The 59th annual Grammy Awards was held Sunday February 12th in California, giving us another year of some incredible performances, some controversial moments and all the memes you’ll see on your timeline in the coming weeks.
Adele scored a major victory in the three big categories, winning Record of The Year and Song of The Year for “Hello” and Album of The Year for 25.
The song, a performance of which kicked off the televised portion of the ceremony, also won for Best Pop Solo Performance.
Adele also performed a tribute to the late George Michael, but messed up her first take of “Fastlove” and restarted it after some cussing.
The 28-year-old U.K. singer thanked Beyoncé directly in her end-of-night speeches, praising her fellow nominee for the power of LEMONADE and musing that she wished Beyoncé could be her mother.
Adele broke her Grammy for Album of the Year in half on stage at the award ceremony on Sunday night; a happy accident as she declared it truly belongs to Beyoncé.
Adele, who also won the Song of the Year award, explained at length how she felt Lemonade was a more deserving winner than her own 25.
“I can’t possibly accept this award,” she said during her acceptance speech. “The Lemonade album was just so monumental, Beyoncé. It was so monumental and well thought-out and beautiful and soul-bearing… we appreciate that. All of us artists here adore you. You are our light.”
She later added backstage: “I thought it was her year. What the fuck does she have to do to win Album of the Year?”
Beyoncé didn’t go home empty handed, though, winning the trophies for Best Music Video for Formation and Best Urban Contemporary Album for LEMONADE. As she accepted the second award, she gave an impassioned speech while her husband Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy watched on.
Her live performance was also nothing short of show-stopping.
Her sister Solange took home Best R&B Performance for “Cranes In The Sky” off of A Seat At The Table.
Chance The Rapper was another of the night’s big winners, making good on three of his seven nominations. He won Best Rap Performance for “No Problems” featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, and then scored Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for his streaming-only mixtape Coloring Book. His performance at the end of the show was another standout moment from the telecast, as he brought out gospel singers Kirk Franklin, Tamela Mann and a full choir.
Some of the other nominees for Best Rap Album skipped the show, with Drake on tour in Europe and Kanye West making good on his promise to boycott the awards if Frank Ocean wasn’t nominated (he wasn’t, in what was kind of a big deal).
Drake was awarded two trophies, with “Hotline Bling” winning Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song.
Plenty of other Hip Hop and R&B notables attended though, with Rihanna, Rick Ross, CeeLo Green, John Legend, 2 Chainz, Desiigner, Lil Yachty and many others showing up on the red carpet.
ScHoolboy Q had previously said he’d probably pass on the show unless his daughter wanted to check it out, and apparently she did.
While A Tribe Called Quest’s new album wasn’t eligible for this year’s ceremony, they made their presence felt with a politically charged set that paid tribute to the late Phife Dawg and saw Busta Rhymes take aim at “President Agent Orange” and his “unsuccessful Muslim ban.” Watch that performance here.
Find list of winners below, or see the winners of every category here.
Record Of The Year
Adele – “Hello”
Beyonce – “Formation”
Lukas Graham – “7 Years”
Rihanna – “Work”
Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”
Album Of The Year
Adele – 25
Beyonce – Lemonade
Justin Bieber – Purpose
Drake – Views
Sturgill Simpson – A Sailor’s Guide To Earth
Song Of The Year
“Formation” — Khalif Brown, Asheton Hogan, Beyoncé Knowles & Michael L. Williams II, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Hello” — Adele Adkins & Greg Kurstin, songwriters (Adele)
“I Took A Pill In Ibiza” — Mike Posner, songwriter (Mike Posner)
“Love Yourself” — Justin Bieber, Benjamin Levin & Ed Sheeran, songwriters (Justin Bieber)
“7 Years” — Lukas Forchhammer, Stefan Forrest, Morten Pilegaard & Morten Ristorp, songwriters (Lukas Graham)
Best New Artist
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Chance The Rapper
Maren Morris
Anderson .Paak
Best Rap Performance
Chance The Rapper Featuring Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz – “No Problem”
Desiigner – “Panda”
Drake Featuring The Throne – “Pop Style”
Fat Joe & Remy Ma Featuring French Montana & Infared – “All The Way Up”
ScHoolboy Q Featuring Kanye West – “That Part”
Best Rap/Song Performance
Beyonce Featuring Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom”
Drake – “Hotline Bling”
D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
Kanye West Featuring Chance The Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & The-Dream – “Ultralight Beam”
Kanye West Featuring Rihanna – “Famous”
Best Rap Song
“All The Way Up” – Fat Joe & Remy Ma Featuring French Montana & Infared
“Famous” – Kanye West Featuring Rihanna
“Hotline Bling” – Drake
“No Problem – Chance The Rapper Featuring Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz
“Ultralight Beam” – Kanye West Featuring Chance The Rapper, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin & The-Dream
Best Rap Album
Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book
De La Soul – And The Anonymous Nobody
DJ Khaled – Major Key
Drake – Views
ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo
Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele – “Hello”
Beyonce – “Hold Up”
Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”
Kelly Clarkson – “Piece By Piece” (Idol Version)
Ariana Grande – “Dangerous Woman”
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey – “Closer”
Lukas Graham – “7 Years”
Rihanna Featuring Drake – “Work”
Sia Featuring Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills”
Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”
Best R&B Performance
BJ The Chicago Kid – “Turnin’ Me Up”
Musiq Soulchild – “I Do”
Rihanna – “Needed Me”
Ro James – “Permission”
Solange – “Cranes In The Sky”
Best Traditional R&B Performance
William Bell – “The Three Of Me”
BJ The Chicago Kid – “Woman’s World”
Fantasia – “Sleeping With The One I Love”
Lalah Hathaway – “Angel”
Jill Scott – “Can’t Wait”
Best R&B Song
“Come See Me”- (PartyNextDoor Featuring Drake)
“Exchange” – (Bryson Tiller)
“Kiss It Better” – (Rihanna)
“Lake By The Ocean” – (Maxwell)
“Luv” – (Tory Lanez)
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Beyonce – Lemonade
Gallant – Ology
KING – We Are King
Anderson .Paak – Malibu
Rihanna – Anti
Best R&B Album
BJ The Chicago Kid – In My Mind
Lalah Hathaway – Lalah Hathaway Live
Terrace Martin – Velvet Portraits
Mint Condition – Healing Season
Mya – Smoove Jones
HIPHOPDX.
