…and the Grammy Goes to…
BY BRITANI BEASLEY
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On Sunday, January 6th of 2014, musicians of many different backgrounds and genres arrived to a night of dancing, speeches and fashion for the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Hosted by the talented LL Cool J, this was a night that the stars and the fans will remember! After Beyoncé and Jay Z opened the night with a performance of her hot song, “Drunk In Love,” Katy Perry entertained with a shady performance of “Dark Horse.” Pink majestically flew through the air and showed her emotional and physical strength during her dual performance of her popular song “Try,” and her duet with Nate Ruess of “Give Me a Reason,”. These were not the only chart-toppers making news at the 2014 Grammy Awards; Chicago also stopped by took us back into the past by singing “Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is” and “Saturday in the Park,” while sharing the stage with Robin Thicke for a duet of his popular song “Blurred Lines.” Performances that we can’t stop talking about are among the most outrageous and random collaborations, and they would not have even crossed our minds including Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons as well as Pharrell, Stevie Wonder and Daft Punk. Both of these performances were high energy and unforgettable!
Among these performances were the “Beatles Reunion” of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Some of the performances and stars that left us speechless for the night, was Taylor Swift and her friend, Lorde. Although both of them have proven to be talented musicians, we could not help but think “What is going on?” during Lorde’s twisted performance of “Royals,” as well as her almost uncomfortable acceptance of her award. Taylor Swift, literally turned heads during her performance by continually throwing her head back in emotional rage while belting out her song “All Too Well.” Although Swift did not win an award this year, she did, however, receive my vote for most awkward dance moves. We cannot go any further in talking about the 2014 Grammy Awards without speaking about the emotional and moving performance by Macklemore, Madonna and Queen Latifah. While the song, “Same Love,” began as Macklemore, Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert took the stage, 33 couples–some same-sex and some heterosexual–were wedded by Queen Latifah, who officiated the ceremony. In the background of the vows, Madonna began singing “Open Your Heart.” Many emotions from the crowd were being shared, along with tears from Australian country music singer Keith Urban as well as a catch of a bouquet from Katy Perry.
There is no doubt that this Grammy Awards Show is one for the books! Below is a full list of winners from the 2014 show!
Album of the Year:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
Record of the Year:
Daft Punk, “Get Lucky”
Song of the Year:
Lorde, “Royals”
Best Country Album:
Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Bruno Mars, Unorthodox Jukebox
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration:
Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake, “Holy Grail”
Best Pop Solo Performance:
Lorde, “Royals”
Best Rock Song:
Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear, “Cut Me Some Slack”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, “Get Lucky”
Best New Artist:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Best Rock Album:
Led Zeppelin, Celebration Day
Best Metal Performance:
Black Sabbath, “God Is Dead?”
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Pharrell Williams
Best Alternative Music Album:
Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City
Best Rock Performance:
Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
Best Country Song:
Kacey Musgraves, “Merry Go ‘Round”
Best Country Solo Performance:
Darius Rucker, “Wagon Wheel”
Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
The Civil Wars, “From This Valley”
Best Music Film:
Paul McCartney, Live Kisses
Best Music Video:
Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z, “Suit and Tie”
Best Blues Album:
Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite, Get Up!
Best R&B Album:
Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire
Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Rihanna, Unapologetic
Best R&B Song:
Justin Timberlake, “Pusher Love Girl”
Best Traditional R&B Performance:
Gary Clark, Jr., “Please Come Home”
Best R&B Performance:
Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway, “Something”
Best Pop Instrumental Album:
Herb Alpert, Steppin’ Out
Best Dance Recording:
Zedd Featuring Foxes, “Clarity”
Best Dance/Electronica Album:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
Best Rap Performance:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz, “Thrift Shop”
Best Rap Song:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz, “Thrift Shop”
Best Rap Album:
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the Heist
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album:
Michael Bublé, To Be Loved
Best New Age Album:
Laura Sullivan, Love’s River
Best Improvised Jazz Solo:
Wayne Shorter, “Orbits”
Best Jazz Vocal Album:
Gregory Porter, Liquid Spirit
Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
Terri Lyne Carrington, Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album:
Randy Brecker, Wlodek Pawlik Trio and Kalisz Philharmonic, Night in Calisia
Best Latin Jazz Album:
Paquito D’Rivera and Trio Corrente, Song for Maura
Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance:
Tasha Cobbs, Break Every Chain
Best Gospel Song:
Tye Tribbett, “If He Did It Before . . . Same God”
Best Contemporary Christian Music Song:
Mandisa, “Overcomer”
Best Gospel Album:
Tye Tribbett, Greater Than
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Mandisa, Overcomer
Best Latin Pop Album:
Draco Rosa, Vida
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album:
La Santa Cecilia, Treinta Días
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano):
Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea, A Mi Manera
Best Tropical Latin Album:
Pacific Mambo Orchestra, Pacific Mambo Orchestra
Best American Roots Song:
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, “Love Has Come for You”
Best Americana Album:
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Old Yellow Moon
Best Bluegrass Album:
Del McCoury Band, The Streets of Baltimore
Best Reggae Album:
Ziggy Marley, Ziggy Marley in Concert
Best World Music Album:
Gipsy Kings, Savor Flamenco (tie)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Live: Singing for Peace Around the World (tie)
Best Folk Album:
Guy Clark, My Favorite Picture of You
Best Regional Roots Music Album:
Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Dockside Sessions
Best Children’s Album:
Jennifer Gasoi, Throw A Penny In the Wishing Well
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling):
Stephen Colbert, America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t
Best Comedy Album:
Kathy Griffin, Calm Down Gurrl
Best Musical theater Album:
Kinky Boots
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Sound City: Real to Reel
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Skyfall, Thomas Newman, composer
Best Song Written for Visual Media:
Adele, “Skyfall”
Best Instrumental Composition:
The Clare Fischer Orchestra, “Pensamientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra”
Best Instrumental Arrangement:
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, “on Green Dolphin Street”
Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s):
Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding, “Swing Low”
Best Recording Package:
Reckless Kelly, Long Night Moon
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package:
Paul McCartney and Wings, Wings Over America (Deluxe Edition)
Best Album Notes:
John Coltrane, Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered and Expanded)
Best Historical Album:
The Rolling Stones, Charlie Is My Darling – Ireland 1965 (tie)
Bill Withers, the Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical:
Lana Del Rey, “Summertime Sadness
Best Surround Sound Album:
Paul McCartney, Live Kisses
Best Engineered Album, Classical:
Dawn Upshaw, Maria Schneider, Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Winter Morning Walks
Producer of the Year, Classical:
David Frost
Best Orchestral Performance:
Minnesota Orchestra, Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4
Best Opera Recording:
The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Adès: the Tempest
Best Choral Performance:
Tui Hirv and Rainer Vilu; Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir; Sinfonietta Riga and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra; Latvian Radio Choir and Vox Clamantis, Pärt: Adam’s Lament
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance:
Brad Wells and Roomful of Teeth, Roomful Of Teeth
Best Classical Instrumental Solo:
Albany Symphony, Corigliano: Conjurer – Concerto for Percussionist and String Orchestra
Best Classical Vocal Solo:
Maria Schneider; Jay anderson, Frank Kimbrough and Scott Robinson; Australian Chamber Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Winter Morning Walks
Best Classical Compendium:
Hindemith: Violinkonzert; Symphonic Metamorphosis; Konzertmusik;
Christoph Eschenbach, Conductor
Best Contemporary Classical Composition:
Schneider, Maria: Winter Morning Walks, Maria Schneider, Composer
