This year’s Oscars and a week full of Slap Discourse were always going to be a tough act for the Grammys to follow. There were great performances from Lil Nas X, BTS, and Olivia Rodrigo, but hip-hop as usual was overlooked and Silk Sonic and Jon Batiste carried on the Grammys tradition of picking safe winners outside the pop mainstream. Controversy was limited to Louis CK’s win for Best Comedy Album, and a tone-deaf description of Virgil Abloh during the In Memoriam section.
Trevor Noah returned to host, and did a solid job, cracking wise about NFTs, the pandemic, and “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” Expanding the nominees in Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist led to some fun, wonky inclusions–Glass Animals earning a Best New Artist nod nearly eight years after their debut LP, for instance–but didn’t create any big upsets.
Amusing moments among the presenters included Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion’s funny wardrobe bit (aided by Donatella Versace), Ludacris throwing a little lighthearted shade at Noah for not having a better afro, and Jared Leto listing the nominees for Best Pop Album as if he was reading a list of mythical Greek gods. Here are the moments you should know about.
Predictable Grammy-safe choices took home the major awards, though there were a few fun surprises.
“We’re trying to remain humble,” Anderson .Paak joked when he and Bruno Mars accepted their fourth Grammy, this time for Record of the Year. But anyone familiar with the usual predilections of the Recording Academy could have guessed that Silk Sonic would end the night with multiple big awards–they make the exact sort of music the show loves to celebrate.
“Leave the Door Open” is a classic Grammy track–and not just because it features Bruno Mars, who has now won ROTY three times since 2016. Mars is one of our foremost repackagers of nostalgia, and the song is slick, nostalgic and evocative of classic ‘70s soul. It’s true that ”Leave the Door Open” was a massive hit, one of the 10 biggest songs of 2021. But with so much exciting new stuff happening in music–the arrival of Olivia Rodrigo, the genre-defying success of Lil Nas X, the superstar transformation of Doja Cat–it felt like the safe choice.
Jon Batiste taking home Album of the Year for We Are felt more shocking, but it’s basically the equivalent of CODA winning this year’s Oscars–neither had much cultural impact, but they’re uplifting, inoffensive picks. Batiste’s track “Freedom” played in a Gap commercial during the show (as well as in ads throughout March Madness). He’s extremely talented, the kind of multi-hyphenate artist the Grammys usually love, and his win felt reminiscent of an earlier era of the show when records like Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters or Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand took home the night’s main prize.
There were a few notable upsets though. Jazmine Sullivan besting Grammy darling H.E.R. for Best R&B Album was a well-deserved stunner–Heaux Tales was one of last year’s best LPs. Up-and-comer Baby Keem beat out heavyweights like Cardi B, J. Cole and Megan Thee Stallion for Best Rap Performance and Arooj Aftab did the same in Best Global Music Performance.
The major pop performances lived up to the hype.
A-list performances are generally what gets casual viewers to check out the Grammys every year, and it’s hard to quibble much with what 2022’s pack of stars brought. All seven members of BTS put in their bid to play James Bond with a slick take on their smash “Butter,” while Olivia Rodrigo hit every aching note of “Drivers License” in a tremendously emotive performance.
And, as he always does, Lil Nas X stole the show with a medley of “Dead Right Now,” “Montero,” and Industry baby” replete with wardrobe changes, a small army of dancers, and a surprisingly limber Jack Harlow joining on some of the choreography. He’s obviously improved as a vocalist, but Lil Nas continues to prove that his mere presence alone is appointment viewing.
Several of the non-pop acts impressed with their songs, too, including a stirring rendition of “Ne Me Quitte Pas” by vocal powerhouse Ledisi from her Nina Simone cover album. Breakthrough country act Jimmie Allen’s “Down Home” was moving, tender and powerful. (Allen wrote the song as a tribute to his late father.)
Hip-hop was underrepresented.
The two Nas’—Lil and Escobar—were the only rap acts to perform throughout the entire three-and-a-half-hour show, which felt…strange…given hip-hop’s dominance in music culture. As great as it was to see Nasir Jones play a medley of his classics and new material, where were some of the more contemporary stars who have taken up the mantle from him? J. Cole—who has never had a particularly fruitful relationship with the Grammys, winning his first recently as a featured performer on 21 Savage’s 2019 hit “A Lot”—was busy hosting his own festival. Drake withdrew his submissions, and with them, any chance of his appearance or involvement. Granted, Kanye was slated to perform until producers deemed that too much of a risk, considering his recent behavior. (That didn’t stop him from winning two awards, for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Melodic Performance.)
Given his recent award show appearances in the last few months, a Tyler, the Creator performance would have been a guaranteed jolt. Hell, it would have even just been nice to see him accept Best Rap Album. Word is Tyler canceled plans to appear last-minute, which is why we saw Best Rap Performance televised instead, where an attendant Keem was on deck to take the stage. But why not invite Keem, one of hip-hop’s most exciting freshmen, to perform from the outset? Who knows, he might’ve even convinced his cousin Kendrick Lamar to join in. Or how about Doja Cat, whose “Kiss Me More” with SZA was nominated for a whole gang of trophies?
Louis C.K.’s win and Virgil Abloh’s In Memoriam descriptor were the evening’s lightning rod moments.
The Best Comedy Album award went to Louis C.K. for Sincerely, his first special after admitting that the various sexual misconduct allegations against him were true. Since he returned to the comedy world, C.K.’s career has become a central exhibit in the battle over the existence and effectiveness of cancel culture.
C.K. released another special, SORRY, at the tail end of 2021, so we could very well be having further conversations about whether the disgraced comedian deserves Grammy honors this time next year, too. If nothing else, C.K.’s controversial win at least gave us the night’s best Twitter joke.
There were two notable missteps during the In Memoriam segment. Referring to the late Virgil Abloh as a “hip-hop fashion designer” came off as dismissive of his legacy and accomplishments with Louis Vuitton and Off-White, as well as his work as a music video director and graphic designer. Excluding Drakeo the Ruler from the tribute was a glaring omission, too, as the MC was one of rap’s most inventive lyricists before his tragic death.
There were some funny unscripted moments.
There’s nothing funnier than someone doing something fundamentally goofy with a completely straight face. And for that, it’s hard to beat Justin Bieber’s tender, aching crooning of the opening chorus of “Peaches” for the silliest moment of the show. Hearing him sing “I took my chick up to the north, yeah, badass bitch” might have been the night’s best unintentional comedy moment, but there were a few more worth mentioning.
Doja Cat nearly missed her win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance because she was in the bathroom, which felt fittingly chaotic, and she was charming as ever when she did take the stage with SZA. “I’ve never taken such a fast piss in my whole life,” she said, before really letting her emotions show in an endearing, raw speech.
On the more deliberate humor front, Trevor Noah’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” gag with Silk Sonic warranted a chuckle thanks to Bruno Mars’ committed performance, and Lil Nas X took his string of losses in stride with a characteristically droll troll tweet.
Taylor Hawkins’ passing loomed over the whole show.
With gorgeous set design and her trademark beguiling voice, Billie Eilish’s live version of “Happier Than Ever” was another one of the evening’s highlights. It also featured a tasteful, poignant tribute to Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters’ drummer who died suddenly on March 25. Eilish wore a shirt bearing Hawkins’ face with his name on the back, and when her set veered from tender acoustic guitar to rollicking hard rock, it also felt like a nod to the seminal band.
The Foo Fighters had a huge presence at the Grammys, beginning in the pre-show where Dave Grohl’s daughter, Violet, sang Joni Mitchell’s “Help Me” and dedicated it to Hawkins. The band had originally been scheduled to perform, but instead, a tribute video was played for Hawkins featuring their hit “My Hero” and footage of the Foo Fighters in concert. Nominated for Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Album, the band took home all three.