Skip to main content
 
  • Recording Academy
  • GRAMMYs
  • Membership
  • Advocacy
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
GRAMMYs
  • Advocacy
  • Membership
  • GRAMMYs
  • News
  • Governance
  • Jobs
  • Press Room
  • Events
  • Login
  • MusiCares
  • GRAMMY Museum
  • Latin GRAMMYs
  • More
    • MusiCares
    • GRAMMY Museum
    • Latin GRAMMYs

The GRAMMYs

  • Awards
  • News
  • Videos
  • Music Genres
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Music Genres
    • Recording Academy

Latin GRAMMYs

MusiCares

  • About
  • Get Help
  • Give
  • News
  • Videos
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Person of the Year
  • More
    • About
    • Get Help
    • Give
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
    • Shop
    • Person of the Year

Advocacy

  • About
  • News
  • Issues & Policy
  • Act
  • Recording Academy
  • More
    • About
    • News
    • Issues & Policy
    • Act
    • Recording Academy

Membership

  • Join
  • Events
  • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
  • SONGWRITERS & COMPOSERS WING
  • GRAMMY U
  • GOVERNANCE
  • More
    • Join
    • Events
    • PRODUCERS & ENGINEERS WING
    • SONGWRITERS & COMPOSERS WING
    • GRAMMY U
    • GOVERNANCE
Log In Join
  • SUBSCRIBE

  • Search
See All Results
Modal Open
Subscribe Now

Subscribe to Newsletters

Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Privacy Policy
GRAMMY Museum
Membership

Join us on Social

  • Recording Academy
    • The Recording Academy: Facebook
    • The Recording Academy: Twitter
    • The Recording Academy: Instagram
    • The Recording Academy: YouTube
  • GRAMMYs
    • GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Facebook
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Twitter
    • Latin GRAMMYs: Instagram
    • Latin GRAMMYs: YouTube
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • GRAMMY Museum: Facebook
    • GRAMMY Museum: Twitter
    • GRAMMY Museum: Instagram
    • GRAMMY Museum: YouTube
  • MusiCares
    • MusiCares: Facebook
    • MusiCares: Twitter
    • MusiCares: Instagram
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy: Facebook
    • Advocacy: Twitter
  • Membership
    • Membership: Facebook
    • Membership: Twitter
    • Membership: Instagram
    • Membership: Youtube
theronettes-124491624.jpg

The Ronettes

Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns

News
30 Songs That Use The Iconic "Be My Baby" Beat 30-songs-use-hal-blaines-iconic-be-my-baby-beat

30 Songs That Use Hal Blaine's Iconic "Be My Baby" Beat

Facebook Twitter Email
From Billy Joel to Bat For Lashes, the Wrecking Crew member's drum-work on the Ronettes' classic single is one of the most beloved and widely imitated beats in rock and pop
Dan Weiss
GRAMMYs
Mar 18, 2019 - 11:12 am

Hal Blaine, the legendary session drummer who died last Tuesday at age 90, can lay claim to many records, literally: he played on more than six thousand singles, including 150 that hit the top ten in the U.S. and 40 that reached the top. It’s no wonder that he was the backbone of a cavalcade of musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. Last year he received a Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY, and he got to work with some of the biggest stars in music history: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys.

But his contribution to musical history will inarguably be the four-beat phrase his drums introduced to the pop lexicon: dum…dum-dum…psh. That’s the opening beat to the Ronettes' classic girl-group single "Be My Baby" in 1963, and has gone on to become one of the most beloved and widely imitated beats in rock and pop, up there with the Bo Diddley beat. Below are a mere 30 of some of the most memorable uses of Blaine’s signature drum figure, but there are dozens more.

Jan & Dean, "Dead Man's Curve" (1964)

Before "Leader of the Pack," there was this 1964 single that also concerned a fatal crash, and its tense, busy drums vary the "Be My Baby" sound with more anxious fills akin to Keith Moon or the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" — over a year before either existed.

The Beach Boys, "Don't Worry Baby" (1964)

The sweet, haunted "Don’t Worry Baby" is what happens when one of music’s most beloved geniuses tries to do his own version of "Be My Baby" because he believes it’s the greatest pop song ever made. He doesn’t nick the beat exactly — in 1964, Brian Wilson was a little too square and straightforward for true rhythmic herky-jerk — but he does include the real deal at the very beginning, before taking it, and American pop, somewhere else entirely.

The Four Seasons, "Rag Doll" (1964)

Frankie Valli's 1964 chart-topper may have well been the first big hit to capitalize on Hal Blaine's booming signature, and you can hear how fresh the beat still sounds behind that multilayered vocal swirl and twinkling glockenspiel. Too bad the lyrics are kind of pathetic; Valli basically sings about his crush on a girl who’s too poor for his parents to approve.

The Shangri-Las, "Leader of the Pack" (1964)

Released just a year after "Be My Baby" itself, the Shangri-Las’ fellow classic number-one hit proceeds directly from its source by cutting the snare drum so the tension never gets relieved, a fitting treatment for a teen melodrama in which the motorcycle-driving title crush meets his tragic end.

Badfinger, "Baby Blue" (1971)

One of the first post-Beatles groups, even signing to the Fab Four's own Apple label, Badfinger were more adept at pantomiming legendary pop moves than most, making this beat an easy inclusion to their arsenal.

Billy Joel, "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (1976)

Megastar and self-identified "melody freak" Joel would go on to do a whole retro tribute to the Four Seasons, Motown and others with 1983's An Innocent Man, but that doesn’t mean he was gonna wait seven years to lob his own "Be My Baby" homage at the charts.

Meat Loaf, "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" (1977)

Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman's bestselling theater-rock hybrid is mostly remember for taking Springsteen to Broadway four decades before the Boss had the idea, but the Ronettes' earthy, celestial sound is as crucial to E Street as Bob Dylan was, and it’s no surprise that the biggest post-Born to Run album dabbled in their classic beat either.

Hall & Oates, "The Last Time" (1978)

The biggest blue-eyed soul act of all-time were pop virtuosos, of course they were gonna take the "Be My Baby" backbeat for a spin.

The Clash, "The Card Cheat" (1980)

Perhaps the least punk-sounding tune on London Calling, "The Card Cheat" announces its regal grandeur with — what else? — the beat of a pop classic, here refitted for grand piano and even horns.

The Jesus and Mary Chain, "Just Like Honey" (1985)

You could say the Jesus and Mary Chain's overwhelmingly distorted college radio hit repopularized the "Be My Baby" beat's legend entirely, for a new audience of musicians and fans discovering indie and alternative about to be born. But JAMC also loved the beat so much, their cult-hit debut Psychocandy even used it in a second song, "Sowing Seeds."

Depeche Mode, "A Question of Lust" (1986)

A year after the Jesus and Mary Chain made the "Be My Baby" beat cool again to a whole new generation, even the dour princes of synth-pop had to dive in with this clanging 1986 ballad.

Pet Shop Boys, "King's Cross" (1987)

Following in the footsteps of Depeche Mode, the poster boys for percolating synth-pop found away to bring Hal Blaine into the computer age with the airy, hymnlike closer from their 1987 sophomore album, Actually.

The Go-Betweens, "Hope Then Strife" (1987)

It’s telling how many artists utilized the "Be My Baby" beat for an album’s big finish, in this case, the classic Tallulah from Australia’s headiest alternative band, who give Blaine’s beat one of its most elegant treatments, thanks to Amanda Brown's gorgeous oboe.

The Magnetic Fields, "Candy" (1992)

As with a large chunk of auteurs on this list, Stephin Merritt is a songwriter who functions as a human pop database, whether he’s inverting clichés invented by Irving Berlin or indulging in deadpan homage, which he and his then-lead singer Susan Amway did on one of the earliest Magnetic Fields albums with this gender-twisted pill of sugar.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Our Time" (2001)

When Karen O, Nick Zinner, and Brian Chase needed something humungous to close out their opening salvo to the world, what could be more memorable than the melody of "Crimson And Clover" grafted onto the "Be My Baby" drums? Mission accomplished.

Sleater-Kinney, "Oh!" (2002)

Sleater-Kinney’s idea of classic girl-group pop is, of course, much faster and louder than the originals. But you might not even notice that One Beat’s poppiest track, “Oh!” has sped up the “Be My Baby” rhythm into this nervy screwdriver.

The Raveonettes, "Little Animal" (2003)

The most sexually explicit tune in the Raveonettes’ considerably “Be My Baby”-influenced catalogue (Ronnie Spector herself even appeared on 2005’s Pretty in Black) hinges on a line that rhymes with “I guess it’s just my luck” and was their first to actually use the Ronettes’ beat itself, smack in the middle of an entire album composed in the key of B flat major.

Johnny Boy, "You Are the Generation That Bought More Shoes And You Get What You Deserve" (2004)

This beloved 2004 indie-pop single sounds exactly like one of those contemporaneous dozen-member collectives like I’m From Barcelona or Los Campesinos! except their huge, Spector-esque sound was the work of just two members. And any self-respecting Wall of Sound worshippers are gonna steal from "Be My Baby."

Jens Lekman, "A Higher Power" (2004)

The closing tune on the wry Swedish indie-pop powerhouse’s debut snips the snare from the Ronettes’ template to give boom to a relentless string section and a lyric about two protagonists that make out with plastic bags over their heads until they pass out.

Bat for Lashes, "What’s A Girl To Do?" (2006)

Natasha Khan’s debut single is one of the best-ever uses of Hal Blaine’s magical pound, giving it elements rarely associated with the beat, like an eerie harpsichord and a minor-key chord progression. And the Donnie Darko-tinged video of synchronized bike-riding is even better.

The Shins, "Phantom Limb" (2007)

By the Shins’ third album, Wincing the Night Away, James Mercer was giving his dense and knotty melodies-within-melodies more room to breathe, and the slowed, spacious setting was just perfect for a first single that deployed a tambourine-heavy variation on the world’s most famous beat.

Jay Reatard, "An Ugly Death" (2008)

The late Jay Lindsey wrote songs as tight and propulsive as the best punk with a pile of shambolic hooks that even the best pop isn’t always completely stuffed with, and this Farfisa-crazy 2008 single tips its hat to Hal Blaine before perfectly exemplifying both.

Deerhunter, "Vox Humana" (2008)

One of the least pop-oriented bands on this list, Deerhunter is still a perfect match for a beat that leaves such cavernous air open to fill with hazy instrumental smoke and wispy vocals, in this case Bradford Cox’s monologue operating like a "My Boyfriend’s Back" that stretches out the spoken intro to three minutes.

God Help The Girl, "Perfection As A Hipster" (2009)

If contemporary users of the "Be My Baby" beat have anything in common, it’s that they’re usually pop nerds with one foot in not nostalgia itself but an internalized old-time aesthetic. So you get the fuzzy girl-group pop of the Raveonettes and a surfy variation by Best Coast, and this Belle & Sebastian side project all dusting off classic sounds from long before their late-2000s emergences. The only surprise here is that Stuart Murdoch didn’t use it sooner.

Best Coast, "I Want To" (2010)

Bethany Cosentino’s excellent 2010 debut Crazy for You is soaked in splashy reverb that suits its gorgeous throwback ambitions. Though the molasses-paced "I Want To" is its only track that actually swipes the "Be My Baby" rhythm, you’ll swear you remembered at least six others that did, too, in true Jesus and Mary Chain fashion.

Lykke Li, "Sadness Is a Blessing" (2011)

Swedish electro-pop phenom Lykke Li went back much further for this massively Spectorian single that culminates in one perfect, silly encapsulation of her attitude: "Sadness is my boyfriend / Oh sadness, I’m your girl."

Lady Gaga, "Hair" (2011)

Our reigning pop encyclopedia’s take showcases the drum line's strength as a part rather than the sum of a song’s beat, building from the stop-start tension of "Be My Baby" in the song’s intro to an EDM floor-filler of a chorus and some of the last recorded sax-playing ever by Springsteen’s longtime right-hand big man Clarence Clemons.

Car Seat Headrest, "My Boy" (2011/2018)

In 2011 (and again in 2018), Will Toledo recorded (and rerecorded) his fan-favorite song cycle Twin Fantasy with what else but the biggest beat imaginable to open it up?

Alice Bag, "He's So Sorry" (2016)

Turning one of the more disturbing girl-group tropes on its head, L.A. punk legend Alice Bag released this 2016 song to highlight the domestic violence in famous songs like "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)" and "Johnny Get Angry," and she even donned a retro get-up in the video amid disturbing scenes of abuse. Using the "Be My Baby" beat was only natural for a song that ties Phil Spector's best and worst legacies together.

Lana Del Rey feat. The Weeknd, "Lust for Life" (2017)

As with Best Coast or the Raveonettes, it’s somewhat amazing that retro-pop revivalist Lana Del Rey hasn't used Hal Blaine’s signature beat more often, though it’s just too perfect for a song pretty much literally about climbing the Hollywood sign.

Wrecking Crew Drummer Hal Blaine Has Died At 90

Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson

Photo: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

News
Brian Wilson And The Zombies Announce Joint Tour brian-wilson-and-zombies-announce-something-great-68-joint-tour

Brian Wilson And The Zombies Announce "Something Great From '68" Joint Tour

Facebook Twitter Email
GRAMMY winner Wilson will primarily perform material from The Beach Boys' 1968 and 1971 albums, 'Friends' and 'Surf's Up,' while the British psych rockers will play their classic 1968 LP, 'Odessey and Oracle,' in full
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
May 7, 2019 - 1:46 pm

GRAMMY winner Brian Wilson and British psych-rock group The Zombies have announced a joint tour aptly titled Something Great from '68. The 15-show U.S. trek kicks off in Las Vegas on Aug. 31 and wraps up on Sept. 26 in New York City.

We're so excited to return to the US we’ve scheduled 2 tours in 1!  We start in August with our own headline shows before meeting with Chris & Hugh in September to tour with fellow @rockhall of Famer @BrianWilsonLive! Full tour dates: https://t.co/hR4LXQ0TOi pic.twitter.com/8Q0usENTGG

— The Zombies (@TheZombiesMusic) May 7, 2019

Wilson will perform primarily Beach Boys material from their 1968 album Friends and 1971 LP Surf's Up. The albums were the pioneering surf-rock group's 14th and 17th studio albums, respectively. He'll be joined on stage by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin for the full tour.

Related: Remembering The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds': For The Record

The Zombies, whose current touring lineup consists of founding members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, will open each show by playing their classic 1968 LP, Odessey and Oracle, in full. The British group's sophomore album includes songs like "Time Of The Season" and was recorded at two iconic London studios: Abbey Road and Olympic.

Beginning with the third show, in Pala, Calif. on Sept. 7, the pair will reunite with fellow co-founding band members Chris White and Hugh Grundy. The quartet will perform together for the remaining dates, which include stops at the historic Greek Theater in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, the intimate Fox Theatre in Oakland, Calif the following day, and a final tour stop at New York City's Beacon Theatre on Sept. 26.

"It's been quite a year and I'm ready to go out and tour some music that makes everyone have a feel good vibe. The Friends album has always been one of my favorites, and I love the music from that time in history," Wilson said in a statement on his website.

The Zombies Revisit "She's Not There"

Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 10, with the pre-sale beginning tomorrow May 8. More info can be found on both The Zombies' and Brian Wilson's websites.

Get Tickets For MusiCares 2019 Concert For Recovery Honoring Macklemore

Good vibrations cover
News
Inside The Socially Distanced "Good Vibrations" viral-beach-boys-cover-heal-grieving-world-almost-didnt-happen

Why This Viral Beach Boys Cover, Meant To Heal A Grieving World, Almost Didn’t Happen

Facebook Twitter Email
Last summer, almost 30 musicians banded together from home to record a cover of the Beach Boys' 1967 classic, "Good Vibrations." After widespread COVID-related deaths and global protests hit, the group wondered if it would ever see the light of day
Morgan Enos
GRAMMYs
Feb 5, 2021 - 7:33 am

The saxophonist, flutist, and keyboardist Sarah Johnson Melkeraaen's father was her number-one fan. A lover of soul artists like George Clinton, Lou Rawls and The Temptations, Julius Johnson danced at any opportunity—at the supermarket, after bowling a strike, or in response to good news of any type. Sometimes, his dancing made his daughter feel shy, but today, she misses it more than anything. Granted, Johnson wasn't particularly a Beach Boys fan. But when Melkeraaen—who records and performs as Lady Albatross—took part in a massive cover of America’s Band, it ended up a testament to his goofy, music-loving spirit.

In a YouTube cover of the exuberant "Good Vibrations” recorded last June, created to give a world in lockdown a much-needed lift, she played flute alongside almost 30 other musicians in virtual collaboration. Released this year after a months-long delay, the cover grew so popular that it caught the attention of Brian Wilson himself.

But because Johnson died of COVID-19 the month of its making, he's not around to cut a rug in response.

"In my mind, I'm picturing being able to tell him, and he definitely would have had an ear-to-ear, massive grin," Lady Albatross, who came onto the project by word-of-mouth, tells GRAMMY.com from her home in Odda, Norway. “He would have given me a really big hug and told me how proud he was."

Making The Cover

"Good Vibrations," which a 24-year-old Wilson concocted as the centerpiece to 1967's aborted Beach Boys album Smile, is only the latest tune that organizers Doc Crotzer and Matthew Smith have tackled. In the confusing, suffocating early weeks of lockdown, they cast out a net to record a quarantine-friendly cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'." "We thought maybe a few other people might be interested in doing it with us but didn't expect too many people," Smith tells GRAMMY.com. 

Through a network of friends recommending friends, like in Lady Albatross's and Jones' case, they followed up the Petty tune with a pitch-perfect rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run."

"By then," Crotzer says, "more people had seen the video and reached out to us, so we were able to grow our Social Distance Session Band, which added to the fun and challenge. 'Good Vibrations' came out of trying to answer 'How do we top "Born to Run'" with our group?'"

To help manifest their sun-kissed dream, Crotzer and Smith contacted Anders Fehon and Edwin Herder of Beach Boys musical replicators The Fendertones. Then, they recorded a scratch track for the instrumentalists, and Crotzer sang rough takes of each vocal part to place the singers properly in the harmony stack.

Sarah Johnson Melkeraaen and Julius Johnson

Sarah Johnson Melkeraaen and her father, Julius Johnson.

Two of those singers were MInhee Jones, a London-based alternative pop artist, and her friend, Celeigh Chapman, a country singer originally from Bakersfield, California. The recording process helped Chapman exhume the song from TV ads and oldies stations and examine it anew.

"For us, it was cool to pull apart the layers because [most of us] appreciate it in a passing way or understand that it's revolutionary for the time," she tells GRAMMY.com. "But then, to pull it apart and learn a specific part and see all those parts stack up, I think, gave us a whole other level of appreciation for them doing that at that time, considering where the technology is now and where it was then. When you look underneath the hood, there's a whole other level of, "Oh, this is actually why this is so omnipresent in our culture and has been able to sustain generations of fans and musicians."

Stitching together nearly 30 socially-distanced takes wasn't easy, but Crotzer and Smith found ways to circumvent potential hiccups. "For the instrumental part of the track, we let people do their own thing a bit more," Smith says, "but everyone was still playing to a guide track so that everything would stay in sync when we got the tracks back."

Near the end, the number of tracks so overwhelmed his laptop that he had to buy a better computer. "Fortunately, we had an awesome editor named Chase Johnson cutting it," Crotzer says. "He made it look easy and seamless."

Hitting A Roadblock 

The month they recorded the cover, the George Floyd protests hit. "Good Vibrations" wouldn't come out in June as planned. 

While the musicians never explicitly mentioned current events over the email chain, Chapman says there was an unspoken agreement that the timing wasn't right. In the midst of global racial upheaval, releasing a happy-go-lucky cover may have come across as blithe or tone-deaf. The following months brought mostly silence. "I remember sending an email asking, 'When is this coming out?''" Lady Albatross remembers. 

Watch this amazing video from Social Distance Settings of "Good Vibrations" featuring Minhee Jones and Jesse Hernandez, and musicians around the world. Their goal for this performance is to make everyone SMiLE. Hope you enjoy it! https://t.co/QwmGbLWGQS

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) January 26, 2021

In the months leading to his death, Lady Albatross's father became inward and uncommunicative; she's not certain he even knew about the "Good Vibrations" cover. Lady Albatross was already saddened her father would never hear it, but after a while, it seemed like nobody would. As the months stretched out between George Floyd's killing and the fractious 2020 election, the "blossom world" Wilson sang of seemed more out-of-reach than ever.

Jones felt wary of a world seemingly drained of the Beach Boys' promise. "I was pretty down around that time because it was so polarized," she tells GRAMMY.com. "You saw some disappointing ideals coming out of people. Just a lot of ignorance, I guess. It didn't seem like the right time to put out anything too light." 

Going Viral

On the heels of the inauguration and with vaccinations starting to roll out, it finally felt right to drop "Good Vibrations" on YouTube in the spirit of healing and brighter days ahead.

"I remember when I got the email from Doc and Matt saying, 'It's up! It's finally here! It's done!'" Jones says with a grin over Zoom. "It was right after the inauguration. I think they posted it on Facebook just like that: 'This could not have come at a better time. So many good vibrations. A weight has been lifted.' I thought the inauguration was amazing. We were all watching it around the world. I was over here with my glass of champagne in London. I thought the timing of that was spot-on." 

Almost immediately, the video was met with global excitations—and Brian Wilson's. "Watch this amazing video from Social Distance Settings of 'Good Vibrations' featuring Minhee Jones and Jesse Hernandez, and musicians around the world," he tweeted. "Their goal for this performance is to make everyone SMiLE." At press time, the video was on the cusp of 50,000 views.

Overall, the response has bowled over Crotzer and Smith, who had merely organized the video for the fun, fun, fun of it.

"I couldn't believe it when Brian Wilson shared our cover on his social media," Crotzer tells GRAMMY.com. "The first rock 'n' roll music I heard as a kid was written by him and got me into music in the first place. Waking up to see that Brian liked it was an incredible way to start a day. Just absolutely surreal.”

A No. 1 hit in its day, "Good Vibrations" was sparked by Wilson's curiosity about the human emotions that dogs pick up on. Had the crew had released their cover back in June, it might have clashed with the will of the universe. But because they released it in a long-awaited moment of political optimism, "Good Vibrations" acted as a beacon of light through the gloom—and elicited a hard-won smile from thousands of viewers. 

And Lady Albatross, who sticks out in the virtual crowd in her hand-crocheted octopus hat, says her old man would be right there with them.

"He would have given me a really big hug and a kiss on the forehead," she says, envisioning his response to the Brian Wilson-approved video. And, of course, "He would have done a little happy dance."

Dave Mason On Recording With Rock Royalty & Why He Reimagined His Debut Solo Album, 'Alone Together

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
GRAMMYs

Kristolyn Lloyd at 2018 GRAMMYs

 

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

 
News
Looking Ahead To The 2021 GRAMMYs 63rd-grammys-looking-ahead-2021-grammy-awards

The 63rd GRAMMY Awards: Looking Ahead To The 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show

Facebook Twitter Email
Need something to look forward to? Here's what you'll want to know about the 2021 GRAMMYs, including nominations, timelines, rule changes, possible formats, voting and more...
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Aug 19, 2020 - 9:37 am

Updated March 7, 2021.

Given how this year has gone, perhaps you're ready to fast-forward to 2021 (we're almost there!). Beyond it no longer being 2020, next year has some other big things going for it, including Music's Biggest Night, a.k.a. the 2021 GRAMMYs. Airing Sunday, March 14, 2021, on CBS, the 63rd GRAMMY Awards recognize excellence in music released in late 2019 and 2020. Hopefully, you're as excited about the show as we are! 

To help make sure you stay in the loop, read on to learn more important dates and details about GRAMMY nominations (they were announced on Nov. 24), the Recording Academy member voting process and everything else 2021 GRAMMY Awards show!

It's Here! 2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List

When Is It?

On Sunday, March 14, 2021, the 63rd GRAMMY Awards will be happening. The health and safety of the artists, guests, crew and staff is always front of mind during every GRAMMYs, so, logistically, things will be a little different this year.

62nd GRAMMY Awards Wrap Up Show

How To Watch The 2021 GRAMMY Awards Show

Ahead of Music's Biggest Night, GRAMMY.com has put together a useful guide about the different ways you can watch the show and experience the 2021 GRAMMY season in full. Check out our official Watch The 2021 GRAMMYs Live page and read below for more details.

Meet The New Class: Meet This Year's Best New Artist Nominees | 2021 GRAMMYs

Who Is Nominated?!

One of the biggest days in music outside of the show itself is the nominations announcement, when hundreds of artists learn they're in the running for a golden gramophone. For the upcoming 63rd GRAMMY Awards, the nominees were announced on Nov. 24. You can peruse the complete 2021 nominees list here and rewatch the star-studded nominations annoucement livestream here. You can also find out who are the most-nominated artists this year here.

GRAMMY nominations are always a very celebratory day for those nominated. It is truly a moment when all the love, long hours and hard work that was put into the music feels worth it. Celebrate with the 2021 nominees in this joyful reactions roundup. 

Revisit The Magic Noms Moment: "This doesn’t feel real:" 2021 GRAMMY Nominees Celebrate On Social Media

Who Is Performing?!

Performers for the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show include Bad Bunny, Black Pumas, Cardi B, BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, Maren Morris, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Harry Styles, and Taylor Swift.

To view a list of current nominations per artist, please visit our GRAMMY Awards performer and presenter page here.

What About The Premiere Ceremony?

Preceding the 2021 GRAMMY Awards show, the 63rd GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will take place Sunday, March 14, at noon PT, and will be streamed live internationally via GRAMMY.com.

Hosted by current three-time GRAMMY nominee Jhené Aiko, the Premiere Ceremony will feature a number of performances by current GRAMMY nominees, including: Nigerian singer, songwriter and rapper Burna Boy, jazz band Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science, blues musician Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, classical pianist Igor Levit, Latin electropop musician Lido Pimienta, singer, songwriter and performance artist Poppy, and singer, songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright. 

Learn more about the 63rd GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony.

What Releases Are Eligible?

The Product Eligibility Period for the 63rd GRAMMY Awards is Sept. 1, 2019—Aug. 31, 2020.

Read: 62nd GRAMMY Awards & "Let's Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute To Prince" Earn Emmy Nominations

What Will The Show Look Like?

Just ahead of the nominees announcement on Nov. 24, the Recording Academy revealed GRAMMY-nominated South African comedian Trevor Noah will host the 2021 GRAMMYs.

While the format of next year's GRAMMY Awards has not been announced, Harvey Mason jr., the Recording Academy Interim President/CEO, offered some insight on what to expect at the 2021 show back in June during an interview with Variety. "We are simultaneously developing three plans for what the show would look like: One is the traditional show with the full crowd, two is a limited crowd, and three is no crowd, and there's creative around all three of those ideas: how and where we would film it. But none of them involve changing or postponing the date," said Mason. 

"I've spent a lot of time talking to artists, managers and labels and getting a feel for how the pandemic is affecting the release of music—and as I'm sure you've noticed, the amount of music released has actually increased during the pandemic, so we would not want to delay our date with so much great music coming out," he continued.

"But I also think it's important and helpful to have shows like this, when there's been so much uncertainty and unrest—to have something you know is coming around every year and to know there's a time when we all sit down together and watch great entertainment and art… We're trying to build the next evolution of the Academy, and the show will go hand-in-hand with that. Whether it's with a crowd or not, we're going to try to take things to the next level," Mason added.

Let's Add It Up: Find Out Who Has The Most GRAMMY Nominations, Which Categories Are All-Female & More: 2021 GRAMMYs By The Numbers

More recently, on Sept. 30, he spoke to Variety again and added that no matter what, the show will be executed fully live, with no pre-recorded segments.

"We're looking at Staples [Center] with a limited audience, although that seems increasingly unlikely; Staples with live performances and no audience; or something a little more virtual, with some elements from different locations," Mason said. "We're still waiting to hear back from our partners at the network and the venue and our medical experts, because obviously we want this to be safe for everyone ...

"Obviously, this is a very unique year. We've been looking at all of the [2020 awards] shows really closely and I've been talking with some of the people who put them together—the creative and also the business side. I think there have been some great examples of how to present music and awards at these shows, and I think there's some other things that we're gonna do pretty differently. The civic and social unrest deserves to be addressed, and we always encourage artists to voice their opinions, so I expect we'll see messages both from the artists' side and the Academy side."

Behind The Board: Harvey Mason Jr.

We can't wait for all the magical GRAMMY moments, epic performances and moving speeches—it's exactly what we need to start 2021 off on an inspirational note. While you'll have to wait to closer to the show to find out who the performers and presenters are (which are always announced in multiple waves), what's certain is things will be off the chain.

Read: The Recording Academy Announces Changes For 63rd Annual GRAMMYs, Releases Rules And Guidelines

What's New For 2021?

There are quite a few exciting changes going into effect with the 63rd GRAMMY Awards! Following Ken Ehrlich's celebrated 40-year run as the show's executive producer, Emmy Award-winning producer Ben Winston is taking over the reins. The highly experienced TV/film writer/director/producer has worked on "The Late Late Show with James Corden," co-creating Corden's beloved "Carpool Karaoke" show with the comedian himself.

James Corden Subway Carpool Karaoke | 2018 GRAMMYs

Additionally, several major changes to the voting guidelines and rules, the latter which affects five award categories, go into effect this year. These updates, announced in June, reflect the Recording Academy's ongoing commitment to evolve with the musical landscape and to ensure that the nomination process and rules are more transparent and fair. More details on the changes can be found in the above link, but, the rule/category updates are highlighted below.

  • Best Urban Contemporary Album has been renamed Best Progressive R&B Album to include a more accurate definition to describe the merit or characteristics of music compositions or performances within the genre of R&B.
  • Best Rap/Sung Performance has been renamed Best Melodic Rap Performance to represent the growing hybrid performance trends within the rap genre.
  • Latin Pop Album has been renamed Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album AND Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album has been renamed Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album to represent the current state and prominent representation in the Latin urban genres.
  • There is no longer a specified maximum number of releases prohibiting artists from entering the Best New Artist category. The screening committees will determinine whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year, with such a determination would result in disqualification.

Another exciting category update occured in November, when Best World Music Album changed to the more inclusive Best Global Music Album. While this might appear subtle to those not familiar with the baggage the term "world music" carries, it represents an important honoring of its past and movement towards a more inclusive, adaptive future.

The new name was decided after extensive conversations with artists, ethnomusicologists and linguists from around the world, who decided it was time to rename it with "a more relevant, modern, and inclusive term," an email sent to Recording Academy members explained. "The change symbolizes a departure from the connotations of colonialism, folk and 'non-American' that the former term embodied while adapting to current listening trends and cultural evolution among the diverse communities it may represent."

Related: Travel Around The World With The Best Global Music Album Nominees | 2021 GRAMMYs

Key Voting Dates

As the only peer-recognized music award, the GRAMMY is the music industry’s highest honor. This means GRAMMY nominations and winners are determined by the music professionals who are voting members of the Recording Academy. 

  • Sept. 1, 2019—Aug. 31, 2020: Product Eligibility Period
  • Sept. 30—Oct. 12, 2020: First-Round Voting—eligible members vote to determine the 2021 nominees!
  • Nov. 24: Nominations Announcement!
  • Dec. 7, 2020—Jan. 4, 202: Final-Round Voting—this round determines the GRAMMY winners!
  • Sunday, March 14, 2021: 63rd GRAMMY Awards & Premiere Ceremony

Your Academy: Welcoming The 2020 New Member Class

Find more at the GRAMMY Awards FAQ page here, including on the voting process.

To make sure you don't miss a beat on anything GRAMMY Awards related, make sure to follow us on our social channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) and subscribe to our newsletter (sign up below) and YouTube channel.

2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
GRAMMYs

Billie Eilish

Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

News
10 Major Moments From The 2020 GRAMMY Awards 10-best-unforgettable-moments-2020-62nd-grammy-awards

10 Unforgettable Moments From The 2020 GRAMMY Awards

Facebook Twitter Email
From Lizzo opening the show in grand fashion to Tyler, The Creator's fiery set, relive the magic below with our roundup of 10 unmissable moments from the 2020 GRAMMY Awards
Pamela Chelin
GRAMMYs
Jan 27, 2020 - 9:10 am

The 2020 GRAMMY Awards were a sight to behold on Sunday, Jan. 26, opening with a brilliant performance from Lizzo and Sasha Flute and closing out with multiple wins from 18-year-old pop wunderkind Billie Eilish, who swept the major categories (Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Album Of The Year, respectively). Though the night had an unexpected dark cloud overhead with the recent news of basketball legend Kobe Bryant's passing, host Alicia Keys and the night's many performers came through with both respectful tributes and still-celebratory vibes. Relive the magic below with our roundup of 10 unmissable moments from the 2020 GRAMMY Awards.

Lizzo Poses With Her Three GRAMMYs

Lizzo Opens The Show

Singer/songwriter, rapper and flutist Lizzo, who took home three GRAMMYs—Best Pop Solo Performance for "Truth Hurts," Best Urban Contemporary Album for Cuz I Love You and Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Jerome"—opened the show with a stellar performance of "Cuz I Love You," which she dedicated to Kobe Bryant. Backed by a group of all-female string and horn players and all-female backup dancers, Lizzo, dressed in a floor-length black sparkling gown before switching into a futuristic leotard for "Truth Hurts," delivered a powerhouse performance, replete with her flute delivered to her onstage on a silver platter which was fitting for this queen who, like her "Truth Hurts" lyrics express, clearly won't ever be anyone's "side chick."

Alicia Keys & Boyz II Men Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant

GRAMMY host Alicia Keys, with her hair tightly pulled back into a bun and dressed in a silver gown, adopted an appropriately somber tone when she opened the show and addressed the audience, paying her deepest respect to the tragic loss of basketball star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash earlier in the day. Standing in the Staples Center, home to the GRAMMYs and Los Angeles Lakers, Keys referred to the center as "the house that Kobe built" as a photo of Kobe was displayed on an overhead screen. Keys asked the audience to hold Kobe, Gianna and all those who were lost in the helicopter crash in their thoughts, prayers and spirits. Keys was then joined onstage by Boyz II Men with whom she sang a beautiful rendition of "It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye."

Read More: Alicia Keys & Boyz II Men Give A Moving Tribute To Kobe Bryant At The 2020 GRAMMY Awards

Tyler, The Creator Burns Down The House

Rapper, singer/songwriter and record producer Tyler, the Creator, who won a GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for Igor and brought his mom onstage for his acceptance speech, wore his signature platinum blond wig (for his character Igor) and a pink and magenta suit and brought sizzling, amped up energy to a charged-up performance of "EARFQUAKE" and "NEW MAGIC WAND." As he sang and danced on a simulated street, with rooftop flames coming out of surrounding houses, he was joined by an army of Tyler, the Creator lookalikes, R&B artist Charlie Wilson (his Igor collaborator) and Boyz II Men as he rose up on a platform above the stage bringing the energy to a fired-up frenzy before taking it back down again. He ended his fiery, magnetic performance appearing to fall backwards on to the ground as flames burned all around.

Tyler, The Creator Wins Best Rap Album in 2020

Camila Cabello Honors Her Father

Singer/songwriter and actress Camila Cabello, who, in 2019, was the first Latina woman to open the GRAMMYs, wore a pink gown as she sang "First Man," which she wrote about her father Ajelandro. As Cabello delivered a tender and beautiful performance, home video from her childhood played on a nearby pink curtain that was erected next to her onstage. She ended her performance by singing directly to her father who was seated in the front row of the audience. Holding his hand, as tears streamed down his face, Cabello’s father kissed his daughter’s hand before standing up and hugging her. With the two locked in a heartfelt father-daughter embrace, it was an especially powerful moment given the sudden loss of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. 

Demi Lovato Gives A Heartwrenching Performance Of "Anyone"

Singer/songwriter and actress Demi Lovato, dressed in a sweeping white shimmering floor-length gown, became so choked up when she began to sing "Anyone," her new song which was written several days before she overdosed in 2018, that she had to stop her performance to begin again. Her emotionality and false start, however, added further sentiment and poignancy to her heartfelt and stunning delivery as tears streamed down her cheeks while she sang. While powerfully singing "Anyone"'s painfully naked lyrics "No one is listening to me," it was clear that everyone in the audience was absolutely listening. Lovato's performance, her first return to the stage since 2018, received a standing ovation from the audience.

Lil Nas X Takes Us To The "Old Town Road"

Rapper and singer/songwriter Lil Nas X, who won two GRAMMYs—Best Music Video and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Old Town Road"—made his GRAMMY debut performing the smash hit. Starting off solo, strumming his guitar and singing seated on a couch next to a Kobe Bryant Lakers jersey spread across a nearby armchair, Lil Nas X, wearing a black and silver sparkly cowboy hat and silver outfit, moved through a variety of ever-changing colorful sets where he was joined by  Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo, K-pop seven-piece BTS, and 13-year-old viral yodeling sensation Mason Ramsey for a high octane and compelling performance before diving into "Rodeo" with "Big" Nas.

Lil Nas X | 2020 GRAMMYs Thank You Cam

Billie Eilish Gives A Raw Performance Of "When The Party's Over"

18-year-old singer/songwriter Billie Eilish, who won five GRAMMYs (Song Of The Year, Best New Artist, Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album) and her collaborator and brother FINNEAS delivered a stripped down, anguished performance of "when the party’s over" driven by Eilish’s emotional, raw and gut-wrenching vocals. Eilish, seated on a stool and dressed in sparkly Gucci pajamas with matching sneakers, kept her eyes closed throughout her anguished and mesmerizing performance as Finneas accompanied her on piano. 

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: FINNEAS On Billie Eilish & "Doing Production That No One's Ever Done Before"

Watch: Billie Eilish Wins Album Of The Year

Nipsey Hussle Gets A Worthy Tribute

L.A.-born rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was shot and killed last year at just 33 years old, won two posthumous GRAMMYs—Best Rap Performance for "Racks In The Middle" and Best Rap/Sung Performance for "Higher." DJ Khaled, John Legend, Meek Mill, Kirk Franklin, Roddy Ricch and YG paid an all-star tribute to the slain rapper in a hip-hop, R&B and gospel-infused performance that began with Mill performing a rap tribute to Hussle before being joined by Ricch for a new song called "Letter To Nipsey" followed by a powerful and affecting delivery of "Higher" by Khaled, Legend, Franklin, YG and video footage of Hussle. Photos of both Hussle and Bryant were shown at the end of the incredibly spirit-lifting performance. 

Rosalía Owns The GRAMMY Stage

Spanish singer/songwriter Rosalía, who won a GRAMMY for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album for El Mal Querer, performed "Juro Que" and "Malamente (Cap 1: Augurio)." Dressed in a white fringed, form-fitting bodysuit, Rosalía started her strong vocal performance standing next to full-length mirrors and accompanied by flamenco guitarists before breaking into a captivating solo flamenco dance. The charismatic and powerful Spanish singer was then backed by a bevy of red outfitted male dancers for a red-hot, memorable performance.

Watch: Rosalia 2020 GRAMMYs Backstage

Aerosmith Prove Rock's Not Dead

Aerosmith, who were honored during GRAMMY Week with the MusiCares Person Of The Year award, took it back to the '90s with their GRAMMY-winning hit "Livin’ On The Edge"—with Steven Tyler walking off the stage, directly into the crowd and running right up to Lizzo to join in for the chorus—before being joined by legendary hip-hop trio Run-D.M.C., who broke through and emerged from a graffiti-covered wall onstage, for a rocking rendition of "Walk This Way." Originally recorded in the '70s by Aerosmith and re-recorded in the '80s by Run-D.M.C. with Tyler and lead guitarist Joe Perry, the infectious energy of the collaborative performance and Tyler's signature stalking the stage like a panther provided a great throwback touch to the evening.

Read More: Check Out The Full 2020 GRAMMYs Nominees And Winners List

62nd GRAMMY Awards Wrap Up Show

Grammys Newsletter

Subscribe Now

GRAMMYs Newsletter

Be the first to find out about winners, nominees, and more from Music's Biggest Night.
Top
Logo
  • Recording Academy
    • About
    • Governance
    • Press Room
    • Jobs
    • Events
  • GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
    • Store
    • FAQ
  • Latin GRAMMYs
    • Awards
    • News
    • Photos
    • Videos
    • Cultural Foundation
    • Members
    • Press
  • GRAMMY Museum
    • COLLECTION:live
    • Explore
    • Exhibits
    • Education
    • Support
    • Programs
    • Donate
  • MusiCares
    • About
    • Get Help
    • Give
    • News
    • Videos
    • Events
  • Advocacy
    • About
    • News
    • Learn
    • Act
  • Membership
    • Chapters
    • Producers & Engineers Wing
    • Songwriters & Composers Wing
    • GRAMMY U
    • Join
Logo

© 2021 - Recording Academy. All rights reserved.

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Copyright Notice
  • Contact Us

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.