The Grammy Awards celebrated their 50th anniversary by racking up the third lowest television ratings in the show’s history. This year’s performance based show gave out just 11 awards but included 18 performances that were used to bridge the gaps between the music of the past, music of the present, and music of different genres in order “to honor the past, celebrate the present and look to the future,” Alicia Keys said in the show’s opening remarks.
Keys performed twice during the program. She opened the show singing “Learnin’ the Blues,” alongside old footage of Frank Sinatra. Later she performed her hit “No One” accompanied by John Mayer on guitar.
Other performances included duets from Rihanna and the ’80s group Time, Beyoncé and Tina Turner, a performance by Carrie Underwood and an “Across the Universe” tribute to the Beatles.
One of the evening’s best performances came from Kanye West, a four-time winner that night. West performed his Best Solo Performance winning song, “Stronger,” alongside surprise guests Daft Punk. The French duo’s 2001 single, “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” is sampled in West’s smash hit. This appearance marked Daft Punk’s first ever televised performance in the band’s 14 year history.
To close his performance, West sang a special Grammy version of his 2005 song “Hey Mama,” for his mother who died last year. West even donned a special hair-do for the event, having the word “Mama” shaved into his head.
The night’s biggest winner was newcomer Amy Winehouse who took home five of the six awards she was nominated for. Winehouse was unable to attend the actual award show because her work visa was not approved in time. The Grammys arranged for Winehouse to performed and accept her awards from London via satellite.
Viewers and singer Natalie Cole couldn’t believe that Winehouse took home five awards. “I don’t agree with the Grammys giving her those nods. I think it sends the wrong message, that even in the midst of her stupor of drugs she can get nominated for all these awards,” Cole said in a report from Perezhilton.com
Freshman Daniella Hawaux said, “It was really ridiculous because she (Winehouse) only had one song that was ever popular. She shouldn’t have won so many awards for it.”
However, the show’s most shocking moments came at the end of the night. The final Grammy, Album of the Year, was given to jazz artist Herbie Hancock for his album, “River: The Joni Letters.” Hancock faced tough competition for the award from the Foo Fighters, Vince Gill, Kanye West, and Amy Winehouse, all winners from earlier in the evening.
“The Grammys are for the best musicians and if you’re going to try to tell me that Amy Winehouse is a better musician than Herbie Hancock . I don’t listen to him but I know he’s a good musician. It’s like apples and oranges,” freshman Perry Coren said.
There were 110 Grammys awarded this year. With performances as the focus of this year’s Grammy Awards, only eight artists were able to accept their awards during the show’s live broadcast.
“All those performances and not enough awards, they could have given out more awards. There are certain performances that could have been done without,”said freshman Nick Vass.
