NEW YORK, NY.- Women thoroughly dominated the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, with a history-making album of the year win by Taylor Swift and victories by Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, SZA, Lainey Wilson, Colombian pop star Karol G and the band boygenius.
The wins capped a year when women were extraordinarily successful in pop music, and also signified a change for the Grammys, which have frequently been criticized as recently as five years ago for overlooking female artists on the show.
In addition to the wins, the show featured powerful performances by SZA, Eilish, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and even Joni Mitchell and Tracy Chapman two godmothers of modern songwriting who have made only rare public appearances in recent years.
In taking album of the year for Midnights, Swift became the first artist to win the Grammys top prize four times, beating a trio of male legends Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon who had three.
I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, Swift said when accepting the award. But I feel this happy when I finish a song or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, she said, and added: For me the reward is the work.
Other highlights included:
Eilish, along with her brother, Finneas, won song of the year for What Was I Made For?, a dreamy but haunting meditation from Greta Gerwigs film Barbie. The song also took best song written for visual media, and the Barbie soundtrack took best compilation soundtrack for visual media.
R&B singer and songwriter Victoria Monét won three prizes, including best new artist. Boygenius, an indie-rock supergroup that sold out venues like Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl last year, won a total of three awards, and one of its members, Phoebe Bridgers, took a fourth more than any other artist at this years ceremony as part of a collaboration with SZA.
Mitchell, 80, performed at the Grammys for the first time, playing her 1968 song Both Sides Now nine years after an aneurysm that at first left her unable to speak. Seated in a plush chair, clasping a cane, she was surrounded by supporters including Brandi Carlile, who has lately been Mitchells biggest evangelist. After the performance, stars like Beyoncé and Swift clapped wide-eyed.
In another major moment, Chapman made a very rare public appearance, performing her 1988 favorite Fast Car in a tender duet with Luke Combs, whose note-for-note cover of Chapmans song became a surprise cross-generational hit last year. Dressed in jeans and a plain button-down shirt, Chapman seemed to have watery eyes as she strummed her acoustic guitar and sang.
Celine Dion, the Canadian diva who announced in 2022 that she has a rare neurological disease that makes it difficult for her to sing, was another rare appearance at the show, announcing the award for album of the year.
It wasnt all just the ladies. Billy Joel, who recently released Turn the Lights Back On, his first new pop song in nearly 20 years, performed that track and his classic rocker You May Be Right. U2 performed from its residency at the Sphere, a futuristic new venue in Las Vegas.
During an expanded in memoriam segment lasting more than 20 minutes, Stevie Wonder honored Tony Bennett, Annie Lennox paid tribute to Sinéad OConnor and Fantasia Barrino-Taylor (introduced by Oprah Winfrey) sang Proud Mary in honor of Tina Turner.
Political content was scarce on the show, which largely avoided any controversial stances. Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, recognized the killing of music fans at an Israeli music festival on Oct. 7, and Lennox said, Artists for cease-fire; peace in the world.
Jay-Z, accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, called out the Grammys for failing to honor Beyoncé, his wife, with album of the year, despite her 32 awards, mostly in down-ballot genre categories. When I get nervous I tell the truth, he said.
Killer Mike, a veteran Atlanta rapper and activist, won three rap awards, including best rap album (Michael). Shortly after, he was escorted out of the Cryto.com Arena by police officers. Later, the Los Angeles Police Department said that Killer Mike, who was born Michael Render, was booked on a misdemeanor battery charge and that he was being released.
The Grammys added a new category, best African music performance, which was won by Tyla, a South African singer, for the song Water. The show also featured a performance by Burna Boy, a Nigerian performer who is one of the biggest stars of the Afrobeats genre.
2024 GRAMMY WINNERS
Record of the Year
Flowers, Miley Cyrus
Album of the Year
Midnights, Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
What Was I Made For? from Barbie, Billie Eilish OConnell and Finneas OConnell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist
Victoria Monét
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Jack Antonoff
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Theron Thomas
Best Pop Solo Performance
Flowers, Miley Cyrus
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Ghost in the Machine, SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers
Best Pop Vocal Album
Midnights, Taylor Swift
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Rumble, Skrillex, Fred again.. and Flowdan
Best Pop Dance Recording
Padam Padam, Kylie Minogue
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9 2022), Fred again..
Best Rock Performance
Not Strong Enough, boygenius
Best Metal Performance
72 Seasons, Metallica
Best Rock Song
Not Strong Enough, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)
Best Rock Album
This Is Why, Paramore
Best Alternative Music Performance
This Is Why, Paramore
Best Alternative Music Album
The Record, boygenius
Best R&B Performance
ICU, Coco Jones
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Good Morning, PJ Morton featuring Susan Carol
Best R&B Song
Snooze, Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe and Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)
Best Progressive R&B Album
SOS, SZA
Best R&B Album
Jaguar II, Victoria Monét
Best Rap Performance
Scientists & Engineers, Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane
Best Melodic Rap Performance
All My Life, Lil Durk featuring J. Cole
Best Rap Song
Scientists & Engineers, André Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore and Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane)
Best Rap Album
Michael, Killer Mike
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
The Light Inside, J. Ivy
Best Jazz Performance
Tight, Samara Joy
Best Jazz Vocal Album
How Love Begins, Nicole Zuraitis
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
The Winds of Change, Billy Childs
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Basie Swings the Blues, The Count Basie Orchestra directed by Scotty Barnhart
Best Latin Jazz Album
El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo
Best Alternative Jazz Album
The Omnichord Real Book, Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Bewitched, Laufey
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
As We Speak, Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
Best Musical Theater Album
Some Like It Hot, Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks and NaTasha Yvette Williams, principal vocalists; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bryan Carter, Scott M. Riesett, Charlie Rosen and Marc Shaiman, producers; Scott Wittman, lyricist; Marc Shaiman, composer and lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
Best Country Solo Performance
White Horse, Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
I Remember Everything, Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves
Best Country Song
White Horse, Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
Best Country Album
Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson
Best American Roots Performance
Eve Was Black, Allison Russell
Best Americana Performance
Dear Insecurity, Brandy Clark featuring Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Song
Cast Iron Skillet, Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)
Best Americana Album
Weathervanes, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Best Bluegrass Album
City of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Best Traditional Blues Album
All My Love for You, Bobby Rush
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Blood Harmony, Larkin Poe
Best Folk Album
Joni Mitchell at Newport (Live), Joni Mitchell
Best Regional Roots Music Album
New Beginnings, Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. and the Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band
Live: Orpheum Theater Nola, Lost Bayou Ramblers and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (tie)
Best Gospel Performance/Song
All Things, Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Your Power, Lecrae and Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Best Gospel Album
All Things New: Live in Orlando, Tye Tribbett
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Church Clothes 4, Lecrae
Best Roots Gospel Album
Echoes of the South, Blind Boys of Alabama
Best Latin Pop Album
X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno
Best Música Urbana Album
Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
Vida Cotidiana, Juanes
De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade (tie)
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Génesis, Peso Pluma
Best Tropical Latin Album
Siembra: 45° Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022), Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado and Orquesta
Best Global Music Performance
Pashto, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
Best African Music Performance
Water, Tyla
Best Global Music Album
This Moment, Shakti
Best Reggae Album
Colors of Royal, Julian Marley & Antaeus
Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album
So She Howls, Carla Patullo featuring Tonality and the Scorchio Quartet
Best Childrens Music Album
We Grow Together Preschool Songs, 123 Andrés
Best Comedy Album
Whats in a Name?, Dave Chappelle
Best Audiobook, Narration and Storytelling Recording
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, Michelle Obama
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Barbie: The Album (Various Artists)
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television)
Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson, composer
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab, composers
Best Song Written for Visual Media
What Was I Made For? from Barbie: The Album, Billie Eilish OConnell and Finneas OConnell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best Music Video
Im Only Sleeping (The Beatles), Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin and Laura Thomas, video producers
Best Music Film
Moonage Daydream (David Bowie), Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer
Best Recording Package
Stumpwork, Luke Brooks and James Theseus Buck, art directors (Dry Cleaning)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
For the Birds: The Birdsong Project, Jeri Heiden and John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)
Best Album Notes
Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos, Robert Gordon and Deanie Parker, album notes writers (Various Artists)
Best Historical Album
Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos, Robert Gordon, Deanie Parker, Cheryl Pawelski, Michele Smith and Mason Williams, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves, restoration engineer (Various Artists)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Jaguar II, John Kercy, Kyle Mann, Victoria Monét, Patrizio Teezio Pigliapoco, Neal H Pogue and Todd Robinson, engineers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer (Victoria Monét)
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Contemporary American Composers, David Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Producer of the Year, Classical
Elaine Martone
Best Remixed Recording
Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix), Wet Leg, remixers (Depeche Mode)
Best Immersive Audio Album
The Diary of Alicia Keys, George Massenburg and Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Alicia Keys and Ann Mincieli, immersive producers (Alicia Keys)
Best Instrumental Composition
Helenas Theme, John Williams, composer (John Williams)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Folsom Prison Blues, John Carter Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Markus Illko, Janet Robin and Roberto Luis Rodriguez, arrangers (The String Revolution featuring Tommy Emmanuel)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, Erin Bentlage, Jacob Collier, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye, Kendrick and Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje Featuring Jacob Collier)
Best Orchestral Performance
Adès: Dante, Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Best Opera Recording
Blanchard: Champion, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore and Eric Owens; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
Best Choral Performance
Saariaho: Reconnaissance, Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Rough Magic, Roomful of Teeth
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
The American Project, Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Walking in the Dark, Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)
Best Classical Compendium
Passion for Bach and Coltrane, Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith and A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown and Mark Dover, producers
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Montgomery: Rounds, Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry and Roomful of Teeth)
This article originally appeared in
The New York Times.