Some of the biggest names in music today, including nominees Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, joined music legends such as Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Run-D.M.C. in the Staples Center on Monday night for the 58th annual Grammy Awards.
Taylor Swift started the show in a black sequin jumpsuit for a performance of her single “Out Of The Woods,” complete with a glitter shower over the audience. After Swift left the stage, the award for Best Rap Album was given to Kendrick Lamar for his album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Lamar led the night with 11 nominations and went home with an impressive five awards total. Later, the rapper performed an impressive medley of “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright,” where he added a freestyle that addressed the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.
The show also included tributes to music icons, both dead and alive. B.B. King was honored by Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Riatt and Gary Clark Jr. — who crooned his hit “The Thrill is Gone” — while David Bowie had an extravagant celebration led by Lady Gaga, who attended the ceremony as Ziggy Stardust.
The cast and crew of the Broadway smash-hit musical “Hamilton” took home the Best Musical Theater Album award, which writer Lin-Manuel Miranda accepted with a special rap. The cast also performed the show’s opening song, “Alexander Hamilton.” Other great performances include Andra Day & Ellie Goulding, The Weeknd, Alabama Shakes, Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Diplo, Little Big Town and Tori Kelly and James Bay.
First time winners included Ed Sheeran, who won awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year, and a tearful Meghan Trainor, who was shocked by her win in the Best New Artist category.
The night, however, wasn’t without controversy. During Adele’s performance of “All I Ask,” a microphone fell on the piano, causing both the song and her vocals to become distorted. The singer later tweeted about the incident, brushing it off to technical difficulties. Trainor’s win was overshadowed, however, by fellow nominee Tori Kelly’s reaction shot after the announcement, in which Kelly looked less than pleased about the loss. Kelly’s Wikipedia page was also temporarily changed to imply that the singer was robbed of the award.
After Kanye West smeared Swift in his new song “Famous,” saying Swift might still have sex with him because he “made that b*tch famous,” many wondered if Swift would respond during the award show. In her acceptance speech for Album of the Year — awarded to her for “1989” — Swift responded by attempting to uplift other young women. She said, “There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” but, “someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know it was you and the people who love you who put you there and that will be the greatest feeling in the world.”
Just days later, a recording of West backstage at “Saturday Night Live” was released on various online news outlets, in which the rapper can be heard calling Swift a “fake ass.” Although these recordings were taken before Monday night’s show, it seems that the feud between Swift and West — which seemed to have lessen over the years — might be back in full swing.
With the 2016 ceremonies over and the winners announced, one can only guess what musical trends 2017 will bring to award season.