At the 2024 Grammy Awards, there were both expected wins and some unexpected surprises, making it an eventful evening.
In 2023, the music industry witnessed a rise in female talent with blockbuster concerts and hit movies. This trend continued at the 66th annual Grammy Awards, where young women artists who made significant impacts on the pop charts in the past year won in all major categories.
Taylor Swift was the star of the Grammy Awards, winning both Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for “Midnights.” This brought her total Grammy wins to 14, with “Midnights” marking her fourth win in the Album of the Year category, setting a new record. In her acceptance speech, Swift emphasized that creating music is the ultimate reward for her.
At the Grammys, Taylor Swift announced her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” while winning awards for Best Pop Vocal Album. Miley Cyrus also celebrated her first Grammy wins for her song “Flowers.” Women artists dominated the awards, with all nine televised awards going to them. Men artists received awards through collaborations. The show featured performances from Joni Mitchell, SZA, Dua Lipa, and a tribute to Tracy Chapman by Luke Combs.
At this year’s Grammys, female artists under 40 dominated. Seven out of eight Album of the Year nominees were women, spanning various genres like rock, pop, and R&B. Jon Batiste was the lone exception, nominated for six awards. This shift contrasts with last year’s nominations, which featured a more diverse lineup.
A show full of captivating performances.
The main event, hosted by Trevor Noah, began with a performance by Dua Lipa. She sang a mix of new songs, including “Houdini” and “Training Season,” along with a snippet from her track “Dance the Night” from the Barbie movie soundtrack.
SZA won three Grammys and performed two songs, “Snooze” and “Kill Bill.” Her performance had a unique set for “Snooze” and choreography inspired by “Kill Bill.” During her emotional acceptance speech for “Snooze,” she thanked her family and team for their support.
At the Grammys, Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman performed “Fast Car,” a classic Chapman song. Chapman’s last Grammys performance was 35 years ago. Also, Joni Mitchell performed “Both Sides Now” for the first time at the Grammys, making it a memorable event.
Joni Mitchell’s Grammy debut was an emotional highlight, introduced by Brandi Carlile. Billie Eilish’s track “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie soundtrack scored big. Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” rocked the stage, and U2 performed from Las Vegas. Travis Scott brought rap vibes, while Burna Boy made history with an Afrobeats performance.
Billy Joel made a surprising appearance at the Grammys, performing for the first time since 2002. He sang his new song “Turn the Lights Back On,” a nostalgic piano ballad.
The recent awards ceremony marked several landmark wins for women at the Grammys.
Female artists like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift achieved significant victories at the Grammys. Colombian singer Karol G also marked a milestone with her first-ever Grammy win for Best Urban Music Album.
Victoria Monét, an R&B singer-songwriter, clinched the Grammy for Best New Artist. With over a decade of experience in the music industry, she has notably worked as a songwriter and producer for artists like Ariana Grande. Monét’s debut album “Jaguar II” hit the shelves in 2023. Her victory at the Grammys marked a significant milestone in her career, and during her acceptance speech, she shared a heartfelt message about her journey to success.
Country artist Lainey Wilson secured her initial Grammy win for Best Country Album with “Bell Bottom Country.” During her acceptance speech, she credited her work ethic to her background as a fifth-generation farmer’s daughter, underscoring the significance of her roots. Wilson conveyed how the Grammy accolade has truly transformed her life.
Gestures toward politics.
During the Grammys, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Jon Batiste, and Fantasia Barrino paid tribute to artists like Tony Bennett, Sinéad O’Connor, Clarence Avant, and Tina Turner who have passed away. After singing “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Lennox called for peace in the Israel-Hamas conflict, supporting Artists4Ceasefire, inspired by O’Connor’s activism.
Jay-Z, alongside his daughter Blue Ivy, accepted the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. He mentioned progress since 1989 when Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff boycotted the Grammys because they didn’t televise the best rap performance award. Jay-Z humorously noted that despite his wife Beyoncé never winning album of the year, they have to keep showing up.
Harvey Mason Jr., the current CEO of The Recording Academy, briefly spoke about how music brings people together globally. He mentioned violent incidents at live music events in places like Paris in 2015 and Las Vegas in 2017, as well as an event in Israel. Shifting the focus, he highlighted a string quartet on stage, composed of musicians from Palestine, Israel, and Arab nations. This subtle mention connected to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
With a whopping 94 Grammy categories, most of the awards are given out before the big TV show. In the early part of the event, the indie supergroup boygenius, featuring Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, and Phoebe Bridgers, snagged three awards for best rock song, best rock performance, and best alternative music album.
SZA, who earned a remarkable nine Grammy nominations (the most for anyone), clinched her first two awards for best progressive R&B and best pop duo/group performance. In total, she took home four awards for the night, including one for “Ghost In The Machine,” a collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers from boygenius.
Killer Mike, who hadn’t released an album in over ten years, triumphed in three rap categories – best rap performance, best rap song, and best rap album – for his autobiographical album, “Michael.” However, reports suggest he encountered issues and was taken away by the police just before the televised part of the Grammy Awards. The police later confirmed an arrest following a physical altercation at the venue, Crypto.com Arena, where the awards took place.