For music artists, the Grammys is one of the most important nights of the year. The 56th celebration of music had different artists making surprisingly perfect combinations, one half of the Beatles reuniting, and actual marriages taking place.
Power couple Beyonce and Jay Z, who combined have won 46 Grammys, opened the show with “Drunk in Love.” Jay Z later on picked up the award for best Rap Collaboration song with “Holy Grail,” his speech included thanking God for Beyonce and calling the Grammy “his daughter’s new gold sippy cup.”
French robot duo Daft Punk won Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Get Lucky,” while the 17 year-old New Zealand native, Lorde, took home Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year for “Royals,” which she also performed during the telecast with her usual zombie-like dancing.
Another performance of the night was Katy Perry’s “Dark House,” which had Katy resembling a witch, black-clothed weirdos dancing around her, a broomstick/strip pole, Juicy J, and ultimately a fire.
Taylor Swift and P!nk also provided the entertainment for the night, Swift performed another song that points the finger at someone (allegedly Jake Gyllenhaal) while P!nk flew around on a tight rope and belted out “Try” and “Give Me a Reason.”
The show featured mash-up duos with Robin Thicke and Chicago, Carole King and Sara Bareilles, and the electrifying combination of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” and Kendrick Lamar’s “M.A.A.A.d City.” The over-the-top but it-couldn’t-have-been-higher performance had smoke, red exploding paint, strobe lights, and Lamar banging on a giant drum fiercely.
The Beatles were a huge fixture at this year’s Grammys, because they’re a huge fixture in music in general. Ringo Star performed “Photograph” and then later joined former band-mate Paul McCartney on “Queenie Eye.” A TV special honoring the Liverpool trailblazers will air February 9th on CBS.
Daft Punk performed live for the first time in six years alongside Pharrell Williams, Nile Rogers, and special guest Stevie Wonder with their winning single “Get Lucky.”
Best new artist winners, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, picked up 3 awards in the Rap category. The inescapable “Thrift Shop” won best Rap Song and Performance, and the album it lives on, “The Heist,” won for Rap Album and beat out the likes of Kanye West, Jay Z, and Kendrick Lamar.
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis later performed their equality anthem “Same Love” alongside Mary Lambert. The trio was then joined by Madonna, Queen Latifah, and the smell of love in the air when 33 couples described as different – gay, straight, and of mixed ethnicities – tied the knot.
Other awards dolled out that night were Best Rock Song to Paul McCarthy and most of Nirvana – Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear – for “Cut Me Some Slack.” New artist Kacey Musgraves defeated Taylor Swift for Best Country Song and Album – categories Swift still manages to weasel her way into.
The Honor of Album of the Year went to Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories,” but the true prize of the night goes to Pharrell William’s hat.
With the crowning event in music coming to a close, the film industry’s Academy Awards will air on March 2nd.
