The Most Memorable, Best & Worst Moments of the 2024 Grammys

The 2024 Grammy Awards showcased a mix of exhilarating highs and disappointing lows, encapsulating the essence of the music industry’s most prestigious event. From groundbreaking performances to unexpected snubs, the ceremony offered a diverse array of moments that left an indelible mark on the music landscape.

One of the most surprising events of the night came from Celine Dion, who actually received a standing ovation from the audience. Celine has been battling stiff person syndrome, which is a rare neurological disorder.

While people have mixed reviews on Trevor’s hosting ability, fans were excited for his opinion of Tik Tok. Universal Music Group’s music was pulled from TikTok due to a failed licensing agreement.

One of the most awkward moments of the 2024 Grammy Awards came when the Recording Academy mistakenly announced Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice as the winners of the Best Rap Song category through social media. The award actually went to Killer Mike for his work on “Scientists & Engineers”.

One of the biggest hits of the night was Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman performing a duet from the 1988 hit “Fast Car”. This was a significant performance as Chapman does not perform often.

Taylor Swift made history by winning her fourth Album of the Year for the album “Midnights.” Taylor is the first and only artist to win Album of the Year four times. The album “Midnights” features the stories of 13 sleepless nights, including themes of self-loathing, fantasizing about revenge, falling in love, and falling apart.

In addition to the sound issues, there was also a rain delay due to severe weather in Los Angeles. The National Weather Service actually issued a flood watch due to heavy rains and damaging winds.

One of the most anticipated and appreciated parts of the Grammy Award show was the performance by Dua Lipa. She opened the show with a medley that included a new song titled “Training Season,” along with “Dance the Night” and “Houdini”.

Viewers of the 2024 Grammy Awards were surprised with the return to the stage of Tracy Chapman. This was the first televised performance in years, mostly due to her low public profile.

SZA became the most nominated artist at the 2024 Grammy Awards, receiving nine nominations. These nominations were in a few different categories like Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, Best R&B Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best Melodic Rap Performance.

Despite having many top hits, Miley Cyrus finally won her first Grammy at the 2024 Grammy Awards for her song “Flowers” which is the lead single for her studio album, “Endless Summer Vacation”. This song won her the Best Pop Solo Performance.

Trevor Noah hosted the 2024 Grammy Awards and received mixed reviews on social media. Many feel Trevor’s awards were a studied affair and struggled to overcome its ordinariness.

A major segment of the Grammy Awards pays tribute to artists and music industry performances who have passed away during the year. This year was particularly emotional as it honored some truly legendary and iconic figures within the industry. 

Prince is one of the most beloved and iconic figures within the music industry for many years and passed away in 2023. To pay tribute, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino, and Jon Batiste came together to honor his legacy.

Despite its immense success, the Grammy Awards Album for the Year is surrounded by controversy. Taylor Swift’s album, “Midnights,” created backlash as fans believe she snubbed Celine Dion when accepting the award.

The duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, who make up Silk Sonic, were a major highlight of the 2024 Grammy Awards. The duo performed their hit number “777”.

Rapper Killer Mike was arrested at the 2024 Grammy Awards, which occurred shortly after winning three awards. Killer Mike was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of battery. This charge came on the events from earlier in the evening with an altercation with a security guard at the event.

One of the most awkward moments at the Grammy Awards was Miley Cyrus’ performance of “Flowers”. Many people found her performance to be “forced” and “awkward”. Furthermore, many people criticized her behavior and the lack of enthusiasm for the audience.

Joni Mitchell was a highlight for the 2024 Grammy Awards, and performed “Both Sides Now.” This performance marked Joni’s first time singing a live performance at the Grammy Awards.

One of the most tantalizing events of the Grammy Awards was during Jay-Z’s acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. Jay-Z decided to call out the Recording Academy for their voting record, and the lack of recognition for Black artists, which included Beyoncé.

One of the most exciting awards during the Grammy Awards is always the Best New Artist, and Victoria Monet took home this honor during the 2024 award show. Monet has been pursuing her dream for fifteen years, which shows her dedication and will to succeed within the industry.

The performance by Annie Lennox was a heartwarming tribute to Siena O’Connor who had passed away during 2023. Lennox was not the only person on stage as she was joined by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman of Prince & The Revolution for the rendition.

Billie Eilish and her brother, Finneas, won the Song of the Year award at the 2024 Grammy Awards for their song “What Was I Made For?” from ‘Barbie’ the Album. The emotional ballad, which also received a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance, was a standout track from the soundtrack.

While the 2024 Grammy Awards were a huge hit, it did experience numerous technical glitches and sound issues. There were problems right out the gate with the opening number, which led to a high number of criticisms on social media.

While Taylor had a phenomenal night, there was some controversy during her acceptance of the Album of the Year Award. Some fans are speculating that Swift did not acknowledge or even greet Dion while she accepted the award.

It may be surprising to hear, but Paramore became the first ever female-fronted band to win the Best Rock Album category. Paramore won this award for their popular album “This Is Why.” The band also won the award for Best Alternative Music Performance.

One of the most surprising and awkward moments of the 2024 Grammy Awards was during Travis Soctts’ performance of “Fe!n.” While being surrounded by dirt, flames, and massive speakers, he starts slamming chairs for his opening.

Karol G also made history during the 2024 Grammy Awards by winning the Best Musica Urbana Album for her hit record “Manana Sera Bonito.” This award marks the first woman to win in this specific category.

Despite being crowned the best new artist of the year during the 2024 Grammy Awards, she was actually cut off during her acceptance speech.

Taylor Swift fans received exciting news during the Grammy Awards. During Taylor’s acceptance speech for the Best Pop Vocal Album for “Midnights,” she dropped a bomb announcing her next album release date.

Bebe Rexha may be a well known singer within the pop and dance music genre, she did surprise everyone by singing opera on the red carpet. This surprise showed off her classical music studies thanks to her opera performance.

While the Grammys always have a Memoriam segment, the Grammy Awards did skip on a few major names that passed away during 2023. Some of the most notable excluded included: Smash Mouth’s Steve Harwell, two classic-rock lyricists (Keith Reid of Procol Harum, and Peter Brown, who wrote with Jack Bruce for Cream), British soul queen Linda Lewis, and Kinks keyboardist John Gosling.

One of the most exciting moments of the 2024 Grammy Awards came from the surprise appearance of Billy Joel. He performed his new song “Turn the Lights Back On” with a string section, marking his first Grammy performance in 30 years. Billy Joel even performed his first new single in 17 years as well.

The Grammy Awards and extravagant outfits essentially go hand in hand. It may be surprising to see Lana Del Rey’s outfit, which looks as if she is ready for a funeral. Lana had on a sheer black dress, accompanied by shoulder pads, large puff sleeves, a skirt, and plenty of bows and subtle sparkles.

While Trevor Noah does a great job hosting the Grammys, this is the fourth consecutive year hosting the event. He is an excellent choice as he is safe, inoffensive, and good at filling the slow parts of the night.

One of the main reasons why the Grammy Awards was so long was due to the pre-taped video segments. These segments and extended duration could have affected the pacing and viewer engagement.