The 2024 Grammy Awards, held on Sunday February 4th at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, celebrated the achievements of some of the biggest names in music, with female musicians dominating the top categories and making history.
For example, Taylor Swift became the first person to win Album of the Year four times, taking home the award for her Album Midnights which also broke spotify’s record for the highest single-day streams and highest single-week streams. Midnights also had a total of 37 billion streams in 2022. Swift also won Best Pop Vocal Album. She shared the stage with Lana Del Rey, who was also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, but has never won a Grammy, and was praised by Swift, who called Lana a “legacy artist, a legend, and in her prime right now”. Swift also announced that she had been keeping a secret for two years; her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, set to be released April 19th, 2024.
Miley Cyrus won Record of the Year for her hit song Flowers, which she performed live. Flowers is a pop song that many believe to be a response to the song, When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars. Cyrus dedicated her award to her fans, saying “You are the reason I make music, you are the reason I’m here”.
Billie Eilish took home song of the year for her Barbie ballad, What Was I Made For, which she co-wrote with her brother Finneas and was featured in the movie Barbie. Eilish thanked her collaborators and fans, saying “This song means so much to me, and I’m grateful that you connected with it”.
Victoria Monét was named best new artist beating out fellow nominees such as Noah Kahn, Ice Spice, Jelly Roll, Coco Jones, and The War And Treaty. Monét said she felt like “a plant that finally bloomed” and thanked her team, her family, and her supporters.
Phoebe Bridgers was the night’s top winner, picking up four Grammys, three with her band Boygenius, as well as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for Ghost In the Machine with SZA, who won three awards. Bridgers and SZA delivered a stunning performance of their collaboration, which they dedicated to the late Mac Miller.
The show also featured tributes to some of the legends who passed away in the past year, such as Tony Bennet, Tina Turner, and Sinéad O’Connor. Celine Dion, who has been battling a rare neurological disorder, surprised the audience by presenting the Album of the Year Award; she received a standing ovation when she first came out on stage.
Jay-Z received a noncompetitive Grammy, the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, for his contributions to the music industry and the culture. He gave a fiery speech, blasting the Grammys for never awarding his wife, Beyoncé, the Album of the Year and calling for more diversity and inclusion in the Recording Academy.
Killer Mike, who won three Grammys for Best Rap Performance, Rap Song, and Rap Album, was detained by the police shortly after his acceptance speech. The rapper, whose real name is Micheal Santiago Render, was seen being escorted out of the arena in handcuffs by law enforcement. According to the police, he was involved in an altercation with a security guard, who accused him of assaulting her. Killer Mike denied the allegation and said he was confident he would be cleared of all wrongdoing. He also blamed the incident on an “overzealous” security guard and a misunderstanding.
One of the most anticipated performances of the night was the first-ever Grammy appearance by the legendary singer-songwriter, Joni Mitchell, who sang a medley of her classic songs, including Both Sides Now, Big Yellow Taxi, and A Case of You. Mitchell, who has been recovering from a brain aneurysm in 2015, received a standing ovation from the audience and a special tribute from Brandi Carlile, who called her “the greatest songwriter of all time”. Another surprise was the return of Billy Joel, who performed his new single Turn the Lights Back On, his first original song in 17 years. Joel, who has won six Grammys in his career, said he was inspired by the pandemic and the resilience of the human spirit. The audience also enjoyed a moving duet of Fast Car by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, who were nominated for best country solo performance for their respective versions of the song. Chapman, who rarely performs in public, said she was honored to share the stage with Combs, who praised her as “one of the most influential artists of our generation”.
The Grammys are an annual event celebrating and showcasing the talented artists of that year and are a staple in the music industry. The Grammys are a constantly evolving landscape for music, from Taylor Swift’s historic achievement to moving tributes, and unexpected performances, the evening exemplified the transformative power of music to inspire, provoke, and unite audiences worldwide. As the Grammys continue to evolve, they serve as a testament to the enduring legacy of artistic expression and creativity in shaping cultural discourse and leaving a lasting mark on generations to come.