The 66th Annual Grammy Awards were record-breaking a mix of comedy, documentaries, corporate events, and concerts. The 2024 Grammy Awards’ best and worst moments have become the talk of town. The Awards took place at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. The ceremony highlighted Taylor Swift’s record-breaking fourth Album of the Year win for Midnights. Overall, the Grammy telecast was considered quite good, with the event lasting under four hours. The presence of strong performers like SZA, Billy Joel, Tracy Chapman, and Joni Mitchell helped keep the show lively. Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Oprah elevated the excitement a hundredfold.
Let’s not forget that the music industry has downs, as highlighted by host Trevor Noah’s joke about UMG’s TikTok feud. Here’s a summary of the 2024 Grammy Awards’ best and worst moments that you might have missed. Read on for a fun ride.
2024 Grammys Best Moments
Celine Dion Appearing as Unannounced Presenter
After announcing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome and canceling all her concert dates, Celine Dion has been mostly out of the public eye. However, she made a surprise return at the Grammys wrapped in a thick coat as a presenter for Album of the Year. Despite not performing, her appearance brought joy to everyone. Celine reminisced about winning the award in 1997 and then announced Taylor Swift as the winner. It felt like a grand moment that reminded everyone that Dion may not be singing, but she is still a shining star.
Unexpected Roast by Jay-Z
Jay-Z and Beyoncé have won numerous Grammy Awards and nominations. They made a surprise appearance at the event. Surprisingly, Jay-Z criticized the Recording Academy for past injustices towards rap categories and for repeatedly overlooking Beyoncé in major album categories. He discussed the discrepancy in Beyoncé’s wins, mainly in R&B and urban genres. This was not the first time Jay-Z spoke out against the Grammys. His remarks highlighted another Black artist as well. Like Beyoncé, SZA received many nominations but did not win in major categories.
SZA Running to Accept Her Award
When SZA won the Best R&B Song for Snooze award, she nearly missed her moment because she was backstage changing. She rushed to the stage after hearing her name, out of breath and admitting to taking a shot before running. Her speech showcased her personality better than her performance. She seemed overwhelmed by the moment halfway through and became visibly emotional. She interrupted herself and humorously said, “I’m not a pretty crier—have a good evening!” before hurrying offstage.
Miley Cyrus: The New Cher
Miley Cyrus’s Grammys 2024 style resembled Cher’s best, with towering hair and flashy Bob Mackie attire. She won two Grammys and entertained everyone with her quirky speeches. Her standout moment was her performance of Flowers, where she even joked with the audience mid-song. It was one of the best Grammy performances in 2024. One thing is clear, that Hannah Montana still knows how to engage an audience.
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Women Ruling the Night
Taylor Swift, SZA, Boygenius, and Cyrus dominated this year’s Grammys. It was clear that women would play a significant role, and they did more than just participate. They completely stole the spotlight. Women took home every big category award given during the event. The top honors were SZA, Victoria Monét, Barbie, and Boygenius. The night celebrated women’s perfection and empowered voices, from Billie Eilish’s adorable performance to Tracy Chapman’s emotional moment and Taylor Swift’s confident acceptance speech.
Tracy Chapman as Unannounced Performer
The Grammys teased a performance by Luke Combs, known for his country hit Fast Car. The song was a rendition of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song. However, when the moment arrived, Chapman took the stage with an acoustic guitar. Although she has been away from the music industry and has not toured since 2009, Chapman looked happy as she performed. She remained the focus of everyone’s attention and rightfully stole the spotlight.
A Remarkable Debut Grammy Performance by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, now 80, has sung her folk song Both Sides Now since she was 23. Every time she sings it, she interprets the wise lyrics differently. Joni Mitchell’s Grammys 2024 performance was her first ever at the show. She was accompanied by a jazz band and added her twists to the familiar song. Despite facing health challenges in recent years, she showcased her strong voice and made it a special moment for everyone.
Related: 2024 Grammy Nominees: The Beat of Excellence
Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo as the Best Theatrical Pop Stars
The two young women delivered powerful performances at the Grammys by singing at the highest parts of their voices while playing the piano. Billie Eilish sang her emotional song from Barbie, What Was I Made For? Quietly. Olivia Rodrigo impressed the audience with her hit Vampire. She hit the difficult high notes and added a dramatic touch to the performance by covering herself in fake blood. Both performances hinted at young women being judged by their appearance and fragility. They both used theatrics effectively to convey their messages.
Best Redemptive Elegies: In Memoriam
The In Memoriam segment at the Grammys is often a sensitive moment, which struck the right chord this year. Stevie Wonder paid tribute to Tony Bennett and praised his musical talent and lifelong dedication to civil rights. Annie Lennox, with Wendy and Lisa from Prince’s band, presented a moving cover of Nothing Compares 2 U in honour of Sinead O’Connor. Jon Batiste and Ann Nesby sang Bill Withers’ songs. Fantasia Barrino-Taylor honored Tina Turner with Proud Mary and showcased the power of recorded music to preserve memories.
Also read: Grammy Awards: 2024 Winners And Nominees List
2024 Grammy Awards Worst Moments
Hip-Hop Comedown by Travis Scott
Last year’s Grammys celebrated hip-hop’s 50th anniversary with a lively tribute featuring LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Ice-T, and others, which was a significant moment for the genre. However, this year, hip-hop was mainly represented by Travis Scott. Travis and Playboi Carti delivered a somewhat lackluster performance of his songs. The performance included some fiery visuals and chair smashing but lacked energy. The suggestion is that they should have invited Ice Spice to spice things up if the guys could not deliver.
Making a Long Show Longer with Video Intros
Elaborately produced interview segments introduced performances by Combs, SZA, Scott, Cyrus, and Joel. It didn’t if the Grammy intended to build anticipation with these videos. The clips felt like stalling. With each one, a different musician had lost a slot to perform.
Grammy Performances 2024 Ranked Best to Worst
Business Insider has shared its top 5 performances and one that didn’t go well. The list goes as follows.
- Dua Lipa — Best
- Tracy Chapman — Best
- Miley Cyrus — Best
- Olivia Rodrigo — Best
- Joni Mitchell — Best
- Travis Scott — Worst
Best and Worst Dressed Grammys 2024
Her Campus listed its best and worst dressed Grammy 2024 looks as under.
Best Dressed | Worst Dressed |
Lenny Kravitz in Rick Owens | Ice Spice in Baby Phat |
Olivia Rodrigo in Versace | Alix Earle in Alexander McQueen |
Billie Eilish as 1965 “Poodle Parade” Barbie | Billie Eilish in Chrome Hearts |
Coco Jones in Celia Krithariot | Ed Sheeran in camo |
Tyla in custom Versace | Kelly Osbourne in Christian Siriano |
Bottom Line
Although the 66th Annual Grammys did not quite reach the anticipated spectacle, it still provided enjoyable moments. The ceremony included standout performances by SZA and Fantasia Barrino and Jay-Z’s memorable acceptance speech. But like all the other events, we also saw some of the best and worst moments of the 2024 Grammy Awards.
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