The 62nd Grammy Awards: Sweeps and Weeps

By Andrew Greenway, 1/27/20 (Header image by the Grammy’s website)

“We didn’t make this album to win a Grammy. We didn’t think it would win anything, ever. We wrote an album about depression, suicidal thoughts, and climate change and being a bad guy. Whatever that means. We stand up here confused and grateful.”

Finneas O’Connell, accepting Album of the Year with his sister Billie Ellish

When reflecting on the past decade of music, music commentators see it as a period defined by emerging technologies and flash-in-the-pan trends fundamentally changing the landscape. As we’ve seen many stars dim with age and tragedy, new standard-bearers have come to replace the old and many have brought a bevy of new experiences to the forefront of pop music.

Last night’s celebration was no exception.

Hosted in the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and with a wealth of new artists leading the pack, the 62nd Grammy Awards was an evening of weighty memorials, heartfelt performances, and timid entrances. Lizzo kicked off the show with an exceptional medley of tracks capped off with a flute solo in tribute to the sudden loss of Kobe Bryant.

MC for the evening, Alicia Keys, followed behind the 8-time nominee with a teary-eyed cover of “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” alongside Boyz II Men.

“We’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.”

Even today, the news continues to weigh heavily on the hearts of fans and people worldwide. While some criticized the Grammys for continuing even in the wake of the tragedy that took Bryant, his daughter, and seven others, many artists acknowledged the heavy toll of the loss. Most notably, his iconic purple and yellow “24” jersey makes an appearance during Lil Nas X’s performance.

While other tributes made their impact felt throughout the night, the ensemble performance of “Racks in the Middle” for Nippsee Hussle and Usher’s tribute to Prince, the evening remained relentlessly hopeful for the future.

Of the performances during the evening, one that stood out was the ballad performed by Camila Cabello to her father.

Cabello wasn’t alone in giving family the spotlight. Best Rap Album winner, Tyler, the Creator, dedicated his acceptance speech to not only his fans and crew but also to his family for supporting him through his crazy ideas. Without their help (and the encouragement of Pharrel Williams), Tyler felt he may have never gotten as far as he did.

This gratitude was a theme throughout the evening. Especially in the final performance of the night. A tribute to retiring head of the Recording Academy in an ensemble rendition Fame’s “Sing the Body Electric” featuring various students and Grammy winners returning to honor the Academy’s commitment to music education. Notable artists included Common, pianist Lang Lang, and Gary Clark Jr. on guitar.

Legendary rock band Aerosmith was recognized as MusiCares Person Of The Year for 2020, an offshoot of the Recording Academy which assists musicians and artists during times of struggle. The band is being honored for their various charity contributions, especially leading man Steven Tyler’s initiative, Janie’s Fund.

As the night came to close, the attention turned to the Big 4. And with a ballot loaded with such talented and beloved artists, the race was understandably tense. Yet despite fierce competition from past nominees (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, and Ariana Grande) and new darlings (Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Lewis Capaldi), Billie Ellish and her team swept the show claiming Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year.

This impressive sweep of awards and nominations makes this show especially historic.

According to an article by Billboard, Lizzo and Ellish are amongst only 12 artists to be nominated in all of the “Big 4” categories. The only artists to claim all 4, besides Ellish, was Christopher Cross in 1980. It is also the first year we’ve had two artists contending for all 4 categories as well.

Visit the website of the Grammys for the complete list of award winners. Below are significant award winners either not spotlighted during the show or were not mentioned above:

• Technical Application of Music
  • Best Remixed Recording
    • “I Rise” by Madonna (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix)
  • Best Instrumental Composition
    • “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite” by John Williams
  • Best Song Written for Visual Media
    • “I’ll Never Love Again” (from A Star Is Born) by Natalie Hemby & Lady Gaga
  • Best Score for Visual Media
    • “Chernobyl” composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir
  • Best Soundtrack for Visual Media
    • A Star is Born
  • Best Music Film
    • “Homecoming” by Beyoncé
  • Best Music Video
    • “Old Town Road (Official Movie)” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
• Electronic/Dance Music
  • Best Electronic/Dance Song
    • “Got To Keep On” by the Chemical Brothers
  • Best Dance/Electronic Album
    • “No Geography” by The Chemical Brothers
• Country Music
  • Best Country Solo Performance
    • “Ride Me Back Home” by Willie Nelson
  • Best Country Duo/Group Performance
    • “Speechless” by Dan + Shay
  • Best Country Song
    • “Bring My Flowers Now” by Tanya Tucker
  • Best Country Album
    • “While I’m Livin’” by Tanya Tucker
• Rock, Metal, and Alternative Music
  • Best Metal Performance
    • “7empest” by Tool
  • Best Rock Performance & Best Rock Song
    • “This Land” by Gary Clark Jr.
  • Best Rock Album
    • “Social Cues” by Cage The Elephant
  • Best Alternative Album
    • “Father Of The Bride” by Vampire Weekend
• R&B Music
  • Best R&B Performance
    • “Come Home” by Anderson .Paak feat. André 3000
  • Best Traditional R&B Performance
    • “Jerome” by Lizzo
  • Best R&B Song
    • “Say So” by PJ Morton feat. JoJo
  • Best R&B Album
    • “Ventura” by Anderson .Paak
• Rap & Hip-Hop Music
  • Best Rap/Sung Performance
    • “Higher” by DJ Khaled feat. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend
  • Best Rap Song
    • “A Lot” by 21 Savage Featuring J. Cole
• Pop Music
  • Best Pop Solo Performance
    • “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo
  • Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    • “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
  • Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
    • “Look Now” by Elvis Costello & The Imposters
  • Best Pop Vocal Album
    • “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” by Billie Eilish

Editor’s Note: While officially recognized during the broadcast, Shawn Combs, the artist known as Diddy amongst many other names, was awarded the Icon Award. His speech, though political in nature, was also amongst one of the most important from the event, in this editor’s opinion.

It can be found here, video is courtesy of Entertainment Tonight.

Tags: Billie Ellish, grammy awards, Kobe Bryant, Lizzo