Bruno Mars was the big winner at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, beating out the smash hit “Despacito” for Song of the Year with “That’s What I Like,” and winning Record of the Year and Album of the Year for 24K Magic over Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z and Childish Gambino. Lamar entered the night with seven nominations, and while he took home Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song, he was shut out (again) from less genre-specific awards like Album of the Year, which has historically been unfriendly to rap and hip-hop, as well as Record of the Year.
The ceremony kicked off with a searing performance by Lamar interspersed with commentary from comedian Dave Chappelle, who noted, “the only thing more frightening than watching a black man be honest in America is being an honest black man in America.” The medley of Lamar’s work continued with dancers in camouflage military uniforms, cameos by Bono and The Edge, dance-infused taiko drumming, and dancers in red hoodies dropping one by one to the sound of gunshots.
Although numerous celebrities including Lady Gaga, Elton John and Nick Jonas displayed their support for #TimesUp by wearing pins or white roses, the Grammys reportedly failed to read the room and offered solo performances to all of the Album of the Year nominees except Lorde — the sole female nominee in the category, who did not perform.
The evening was peppered with politically charged moments, from Hillary Clinton and Cardi B reading aloud from Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House to U2 registering its support for Dreamers by singing on a barge in front of the Statue of Liberty and shouting into a megaphone painted like an American flag. The most emotional performance of the night came courtesy of Kesha, who sang “Pray,” a song about her experiences with sexual abuse and trauma, while surrounded by female singers like Cyndi Lauper and Camila Cabello.
Janelle Monae, who introduced Kesha, gave a passionate speech about sexual harassment and pay equity in the music industry. “To those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: time’s up,” said Monae. “We say Time’s Up for pay inequality, discrimination or harassment of any kind, and the abuse of power... We come in peace, but we mean business.”
The complete list of Grammy Award winners follows:
Record of the Year: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
Album of the Year: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
Song of the Year: ”That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Best New Artist: Alessia Cara
Best Pop Solo Performance: “Shape Of You” by Ed Sheeran
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Tony Bennett Celebrates 90, (Various Artists) Dae Bennett, Producer
Best Pop Vocal Album: (Divide) by Ed Sheeran
Best Dance Recording: “Tonite” by LCD Soundsystem
Best Dance/Electronic Album: 3-D The Catalogue by Kraftwerk
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Prototype by Jeff Lorber Fusion
Best Rock Performance: “You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen
Best Metal Performance: “Sultan’s Curse” by Mastodon
Best Rock Song: “Run” by Foo Fighters
Best Rock Album: A Deeper Understanding by The War On Drugs
Best Alternative Music Album: Sleep Well Beast by The National
Best R&B Performance: “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars
Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Redbone” by Childish Gambino
Best R&B Song: “That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Starboy by The Weeknd
Best R&B Album: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars
Best Rap Performance: “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap/Sung Performance: “LOYALTY.” by Kendrick Lamar Featuring Rihanna
Best Rap Song: “HUMBLE.” — Duckworth, Asheton Hogan & M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
Best Rap Album: DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
Best Country Solo Performance: “Either Way” by Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Better Man” by Little Big Town
Best Country Song: “Broken Halos” by Mike Henderson & Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
Best Country Album: From a Room: Volume 1 by Chris Stapleton
Best New Age Album: Dancing On Water by Peter Kater
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “Miles Beyond” by John McLaughlin, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Dreams and Daggers by Cécile McLorin Salvant
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Rebirth by Billy Childs
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Bringin’ It by Christian McBride Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album: Jazz Tango by Pablo Ziegler Trio
Best Gospel Performance/Song: “Never Have To Be Alone” by CeCe Winans
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “What A Beautiful Name” by Hillsong Worship
Best Gospel Album: Let Them Fall in Love by CeCe Winans
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Chain Breaker by Zach Williams
Best Roots Gospel Album: Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope by Reba McEntire
Best Latin Pop Album: El Dorado by Shakira
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: Residente by Residente
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas by Aida Cuevas
Best Tropical Latin Album: Salsa Big Band by Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Best American Roots Performance: “Killer Diller Blues” by Alabama Shakes
Best American Roots Song: “If We Were Vampires” byJason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Best Americana Album: The Nashville Sound by Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
Best Bluegrass Album: Laws Of Gravity by The Infamous Stringdusters tied with All The Rage – In Concert Volume One [Live] by Rhonda Vincent And The Rage
Best Traditional Blues Album: Blue & Lonesome by The Rolling Stones
Best Contemporary Blues Album: TajMo by Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’
Best Folk Album: Mental Illness by Aimee Mann
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Kalenda by Lost Bayou Ramblers
Best Reggae Album: Stony Hill, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
Best World Music Album: Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Best Children’s Album: Feel What U Feel by Lisa Loeb
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling): The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
Best Comedy Album: The Age Of Spin & Deep In The Heart Of Texas by Dave Chappelle
Best Musical Theater Album: Dear Evan Hansen — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: La La Land by Various Artists
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: La La Land by Justin Hurwitz, composer
Best Song Written For Visual Media: “How Far I’ll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)
Best Instrumental Composition: “Three Revolutions” — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill & Chucho Valdés)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: “Escapades For Alto Saxophone And Orchestra From Catch Me If You Can” — John Williams, arranger
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: “Putin” — Randy Newman, arranger
Best Recording Package: El Orisha De La Rosa by Claudio Roncoli & Cactus Taller, art directors (Magín Díaz) tied with Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition) by Sasha Barr, Ed Steed & Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty)
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition — Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Daly & David Pescovitz
Best Album Notes: Live At The Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings — Lynell George, album notes writer (Otis Redding)
Best Historical Album: Leonard Bernstein – The Composer — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Martin Kistner & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: 24K Magic — Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Charles Moniz, engineers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer (Bruno Mars)
Producer Of the Year, Non-Classical: Greg Kurstin
Best Remixed Recording: “You Move (Latroit Remix)” — Dennis White, remixer (Depeche Mode)
Best Surround Sound Album: Early Americans — Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson & Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Mark Donahue, engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Producer Of the Year, Classical: David Frost
Best Orchestral Performance: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Best Opera Recording: Berg: Wozzeck — Hans Graf, conductor; Anne Schwanewilms & Roman Trekel; Hans Graf, producer (Houston Symphony; Chorus Of Students And Alumni, Shepherd School Of Music, Rice University & Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus)
Best Choral Performance: Bryars: The Fifth Century — Donald Nally, conductor (PRISM Quartet; The Crossing)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Death & The Maiden — Patricia Kopatchinskaja & The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Transcendental — Daniil Trifonov
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Crazy Girl Crazy – Music By Gershwin, Berg & Berio — Barbara Hannigan (Orchestra Ludwig)
Best Classical Compendium: Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: Higdon: Viola Concerto — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero & Nashville Symphony)
Best Music Video: “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar
Best Music Film: The Defiant Ones by (Various Artists)
SOURCE: THE VERGE
