jfid – The 66th Grammy Awards concluded on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.
The most prestigious music awards show in the world was broadcast live by CBS and Paramount+, featuring performances from leading music stars.
Trevor Noah, the former host of “The Daily Show,” returned as the host for the fourth consecutive time.
This year, Grammy nominations were dominated by SZA, who received nine nominations for her album “SOS,” which topped the Billboard 200 for 10 consecutive weeks.
R&B singer Victoria Monét and indie rocker Phoebe Bridgers of boygenius each received seven nominations, while Jon Batiste, boygenius, Americana singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift received six nominations.
Big Winners
One of the big winners at the 2024 Grammys was boygenius, a group consisting of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus.
They managed to win four awards, including Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Alternative Music Performance, and Best Alternative Music Album for their song and album titled “Not Strong Enough” and “The Record.”
Boygenius also received nominations for Album of the Year and Record of the Year but lost to SZA and Billie Eilish.
SZA herself was a big winner, securing three awards: Album of the Year, Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best R&B Song for the album and song “SOS” and “Kill Bill.”
However, SZA also faced defeats in several categories, such as Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Rap/Sung Performance.
Billie Eilish also held her ground, winning two prestigious awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the song “What Was I Made For?” from the “Barbie” movie soundtrack.
The song also received nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media but lost to Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa.
Surprises and Controversies
The 2024 Grammy Awards were not without surprises and controversies that garnered attention and sparked debates.
One of the biggest surprises was Miley Cyrus winning Best Pop Solo Performance with the song “Flowers,” beating out Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift.
The song also received nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year but lost to Billie Eilish.
One of the most significant controversies was Tracy Chapman’s performance of her hit song “Fast Car” with Luke Combs.
This performance received criticism from some fans and activists who felt that a white country singer singing this song was inappropriate, given its themes of poverty and racism experienced by Black individuals.
However, some fans and critics praised the performance as a form of respect and collaboration between two different music genres.
One of the most anticipated moments was the announcement of Taylor Swift’s new album, set to be released in April 2024.
Swift revealed this while receiving the Best Pop Vocal Album award for the album “Midnights,” which also received nominations for Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
Swift announced that her new album would be titled “Evermore” and would be a sequel to the “Midnights” album.
She also revealed collaborations with several musicians, including Halsey, Lorde, Harry Styles, and The Weeknd.
One of the most touching honors was the tribute to Tony Bennett delivered by Stevie Wonder.
Wonder sang the song “For Once in My Life,” previously performed by Bennett, while playing the harmonica.
Wonder also gave a speech appreciating Bennett’s contributions to the world of music and wished him a happy 97th birthday. Bennett is currently battling Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
The 2024 Grammy Awards were an event filled with colors and dynamics. Many musicians showcased their work and achievements, both seasoned and emerging.
There were also moments that were inspiring and thought-provoking, whether uplifting or controversial.
The Grammy Awards of 2024 demonstrated that music is a universal language that can unite and divide, entertain and criticize, create and destroy. It reflected the ever-evolving and changing world of music.
