By Lily Magurno | February 12, 2024
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 4, was a night to remember for the music industry. With an impressive lineup of performers and presenters, the show brought out the industry’s greatest stars to applaud the work of their fellow artists. From first time wins to surprise announcements, here are some of the top moments from the Grammys.
Miley Cyrus Wins Her First Grammy
After being nominated eight times in nine years, Miley Cyrus took home her first ever set of Grammy’s for her hit single “Flowers.” She won the awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year, triumphing over stars such as Taylor Swift, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo, and Doja Cat. She was also nominated for Song of the Year for “Flowers,” Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Thousand Miles” featuring Brandi Carlile, and Album of the Year for “Endless Summer Vacation.”
“Barbie” Takes Home a Grammy
Nominated in three major song categories, Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” written for the Barbie motion picture album took home the Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media. This follows the song winning Best Original Song at the Golden Globes in January along with being nominated for Best Original Song at the Oscars. After the film losing nominations for Best Actress and Best Director at the Oscars, this song winning and being nominated allows viewers to understand the true message of the film and gives women the spotlight.
Billy Joel Breaks Two Decade Hiatus
In celebration of releasing his first single in twenty years, Billy Joel performed his new song “Turn the Lights Back On,” which was released on the first of the month. He also closed out the show with a performance of his hit single “You May Be Right” from his 1980 album “Glass Houses.”
Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs Come Together for a Duet
After Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” regained attention with Luke Combs’ cover of it, the two shared the Grammy stage to sing it together. Last year Combs’ cover of the song made its way up to the number two spot on Billboard’s Top 100. It gave Chapman a surge of secondary recognition after the song got Chapman the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1989. This was the first time the pair sang it together, and Chapman’s first performance of the song since it gained popularity last year.
Jay-Z Receives Global Impact Award
Jay-Z took the stage as the second recipient of the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. The first one was awarded to Dr. Dre himself at the 2023 Grammy Awards. Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy accompanied him to the stage to accept the award, remarking that while she used to use the trophies as sippy cups, now she is old enough to receive her own. Jay-Z also mentioned in his speech that Beyoncé, his wife and record holder for the most Grammys won, was never awarded Album of the Year. This follows the singer losing the award to Harry Styles at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
SZA’s Emotional Win
After having the most nominations of any artist at the Grammys for her album “SOS” and select singles on the album, SZA took home three Grammys; Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Phoebe Bridgers for “Ghost in the Machine,” Best Progressive R&B Album for “SOS,” and Best R&B Song for “Snooze.” Lizzo presented the singer with her award for Best R&B Song after she ran from a quick change backstage. Being close friends with Lizzo for years this was an emotional full circle moment that had SZA in tears for her acceptance speech.
Taylor Swift Breaks Records and Has a Surprise for Fans
Taylor Swift’s 2022 album “Midnights” and its hit single “Anti-Hero” received a plethora of nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. The artist received her 14th Grammy after winning Album of the Year and with that win broke the record for most Album of the Year wins with four wins. What's more, earlier in the night when she won her 13th Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album, Swift surprised the crowd and her fans by announcing the release of her 11th studio album entitled “The Tortured Poets Society.” The album will be released on April 19.
This year’s Grammys combined music’s latest stars with some of the most iconic past stars. It rewarded artists for their dedication to their craft, and brought light to up and coming artists and music. The Grammys highlighted the best of the best with awards, performances, and support from their fellow artists.
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