Winning a Grammy is one of the most prestigious awards a music artist can achieve. Only five artists are nominated for each category out of the hundreds that are submitted every year. The award show itself is full of glitz and glamour and features multiple musical performances from the top artists in the world. The red carpet is full of the most striking outfits and memorable moments. Some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands get a chance to show off their designs during this highly televised event.

This year marked the 65th anniversary of the Grammy Awards. The legacy of this historic award show began in 1958 with the first ever Grammys. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were among some of the most famous names nominated for this up-and-coming award show. While the show itself was merely a black tie dinner at the Grand Ballroom of Beverly Hilton, it was far more established in its first year than the Emmys and Oscars. The tradition of this high stakes award show has carried on into the present through its dramatic moments and unforeseen upsets. Some of the media’s most iconic moments have occurred at the Grammys.   

Musical performances at the Grammys are only offered to the most notable artists of the year. This year’s iconic lineup included Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Kim Petras, Lizzo, Luke Combs, Mary J. Blidge, Sam Smith, Steve Lacy and Brandi Carlile. Opening up the show with two songs from his Grammy nominated album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” Bad Bunny had everyone up and dancing, even Taylor Swift. After winning a Grammy at the start ofthe night, Harry Styles stunned the crowd in a silver jumpsuit while performing his top hit single, “As It Was,” on a spinning stage. As a close to the night, a surprise performance was announced in honor of the 50th birthday of hip-hop. Many iconic hip-hop artists were featured in this honorary performance including Lil Wayne, De La Soul, Missy Elliott, Rakim, Nelly and Salt-N-Pepa.

Arguably the most coveted awards of the night include Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Record of the Year. Winning one of these awards can be the peak of an artist’s career. Lizzo not only had a showstopping musical performance, but also took home Record of the Year for her hit single. She dedicated her award to Prince for inspiring her to become an artist and mentioned how proud she was of the movement her song inspired. The Grammys wouldn’t be the Grammys without an upset, and this year it took place in the Song of the Year category. While Beyonce and Harry Styles were big name contenders for this coveted category, a lesser known artist named Bonnie Raitt took home the Grammy for her single, “Just Like That.” Though Raitt has 13 Grammys to her name, many were stunned that her song won over record breaking singles like “As It Was” and “Break My Soul.”

The last and certainly most anticipated award of the night is Album of the Year. Only the top artists of the year are nominated and this year the line up included Adele, Beyonce, Harry Styles, Coldplay, Bad Bunny, ABBA, Mary J. Blidge, Brandi Carlile, Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo. In an emotional outcome, Styles ended up with the win and took home three Grammys in total. In his acceptance speech he stated, “this doesn’t happen to people like me.” It referenced the fact that he had to work his way through the music industry to get where he is today. 

Overall, there were multiple memorable moments during this year’s Grammys. To start, Beyonce ended the night by setting the new record for most Grammys won. She surpassed conductor Georg Solti who had held the previous record of 31 grammys for over 20 years. Beyonce won four out of the nine categories she was nominated for, putting her at a record breaking total of 32 Grammys. She is currently tied with her husband, Jay-Z, for most Grammy nominations with an astounding 88 nominations. Viola Davis took the Grammys by storm for becoming the 18th person to achieve EGOT status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. Her Grammy winning narration of her memoir Finding Me got her this final award to achieve this elite status.

Whether you’re an artist nominated for an award or a viewer watching from your couch, the Grammy Awards offer an unique experience for everyone to enjoy