocals, as did Collier, Lucius, Blake Mills, Allison Russell, and SistaStrings. The stage was set as if the group were seated in a coffee shop or parlor, gathering around a wise, seasoned performer for a jam sesh. However, Mitchell didn’t just perform at the GRAMMYs, she also took home her 10th award. Her live album At Newport won the award for Best Folk Album.
Billie Eilish Won Two GRAMMYs, Said “Dude” A Lot in Her Acceptance Speech
Billie Eilish is just like us, for real. She and her brother Finneas O’Connell won two GRAMMYs for their song “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie movie, which they also performed—Best Song Written for Visual Media and Song of the Year. Eilish continually expressed her disbelief at winning Song of the Year, even taking a moment to get up from her chair, seemingly in shock when her name was called.
She thanked her brother “Finneas, my best friend in the world,” and Greta Gerwig for “making the best movie of the year.” Finneas took a moment to express how humbling the experience was, and, despite what you may have heard, he did not actually thank the ghost of Paul Walker for setting them up with the opportunity (in reality, it was most likely investment advisor Paul Wachter).
Jay-Z Called Out the GRAMMYs for Continually Snubbing Beyoncé for Album of the Year
Shades of the 2009 MTV Music Awards, perhaps? Jay-Z wasn’t quite so rude, but while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award he did bring attention to the fact that his wife Beyoncé has more GRAMMY awards than anyone (32) but has never won Album of the Year. Jay-Z shared some sage advice for young artists, telling them to keep pushing and “Forget the Grammys – you got to keep showing up until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve.”
He then made a transition into criticism of the award show for snubbing his wife all these years. “She has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year,” he said in disbelief. “’Most Grammys ever, never won Album of the Year.’ How does that work?” On stage with his oldest daughter, Blue Ivy, Jay-Z did admit he was nervous, and “when I’m nervous I tell the truth.”
Fans on social media seemed to agree with the sentiment, though, as one wrote, “Beyoncé without a doubt should have an Album of the Year Grammy. Especially since every time she drops it shifts the culture.”
Kacey Musgraves is Planning Something
Those watching the GRAMMYs at home may have seen something that looked like a fragrance ad, but was just Kacey Musgraves sharing a teaser for a possible new project. She frolicked through streams and fields, rode a horse, and knelt in a circle of stones on a cliff. The teaser ended with her website address, and taking a look now, it looks like she’s definitely planning something.
The video is called “My Saturn Has Returned…” and there are links to album pre-orders beneath it. Heading to her shop, the products are simply called KM5 with no album art to speak of. Whatever she’s doing, she’s keeping it a secret for now.
All of the GRAMMY Winners Were Women This Year
Speaking of Beyoncé, she was right when she said “Who Run the World (Girls)”—all the televised award winners were women this year. Miley Cyrus, Karol G, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, SZA, Lainey Wilson, and Victoria Monét all took home GRAMMYs live, some more than once, such as Swift and Cyrus. Girl power was at its height in the music industry last night.
Celine Dion Made a Rare, Surprise Appearance to Announce Album of the Year Winner
Celine Dion, who has been dealing with a rare neurological disorder for the past few years, made a rare public appearance to announce the winner of Album of the Year. She looked radiant in a long pink dress and caramel-colored coat, and expressed her gratitude at being there and being a part of the music industry.
“When I say I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart,” said Dion. “Those who have been blessed enough to be here at 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.”
However, what should have also been a special moment of recognition for Dion as she presented the award to Taylor Swift turned a bit sour. Fans thought Swift subtly snubbed Dion as she took the award from her with no acknowledgment. Meanwhile, earlier in the show, Miley Cyrus was almost too starstruck by Mariah Carey to thank anyone for her own award. Swift and Dion seemed to make up backstage, though.
Taylor Swift Announced her 11th Studio Album, The Tortured Poets Department, and Won Album of the Year
Swifties have a lot to be thankful for after these GRAMMYs. Not only did Taylor Swift win the coveted Album of the Year award for Midnights, she also announced her next album, The Tortured Poets Department, would be out on April 19. Fans thought she was possibly going to announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version), but she came out swinging with new content instead. Congratulations Swifties. Oh, and congratulations Taylor, too.
Featured Image by Kayla Oaddams/WireImage; Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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