This was not a good year for the Grammy Awards — the staging did not show off some of the nominated artists to good effect. The production had a certain Vegas sheen that was regrettable. And the whole thing was too damn long. Here are the best and worst moments.
The best
1. The opening number of “Hamilton”
It’s a sad commentary on the Grammys when the best moment in a live, three-hour awards show in California comes from Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre 3,000 miles away. The cast of the sensational “Hamilton” accomplished, in one song, what Hollywood could not do in any of its Oscar-nominated movies this year — present a diverse group of talented artists making art.
2. Taylor Swift’s diss of Kanye West
In accepting her award for Album of the Year, Swift made reference to the drama queen Kanye West by saying there would be people along the way who might try to undercut your success and take credit for your fame — a not-so-veiled reference to a new West song in which he says he made her famous.
3. The Glenn Frey tribute
Glenn Frey’s untimely death last month shook many of his fans, and the surviving Eagles, along with Jackson Browne, took to the stage for a spirited and lively version of the hit Browne co-wrote for them, the timeless “Take It Easy.”
4. The Lionel Richie tribute
Lionel Richie was this year’s recipient of the MusiCares award. In appreciation, the Grammys staged a tribute to his easy-listening style, kicked off by the hugely talented John Legend — who can sing Sinatra, Richie or just about anybody else. Kudos also to Demi Lovato, who infused her two minutes on stage with a song’s worth of passion.
5. Joey Alexander
The 12-year-old Indonesian prodigy, who had the distinction of being this year’s youngest nominee, played some amazing jazz piano.
The worst
1. Adele
Maybe she was under-rehearsed or had a cold, but Adele missed the big note on “All I Ask.” It made for painful listening, as the song, which she co-wrote with Bruno Mars, went on and on.
2. Lady Gaga tribute to David Bowie
Made up like Ziggy Stardust with a flame-colored wig and a white jumpsuit, Gaga raced through half a dozen Bowie classics, and not one of them sounded anywhere as good as the master. She is at the point in her career where she is given carte blanche. If she wants to sing the national anthem, they give her a football field. If she wants to act, they give her a Golden Globe. Well, this is one she didn’t pull off. She was cheesy at best and, at worst, came off like Siegfried and Roy rolled into one.
3. Pandering for royalties
Grammy and Oscar winner Common and recording academy president/CEO Neil Portnow used the admirable performance by young pianist Joey Alexander to pander for artists’ royalties — complete with a cheesy graphic of a shiny penny and warnings not to stream music for free. Bad form.
4. Hollywood Vampires
Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and an actively skeevy Johnny Depp lived up to their walking-dead name.
5. LL Cool J
With his show, “NCIS: LA,” now in its seventh season, he’s more Mr. CBS than Mr. Music these days, and the time has come to rotate the Grammy Awards host. LL’s just a tad too mellow to keep a three-hour show exciting.