Music’s biggest night did not disappoint. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards was recorded live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.
For the fourth time, comedian Trevor Noah hosted the awards. He once again showcased his ability to create a lively environment with consistent table interactions and timely jokes (side eye TikTok).
The Grand Stage
Sza led the night with nine nominations, winning three, including Best R&B Song for “Snooze.”
She was awarded the Grammy by her friend and fellow recording artist, Lizzo, who was last year’s Record Of The Year winner. The two embraced after Sza raced to the stage to collect her trophy.
“Lizzo and I have been friends since 2013, when we were both on a tiny Red Bull tour together,” Sza said.” Opening up in small rooms for like a hundred people, and to be on the stage with her is so amazing. I’m so grateful.”
Victoria Monét was on Sza’s heels with seven nominations and walked away with three.
During her Best New Artist acceptance speech, the 34-year-old singer spoke of realizing her 15-year pursuit in the music industry with her Grammy wins.
“I moved to LA in 2009, and I like to liken myself to a plant, who was planted and you can look at the music industry as soil. It can be looked at as dirty or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients and water. My roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen for so long. I feel like today, I’m sprouting, finally above ground.”
The Grammys wouldn’t be complete without performances. Luke Combs and Tracy Champman set the tone with a duet of Chapman’s 1988 hit, “Fast Car.”
Sza’s live rendition of her hit “Kill Bill” was a theatrical masterpiece. Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox and Jon Batiste honored musicians we lost in 2023.
Fantasia brought down the house with her fringed-out tribute to the late Tina Turner, performing “Proud Mary.” And, at 80 years old, Folk music legend Joni Mitchell performed for the first time on a Grammy stage.
Jay-Z Said What He Said
Jay-Z received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, a category established in 2022 to celebrate the contributions of its receipt to the music industry. Sunday’s win made 24 trophies for the rapper, and while he thanked the Academy, he took the time to criticize some of their practices.
He began his speech by stating that the Grammy selection process is purely subjective. “It’s music, and it’s opinion-based,” he said.
He then called out the academy for their consistent shuns to Black artists, including his wife, Beyoncé. With 32 Grammys, the singer is the most-awarded artist but has never won Album Of The Year.
Jay-Z provided more context, pointing out when the Grammy’s failed to nominate DMX after he released two No. 1 albums within a year.
He emphasized his point by saying, “Even by your own metrics, it doesn’t work. ” He added, “We want you to get it right — at least get it close to right.”
The Grammy Pre-Show Was Full of Surprises
The Grammys pre-show saw several firsts. CoCo Jones won her first Grammy for Best R&B Performance. 22-year-old South African newcomer Tyla won the Grammy for Best African Music Performance in the category’s first year.
Rapper Killer Mike swept the rap category, taking home three Grammys, including Best Rap Album. Unfortunately, shortly after his historic win, Mike was detained by LAPD police stemming from an alleged altercation between the rapper and a security guard earlier that night.
At the time of publishing, his lawyer reported that he was released from police custody.
As always, social media is a buzz with discussions and debates about the outcome of the awards. If you missed last night’s live show, check out the highlights on our X feed at @TheBWSTimes.
Below is a complete list of winners.
RECORD OF THE YEAR – “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
ALBUM OF THE YEAR – “Midnights,” Taylor Swift
SONG OF THE YEAR – “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Billie Eilish O’Connell
BEST NEW ARTIST – Victoria Monét
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL – Jack Antonoff
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL – Theron Thomas
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE – “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE – “Ghost in the Machine,” SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers
BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM – “Midnights,” Taylor Swift
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC RECORDING – “Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. and Flowdan
BEST POP DANCE RECORDING – “Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC ALBUM – “Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022),” Fred again..
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE – “Not Strong Enough,” boygenius
BEST METAL PERFORMANCE – “72 Seasons,” Metallica
BEST ROCK SONG – “Not Strong Enough,” Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)
BEST ROCK ALBUM – “This Is Why,” Paramore
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE – “This Is Why,” Paramore
BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM – “The Record,” boygenius
BEST R&B PERFORMANCE – “ICU,” Coco Jones
BEST TRADITIONAL R&B PERFORMANCE – “Good Morning,” PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol
BEST R&B SONG – “Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe and Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)
BEST PROGRESSIVE R&B ALBUM – “SOS,” SZA
BEST R&B ALBUM – “Jaguar II,” Victoria Monét
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE – “Scientists & Engineers,” Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane
BEST MELODIC RAP PERFORMANCE – “All My Life,” Lil Durk featuring J. Cole
BEST RAP SONG – “Scientists & Engineers,” André Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore and Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane)
BEST RAP ALBUM – “Michael,” – Killer Mike
BEST SPOKEN WORD POETRY ALBUM – “The Light Inside,” J. Ivy
BEST JAZZ PERFORMANCE – “Tight,” Samara Joy
BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM – “How Love Begins,” Nicole Zuraitis
BEST JAZZ INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM – “The Winds of Change,” Billy Childs
BEST LARGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALBUM – “Basie Swings the Blues,” The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart
BEST LATIN JAZZ ALBUM – “El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2,” Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo
BEST ALTERNATIVE JAZZ ALBUM – “The Omnichord Real Book,” Meshell Ndegeocello
BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM – “Bewitched,” Laufey
BEST CONTEMPORARY INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM – “As We Speak,” Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM – “Some Like It Hot,” Orignal Broadway Cast
BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE – “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
BEST COUNTRY DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE – “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves
BEST COUNTRY SONG – “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM – “Bell Bottom Country,” Lainey Wilson
BEST AMERICAN ROOTS PERFORMANCE – “Eve Was Black,” Allison Russell
BEST AMERICANA PERFORMANCE – “Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile
BEST AMERICAN ROOTS SONG – “Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)
BEST AMERICANA ALBUM – “Weathervanes,” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
BEST BLUEGRASS ALBUM – “City of Gold,” Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
BEST TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM – “All My Love for You,” Bobby Rush
BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM – “Blood Harmony,” Larkin Poe
BEST FOLK ALBUM – “Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live),” Joni Mitchell
BEST REGIONAL ROOTS MUSIC ALBUM –
“New Beginnings,” Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. and the Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band
“Live: Orpheum Theater Nola,” Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (tie)
BEST GOSPEL PERFORMANCE/SONG – “All Things,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE/SONG – “Your Power,” Lecrae and Tasha Cobbs Leonard
BEST GOSPEL ALBUM – “All Things New: Live in Orlando,” Tye Tribbett
BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC ALBUM – “Church Clothes 4,” Lecrae
BEST ROOTS GOSPEL ALBUM – “Echoes of the South,” Blind Boys of Alabama
BEST LATIN POP ALBUM – “X Mí (Vol. 1),” Gaby Moreno
BEST MÚSICA URBANA ALBUM – “Mañana Será Bonito,” Karol G
BEST LATIN ROCK OR ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
“Vida Cotidiana,” Juanes
“De Todas Las Flores,” Natalia Lafourcade (tie)
BEST MÚSICA MEXICANA ALBUM (INCLUDING TEJANO) – “Génesis,” Peso Pluma
BEST TROPICAL LATIN ALBUM – “Siembra: 45° Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022),” Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado and Orquesta
BEST GLOBAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE – “Pashto,” Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
BEST AFRICAN MUSIC PERFORMANCE – “Water,” Tyla
BEST GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUM – “This Moment,” Shakti
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BEST REGGAE ALBUM – “Colors of Royal,” Julian Marley & Antaeus
BEST NEW AGE, AMBIENT OR CHANT ALBUM – “So She Howls,” Carla Patullo featuring Tonality and the Scorchio Quartet
BEST CHILDREN’S MUSIC ALBUM – “We Grow Together Preschool Songs,” 123 Andrés
BEST COMEDY ALBUM – “What’s in a Name?,” Dave Chappelle
BEST AUDIOBOOK, NARRATION AND STORYTELLING RECORDING – “The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times,” Michelle Obama
BEST COMPILATION SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA – “Barbie: The Album” (Various Artists)
BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VISUAL MEDIA (INCLUDES FILM AND TELEVISION) – “Oppenheimer,” Ludwig Göransson, composer
BEST SCORE SOUNDTRACK FOR VIDEO GAMES AND OTHER INTERACTIVE MEDIA – “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor,” Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab, composers
BEST SONG WRITTEN FOR VISUAL MEDIA – “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie: The Album,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
BEST MUSIC VIDEO – “I’m Only Sleeping” (The Beatles), Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin and Laura Thomas, video producers
BEST MUSIC FILM – “Moonage Daydream” (David Bowie), Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer
BEST RECORDING PACKAGE – “Stumpwork,” Luke Brooks and James Theseus Buck, art directors (Dry Cleaning)
BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE – “For the Birds: The Birdsong Project,” Jeri Heiden and John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)
BEST ALBUM NOTES – “Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos,” Robert Gordon and Deanie Parker, album notes writers (Various Artists)
BEST HISTORICAL ALBUM – “Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos,” – Various Artists
BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL – “Jaguar II,” – Victoria Monét
BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, CLASSICAL – “Contemporary American Composers,” David Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, CLASSICAL – Elaine Martone
BEST REMIXED RECORDING – “Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix),” Wet Leg, remixers (Depeche Mode)
BEST IMMERSIVE AUDIO ALBUM “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” – Alicia Keys
BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION – “Helena’s Theme,” John Williams, composer (John Williams)
BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTAL OR A CAPPELLA – “Folsom Prison Blues,” The String Revolution featuring Tommy Emmanuel
BEST ARRANGEMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND VOCALS – “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” säje Featuring Jacob Collier
BEST ORCHESTRAL PERFORMANCE – “Adès: Dante,” Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
BEST OPERA RECORDING – “Blanchard: Champion,” The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus
BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE – “Saariaho: Reconnaissance,” Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)
BEST CHAMBER MUSIC/SMALL ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE – “Rough Magic,” Roomful of Teeth
BEST CLASSICAL INSTRUMENTAL SOLO – “The American Project,” Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)
BEST CLASSICAL SOLO VOCAL ALBUM – “Walking in the Dark,” Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)
BEST CLASSICAL COMPENDIUM – “Passion for Bach and Coltrane,” Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith and A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown and Mark Dover, producers
BEST CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL COMPOSITION – “Montgomery: Rounds,” Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry and Roomful of Teeth)