63rd Annual Grammy Awards explained
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles on March 14, 2021. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.[2] The nominations were revealed via a virtual livestream on November 24, 2020. The performers for the ceremony were announced on March 7, 2021. South African comedian Trevor Noah hosted the ceremony.
Beyoncé received the most nominations with nine, followed by Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch, and Taylor Swift with six each.[3] Beyoncé received the most awards, with four, surpassing Alison Krauss as the most-awarded woman in the show's history, with 28 awards overall.[4] Her daughter Blue Ivy Carter become the youngest person ever to win a Grammy as an individual at the age of 8 years and 322 days for Best Music Video for "Brown Skin Girl".[5]
Swift won Album of the Year for Folklore, making her the first woman to win the award three times and the first artist to do so since Paul Simon in 1988.[6] Billie Eilish won Record of the Year for "Everything I Wanted", becoming the second solo artist, after Roberta Flack in 1974, to win two years consecutively, and the third overall since U2 in 2002. H.E.R. won Song of the Year for "I Can't Breathe" and Megan Thee Stallion won Best New Artist, becoming the second female rapper to win since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
The ceremony was originally scheduled for January 31, 2021; however, on January 5, 2021, the Recording Academy postponed the ceremony to March 14, 2021, due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles as well as health and safety concerns therein.[7]
Background
The nominations were announced during a virtual livestream on November 24, 2020, by Chair, and Interim Recording Academy President/CEO Harvey Mason Jr., alongside Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Mickey Guyton, Lauren Daigle, Pepe Aguilar, Nicola Benedetti, Gayle King, Yemi Alade, BTS, Imogen Heap and Sharon Osbourne.[8] [9] [10] The academy announced Trevor Noah as the host of the ceremony.[11]
Category alterations
For the 2021 ceremony, the academy announced several changes for different categories and rules:
- The category Best Urban Contemporary Album has been renamed Best Progressive R&B Album.
- The category Best Rap/Sung Performance has been renamed Best Melodic Rap Performance.
- The category Best Latin Pop Album has been renamed Best Latin Pop or Urban Album, and the category Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album has been renamed Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album.
- The category Best World Music Album has been renamed Best Global Music Album.[12]
- The maximum number of releases have been removed from the category Best New Artist.[13]
- The category Best Musical Theater Album can now only award up to four principal vocalists (previously unlimited) in addition to the album producer and the lyricists/composers (if the album contains at least 51% new material). In the case of an ensemble-driven piece, all vocalists will receive a winner's certificate.[14]
Venue and production
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at Los Angeles Convention Center, while the show's usual venue—Staples Center—served as the backdrop.[15] The show was three and a half hours long.[16]
The Recording Academy appointed Ben Winston as the executive producer of the show, his first time working on a Grammy show. Winston, via Rolling Stone, stated that the show would feature multiple stages, but no audience, highlighting the "creative triumphs, social justice movements, as well as COVID-19's impact on the arts". Regarding the venue shift, Winston stated that he does believe Staples is a safe place, but he wanted "to go above and beyond to make even the most-skeptical participants feel undoubtedly safe". The production was overseen by COVID-19 safety officers. To minimize physical contact, artists had their own backstage area, and entered the stages from different directions.[16]
The show involved five equally sized stages arranged in a circle facing inwards; one of the stages was for presenters and the other four for performers. Crew members worked from the center of the circular set. As soon as one performance ended, the next stage would be covered, and so on. Each stage set-up was changed every 45 minutes and replaced with a different performer in the lineup. Winston mentioned that the concept was inspired by the British entertainment programs Later... with Jools Holland and TFI Friday. The show was a mix of live and pre-recorded performances, as "a fully live show would involve too many crew members moving sets and risking close contact". However, the whole show was planned to feel entirely live.[16]
To help plan the sprawling production and immersive spectacle of the show, Winston collaborated with a multitude of producers, such as co-executive producer Jesse Collins, who produced The Weeknd's Super Bowl halftime show; co-executive producer Raj Kapoor, who handled creative direction for many artists on the last seven Grammy shows and produced Las Vegas concert residencies for Backstreet Boys and Mariah Carey; producer Fatima Robinson, worked on the Black Eyed Peas' 2011 halftime show; producer Misty Buckley, who produced Kacey Musgraves' 2020 Christmas show; talent executive Patrick Menton from Dick Clark Productions; James Corden collaborator Josie Cliff; and Hamish Hamilton, who directed Super Bowl halftimes, Olympic ceremonies, Academy Award, and Emmy Award shows.[16]
Performers
Premiere ceremony
Performers were announced on March 2, 2021.[17]
Main ceremony
Performers for the ceremony were announced on March 7, 2021.[18]
Presenters
Premiere ceremony
Main ceremony[20]
- Lizzo – presented Best New Artist
- Trevor Noah - presented Best Melodic Rap Performance, Best Latin Pop or Urban Album, and Song of the Year
- Jacob Collier and Jhené Aiko – presented Best Pop Vocal Album
- Jimmy Jam and Babyface – presented Best R&B Performance
- Ringo Starr – presented Record of the Year
Winners and nominees
Winners appear first and highlighted in Bold.
General field
Record of the Year
Album of the Year
- Folklore – Taylor Swift
- Joe Alwyn, Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Şerban Ghenea, John Hanes, Jonathan Low & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Aaron Dessner & Taylor Swift, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
- Chilombo – Jhené Aiko
- Fisticuffs & Julian-Quán Việt Lê, producers; Fisticuffs, Julian-Quán Việt Lê, Zeke Mishanec, Christian Plata & Gregg Rominiecki, engineers/mixers; Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo, Julian-Quán Việt Lê, Maclean Robinson & Brian Keith Warfield, songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer
- Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) – Black Pumas
- Adrian Quesada, producers; Adrian Quesada engineer/mixer; Eric Burton & Adrian Quesada, songwriters; JJ Golden, mastering engineer
- Everyday Life – Coldplay
- Djesse Vol. 3 – Jacob Collier
- Jacob Collier, producer; Ben Bloomberg & Jacob Collier, engineers/mixers; Jacob Collier, songwriter; Chris Allgood & Emily Lazar, mastering engineers
- Women in Music Pt. III – Haim
- Rostam Batmanglij, Danielle Haim & Ariel Rechtshaid, producers; Rostam Batmanglij, Jasmine Chen, John DeBold, Matt DiMona, Tom Elmhirst, Joey Messina-Doerning & Ariel Rechtshaid, engineers/mixers; Rostam Batmanglij, Alana Haim, Danielle Haim, Este Haim & Ariel Rechtshaid, songwriters; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer
- Future Nostalgia – Dua Lipa
- Lorna Blackwood & Koz, producer; Josh Gudwin & Cameron Gower Poole, engineers/mixers; Clarence Coffee Jr. & Dua Lipa, songwriters; Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer
- Hollywood's Bleeding – Post Malone
Song of the Year
Best New Artist
Pop
Best Pop Solo Performance
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Best Pop Vocal Album
Dance/electronic music
Best Dance Recording
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Contemporary instrumental music
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Rock
Best Rock Performance
Best Metal Performance
Best Rock Song
Best Rock Album
Alternative
Best Alternative Music Album
R&B
Best R&B Performance
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Best R&B Song
Best Progressive R&B Album
Best R&B Album
Rap
Best Rap Performance
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Best Rap Song
Best Rap Album
Country
Best Country Solo Performance
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Best Country Song
Best Country Album
New age
Best New Age Album
Jazz
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Best Latin Jazz Album
Gospel/contemporary Christian music
Best Gospel Performance/Song
- "Movin' On"
- "Wonderful is Your Name"
- Melvin Crispell III, songwriter (Melvin Crispell III)
- "Release (Live)"
- David Frazier, songwriter (Ricky Dillard featuring Tiff Joy)
- "Come Together"
- Lashawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Lecrae Moore & Jazz Nixon, songwriters (Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins Presents: The Good News)
- "Won't Let Go"
- Travis Greene, songwriter (Travis Greene)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
- "There Was Jesus"
- Casey Beathard, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters (Zach Williams & Dolly Parton)
- "The Blessing (Live)"
- "Sunday Morning"
- Denisia Andrews, Jones Terrence Antonio, Saint Bodhi, Brittany Coney, Kirk Franklin, Lasanna Harris, Shama Joseph, Stuart Lowery, Lecrae Moore & Nathanael Saint-Fleur, songwriters (Lecrae featuring Kirk Franklin)
- "Holy Water"
- "Famous For (I Believe)"
Best Gospel Album
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Best Roots Gospel Album
- Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) – Fisk Jubilee Singers
- Beautiful Day – Mark Bishop
- 20/20 – The Crabb Family
- What Christmas Really Means – The Erwins
- Something Beautiful – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Latin
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Best Tropical Latin Album
- 40 – Grupo Niche
- Mi Tumbao – José Alberto "El Ruiseñor"
- Infinito – Edwin Bonilla
- Sigo Cantando al Amor (Deluxe) – Jorge Celedon & Sergio Luis
- Memorias de Navidad – Víctor Manuelle
American roots
Best American Roots Performance
Best American Roots Song
- "I Remember Everything"
- "Cabin"
- "Ceiling to the Floor"
- "Hometown"
- "Man Without a Soul"
Best Americana Album
Best Bluegrass Album
Best Traditional Blues Album
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Best Folk Album
Best Regional Roots Music Album
- Atmosphere – New Orleans Nightcrawlers
- My Relatives 'nikso' Kowaiks – Black Lodge Singers
- Cameron Dupuy and The Cajun Troubadours – Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours
- Lovely Sunrise – Nā Wai ʽEhā
- A Tribute to Al Berard – Sweet Cecilia
Reggae
Best Reggae Album
Global music
Best Global Music Album
Children's
Best Children's Album
Spoken word
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)
Comedy
Best Comedy Album
Musical theater
Best Musical Theater Album
- Jagged Little Pill – Kathryn Gallagher, Celia Rose Gooding, Lauren Patten & Elizabeth Stanley, principal soloists; Neal Avron, Pete Ganbarg, Tom Kitt, Michael Parker, Craig Rosen & Vivek J. Tiwary, producers (Glen Ballard & Alanis Morissette, lyricists) (Original Broadway Cast)
- Amélie – Audrey Brisson, Chris Jared, Caolan McCarthy & Jez Unwin, principal soloists; Michael Fentiman, Sean Patrick Flahaven, Barnaby Race & Nathan Tysen, producers; Nathan Tysen, lyricist; Daniel Messe, composer & lyricist (Original London Cast)
- American Utopia on Broadway – David Byrne, principal soloist; David Byrne, producer (David Byrne, composer & lyricist) (Original Cast)
- Little Shop of Horrors – Tammy Blanchard, Jonathan Groff & Tom Alan Robbins, principal soloists; Will Van Dyke, Michael Mayer, Alan Menken & Frank Wolf, producers (Alan Menken, composer; Howard Ashman, lyricist) (The New Off-Broadway Cast)
- The Prince of Egypt – Christine Allado, Luke Brady, Alexia Khadime & Liam Tamne, principal soloists; Dominick Amendum & Stephen Schwartz, producers; Stephen Schwartz, composer & lyricist (Original Cast)
- Soft Power – Francis Jue, Austin Ku, Alyse Alan Louis & Conrad Ricamora, principal soloists; Matt Stine, producer; David Henry Hwang, lyricist; Jeanine Tesori, composer & lyricist (Original Cast)
Music for visual media
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Best Song Written for Visual Media
Composing/Arranging
Best Instrumental Composition
- "Sputnik"
- "Baby Jack"
- "Be Water II"
- "Plumfield"
- "Strata"
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
- "Donna Lee"
- "Bathroom Dance"
- "Honeymooners"
- "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
- Alvin Chea & Jarrett Johnson, arrangers (Jarrett Johnson Featuring Alvin Chea)
- "Uranus: The Magician"
- Jeremy Levy, arranger (Jeremy Levy Jazz Orchestra)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
- "He Won't Hold You"
- "Asas Fechadas"
- John Beasley & Maria Mendes, arrangers (Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Orkest Metropole)
- "Desert Song"
- "From This Place"
- "Slow Burn"
Package
Best Recording Package
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Notes
Best Album Notes
- Dead Man's Pop
- At The Minstrel Show: Minstrel Routines From The Studio, 1894–1926
- Tim Brooks, album notes writer (Various Artists)
- The Bakersfield Sound: Country Music Capital Of The West, 1940–1974
- Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Various Artists)
- The Missing Link: How Gus Haenschen Got Us From Joplin To Jazz And Shaped The Music Business
- Colin Hancock, album notes writer (Various Artists)
- Out Of A Clear Blue Sky
- David Sager, album notes writer (Nat Brusiloff)
Historical
Best Historical Album
- It's Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mister Rogers
- Lee Lodyga & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Mister Rogers)
- Celebrated, 1895–1896
- Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (Unique Quartette)
- Hittin' the Ramp: The Early Years (1936–1943)
- Zev Feldman, Will Friedwald & George Klabin, compilation producers; Matthew Lutthans, mastering engineer (Nat King Cole)
- 1999 Super Deluxe Edition
- Michael Howe, compilation producer; Bernie Grundman, mastering engineer (Prince)
- Souvenir
- Carolyn Agger, compilation producer; Miles Showell, mastering engineer (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)
- Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions
- Béla Fleck, compilation producer; Richard Dodd, mastering engineer (Béla Fleck)
Production, non-classical
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Best Remixed Recording
- "Roses (Imanbek Remix)"
- "Do You Ever (RAC Mix)"
- "Imaginary Friends (Morgan Page Remix)"
- "Praying for You (Louie Vega Main Remix)"
- Louie Vega, remixer (Jasper Street Co.)
- "Young & Alive (Bazzi vs. Haywyre Remix)"
Production, immersive audio
Best Immersive Audio Album
- Soundtrack of the American Soldier
- Leslie Ann Jones, immersive mix engineer; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, immersive producer (Jim R. Keene and the United States Army Field Band
- Bolstad: Tomba Sonora
- Morten Lindberg (Stemmeklang)
- Dear Future Self (Dolby Atmos Mixes)
- Fritz Hilpert, immersive mix engineer; Jason Banks, Fritz Hilpert and David Zeigler, immersive mastering engineers; Tom Ammerman, Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merziger, immersive producers (Booka Shade)
- Fryd
- Morten Lindberg (Tove Ramlo-Ystad and Cantus)
- Mutt Slang Li - A Wake of Sorrows Engulfed in Rage
- Elliot Scheiner, immersive mix engineer; Darcy Proper, immersive mastering engineer; Alain Mallet and Elliot Scheiner, immersive producers (Alain Mallet)
Production, classical
Best Engineered Album, Classical
- "Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13, 'Babi Yar'"
- David Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
- "Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshua"
- Bernd Gottinger, engineer (JoAnn Falletta, James K. Bass, Adam Luebke, UCLA Chamber Singers, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus)
- "Gershwin: Porgy and Bess"
- David Frost & John Kerswell, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (David Robertson, Eric Owens, Angel Blue, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus)
- "Hynes: Fields"
- Kyle Pyke, engineer; Jesse Lewis & Kyle Pyke, mastering engineers (Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion)
- "Ives: Complete Symphonies"
- Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, engineers; Alexander Lipay & Dmitriy Lipay, mastering engineers (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Producer of the Year, Classical
- David Frost
- Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 9 (Jonathan Biss)
- Gershwin: Porgy And Bess (David Robertson, Eric Owens, Angel Blue, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus)
- Gluck: Orphée & Eurydice (Harry Bicket, Dmitry Korchak, Andriana Chuchman, Lauren Snouffer, Lyric Opera Of Chicago Orchestra & Chorus)
- Holst: The Planets; The Perfect Fool (Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony)
- Muhly: Marnie (Robert Spano, Isabel Leonard, Christopher Maltman, Denyce Graves, Iestyn Davies, Janis Kelly, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus)
- Schubert: Piano Sonatas, D. 845, D. 894, D. 958, D. 960 (Shai Wosner)
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13, 'Babi Yar' (Riccardo Muti, Alexey Tikhomirov, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus)
- Blanton Alspaugh
- Aspects of America (Carlos Kalmar & Oregon Symphony)
- Blessed Art Thou Among Women (Peter Jermihov, Katya Lukianov & PaTRAM Institute Singers)
- Dvořák: Symphony No. 9; Copland: Billy The Kid (Gianandrea Noseda & National Symphony Orchestra)
- Glass: The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Joseph Li, Nicholas Nestorak, Madison Leonard, Jonas Hacker, Ben Edquist, Matthew Adam Fleisher & Wolf Trap Opera)
- Kahane: Emergency Shelter Intake Form (Alicia Hall Moran, Gabriel Kahane, Carlos Kalmar & Oregon Symphony)
- Kastalsky: Requiem (Leonard Slatkin, Steven Fox, Benedict Sheehan, Charles Bruffy, Cathedral Choral Society, The Clarion Choir, The Saint Tikhon Choir, Kansas City Chorale & Orchestra Of St. Luke's)
- Massenet: Thaïs (Andrew Davis, Joshua Hopkins, Andrew Staples, Erin Wall, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
- Smyth: The Prison (Sarah Brailey, Dashon Burton, James Blachly & Experiential Orchestra)
- Woolf, L.P.: Fire And Flood (Julian Wachner, Matt Haimovitz & Choir Of Trinity Wall Street)
- Jesse Lewis
- Gunn: The Ascendant (Roomful Of Teeth)
- Harrison, M.: Just Constellations (Roomful Of Teeth)
- Her Own Wings (Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival)
- Hynes: Fields (Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion)
- Lang, D.: Love Fail (Beth Willer & Lorelei Ensemble)
- Mazzoli: Proving Up (Christopher Rountree, Opera Omaha & International Contemporary Ensemble)
- Sharlat: Spare The Rod! (NOW Ensemble)
- Soul House (Hub New Music)
- Wherein Lies The Good (The Westerlies)
- Dmitry Lipay
- Adams, J.: Must The Devil Have All The Good Tunes? (Yuja Wang, Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
- Cipullo: The Parting (Alastair Willis, Laura Strickling, Catherine Cook, Michael Mayes & Music Of Remembrance)
- Ives: Complete Symphonies (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
- LA Phil 100 – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Centennial Birthday Gala (Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
- Langgaard: Prelude To Antichrist; Strauss: An Alpine Symphony (Thomas Dausgaard & Seattle Symphony Orchestra)
- Nielsen: Symphony No. 1 & Symphony No. 2, 'The Four Temperaments' (Thomas Dausgaard & Seattle Symphony)
- Elaine Martone
- Bound For The Promised Land (Robert M. Franklin, Steven Darsey, Jessye Norman & Taylor Branch)
- Dawn (Shachar Israel)
- Gandolfi, Prior & Oliverio: Orchestral Works (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
- Singing In The Dead Of Night (Eighth Blackbird)
- Whitacre: The Sacred Veil (Eric Whitacre, Grant Gershon & Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Classical
- Best Orchestral Performance
- "Ives: Complete Symphonies"
- "Aspects of America – Pulitzer Edition"
- "Concurrence"
- "Copland: Symphony No. 3"
- "Lutosławski: Symphonies No. 2 & 3"
Best Opera Recording
- "Gershwin: Porgy and Bess"
- "Dello Joio: The Trial at Rouen"
- "Floyd, C: Prince of Players"
- "Handel: Agrippina"
- "Zemlinsky: Der Zwerg"
Best Choral Performance
- "Danielpour: The Passion of Yessuah"
- "Carthage"
- "Kastalski: Requiem"
- Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Charles Bruffy, Steven Fox & Benedict Sheehan, chorus masters (Joseph Charles Beutel & Anna Dennis; Orchestra Of St. Luke's; Cathedral Choral Society, The Clarion Choir, Kansas City Chorale & The Saint Tikhon Choir)
- "Moravec: Sanctuary Road"
- Kent Tritle, conductor (Joshua Blue, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Dashon Burton, Malcolm J. Merriweather & Laquita Mitchell; Oratorio Society Of New York Orchestra; Oratorio Society Of New York Chorus)
- "Once Upon a Time"
- Matthew Guard, conductor (Sarah Walker; Skylark Vocal Ensemble)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
- "Contemporary Voices" – Pacifica Quartet
- "Healing Modes" – Brooklyn Rider
- "Hearne, T,: Place" – Ted Hearne, Steven Bradshaw, Sophia Byrd, Josephine Lee, Isaiah Robinson, Sol Ruiz, Ayanna Woods & Place Orchestra
- "Hynes: Fields" – Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion
- "The Schumann Quartets" – Dover Quartet
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
- "Theofanidis: Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra"
- "Adés: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra"
- "Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas"
- "Bohemian Tales"
- "Destination Rachmaninov – Arrival"
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
- "Smyth: The Prison"
- Sarah Brailey & Dashon Burton; James Blachly, conductor (Experiential Chorus; Experiential Orchestra)
- "American Composers at Play – William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto"
- Stephen Powell (Attacca Quartet, William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto, Charles Neidich & Jason Vieaux)
- "Clairières – Songs by Lili & Nadia Boulanger"
- "Farinelli"
- "A Lad's Love"
- Brian Giebler; Steven McGhee, accompanist (Katie Hyun, Michael Katz, Jessica Meyer, Reginald Mobley & Ben Russell)
Best Classical Compendium
- "Thomas, M.T.: From the Diary of Anne Frank & Meditations on Rilke"
- "Adès Conducts Adès"
- Mark Stone & Christianne Stotijn; Thomas Adès, conductor; Nick Squire, producer
- "Saariaho: Graal Théâtre; Circle Map, Neiges, Vers Toi Qui Es Si Loin"
- Clément Mao-Takacs, conductor; Hans Kipfer, producer
- "Serebrier: Symphonic Bach Variations; Laments and Hallelujahs; Flute Concerto"
- "Woolf, L.P.: Fire and Blood"
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
- "Rouse: Symphony No. 5"
- "Adès: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra"
- "Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshua"
- "Floyd, C.: Prince of Players"
- "Hearne, T.: Place"
- Ted Hearne, composer (Ted Hearne, Steven Bradshaw, Sophia Byrd, Josephine Lee, Isaiah Robinson, Sol Ruiz, Ayanna Woods & Place Orchestra)
Music video/film
Best Music Video
- "Brown Skin Girl" – Beyoncé, Saint Jhn & Wizkid featuring Blue Ivy Carter
- Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Jenn Nkiru, video directors; Lauren Baker, Astrid Edwards, Nathan Scherrer & Erinn Williams, video producers
- "Life Is Good" – Future featuring Drake
- Julien Christian Lutz, video director; Harv Glazer, video producer
- "Lockdown" – Anderson .Paak
- Dave Meyers, video director; Nathan Scherrer, video producer
- "Adore You" – Harry Styles
- Dave Meyers, video director; Nathan Scherrer, video producer
- "Goliath" – Woodkid
- Yoann Lemoine, video director; Horace de Gunzbourg, video producer
Best Music Film
- – Linda Ronstadt
- Beastie Boys Story – Beastie Boys
- Spike Jonze, video director; Amanda Adelson, Jason Baum & Spike Jonze, video producers
- Black Is King – Beyoncé
- Emmanuel Adjei, Blitz Bazawule, Beyoncé Knowles Carter & Kwasi Fordjour, video directors; Lauren Baker, Akin Omotoso, Nathan Scherrer, Jeremy Sullivan & Erinn Williams, video producers
- We Are Freestyle Love Supreme – Freestyle Love Supreme
- Andrew Fried, video director; Andrew Fried, Jill Furman, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sarina Roma, Jenny Steingart & Jon Steingart, video producers
- That Little Ol' Band From Texas – ZZ Top
- Sam Dunn, video director; Scot McFadyen, video producer
Special Merit Awards
Music Educator Award
Multiple nominations and awards
The following received multiple nominations:Nine:
Six:
Five:
Four:
Three:
Two:
The following received multiple awards:Four:
Three:
Two:
In Memoriam
Musical artists and industry personnel who had died in 2020 and early 2021 were included in a memorial reel aired during the Grammy telecast. At least 800 individuals were considered by producer Ben Winston for the segment.[21] The Recording Academy was criticized by fans of Naya Rivera, Benny Mardones, Hal Ketchum, Riley Gale, and Frankie Banali for excluding their names from the broadcast, although all of them were included on a longer list of names posted on the Grammys website.[22] [23]
The segment dedicated to Eddie Van Halen was criticized by fans, former bandmates and other figures within the hard rock and heavy metal community who felt that the brief seconds-long tribute was an insult to the guitarist's influence and legacy.[24] Van Halen's son Wolfgang Van Halen revealed that he declined the Academy's offer to play "Eruption" for the segment out of respect for his father, believing that the "In Memoriam" would feature more songs. While disappointed with the brief tribute, Wolfgang was "hurt the most" by Eddie not being mentioned among other late artists remembered at the beginning of the show, attributing the mishap to the declining mainstream popularity in rock music and the Academy's historical lack of interest in the genre.[25] However, Jem Aswad of Variety defended the tribute, opining that longer tributes featuring cover artists still would have failed to meet expectations and praised the subtext behind the segment, which featured a spotlight on Van Halen's signature Frankenstrat guitar with a video of the guitarist playing in the background, that Van Halen's talent could never be replicated.[26]
[27]
Reception
Pre-ceremony
Following the release of the nominations, Canadian singer the Weeknd accused the Grammys of corruption after he failed to receive any nominations. Based on the success of his album, After Hours, the Weeknd had been expected by many critics and publications to receive a large number of nominations, including Album of the Year as well as several nods for his single "Blinding Lights". Expressing his disappointment, the Weeknd tweeted "The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency...". He further explained that he was expecting nominations due to discussions between his team and the Grammys to perform at the ceremony but it was later reported by Rolling Stone that these discussions broke down due to the Weeknd also performing at the Super Bowl LV halftime show. In response, the Grammys released a statement saying that they "empathized" with the Weeknd's disappointment but that some "deserving" artists miss out every year. Recording Academy president Harvey Mason Jr. later expanded on this by explaining that "we understand that the Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated. I was surprised and can empathise with what he's feeling. Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists. To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before the Weeknd's performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process".[28] Several days later, the Weeknd stated that "I personally don't care anymore. I have three Grammys, which mean nothing to me now, obviously. I suck at giving speeches anyways. Forget awards shows. It's not like, 'Oh, I want the Grammy!' It's just that this happened, and I'm down to get in front of the fire, as long as it never happens again".[29]
American singer Halsey spoke out in solidarity with the Weeknd after her 2020 album, Manic, received no nominations. Taking to Instagram, Halsey wrote "The Grammys are an elusive process. It can often be about behind the scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine, with the right handshake and 'bribes' that can be just ambiguous enough to pass as 'not bribes.'"[30] [31] The singer went on to share that speaking out against The Grammys could very well get an artist blacklisted.[32] Halsey, who only has 2 nominations throughout her entire career, was the center of conversation when her song "Without Me", which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, was passed up for a nomination at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[33]
Justin Bieber expressed his disappointment with the academy following his album Changes receiving nominations in the Pop field rather than the R&B field. He explained that he is "very meticulous and intentional about my music. With that being said I set out to make an R&B album. Changes was and is an R&B album. It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album which is very strange to me". The Grammys later responded to Bieber, stating that "we always want to respect the artist's wishes. Art's a funny thing because it's so subjective, and at the Academy our goal is to honor excellence. At some point, decisions have to be made as to how to compare different things, and it is a very tough process and one I don't think we get right every time. We use our best efforts to get people where they wanna be and where they should be and try to evaluate them as best as we can. If he felt that was that type of a record, then, you know... I'll just leave it at that. We try really hard to make sure people's art is respected and evaluated in the right category".[34]
Five days before the ceremony, British artist Zayn Malik posted a tweet criticizing the Grammys and their voting procedures stating that "unless you shake hands and send gifts, there's no nomination considerations. Next year I'll send you a basket of confectionary". After confusion from fans and the media, who noted that Malik's third album, Nobody Is Listening, was ineligible for the 63rd Grammy Awards as it was released after the eligibility period ended in August, Malik stated his intentions in a follow-up tweet, explaining that his prior post was "not personal or about eligibility but was about the need for inclusion and the lack of transparency of the nomination process and the space that creates and allows favoritism, racism, and networking [sic] politics to influence the voting process".[35]
Ceremony
During the ceremony, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion performed the song "WAP."[36] Grammys host Trevor Noah prefaced the performance with, "If you have small children in the room, just tell them it's a song about giving a cat a bath", and the chorus "wet and gushy," was changed to "wet, wet, wet".[37] Billboard ranked it as the best performance of the ceremony, commenting that "this had to be one of the most insane television debut performances of all time."[38] Music critic Jon Caramanica called the performance "wildly and charmingly salacious, frisky and genuine in a way that the Grammys has rarely if ever made room for".[39] However, the performance received criticism for being "non-family-friendly".[40]
Viewership
The broadcast received an average of 8.8 million viewers in the United States, with a 2.1 Nielsen rating among adults aged 18 to 49, marking a more than 50 percent decline from the previous year's ceremony, and making it the least-viewed telecast in the history of the Grammys. Conversely, the live streaming audience for the show was up 83 percent over 2020 and the hashtag, #Grammys trended for 18 hours and peaked in the number one position.[1]
Notes and References
- News: TV Ratings: Grammy Awards Hit Record Low, Down Nearly 53% Compared to 2020's Show. Zorilla. Monica Marie. Variety. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315172430/https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/grammy-awards-ratings-2021-1234930898/. live.
- Web site: The 63rd GRAMMYs: Looking Ahead To The 2021 GRAMMY Awards. grammy.com. August 19, 2020. November 1, 2020. November 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101020902/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/63rd-grammys-looking-ahead-2021-grammy-awards. live.
- News: Grammy Nominations 2021. The New York Times. November 24, 2020. November 24, 2020. November 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124171041/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/arts/music/grammy-nominees-list.html. live.
- Web site: Grammy awards 2021: women rule as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé break records. March 15, 2021. Guardian. March 15, 2021. November 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211127050954/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/15/grammy-awards-2021-women-rule-beyonce-taylor-swift-break-records. live.
- Web site: McIntyre . Hugh . 14 May 2021 . Beyoncé's Nine-Year-Old Daughter Blue Ivy Carter Is Now A Grammy Winner . 12 November 2023 . Forbes.
- Taylor Swift Wins Album of the Year For 'Folklore' at 2021 Grammy Awards. 2021-03-16. Billboard. en. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315034026/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9540496/taylor-swift-wins-album-of-the-year-2021-grammy-awards-folklore/. live.
- Web site: Grammy Awards Rescheduled for March 14. Variety. January 5, 2021. January 5, 2021. March 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210324093942/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/grammy-awards-postponed-1234878942/. live.
- Web site: 2021 Grammy Nominations to Be Announced Nov. 24. Variety. October 24, 2020. November 1, 2020. October 23, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023175309/https://variety.com/2020/music/awards/grammy-nominations-date-announced-1234812367/. live.
- Web site: Save the Date: 63rd GRAMMY Awards® Nominations. BusinessWire. October 21, 2020. November 1, 2020. November 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201101131859/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201021005833/en/Save-the-Date-63rd-GRAMMY-Awards%C2%AE-Nominations. live.
- Web site: Participating Talent For 2021 GRAMMY Nominations Announced: Dua Lipa, Sharon Osbourne, Imogen Heap And More. grammy.com. November 20, 2020. January 5, 2021. November 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126001725/https://www.grammy.com/recording-academy/news/participating-talent-2021-grammy-nominations-announced-dua-lipa-sharon. live.
- Web site: Trevor Noah to Host the 2021 Grammy Awards. Variety. November 24, 2020. January 24, 2021. March 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210324094714/https://variety.com/2020/music/news/grammy-awards-host-trevor-noah-daily-show-1234838735/. live.
- Web site: The Best Global Music Album Name Change, Explained. November 9, 2020. GRAMMY.com. November 10, 2020. November 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201110020338/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/why-grammy-awards-best-global-music-album-category-name-change-matters. live.
- Web site: The Recording Academy Announces Changes For 63rd Annual GRAMMYs, Releases Rules And Guidelines. Grammys. June 10, 2020. November 1, 2020. June 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200610180517/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/recording-academy-announces-changes-63rd-annual-grammys-releases-rules-and-guidelines. live.
- Web site: 63rd GRAMMY Awards Rules & Guidelines. June 9, 2020. GRAMMY.com. March 14, 2021. December 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201201022712/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/rules-guidelines. live.
- Web site: Aswad. Jem. February 2, 2021. Grammy Awards: Details Emerge About Rescheduled, Audience-Free Show. live. March 11, 2021. Variety. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20210202205307/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/grammy-awards-details-no-audience-1234897775/ . February 2, 2021 .
- Hissong. Samantha. March 7, 2021. What the 2021 Grammy Awards Will Look Like. live. March 11, 2021. Rolling Stone. April 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210408050251/https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/inside-grammys-2021-show-ben-winston-1136850/.
- Web site: March 2, 2021. 63rd GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony Announced. live. March 14, 2021. GRAMMYs. https://web.archive.org/web/20210302154855/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/63rd-grammy-awards-premiere-ceremony-lineup-2021-grammys . March 2, 2021 .
- Web site: Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak to Perform on Grammy Awards. Aswad. Jem. March 9, 2021. Variety. https://web.archive.org/web/20210310034418/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/bruno-mars-anderson-paak-grammy-awards-1234926704/. March 10, 2021. live. March 10, 2021.
- Web site: PIC: Maren Morris Reveals John Mayer Collaboration at the 2021 Grammys. Taste of Country. March 10, 2021 . March 14, 2021. March 18, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210318202728/https://tasteofcountry.com/maren-morris-john-mayer-grammy-collaboration/. live.
- Web site: 2021 GRAMMYs: Full Presenter Lineup Announced. March 12, 2021. March 13, 2021. March 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210316231010/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2021-grammys-presenters-jhene-aiko-lizzo-jacob-collier-ringo-starr#:~:text=The%20Recording%20Academy%20has%20announced,winners%20Lizzo%20and%20Ringo%20Starr.. live.
- Web site: Aswad . Jem . Grammy Awards Considered 800 People for 2021 'In Memoriam' Segment . Variety . 16 March 2021 . 10 March 2021 . March 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210319022220/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/grammy-in-memoriam-800-people-1234923174/ . live .
- News: Herbert . Geoff . 2021 Grammys in memoriam leaves out Benny Mardones, more . . 16 March 2021 . en . 15 March 2021 . March 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210318000300/https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/2021/03/2021-grammys-in-memoriam-leaves-out-benny-mardones-more.html . live .
- Web site: Recording Academy in Memoriam 2021 . Grammy . 16 March 2021 . en . 14 March 2021 . April 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210428232738/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/recording-academy-grammy-in-memoriam-2021 . live .
- Web site: Trapp . Philip . Rockers React to Eddie Van Halen Memorial Segment at 2021 Grammy Awards . . 16 March 2021 . 15 March 2021 . March 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210316215000/https://loudwire.com/eddie-van-halen-in-memoriam-2021-grammys/ . live .
- wolfvanhalen . CMdD3mel3L4 . 15 March 2021 . The GRAMMYS asked me to play Eruption for the 'In Memoriam' section and I declined. I don't think anyone could have lived up to what my father did for music but himself. It was my understanding that there would be an 'In Memoriam' section where bits of songs were performed for legendary artists that had passed. I didn't realize that they would only show Pop for 15 seconds in the middle of 4 full performances for others we had lost. What hurt the most was that he wasn't even mentioned when they talked about artists we lost in the beginning of the show. I know rock isn't the most popular genre right now, (and the academy does seem a bit out of touch) but I think it's impossible to ignore the legacy my father left on the instrument, the world of rock, and music in general. There will never be another innovator like him. I'm not looking to start some kind of hate parade here, I just wanted to explain my side. I know Pop would probably just laugh it off and say "Ehh who gives a shit?" He was only about the music anyway. The rest didn't matter. I'd love to get the opportunity to speak with The Recording Academy not only about the legacy of my father, but the legacy of the Rock genre moving forward. Thank you. . 16 March 2021.
- Web site: Aswad . Jem . Why the Grammys' Eddie Van Halen Tribute Got It Right . . 16 March 2021 . 15 March 2021 . March 19, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210319152838/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/grammy-eddie-van-halen-tribute-1234931404/ . live .
- Web site: Recording Academy Remembers The Music People We've Lost GRAMMY In Memoriam . 2023-05-29 . www.grammy.com.
- News: The Weeknd calls Grammy Awards 'corrupt' after nominations snub. BBC News. November 25, 2020. March 14, 2021. March 29, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210329182241/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55070142. live.
- News: The Weeknd: Grammys 'mean nothing to me' after nominations snub. BBC News. January 29, 2021. March 14, 2021. April 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210422152329/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55858548. live.
- Web site: Halsey – Instagram post discussing The Grammys. November 28, 2020. March 14, 2021. March 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220304023933/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwExN2pXAAUTGzT?format=jpg&name=medium. live.
- Halsey Speaks Out After 2021 Grammy Nominations Snub: 'It's Not Always About the Music'. Billboard. November 29, 2020. March 14, 2021. February 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210217140338/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9490917/halsey-2021-grammy-awards-nomination-snub-reaction/. live.
- Web site: Halsey Speaks Out after Grammy Nominations Snub: "It's Not Always about the Music". The Hollywood Reporter. November 29, 2020. March 14, 2021. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315034316/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/halsey-speaks-out-after-grammy-nominations-snub-its-not-always-about-the-music. live.
- Web site: Halsey Fans Can't Believe She Was Snubbed by Grammy Nominations 2020. November 20, 2019. March 14, 2021. January 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122171506/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/halsey-snubbed-grammy-nominations-2020. live.
- Web site: Grammys respond to Justin Bieber's claim he's in the wrong category. NME. November 26, 2020. March 14, 2021. January 22, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122042428/https://www.nme.com/news/music/grammys-respond-to-justin-biebers-claim-hes-in-the-wrong-category-2825768. live.
- News: Zayn Malik lashes out at Grammy Awards voters. BBC News. March 10, 2021. March 14, 2021. March 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210316155014/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-56345091. live.
- Web site: Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion To Perform "WAP" Live for the First Time at 2021 Grammys?. Yohance. Kyles. March 12, 2021. March 15, 2021. AllHipHop.com. March 12, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210312162240/https://allhiphop.com/news/cardi-b-megan-thee-stallion-to-perform-wap-live-for-the-first-time-at-2021-grammys/. live.
- Web site: Grammys 2021 highs and lows: Semicensored 'WAP,' Silk Sonic's debut, Eddie Van Halen's snub and more. yahoo.com. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315155112/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/grammy-2021-highs-and-lows-a-semi-censored-wap-silk-sonics-debut-eddie-van-halens-snub-and-more-081428456.html. live.
- All the 2021 Grammys Performances, Ranked. Billboard. Heran. Mamo. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315072826/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/grammys/9540641/2021-grammys-performances-ranked/. live.
- Web site: The Best and Worst of the 2021 Grammy Awards. The New York Times. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210315183957/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/15/arts/music/best-worst-grammys.html. live.
- Web site: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion face criticism over 'inappropriate' and 'trashy' Grammy performance. yahoo.com. March 15, 2021. March 15, 2021. March 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210316094337/https://ca.news.yahoo.com/cardi-b-megan-thee-stallion-grammys-170343191.html. live.