The Grammys are considered the biggest night in music. The awards take a look back at some of the most popular music to hit the airwaves in the past year. It’s more than just an awards show, however, as this year’s televised event featured 20 different musical performances.
One of the biggest winners of the night was Daft Punk, with four awards, including Album and Record of the Year. The group remained in character throughout the night and Pharrell Williams spoke on their behalf. Daft Punk also had a rare and colorful live performance which included appearances by Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, and Nile Rodgers.
Lorde performed her hit song “Royals” soon after Beyonce and Jay-Z opened the show with a very sexualized performance of “Drunk in Love.” While it might seem like a tough act to follow, Lorde’s less-than-pop performance was equally as impressive. Her dance moves and vocals were performed with a gothic aesthetic. It was a bit awkward to see at first, but at the young age of 17, she stands out not only as a singer but also as a performer. Lorde took home two Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
One of the most heartwarming moments occurred during Macklemore’s performance of the LGBT equality anthem, “Same Love.” Not only did it include an appearance by Madonna, but Queen Latifah also officiated a mass wedding ceremony of 33 couples of varying race and sexual orientation.
While the performance did take a little away from a night dedicated to music, it did not overshadow the awards show. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis won four Grammys including Best New Artist and Best Rap Song.
Kendrick Lamar may not have won any Grammys but he certainly gained some fans. As expected in a Grammys performance, the most unique and memorable collaboration of the night was a mash-up of Kendrick Lamar’s “M.A.A.D. City” and Imagine Dragons “Radioactive.” The performance was stunning.
The timeless Paul McCartney also performed “Queenie Eye” with former Beatle Ringo Starr on drums.
The awards show was roughly four hours long and had many memorable performances, but there were a few that didn’t seem necessary.
For example, Metallica’s performance of their classic hit “One.” The group hasn’t released any new music since 2011 and any good music since probably 1988.
It seemed like there were more performances than actual awards given throughout the night. Eliminating some of the performances could have made more room for awards that were not televised, such as the Best Alternative Music Album category, in which vampire weekend won for their album “Vampires of the City.”
The night ended with Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, and Dave Grohl performing songs, “Copy of A” and “My God is the Sun,” together. The performance was cut short by messages from sponsors, but it was still a nice way to conclude a music-filled night.