Aside from the handing out of awards, the other major reason to watch the Grammys is for the performances, as the Recording Academy routinely recruits the brightest stars in music to take the stage. They nailed it this year, with performers including Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Mary J. Blige, Steve Lacy, Lizzo, Kim Petras, Sam Smith, Brandi Carlile, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Chris Stapleton, DJ Khaled, and Luke Combs. There’s also a terrific cross-generational performance that just went down: Stevie Wonder took the stage with a number of guests.
“Thank you, but stop,” Wonder said to start his time on stage as the audience applauded. He then introduced his band and kicked off with a rendition of The Temptations’ “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” Smokey Robinson then joined in for his own “Tears Of A Clown” before Chris Stapleton joined in on “Higher Ground.”
Neither Wonder nor Stapleton are nominated for any Grammys this year, but both artists certainly have a history with the show. Wonder is one of the most decorated winners in Grammy history, in fact: He’s been nominated an amazing 75 times and has won 25 of them, first in 1973 with “Superstition” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” winning awards in 1973, and most recently in 2006, when his and Tony Bennett’s “For Once In My Life” won the Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.
Stapleton, meanwhile, has a strong Grammys winning percentage, as he’s won eight of the 17 awards for which he’s been nominated. He won three awards last year, all for material from his 2020 album Starting Over.
Find the full list of this year’s Grammy nominees and winners here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Last night (February 2) was the Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective at Hollywood Palladium, where Wayne and Missy Elliott were given the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Drake honored Wayne with a video message, which he started, “Good evening, Grammys. Well, I haven’t gotten to say that since 2016.”
He continued, “Lil Wayne… I love you so much. I know I probably get annoying with saying how much you mean to me and my family, but I think I speak on behalf of everybody when I say that our careers, our cadences, our melodies, maybe our face tats or our outfits or our decisions in general would not have been the same without your natural gift to just be yourself.”
Wayne gave a touching speech of his own, saying in part, “I want you all to know that I don’t get honored. Where I’m from, New Orleans, you’re not supposed to do this. I walked into my mama’s room when I was 14. She asked me for a kid because my dad was killed. And her son had just blown up and went on his first tour. When I came home she said, ‘Son, I can’t live in this house by myself. We’re going to have to figure something out.’ “I’d like to thank Antonia Johnson [his first child’s mother] for reasoning with me and my mom, and my life. I’d like to thank every single one of my kids and every single one of their mothers.”
Deion Sanders also honored Wayne with a video message and 2 Chainz, Swizz Beatz, and Tyga closed the show by performing some Wayne songs.
We are now just days away from the 2023 Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 5. (Here’s how to watch the show, in case you didn’t know, and here’s the full list of this year’s nominees.) The Recording Academy’s picks for who is going to win what awards are in, and all that’s left to do is wait and see who will be cement themselves in music history and take a golden gramophone trophy home.
Actually, there’s another thing left to do, not a requirement but a fun thought exercise: make picks for who the Academy has likely chosen for the four major awards (Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year) and who we think should win them.
Make your own selections if you’d like, but if you wouldn’t mind hearing another perspective before you do, I’ve come up with some predictions and opinions. It wasn’t easy, because New Artist, Song, Record, and Album categories are stacked this year; A lot of new artists made an immediate impact on the music landscape, a number of songs are already being hailed as classics, and some albums on this year’s list are all-timers (at least one is if you ask Questlove, anyway).
So, before the 2023 Grammys officially kick off, let’s take a look at who probably will win the big four awards and who probably should get them.
Best New Artist
Anitta
Domi & JD Beck
Latto
Måneskin
Molly Tuttle
Muni Long
Omar Apollo
Samara Joy
Tobe Nwigwe
Wet Leg
Who will win: Anitta
Who should win: Anitta
Really, it’s hard to call Anitta new. It’s been nearly a decade since the Brazilian superstar released her 2013 self-titled debut album, which went No. 1 in her home country. In recent times, though, she has profoundly broken out on a broader international level. Her 2022 album Versions Of Me was her first on Warner (previous releases came out via Warner Music Brasil) and its biggest single, “Envolver,” was a global hit: It’s her first solo track to place on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (after the Cardi B and Myke Towers collab “Me Gusta” in 2020), it became a TikTok sensation, and it was the first song by a Brazilian artist to rank No. 1 on the daily Spotify Global Chart. Between all that and other viral moments, Anitta is currently the best version of herself and is only getting better. While the crop of Best New Artist nominees is strong, none of the others have yet reached Anitta-level success.
Song Of The Year
Adele — “Easy On Me”
Beyoncé — “Break My Soul”
Bonnie Raitt — “Just Like That”
DJ Khaled — “God Did” Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy
Gayle — “ABCDEFU”
Harry Styles — “As It Was”
Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Lizzo — “About Damn Time”
Steve Lacy — “Bad Habit”
Taylor Swift — “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
Who will win: Adele — “Easy On Me”
Who should win: Taylor Swift — “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
The new expanded version of “All Too Well” quickly became one of the most storied songs in Swift’s discography, an oeuvre that has not been wanting of praise. Rolling Stone‘s Rob Sheffield proclaimed the tune “sums up Swift at her absolute best,” and in the age of allegedly waning attention spans, fans have streamed the lengthy song over 450 million times on Spotify and made it the longest No. 1 song in Billboard Hot 100 history. There’s a problem, though: The Grammys honor new music (relatively new, anyway; “ABCDEFU” came out in August 2021). “All Too Well,” which originates from 2012’s Red, isn’t exactly a brand new track. That may dissuade Grammy voters from giving it the trophy, but it also wouldn’t be a crime if Adele’s “Easy On Me,” another powerfully evocative former No. 1 single, ended up winning. Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” is also worth noting here, as it’s far from a pop tune but has nonetheless had pop tune success and acclaim.
Record Of The Year
ABBA — “Don’t Shut Me Down”
Adele — “Easy On Me”
Beyoncé — “Break My Soul”
Brandi Carlile Featuring Lucius — “You And Me On The Rock”
Doja Cat — “Woman”
Harry Styles — “As It Was”
Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Lizzo — “About Damn Time”
Mary J. Blige — “Good Morning Gorgeous”
Steve Lacy — “Bad Habit”
Who will win: Adele — “Easy On Me”
Who should win: Harry Styles — “As It Was”
First, an important note: The Recording Academy previously explained, “Record Of The Year deals with a specific recording of a song and recognizes the artists, producers and engineers who contribute to that recording, while Song Of The Year deals with the composition of a song and recognizes the songwriters who wrote the song.”
So, broadly, Song is about songwriting and Record is about the finished recording. That said, Harry Styles’ “As It Was” is a gorgeously executed recording deserving of the Record Of The Year title. At its core, it’s a summery pop-rock song that sounds a lot like some beach-faring indie music from years back. But, that aesthetic has been revived and refreshed just enough for modern day, yielding a tune that sounds warmly and breezily nostalgic while also slotting nicely into the current pop landscape. Headphone listeners are rewarded with the one, too, as there are a lot of production treats and intricacies that are hard to appreciate on an iPhone speaker but that give the song new dimension when you pay attention to them. The results really speak for themselves: “As It Was” is the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo artist in Hot 100 history and it appears not too long from now, it’ll become the first song from 2022 to eclipse 2 billion Spotify streams.
Album Of The Year
ABBA — Voyage
Adele — 30
Bad Bunny — Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé — Renaissance
Brandi Carlile — In These Silent Days
Coldplay — Music Of The Spheres
Harry Styles — Harry’s House
Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Lizzo — Special
Mary J. Blige — Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Who will win: Adele — 30
Who should win: Beyoncé — Renaissance
Like many Grammy categories, pitting the nominees against each other is like comparing apples and oranges… and hammers and beach balls and secret family recipes. By what metrics do you measure products as wildly different as Album Of The Year nominees from Brandi Carlile, Adele, Coldplay, and Kendrick Lamar when they’re all up for the same award? It’s a task so impossible, it’s a wonder the Recording Academy is able to come to a decision at all year after year.
Annually, though, they do come up with a pick, one that makes fans mad regardless of who won. However, Beyoncé’s Renaissance would be a hard (but not impossible, as haters will prove should the album win) pick to hate, no matter your disposition. The LP has elements of dance, house, disco, pop, R&B, and probably dozens of other musical styles too numerous to mention here, all delivered by the incomparably confident, capable, and charismatic Beyoncé. Even putting her star power aside, Renaissance is a spectrum-spanning album that is full of mind-blowing musical moments. Here’s something that’s hard to make an argument against: Renaissance defined music in 2022 (and more importantly, during this year’s eligibility window from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022). That sounds like the Album Of The Year to me.
We are just days away from the 2023 Grammy Awards, and while we’re still not sure who’s performing, we can still expect to see some of our favorite artists at the ceremony. Today, the Recording Academy has revealed some of the presenters.
Olivia Rodrigo, who won the Best New Artist Grammy last year, as well as the Best Pop Vocal Album award for her debut album, Sour, and Best Pop Solo Performance for her breakthrough hit, “Drivers License,” is one of the artists scheduled to present an award on Sunday night. Cardi B, who won the Best Rap Album Grammy in 2019 for her debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, is also among the presenters for the awards show. Five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain will also present an award this Sunday.
In addition to some of our favorite artists, some notable figures will also deliver music’s highest honor. First Lady Jill Biden will be in attendance to present awards. Actor Billy Crystal, who is currently nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for his work in Mr. Saturday Night, and actress Viola Davis, who is nominated for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for her memoir, Finding Me, are also set to present.
Also among this year’s presenters are The Late Late Show host James Corden, who hosted the Grammys back in 2017, as well as actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The Grammys will air on Sunday, February 5 beginning at 8 p.m. EST on CBS. The ceremony will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The 2023 Grammys will air live on CBS on Sunday, February 5 — so, not this Sunday but the next Sunday — beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The ceremony will take place at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena and, in addition to CBS on television, will stream live (and later on demand) on Paramount+. The full rundown can be found at the Grammys’ official website.
With Billboard, Noah reflected on becoming the second person alongside LL Cool J to host the Grammys at least three-straight times.
“I don’t think it’s normal to host it once, so I don’t have a great frame of reference for this. It is thrilling. For me, it’s a cheat code because I’m a fan of almost all the people who are there,” Noah said. “It has also been interesting because of the journey. The first one was [during] COVID-19, and it was a completely different way to make the show. And then the next one was in Las Vegas because of the restrictions [in Los Angeles], and that was a different type of show. Now it’s exciting [because] it’ll be the first one for me back in LA — that’s hopefully not just normal, but different for the right reasons.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
JAY-Z is rumored to return to the Grammys Stage. Hits Daily Double reports Hov is set to take the stage at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to perform for the show.
Hov’s appearance is rumored to potentially show up during DJ Khaled’s set, to deliver his 2022 Verse of the Year candidate from “GOD DID.”
Additional rumored performances are Bad Bunny and Harry Styles. Big nominees like Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, and Taylor Swift are believed to not be booked to perform at the show.
JAY-Z will reportedly perform at this year’s #GRAMMYs (Per @HITSDD)
This will be Jay’s 1st award show performance in years as he rarely performs at award shows
He previously declined to perform at the 2018 #GRAMMYs despite leading the field in nominations with eight for “4:44” pic.twitter.com/4htkP1F2pS
As for the nominations, the category of Best Rap Performance features active legends like JAY-Z and Kendrick Lamar and rising stars like GloRilla and Gunna.
“Break My Soul” – Beyonce “Rosewood” – Bonobo “Don’t Forget My Love” – Diplo & Miguel “I’m Good (Blue)” – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha “Intimidated” – Kaytranada Feat. Her “On My Knees” – Rufus Du Sol
Bringing the melodies to rap, DJ Khaled returns, this time with SZA and Future alongside him. Future doubles down in the category of “Wait For You.” Latto, Kendrick Lamar, And Jack Harlow all join in.
GOD DID – DJ Khaled I NEVER LIKED YOU – Future Come Home The Kids Miss You – Jack Harlow Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar It’s Almost Dry – Pusha T
Song of the Year is a battle between DJ Khaled, Adele, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, and more.
“abcdefu” – Gayle “About Damn Time” – Lizzo “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” – Taylor Swift “As It Was” – Harry Styles “Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy “Break My Soul” – Beyonce “Easy On Me” – Adele “God Did” – DJ Khaled “The Heart Pt 5” – Kendrick Lamar “Just Like That” – The Bonnie Ratt
The Best R&B performance is headlined by Beyonce’s “Virgo Groove” and Muni Long’s “Hrs and Hrs.” Beyonce joins Snoh Allegra, Jasmine Sullivan, and Mary J. Blige in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category.
“Virgo’s Groove” – Beyonce “Over” – Lucky Daye “Hurt Me So Good” – Babyface Feat. Ella Mai “Here With Me” – Adam Blackstone Feat. Jazmine Sullivan “Hrs & Hrs” – Muni Long
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards are just weeks away. Many of the biggest names in music gather for a week full of events across Los Angeles, California ending with the coveted ceremony on February 5, 2023, hosted by Trevor Noah. However, since the tragic death of the late singer Whitney Houston prior to the 2012 ceremony, a dark cloud has continued to hover over the event.
The late singer’s recent biopic, I Wanna Dance With Somebody starring Naomi Ackie, authorized by Houston’s estate, was a surface examination of the complexities of her life and career. Now, the estate has launched the Whitney Houston Hotel to dive even deeper look into her illustrious career, life, and her impact that was left out of the biopic. Noted as one of music’s greatest voices, the week-long event will center Houston’s music.
Partnering with Primary Wave and presented by Sony, the Whitney Houston Hotel, held inside the W Hotel in Hollywood, will host a week full of events, including live musical performances by Michelle Williams (of Destiny’s Child), Amber Riley, Baby Tate, Teddy Swims, Coco Jones, Georgia Ku, Kiana Ledé, Natalie Jane, a memorabilia exhibit, a pop-up shop, and more. See below for the full schedule.
While fans of the late Houston see this as another gross exploitation to capitalize on her death at the industry event, the family may be using this as an opportunity to change the narrative around it. However, considering the location and cause of her death, the framing presents as problematic at best. As distasteful as comedian Jerrod Carmichael’s joke about Houston’s accidental drowning at the Beverly Hilton, it is just a recent reminder of how the industry has continued to gloss over her troubling end.
Wednesday, February 1
The official unveiling of the Whitney Houston Hotel
Opening of the Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Immersive Listening Lounge
Opening of the Whitney Houston Pop-Up Retail Shop
Opening of the Whitney Houston Gallery featuring rare and iconic photos, as well as several gowns worn by Whitney throughout her career
Thursday, February 2
Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Immersive Listening Lounge Artist Showcases
Friday, February 3
Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Immersive Listening Lounge Whitney Houston Brunch and Panel Discussion Panel hosted by Kevin Frazier
Artist Showcases
Saturday, February 4
Primary Wave 16th Annual Pre-Grammy Carpet & Party
The Whitney Houston Hotel is sponsored by MAC Cosmetics, Proflowers, and City National Bank.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
In a sit-down with Billboard, the 38-year-old called the opportunity to host the Grammys again “thrilling,” saying, “For me, it’s a cheat code because I’m a fan of almost all the people who are there. It has also been interesting because of the journey.”
“The first one was [during] COVID-19, and it was a completely different way to make the show. And then the next one was in Las Vegas because of the restrictions [in Los Angeles], and that was a different type of show,” Noah continues. “Now it’s exciting [because] it’ll be the first one for me back in L.A. — that’s hopefully not just normal, but different for the right reasons.”
On why he considers himself to be a good candidate for the honor, the political commentator flaunted his long resume, dating back to his start in South Africa.
Working in the entertainment industry for nearly two decades, he shared, “I’ve been lucky enough to host crazy productions where everyone’s running around and you have to hit your marks and do different things…I allow myself [to be] comfortable with the idea that everything could go wrong in a moment.”
CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 16: Trevor Noah on The Daily Show Undesked Chicago 2017: Lets Do This Before It Gets Too Damn Cold Comedy Centrals The Daily Show with Trevor Noah taping Monday, October 16 through Thursday, October 19 from Chicagos The Athenaeum Theatre and airing nightly at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, 10:00 p.m. CT on October 16, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Comedy Central)
Noah signed off from The Daily Show earlier this month after hosting the show for seven years. Comics Craig Kilborn and Jon Stewart previously headlined the program, which debuted in 1996.
After announcing his departure in September, he offered his fans a brief explanation for his exit, saying on the show, “After seven years, I feel like it’s time. I spent two years in my apartment, not on the road, standup was done. And when I got back out there again, I realized there’s another part of my life I want to carry on exploring.”
On what’s next for the actor-writer, Noah will begin his Off The Record Tour in 2023, traveling across the country to perform new material and get back to his stand-up roots.
The South African comedian and TV show host has become a mainstay for the yearly award show. Noah first hosted the program in 2021 before returning to host in 2022. Now for the third year in a row, the Recording Academy has tasked Noah with the coveted position.
In a recent Billboard interview, Noah revealed how he prepares for the award show, saying he likes to “get a sense of the vibe” of what’s happening in music and pop culture.
“First of all, I listen to absolutely everything that’s going to be on the show just to get a sense of the vibe,” Noah told Billboard. “I want to get into the feeling of what’s going to be happening on the night. I spend a lot of time writing and preparing for what will or won’t happen. I try to think about what’s happening in music and pop culture. Then obviously, I’m paying attention to what’s happening on the night. I try to craft my performance so that it is most complementary for what is happening from one performance to the next. We rehearse a lot, and we need to because it’s life, and, as I said, anything can happen.”
In recent years, Trevor Noah has become pretty much as big a part of the Grammy Awards as the gramophone trophy. He first hosted the program in 2021, then he returned in 2022. Now, the Recording Academy has decided to not fix what isn’t broken: Noah will host for the third year in a row at the 2023 Grammys. The 65th Annual Grammy Awards are set to go down on February 5, 2023.
“First of all, I listen to absolutely everything that’s going to be on the show, just to get a sense of the vibe. I want to get into the feeling of what’s going to be happening on the night. I spend a lot of time writing and preparing for what will or won’t happen. I try to think about what’s happening in music and pop culture. Then obviously I’m paying attention to what’s happening on the night. I try to craft my performance so that it is most complementary for what is happening from one performance to the next. We rehearse a lot, and we need to because it’s live and, as I said, anything can happen.”
Read the full interview here and find the full list of 2023 Grammy nominees here.
Tune in Sunday, Feb 5th on 
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