With the “Big Four” categories — Album, Record and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist — expanded from the usual five nominees to a more unwieldy eight this year, the 61st Annual Grammy Awards were more difficult to predict than ever. And there were certainly a few shockers at Sunday’s ceremony. But surely most viewers did not expect that Kendrick Lamar, 2019’s most-nominated artist, would be almost completely shut out.
It wasn’t so much a shock that Drake won Best Rap Song for “God’s Plan,” even if he said, “I definitely did not think I was winning anything.” It was more surprising that he actually turned up to accept his award, since he has accused the Grammys of being racist in the past, and in 2017, he even refused to submit his music for consideration at all. This year he, like Lamar, reportedly turned down an invitation to perform on the show. Drake seemed somewhat nonplussed by his win Sunday, putting things into perspective for other artists out there by saying, “You’ve already won if you have people who are singing your songs word for word. If you are a hero in your hometown, if there’s people who have regular jobs who are coming out in the rain, in the snow, spending their hard-earned money to buy tickets to come to your shows, you don’t need this [Grammy trophy] right here, I promise you, you already won.”
won. Perry, the first female nominee since 2004, seemed set to change all that, especially on a night that very overtly celebrated women. She even directed the Grammys’ Dolly Parton tribute. But Perry ultimately lost to Pharrell Williams.’ data-reactid=”32″>Only seven women have ever been nominated for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical — and no female producer has ever won. Perry, the first female nominee since 2004, seemed set to change all that, especially on a night that very overtly celebrated women. She even directed the Grammys’ Dolly Parton tribute. But Perry ultimately lost to Pharrell Williams.
The mysterious soul stylist and five-time nominee was the only Best New Artist contender to be nominated in any of the “Big Four” categories, with her self-titled debut up for Album of the Year. But she lost in the Best New Artist category to British pop singer Dua Lipa. Still, H.E.R. didn’t go home empty-handed: She won for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Song.
Schoolhouse Rock composer, the founder of Pantera and the controversial rapper were most noticeably left out of the broadcast’s In Memoriam segment. While XXXTentacion was reportedly a deliberate choice, due to his history of domestic violence, the other omissions seemed to be unfortunate oversights.’ data-reactid=”44″>The Buzzcocks’ first-wave punk forefather, the Schoolhouse Rock composer, the founder of Pantera and the controversial rapper were most noticeably left out of the broadcast’s In Memoriam segment. While XXXTentacion was reportedly a deliberate choice, due to his history of domestic violence, the other omissions seemed to be unfortunate oversights.