From Harry Styles wearing custom Gucci to a stellar performance by Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, we unravel everything that’s happened at the 2021 Grammys.
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards made headlines from the minute nominations were announced. Accused of favouritism, racial and gendered bias, the show needed to do a lot of heavy lifting to restore their name.
Here’s what went down.
Queen Bey smashed records and didn’t break a sweat
Beyoncé, the Queen herself, won four Grammys at this year’s awards; including with Megan Thee Stallion for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song (Savage), Best R&B Performance for Black Parade, and Best Music Video for Brown Skin Girl. This makes her the most decorated singer in Grammys history, having broken a record set by Alison Krauss.
“As an artist I believe it’s my job, and all of our jobs, to reflect time and it’s been such a difficult time,” Beyonce said during her acceptance speech for Black Parade: a song released on Juneteenth.
With 28 Grammy wins to her name, Beyonce is also the most-nominated female artist in the show’s history – tying with Paul McCartney and sitting just one nom behind Quincy Jones and husband Jay-Z (Shawn Carter).
BEYONCÉ REACTION 😭 pic.twitter.com/25UlneEfaJ
— 𝔹.𝕂☁️ (@Rumiyoncee) March 15, 2021
READ IT. LEARN IT. MEMORIZE IT. DO NOT PLAY WITH MISS BEYONCÉ GISELLE KNOWLES LEGEND RECORD BREAKNG CARTER. pic.twitter.com/y0qVdHv45O
— oni (@__Onixivy_) March 15, 2021
Megan Thee Stallion gave us a show to remember
Like her Savage collaborator, Megan Thee Stallion made history as the first female rapper to win Best Rap Song. She also won Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance.
“If you know me, you have to know that ever since I was little, I was like, ‘You know what, one day I’m going to grow up, I’m going to be like the rap Beyonce’,” she said while accepting her award, aside Queen Bey herself. “That was definitely my goal.”
On top of these monumental awards, the rapper unleashed a performance to remember, serving the children a back to back medley of hit 2020 tracks. Oh, and did I forget to mention? This included the world’s first ever live performance of WAP.
#GRAMMYs winner @theestallion just got even more 🎶Good News! 🎶 Say congratulations to this Best New Artist. 👏 pic.twitter.com/JAfUYXi3Bn
— CBS (@CBS) March 15, 2021
Cardi B and Megan at the Grammys 🤤#GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/h3zoUBxzkx
— pinknarcyssus (@pinknarcyssus) March 15, 2021
A look back on 2020
This year’s Grammys was undoubtably tinted by the legacy of Black Lives Matter and Covid-19. Among the countless anthems addressing police brutality and racial injustice, R&B singer H.E.R. took out Song of the Year for her powerful protest track I Can’t Breathe.
“I didn’t imagine that my fear and that my pain would turn into impact and that it would possibly turn into change,” the singer told audiences.
Mickey Guyton, the first Black woman nominated for Best Country Solo Performance, also delivered a stunning rendition of her song Black Like Me.
Congratulations Tiara Thomas, D’Mile & @HERMusicx for winning Song Of The Year on the #GRAMMYs with the incredible “I Can’t Breathe.” pic.twitter.com/4uIhe1RiJx
— Channel R – Today’s Hits (@channelrradio) March 15, 2021
This year’s in memoriam was particularly heart wrenching due to the known impact of the ongoing Coronavirus. Legends Little Richard, John Prine, and Kenny Rogers were honoured with performances, while John Prine and jazz pioneer Chick Corea both received posthumous awards.
The incomparable @brandicarlile performing the legendary John Prine’s song “I Remember Everything.”
John Prine died at 73 last year due to Covid-19. pic.twitter.com/vjGzKLkraT
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 15, 2021
On Twitter, fans from all around the world are going crazy over Harry Styles’ performing act:
Harry Styles, period. #GRAMMYs
pic.twitter.com/AkuuoP4PqS— Columbia Records (@ColumbiaRecords) March 15, 2021
… as well as his Red Carpet attire:
HARRY STYLES SERVING CLUELESS VIBES #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/D0fLwAOX24
— sof (@lwtcapri) March 15, 2021
Lady Gaga is sending her love from Italy this year:
Watching the Grammy’s from Italy! So honored just to be nominated! Love you little monsters! Love you music, love you art, love you world. God bless health and happiness to all the nominees!
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) March 14, 2021
To absolutely no one’s surprise, we’re all frothing over Bruno Mars’ musical act:
#GRAMMYs: Tributo de Bruno Mars e Anderson .Paak ao Little Richard. pic.twitter.com/eHdHVp9EFw
— Rock Fandom BR (@rockfandombr) March 15, 2021
Everyone after that Bruno Mars performance #grammys pic.twitter.com/hzjYZoaLqD
— twinkonme (@NotAMcmahon) March 15, 2021
And on another note, some are already talking about the 2022 Grammys:
next year when the grammys invites bts to perform i hope they decline saying they’re too busy with other schedules only for seokjin to post a video hanging out with chickens in the middle of a farm again
— k ⁷🍊 (@cyphertann) March 14, 2021
Here’s the full list of winners and nominations:
Congratulations to @jacobcollier on his #GRAMMYs wins! 🎶 https://t.co/QPXIcTnywC pic.twitter.com/3lS37boom4
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) March 15, 2021
Record of the Year
Black Parade — Beyoncé [Beyoncé, Derek Dixie, Stuart White, Colin Leonard]
Colors — Black Pumas [Adrian Quesada, JJ Golden]
Rockstar — DaBaby ft Roddy Ricch [SethinTheKitchen, Derek “MixedByAli” Ali, Chris Dennis, Liz Robson, Susan Tabor]
Say So — Doja Cat [Tyson Trax, Clint Gibbs, Mike Bozzi]
Everything I Wanted — Billie Eilish [Finneas O’Connel, Rob Kinelski, John Greenham]
Don’t Start Now — Dua Lipa [Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Josh Gudwin, Drew Jurecka, Chris Gehringer]
Circles — Post Malone [Louis Bell, Frank Dukes, Post Malone, Louis Bell, Manny Marroquin, Mike Bozzi]
Savage — Megan Thee Stallion ft Beyoncé [Beyoncé, J. White Did It, Stuart White, Colin Leonard]
Album of the Year
Chilombo — Jhené Aiko [Fisticuffs, Julian-Quán Việt Lê, Zeke Mishanec, Christian Plata, Gregg Rominiecki, Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo, Maclean Robinson, Brian Keith Warfield, Dave Kutch]
Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) — Black Pumas [Jon Kaplan, Adrian Quesada, Jacob Sciba, Stuart Sikes, Erik Wofford, Eric Burton, JJ Golden]
Everyday Life — Coldplay [Daniel Green, Bill Rahko, Rik Simpson, Mark “Spike” Stent, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin, Emily Lazar]
Djesse Vol. 3 — Jacob Collier [Jacob Collier, Ben Bloomberg, Chris Allgood, Emily Lazar]
Women In Music Pt. III — HAIM [Rostam Batmanglij, Danielle Haim, Ariel Rechtshaid, Jasmine Chen, John DeBold, Matt DiMona, Tom Elmhirst, Joey Messina-Doerning, Alana Haim, Este Haim, Emily Lazar]
Future Nostalgia — Dua Lipa [Koz, Josh Gudwin, Cameron Gower Poole, Clarence Coffee Jr., Dua Lipa, Chris Gehringer]
Hollywood’s Bleeding — Post Malone [Louis Bell, Frank Dukes, Manny Marroquin, Adam Feeney, Austin Post, Billy Walsh, Mike Bozzi]
Folklore — Taylor Swift [Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Taylor Swift, Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Jonathan Low, Laura Sisk, Randy Merrill]
Song of the Year
Black Parade — Beyonce [Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk, Rickie “Caso” Tice]
The Box — Roddy Ricch [Samuel Gloade, Rodrick Moore]
Cardigan — Taylor Swift [Aaron Dessner Taylor Swift]
Circles — Post Malone [Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Postm Billy Walsh]
Don’t Start Now — Dua Lipa [Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa, Emily Warren]
Everything I Wanted — Billie Eilish [Billie Eilish O’Connell, Finneas O’Connell]
I Can’t Breathe — H. E. R [Dernst Emile II, H.E.R., Tiara Thomas]
If The World Was Ending — JP Saxe ft Julia Michaels [Julia Michaels, JP Saxe]
Best New Artist
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridges
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
Best Pop Solo Performance
Yummy — Justin Bieber
Say So — Doja Cat
Everything I Wanted — Billie Eilish
Don’t Start Now — Dua Lipa
Watermelon Sugar — Harry Styles
Cardigan — Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Un Dia (One Day) — J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy
Intentions — Justin Bieber ft Quavo
Dynamite — BTS
Rain On Me — Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
Exile — Taylor Swift ft Bon Iver
Best Alternative Music Album
Fetch The Bolt Cutters — Fiona Apple Grammys
Hyperspace — Beck
Punisher — Phoebe Bridges
Jaime — Brittany Howard
The Slow Rush — Tame Impala
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Kick I — Arca
Planet’s Mad — Baauer
Energy — Disclosure
Bubba — Kaytranada
Good Faith — Madeon
Best Rock Album
A Hero’s Death — Fontaines D.C.
Kiwanuka — Michael Kiwanuka
Daylight — Grace Potter
Sound & Fury — Sturgill Simpson
The New Abnormal — The Strokes
Best Rap Album Grammys
Black Habits — D Smoke
Alfredo — Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
A Written Testimony — Jay Electronica
King’s Disease — Nas
The Allegory — Royce Da 5’9″
Best Rap Song
The Bigger Picture — Lil Baby
The Box — Roddy Ricch
Laugh Now, Cry Later — Drake ft Lil Durk
Rockstar — DaBaby Featuring Roddy Ricch
Savage — Megan Thee Stallion ft Beyoncé
Best R&B Song
Better Than I Imagined — Robert Glasper ft H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello
Black Parade — Beyoncé
Collide — Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG
Do It — Chloe X Halle
Slow Down — Skip Marley & H.E.R.
Best Rock Song
Kyoto — Phoebe Bridges
Lost In Yesterday — Tame Impala
Not — Big Thief
Shameika — Fiona Apple
Stay High — Brittany Howard
Best Country Song
Bluebird — Miranda Lambert
The Bones — Maren Morris
Crowded Table — The Highwomen
More Hearts Than Mine — Ingrid Andress
Some People Do — Old Dominion