Last night, the 58th annual Grammy Awards kicked off at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. LL Cool J, who hosted this year’s festivities, admitted that he had to prepare himself for the unexpected (You never know if Kanye is going to jump on stage and take over the mic). Accompanied with a nervous laugh, LL told E! News, “Anything is possible, you know? I don’t know what I’ll do. I might get nervous and my knees start shaking or trembling. I guess I’ll just run offstage screaming!”
The show was laced with a number of memorable moments, and a few that made you reach for your Kleenex. Taylor Swift opened up the show performing “Out Of The Woods” rocking a new bob and a black jumpsuit. Swift was nominated for seven Grammys, and ended up taking home three awards for Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video for “Bad Blood” with Kendrick Lamar. During one of her acceptance speeches, Swift took a jab at Kanye West and advised young women everywhere to ignore those who would try to “take credit for your fame”. Good job Taylor!
The first award of the night was For Best Rap Album, and was presented by Ice Cube and his son O’Shea Jackson Jr. Kendrick Lamar, the most nominated artist of the night, took home the award for “To Pimp a Butterfly” along with four other Grammys.
It was definitely a breakthrough night for Hip Hop! But what impacted everyone the most, was Lamar’s politically charged performance, which featured the rapper and a number of dancers donned in handcuffs and glow in the dark outfits. Before the performance ended, the dancers broke free from their chains causing the audience to ignite with roars, cheers, and applause.
Check out a clip of Lamar’s performance below, as well as the list of winners below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-3HXh1Do_E
Album of the Year: Taylor Swift, 1989
Record of the Year: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk
Song of the Year: Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud
Best Country Album: Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Best Rap Album: Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
Best New Artist: Meghan Trainor
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, These Walls
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern
Best Pop Solo Performance: Ed Sheeran, Thinking Out Loud
Best Rap Song: Kendrick Lamar, Alright
Best Alternative Music Album:Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color
Best Rock Album: Muse, Drones
Best Rap Performance: Kendrick Lamar, Alright
Best Rock Song: Alabama Shakes, Don’t Wanna Fight
Best R&B Album: D’Angelo and the Vanguard, Black Messiah
Best Urban Contemporary Album: The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
Best R&B Performance: The Weeknd, Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)
Best R&B Song: D’Angelo and The Vanguard, Really Love
Best Traditional R&B Performance: Lalah Hathaway, Little Ghetto Boy
Best Dance/Electronic Album: Skrillex and Diplo, Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack U
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Snarky Puppy & Metropole Orkest, Sylva
Best Rock Performance: Alabama Shakes, Don’t Wanna Fight
Best Metal Performance: Ghost, Cirice
Best Dance Recording: Skrillex and Diplo With Justin Bieber, Where Are U Now
Best Music Video: Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, Bad Blood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Little Big Town, Girl Crush
Best Country Song: Little Big Town, Girl Crush
Best Music Film: Amy Winehouse, Amy
Best Rap/Song Collaboration: Common & John Legend, Glory
Best Pop Vocal Album: Taylor Swift, 1989
Best Country Solo Performance: Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Tobymac, This Is Not a Test
Best Roots Gospel Album: The Fairfield Four, Still Rockin’ My Soul
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Pitbull, Dale
Best Latin Pop Album: Ricky Martin, A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition)
Best Comedy Album: Louis C.K., Live at Madison Square Garden
Best Spoken Word Album: Jimmy Carter, A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety
Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:Birdman
Best Gospel Album: Israel & Newbreed, Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe)
Best Gospel Performance/Song: Kirk Franklin, Wanna Be Happy?
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: Francesca Battistelli, Holy Spirit
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Stephen Paulus, Paulus: Prayers & Remembrances
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Joyce DiDonato and Antonio Pappano, Joyce & Tony – Live From Wigmore Hall
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Augustin Hadelich, Dutilleux: Violin Concerto, L’Arbre Des Songes
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Eighth Blackbird, Filament
Best Choral Performance: Charles Bruffy, Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil
Best Opera Recording: Saito Kinen Orchestra; SKF Matsumoto Chorus & SKF Matsumoto Children’s Chorus, Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortileges; Sheherazade
Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Jon Cleary, Go Go Juice
Best Folk Album: Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn
Best Blues Album: Buddy Guy, Born to Play Guitar
Best Bluegrass Album: The Steeldrivers, The Muscle Shoals Recordings
Best Americana Album: Jason Isbell, Something More Than Free
Best American Roots Song: Jason Isbell, 24 Frames
Best American Roots Performance: Mavis Staples, See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Best Tropical Latin Album: Ruben Blades With Roberto Delgado & Orchestra, Son De Panama
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Los Tigres Del Norte, Realidades – Deluxe Edition
Best Children’s Album: Tim Kubart, Home
Best World Album: Angelique Kidjo, Sings
Best Reggae Album: Morgan Heritage, Strictly Roots
Best Latin Jazz Album: Eliane Elias, Made in Brazil
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Maria Schneider, The Thompson Fields
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: John Scofield, Past Present
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Cecile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love
Best Surround Sound Album: James Guthrie and Joel Plante, Amused To Death
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk (Dave Aude Remix)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color
Best Historical Album: Various artists; The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series Vol. 11
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package: Various Artists, The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume Two (1928-32)
Best Album Notes: Joni Mitchell, Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting To Be Danced
Best Recording Package: Sarah Dodds, Shauna Dodds & Dick Reeves; Asleep at the Wheel, Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: Maria Schneider, Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: Avi Kaplin, Kirstin Taylor, Kevin K.O. Olusola; Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
Best Instrumental Composition: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, The Afro Latin Jazz Suite
MusiCares Person of the Year: Lionel Richie
