The music might have appeared stale — however the feels have been actual.
Most of the nominated songs and albums on the sixty fourth Annual Grammys, held Sunday on the MGM Grand Backyard Area in Las Vegas, appeared downright historic as a result of ceremony being bumped from January to April.
However there have been moments that made the evening greater than the music.
First, there was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s video message about his nation’s struggle with Russia. “The struggle. What’s extra reverse to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed individuals,” he mentioned.
Then, there was Lady Gaga leaving no dry eye in the house when she performed solo in tribute to Tony Bennett, her 95-year-old collaborator and co-nominee who, affected by Alzheimer’s illness, wasn’t capable of make the present.
And, after all, there was the tribute to Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Though it felt too quickly to correctly do — after the Foo Fighters, having canceled their scheduled efficiency, had already gained three awards — it reminded us all that “Everlong” doesn’t final perpetually.
Nonetheless, with none clear-cut favorites — comparable to Adele, who will likely be all around the 2023 Grammys together with her blockbuster album “30,” which wasn’t eligible this 12 months — or any Beyoncé performances (sorry, she was already booked for the Oscars final weekend), there wasn’t an entire lot to care about on music’s greatest evening.
Observe the 2022 Grammys with our up-to-the-minute protection:
The spoils have been fairly evenly break up: Main nominee Jon Batiste was the evening’s high winner with 5 gramophones, together with the coveted Album of the Yr for his LP “We Are.” He was adopted by 4 wins for retro-soul tremendous duo Silk Sonic, together with Report of the Yr and Track of the Yr for “Depart the Door Open,” and three trophies for 19-year-old pop princess Olivia Rodrigo, together with Greatest New Artist. And even Bennett, who was in any other case snubbed together with Gaga, received one last Grammy — his nineteenth — for Greatest Conventional Pop Vocal Album.
Shock: Jazmine Sullivan
Within the premiere ceremony held earlier than the principle telecast, Silk Sonic and Jazmine Sullivan tied for Greatest R&B Efficiency for “Depart the Door Open” and “Choose Up Your Emotions,” respectively. Whereas it was at all times going to be laborious to beat the No. 1 pop and R&B smash by the retro-soul super-duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, Sullivan certain did deserve her first Grammy after 15 nominations. The dropping streak is lastly over for a well-deserved R&B diva — and everyone wins.
Shock: Silk Sonic
Track of the Yr appeared to be a two-way showdown between the 2 ladies who’ve redefined what it means to be a younger feminine pop star — Olivia Rodrigo (for “Drivers License”) and Billie Eilish (for “Happier Than Ever”). However Silk Sonic proved that old-school soul males nonetheless very a lot deserve seats on the head of the desk on music’s greatest evening for “Depart the Door Open.” And after their opening of the present with the grooviest of ’70s throwbacks blew Rodrigo’s efficiency of “Drivers License” away, seeing Silk Sonic’s Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak pimp-stroll as much as settle for their gramophones certain did really feel like justice was served.
Snub: Kanye West
Often when an artist will get an Album of the Yr nomination — as Kanye West did for “Donda” — they’re just about assured to rule over their genre-specific album class. However Yeezy misplaced out to Tyler, the Creator and his “Name Me If You Get Misplaced” LP within the premiere ceremony held earlier than the principle telecast. Though West did win two different rap classes (Greatest Rap Track and Greatest Melodic Rap Efficiency) for “Donda,” the hip-hop star — who was reportedly disinvited from performing on the Grammys due to his current unhealthy conduct — clearly didn’t have the identical sort of help from the Recording Academy in his style that he has loved up to now.
Shock: Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt
It certain was nice to see the legendary Joni Mitchell up on the Grammy stage with one other legend, Bonnie Raitt, to introduce Brandi Carlile’s efficiency. At 78, Mitchell has suffered from well being issues which have made her extra reclusive in recent times. However, kicking off Grammy weekend, she was the Musicares Individual of the Yr honoree on Friday evening, even becoming a member of to sing a little bit of “Huge Yellow Taxi” on the finish. Even when she wanted a bit assist from Raitt, it was courageous of her to step out on music’s greatest evening and return some like to Carlile, a Mitchell disciple who co-curated Friday evening’s fete with Jon Batiste.
Snub: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion
How did each Cardi B (“Up”) and Megan Thee Stallion (“Thot S***”) lose out to Child Keem that includes Kendrick Lamar (“Household Ties”) for Greatest Rap Efficiency? After Drake withdrew his nomination for his No. 1 hit “Method 2 Attractive,” the lane was open for considered one of these fierce femmes to take the trophy on this male-dominated style. However but, by some means the Recording Academy nonetheless discovered a strategy to award the dudes. Absolutely, that characteristic from Lamar helped, nevertheless it was a slap within the face to the women who’ve been placing it down on the fellas.
Shock: Volodymyr Zelensky
Sean Penn referred to as for a boycott of the Oscars if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wasn’t allowed to talk on the Academy Awards final weekend. But it surely was the Grammys who ended up giving the chief that platform to, in a video message, talk about his nation’s struggle plight with Russia. Adopted by a efficiency by John Legend, it definitely put into perspective what privilege music’s greatest stars have — and, in that second, made a slap appear to be fairly small stuff.
Snub: BTS
South Korean sensations BTS might rule the world, however Grammy isn’t fairly able to anoint them with any golden gramophones. Coming off of their first Grammy nomination for “Dynamite” final 12 months, they have been up this 12 months for Greatest Pop Duo/Group Efficiency for his or her No. 1 smash “Butter.” However, in a stunner, it was Doja Cat that includes SZA who took dwelling the award for “Kiss Me Extra” over BTS, Coldplay (“Greater Energy”), Justin Bieber that includes Benny Blanco (“Lonely”) and, most surprisingly, Tony Bennett and Girl Gaga (“I Get a Kick Out of You”).
Snub: Billie Eilish
After profitable seven Grammys in two years — together with her sweep of the “Huge 4” classes in 2020 as solely the second performer to take action within the award present’s historical past — Billie Eilish appeared just like the closest guess to a certain factor to choose up some extra {hardware} on Sunday evening. However with a fair youthful feminine pop artist — 19-year-old Olivia Rodrigo — stealing a few of her thunder at this 12 months’s awards, the “Happier Than Ever” singer got here away empty from seven nominations.
Shock: Jon Batiste
To many, Jon Batiste’s profitable Album of the Yr for “We Are” got here out of nowhere. In any case, he was up in opposition to pop blockbusters by Olivia Rodrigo (“Bitter”), Billie Eilish (“Happier Than Ever”) and Justin Bieber (“Justice”) — to not point out the sentimental surge for Tony Bennett and Girl Gaga’s “Love for Sale.” However ultimately, the younger pop vote was break up between Rodrigo, Eilish and Bieber — in addition to Doja Cat and Lil Nas X. And an actual, well-liked musician’s musician emerged because the victor.
Snub: Justin Bieber
It doesn’t appear honest that Justin Bieber, who carried out his blockbuster hit “Peaches,” got here away empty from eight nominations for his comeback album “Justice.” Certainly, he introduced some much-needed star energy to the Grammys on an evening when Adele, Beyoncé and Harry Types have been in any other case occupied. It could have appeared that he would have no less than gained Greatest Pop Duo/Group Efficiency for “Lonely” (that includes Benny Blanco), however that went to Doja Cat that includes SZA’s “Kiss Me Extra.” Sorry, however the Biebs deserved higher.
