Last Sunday, the 66th annual Grammy Awards commemorated the year’s leading artists with standout performances, record-breaking wins and newfound categories. Here’s a recap of everything you missed from this year’s ceremony.
Returning for his fourth consecutive year, comedian Trevor Noah hosted the show at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 4. Fans tuned in live to see the outcomes of groundbreaking nominations announced last November.
While the Recording Academy has a history of retaining a representational gap, women and non-binary artists dominated the nominations this year, earning seven out of eight slots in the “big four” categories, including album of the year.
Singer-songwriter SZA also led the nominations, earning nine nods in total, followed by R&B powerhouse Victoria Monét and “boygenius” member Phoebe Bridgers, securing seven.
The organization sought to honor underrepresented voices this year by developing new categories including best alternative jazz album, best pop dance recording and best African music performance; with sensational African artists Burna Boy and Tyla picking up nominations.
With appreciation for the Afrobeats genre growing worldwide, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. commented on the necessary implementation of these new categories in a press release last year.
“By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists,” Mason Jr. said. “We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.”
The biggest names in modern pop opened up the 66th ceremony, with superstar Dua Lipa performing a medley of her newest hits “Training Season” and “Houdini,” Olivia Rodrigo singing her goth-esque ballad “vampire,” and Billie Eilish serenading audiences a soft, compelling rendition of “What Was I Made For?”
Eilish later went on to win song of the year and best song written for visual media for the track.
While these stars wowed the younger crowd, the Recording Academy made it a point to honor a collective of legendary voices in the industry, with icons like Billy Joel returning to perform his first new single in 30 years and folk legend Joni Mitchell making her Grammys performance debut.
Even singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman made a rare public performance of her beloved classic, “Fast Car,” alongside country nominee Luke Combs. With Chapman on guitar, the radiant duet took viewers back in time with every chord, making it one of the night’s most memorable performances.
Many valued Combs’ enthusiastic tribute to Chapman as a step in the right direction for the country genre, as racial and sexual inequalities have prohibited many artists from receiving their well-deserved accolades. Allison Hope, a CNN opinion writer, discussed the magnitude of this duet.
“At the Grammys, a new generation got to see the power of the artist who first dreamed up the lyrics to describe her deeply personal struggles and experiences some four decades ago,” Hope wrote. “Chapman in the spotlight on stage, holding her guitar and receiving the standing ovation from the audience she so deserves, was a vindication, a rightsizing of an inequity that felt a lot larger than just one song.”
Chapman’s 1988 song hit number one on the iTunes Top Songs chart that night.
Several artists also won their first Grammy at last weekend’s historic ceremony.
Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G won her first accolade, making history as the first woman to win the best música urbana album. Fans also cheered on Miley Cyrus for her first two Grammy wins for best pop solo performance and record of the year for “Flowers.”
One of the most highly anticipated awards of the night, best new artist, went home with Monét; whose R&B record “Jaguar II” was adored by critics everywhere. Frontrunner SZA earned three awards for her album “SOS,” with her win for her viral track “Snooze” being aired live on stage.
The night ended with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift earning her fourth album of the year win for her 10th studio album, “Midnights.” The singer made headlines earlier in the show after announcing her new album live to Grammy audiences during her win for best pop vocal album.
With four wins in the category, Swift broke her tie with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder as the most wins for any artist for album of the year. Moorpark College student Maria White shared excitement for Swift’s win and new album announcement.
“I personally think that Taylor announcing her new album is something very exciting, although I definitely thought it was gonna be Reputation (Taylor’s Version),” White said. “I’m so curious on what the songs will be like.”
Over 16.9 million viewers tuned in to the 2024 Grammys, making it their most-watched ceremony in four years. With numerous surprises, star-studded cameos and exceptional live performances, the show lived up to its title of “music’s biggest night.”
