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Allen Hughes' "The Defiant Ones" Wins Best Music Film | 2018 GRAMMY

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Director Allen Hughes' four-part documentary takes home Best Music Film honors for its portrayal of the unlikely partnership that changed the music business
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 1:09 pm

The team behind The Defiant Ones celebrated a big win for Best Music Film at the 60th GRAMMY Awards. The crew awarded include director Allen Hughes and producers Sarah Anthony, Fritzi Horstman, Broderick Johnson, Gene Kirkwood, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Michael Lombardo, Jerry Longarzo, Doug Pray & Steven Williams.

Watch: "The Defiant Ones" Wins Best Music Film

In a year rife with quality music documentaries and series, the bar has been set high for this dynamic category. The Defiant Ones is a four-part HBO documentary telling the story of an unlikely duo taking the music business by storm seems better suited for fantastical pages of a comic book, but for engineer-turned-mogul Jimmy Iovine and super-producer Dr. Dre, it's all truth.The Defiant Ones recounts their histories, their tribulations and their wild success. These include first-hand accounts from those who were there in Iovine's early days, such as Bruce Springsteen and U2's Bono, as well as those on board when Dre and Iovine joined forces, such as Snoop Dogg and Eminem.

Allen Hughes One-On-One Interview | 2018 GRAMMYs

The competition was stiff as the category was filled with compelling films such as One More Time With Feeling, Two Trains Runnin', Soundbreaking, and Long Strange Trip. 

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60th GRAMMY Awards Best Music Film Roundup

(L-R) One More Time With Feeling, Two Trains Runnin', Soundbreaking, Long Strange Trip, The Defiant Ones

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2018 GRAMMY Nominations: Best Music Film Roundup

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Celebrating the year's finest visual art and storytelling in music, take an in-depth look at the 60th GRAMMY nominees up for Best Music Film, who broke the mold for what audiences have come to expect from music on screen
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Dec 14, 2017 - 4:07 pm

In a year rife with quality music documentaries and series, the bar has been set high for the Best Music Film category for the 60th GRAMMY Awards.

Furthermore, today's entertainment landscape is rife with myriad on-demand streaming options boasting instant online access to deep catalogs and a slew of new original series. Through all of the competition for our time and attention, five films have risen above the noise to receive GRAMMY nominations.

Nominated projects include fascinating deep dives into some of the most seminal moments and movements in music history, as well as some of today's most powerful industry players and most personal transformations. But at the core of these five nominated projects are two inalienable elements: music and storytelling.

Let's take a closer look at the stories being told by this year's GRAMMY nominees for Best Music Film.

One More Time With Feeling, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Andrew Dominik, video director; Dulcie Kellett & James Wilson, video producers

In a stark portrayal of a musical and poetic genius in a compound state of creativity and grief, One More Time With Feeling chronicles the bittersweet efforts in the making of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' latest album, Skeleton Tree. The tragic death of Cave's 15-year-old son is the dark backdrop of the album — and the film — lending a spiritual gravity to this candid look at its recording process. Director and longtime friend of Cave's, Andrew Dominik, captures the scene and story in striking black-and-white 3-D, intensifying this look inside one of music's most super-human talents and some of his most human moments.

Long Strange Trip (The Grateful Dead)
Amir Bar-Lev, video director; Alex Blavatnik, Ken Dornstein, Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff & Justin Kreutzmann, video producers

This documentary from Amazon Films takes a creative approach to capturing the circus that was and is the Grateful Dead. From their hyper-communal beginnings, to infamous drug experiments, to building a traveling society. Long Strange Trip feels like a Dead show itself, with lifts, drops and swirls transporting the viewer into the momentary euphoria of a better place where the music has the power to make you feel part of something bigger.

The film also portrays the pressure, sadness and confinement success can bring, especially as it was thrust upon Jerry Garcia, the Dead's greatest and most tragic hero. Through rare, never-before-seen footage, living-room-floor interviews and inventive visual storytelling, Long Strange Trip captures the inevitable come-down of life's greatest party without dampening the spirit of the Dead as it was then and as it lives on today.

The Defiant Ones (Various Artists)
Allen Hughes, video director; Sarah Anthony, Fritzi Horstman, Broderick Johnson, Gene Kirkwood, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Michael Lombardo, Jerry Longarzo, Doug Pray & Steven Williams, video producers

This story of an unlikely duo taking the music business by storm seems better suited for fantastical pages of a comic book, but for engineer-turned-mogul Jimmy Iovine and super-producer Dr. Dre, it's all truth. The Defiant Ones recounts their histories, their tribulations and their wild success. These include first-hand accounts from those who were there in Iovine's early days, such as Bruce Springsteen and U2's Bono, as well as those on board when Dre and Iovine joined forces, such as Snoop Dogg and Eminem.

Jimmy Iovine: The Importance of a Producer

The four-part documentary is a must-see for aspiring music business professionals looking for inspiration to overcome obstacles, external and internal.

"Fear is a powerful thing. It's got a lot of firepower," says Iovine in the film's trailer, reflecting on teaming up with Dre. "It was the beginning of making fear a tail wind instead of a head wind."

Soundbreaking (Various Artists)
Maro Chermayeff & Jeff Dupre, video directors; Joshua Bennett, Julia Marchesi, Sam Pollard, Sally Rosenthal, Amy Schewel & Warren Zanes, video producers

The scope of PBS' Soundbreaking documentary is staggering, with an artist list spanning six decades that reads like a wall in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The eight-part series takes a high energy approach to regaling, as they aptly put it, "Stories from the cutting edge of recorded music." With more than 150 original interviews, Soundbreaking leaves no stone unturned in exploring the impact recordings have made on music, people and culture. Most importantly, the series reverently weaves the stories of engineers and producers who crafted the sounds of the future with the artists who launched their generation into it.

Two Trains Runnin' (Various Artists)
Sam Pollard, video director; Benjamin Hedin, video producer

Some moments in history seem so pivotal, it's hard to imagine them not happening. Such is the case with not one or two, but three events that coincided on June 21, 1964. Two Trains Runnin' is the story of these three defining moments.

Narrated by Common, who also served as executive producer, the film tells the story of three young civil rights workers who were murdered by Ku Klux Klan members in Neshoba County, Miss., while participating in the Freedom Summer voter initiative. The tragedy made national headlines and marked a crucial moment in the civil rights movement. On the same day, two sets of men began searches for lost Delta bluesmasters Son House and Skip James in Rochester, N.Y., and Tunica, Miss., respectively. Two Trains Runnin' incorporates all three stories into one remarkable film.

"I was initially hesitant to try and tackle this," director Sam Pollard told Rolling Stone. "I thought that telling the story of the search for Son House and Skip James would be hard, but telling the story of Freedom Summer would be double-y or even triple-y hard. But I said, 'OK, let's tackle it.' It took us on a journey."

Bruno Mars, 2018

Photo: WireImage.com

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Bruno Mars Wins Album Of The Year | 2018 GRAMMYs

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The R&B singer/songwriter takes home Album Of The Year for '24K Magic' at the 60th GRAMMY Awards
Brian Haack
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 8:18 pm

Bruno Mars won Album Of The Year for 24K Magic at the 60th GRAMMY Awards. This marks Mars' first-ever win in the Album Of The Year category as a solo artist.

Watch: Bruno Mars Wins Album Of The Year

The Hawaiian native previously won Album Of The Year for his role as a producer on Adele's 25, which took the honor at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. 

His Album Of The Year win was part of an amazing night for Mars, which saw him sweep all of the categories for which he was nominated, including Record and Song Of The Year. 24K Magic also took home Best R&B Album honors.

"Wow, all right first off, to the other nominees in this category ... you guys are the reason why I'm in the studio pulling my hair out, man, because I know you guys are only going to come with the top-shelf artistry and music," said Mars during his acceptance. "Thank you, you guys, for blessing the world with your music. I mean that."

The other nominees were Jay-Z's 4:44, Lorde's Melodrama, Kendrick Lamar's DAMN., and Childish Gambino's "Awaken, My Love!"

Recent Album Of The Year winners include Adele's 25, Taylor Swift's 1989, Beck's Morning Phase, Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, and Mumford & Sons' Babel.

Watch: Bruno Mars Wins Album Of The Year

Full Winners List: 60th GRAMMY Awards

Neil Portnow at the 60th GRAMMY Awards

Neil Portnow

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

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Neil Portnow Champions MusiCares, Recording Academy Advocacy, GRAMMY Museum | 2018 GRAMMYs

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Recording Academy President/CEO takes a moment to reflect on 60 years of music excellence and look forward to a bright future for the organization's pillars
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 7:46 pm

The 60th GRAMMY Awards proved to be a show for the ages. The show not only featured a variety of colorful performances, it took place in the backdrop of the Big Apple, marking a return to New York for the first time in 15 years. The monumental evening represented a full-circle moment of sorts for Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, who championed themes of celebration and excellence during his telecast remarks.

Watch Neil Portnow's 60th GRAMMY Speech

"How do you top the milestone of a 60th anniversary?  Well, you celebrate it in New York City," said Portnow. "It was a big night for me 15 years ago, right here on this stage, as I began my first year as President of the Recording Academy."

Delving back to the organization's beginning, Portnow raised a toast to the thousands of recipients who have earned a GRAMMY Award.

"So what do 60 years of excellence look like? We have awarded more than 9,600 GRAMMYs, music's highest accolade, and we are the most-watched music event in the world," said Portnow.

The Recording Academy's work year-round extends into health and human services. Through its affiliated charity, MusiCares, the Academy helps musicians who are in dire need of financial, medical and emergency assistance. MusiCares is also there in the face of terrible tragedy in providing relief to victims of natural disasters.

"Our MusiCares charity has provided nearly $58 million dollars in aid and served more than 125,000 people in our community," said Portnow. "And this includes saving lives with addiction recovery and sober living help.

"We're in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and now California helping music people recover from devastating hurricanes and fires. And as a nation, we must help all of our brothers and sisters until they are back on their feet."

From midterm elections to music licensing and funding for the arts, there are many advocacy storylines music creators should keep their eye on in 2018. The Recording Academy keeps a constant pulse on any new policy developments affecting the livelihood of music creators, a point Portnow underscored.

"The Academy's work on Capitol Hill improves the lives of music creators, and thousands participate in all 50 states in the largest grassroots movement for music in history," he said. "The time is right, and we are working closely with Congress to pass comprehensive music licensing reform, which began with a GRAMMY-timed congressional hearing where I had the privilege to testify, right here in New York, just two days ago."

More than just a museum with amazing exhibits, the GRAMMY Museum raises the flag for music education. Millions have gone through the Museum's collective turnstiles and received a taste of the rich programming offered 365 days a year. Portnow took a moment to reference the incredible work the Museum undertakes to ensure music remains a vital part of our nation's education system.

"The GRAMMY Museum has welcomed more than 5 million visitors to our locations in Los Angeles, Mississippi, Nashville, and New Jersey, and traveling exhibits in 29 cities and 8 countries," said Portnow. "And we've provided over $10 million for our music education programs and opportunities for students.

"The recently launched GRAMMY Music Education Coalition is dedicated to building universal music participation in schools nationwide. Just imagine every student in America having access to music programs; with your help and support, we can make that dream a reality."

Before signing off, Portnow punctuated his remarks with a reminder that music — now, more so than ever — has the power to serve as a uniting force.

"Our music community stands strong and committed to providing hope and inspiration in difficult and divisive times. You can count on our music to soothe our souls, or issue a clarion call to action, as our voices will remain an indelible part of our culture and future."

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Bruno Mars Wins Record Of The Year
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Bruno Mars Wins Record Of The Year | 2018 GRAMMYs

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R&B singer/songwriter takes home Record Of The Year for "24K Magic." at the 60th GRAMMY Awards
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 7:38 pm

Arguably the biggest name at the 60th edition of Music's Biggest Night? Bruno Mars.

Watch: Bruno Mars Wins Record Of The Year

He won Record Of The Year for "24K Magic" at the 60th GRAMMY Awards before quickly picking up additional GRAMMYs for Song Of The Year ("That's What I Like") and Album Of The Year (24K Magic). The other nominees for Record Of The Year were Childish Gambino's "Redbone," Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee's "Despacito," featuring Justin Bieber, Jay-Z's "The Story Of O.J.," and Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE."

Add to that Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song ("That's What I Like") and Best R&B Album, and the Hawaiian R&B singer/songwriter swept up as the big winner of the evening. He also lit up the stage with a colorful performance of "Finesse" with fellow GRAMMY nominee Cardi B.

His Record Of The Year win marks a year of accomplishment for the catchy track "24K Magic," the title track from his GRAMMY-winning album, which heated up the charts. But Mars isn't just a hit maker, he has something special that keeps him coming out on top.

"For us, it was more how effortless it was creating with him," longtime Mars producer Ray Romulus of the Stereotypes told Billboard. "It didn’t feel like we were actually working and making songs, it just felt like we were hanging out, having conversations, and as we're doing that we're making the beats. ... He would literally have a new idea for something every second, he would just be spilling out ideas."

"Talk about somebody who really just knows how to write a song," added the Stereotypes' Jonathan Yip. "And a hit song, at that."

Catching Up On The GRAMMY Awards Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? Just Say "Talk To GRAMMYs"