Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMYs in 2000

Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMY Awards in 2000

Photo: Scott Gries/WireImage.com

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J.Lo, Pharrell Williams, Lady Gaga: 13 Iconic GRAMMY Fashion Statements

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From the simply unforgettable to the bold and the beautiful, these 13 looks prove there are no fashion rules at the GRAMMY Awards
Nic Screws
GRAMMYs
Sep 15, 2017 - 11:53 am

The GRAMMY Awards has long been considered the rebel of award show red carpets — a place where artists are encouraged to flex their sartorial creativity without abandon. "The GRAMMYs have become the occasion for artists to push the envelope a little more and really go there with their fashion," says celebrity stylist and designer Ty Hunter.

As so, there is no such thing as an occasion-appropriate dress code for Music's Biggest Night. The only rule for the step-and-repeat is there are no rules. After all, it was at the GRAMMYs where Jennifer Lopez broke the internet (before breaking the internet was a thing) in her now-infamous, plunging Versace gown. It's where Nicki Minaj toted a Pope-impersonator instead of a handbag and Lady Gaga — well, see any of her GRAMMY appearances for an example of a memorable, jaw-dropping ensemble.

With fall and fashion in full bloom, it's an appropriate time to look back on 13 of the most ingenious, stunning and bare-it-all moments at the GRAMMYs in years past.

Cyndi Lauper

26th GRAMMY Awards, 1984

Cyndi Lauper at the 26th GRAMMYs in 1984

Less is definitely not more according to '80s pop icon Cyndi Lauper. The free-spirited songstress made her GRAMMY debut in a colorful and clashing getup, complete with her trademark Aqua Net, firetruck red hair and metallic makeup. The look showcased the madcap, vintage-meets-glam style that made her a MTV-era legend along with her larger-than-life persona and numerous karaoke-worthy hits like "Time After Time" and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun."

Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson

35th GRAMMY Awards, 1993

Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson at the 35th GRAMMYs in 1993

With his penchant for lone white gloves and all-embellished everything, Michael Jackson changed the perception of how a male pop star could look. "Michael was a pioneer in the music industry because he was one of the first artists to use clothing to define their image," says New York-based celebrity stylist Sam Spector. "He understood the power of costume on and off the stage."

Alongside his younger sister Janet, who presented him with the GRAMMY Legend Award at the 35th GRAMMY Awards ceremony, the "Thriller" pop icon showed off his legendary, military-inspired aesthetic in one of his power-shouldered bedazzled jackets, complete with his trademark long curls and oft-present armband. For her part, Ms. Jackson wore a coordinating white pantsuit and her famous Poetic Justice-era box braids. "Current-day artists and fashion fans alike have the Jacksons to thank for showing how to successfully curate their image through style," says Spector.

Jennifer Lopez

42nd GRAMMY Awards, 2000

Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd GRAMMYs in 2000

Since the moment she sashayed onto the scene in the early aughts, armed with one of the most enviable bodies of her generation, Jennifer Lopez reigned as a red carpet queen. But before the glittery, flesh-toned bodysuits and provocative double-slit numbers that have become mainstays of the original triple threat's fearless style, there was that envelope-pushing green dress she wore in 2000. You know the one — the sheer, tropical-print gown by Versace with a neckline so plunging it was open to her waist. At the time, that navel-flaunting moment — which propelled Lopez to megastardom — became the single most popular search query, ever, eventually launching what we now know as Google Images.

Beyond the unforgettable dress, J.Lo debuted a beauty trifecta she still relies on today: the high half-ponytail, bronzed skin and soft pink lipstick combo. "That classic hyper-even golden J.Lo glow played second fiddle to the body," says beauty expert Gwen Flamberg. "The subtlety of the makeup let the dress work its magic."

Toni Braxton

43rd GRAMMY Awards, 2001

Toni Braxton at the 43rd GRAMMYs in 2001

There are high hemlines and then there's the barely-there Richard Tyler dress Toni Braxton wore in 2001. The extreme side-cut outs of the drapey silk number — dubbed the "half-gown" by critics — gave the illusion that the R&B singer was going commando to accept her trophy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "He Wasn't Man Enough." (Hint: She wasn't; the dress had a built-in thong.) But whether you're a fan of the risqué look or not, it definitely took an enviable level of bada**ery by Braxton to create one of the most controversial fashion moments in GRAMMY history.

"It's not the garment, but the confidence a client has in the garment, that sells a look," says Hunter, who counts another saucy body-confident performer as a longtime client — Beyoncé. But according to Flamberg, it was Braxton's unfussy, skin-focused beauty "that kept the little-left-to-the-imagination gown from looking like 'too much.'"

Lil' Kim

44th GRAMMY Awards, 2002

Lil' Kim at the 44th GRAMMYs in 2002

Back when the rap game was a hyper-masculine genre, Lil' Kim — the boundary-pushing, pint-sized female rapper from Brooklyn — became a bona fide superstar of '90s style thanks to her proclivity for breast-baring, blinged-out, fiery fashion statements. Her unabashed sex appeal and tough-but-girlie aesthetic had a lasting impression on the subculture of hip-hop fashion, giving female artists a new visibility to the highly-covetable, high-end fashion houses. An early adopter of the athleisure trend, Kim made one of her many bold entrances in 2002 in a red-hot biker-inspired ensemble with a helmet emblazoned with an iconic designer logo: Chanel.

Kanye West

48th GRAMMY Awards, 2006

Kanye West at the 48th GRAMMYs in 2006

Few figures in music are as divisive as Kanye West. The same can be said about the hip-hop superstar's style — you either love the Yeezy way or you don't, but you seldom forget it. Always one to push boundaries and make fashion showmanship an undeniable part of his personal brand, the eclectic rapper wore a lavender three-piece suit with wide, peaked lapels and a plunging, gender-bending shirt to accept his second consecutive GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for Late Registration.

"2006 was a period where celebrities were dressing more casually," says Spector. "So Kanye really stood out that year by dressing formally, and by his bold choice of color." Or maybe it was the "I told you so!" sign he was seen carrying around between puffs of a cigar at the after-parties.

M.I.A.

51st GRAMMY Awards, 2009

M.I.A. at the 51st GRAMMYs in 2009

Before the very-pregnant rapper M.I.A. took to the stage in 2009 to perform her hit "Swagga Like Us" alongside her rap royalty collaborators Kanye West, T.I., Jay Z and Lil Wayne, she rocked the pre-show in a voluminous multilayer dress by Indian designer Manish Arora. She paired the wildly-patterned frock with a pair of matching blue high-top sneakers before later changing in to a sheer, body-hugging mini dress that really flaunted her nine-month-pregnant belly.

Just days later after grabbing headlines for her daring outfit, M.I.A. gave birth to a baby boy, making her appearance all the more dramatic. "Sunday nite I came home from the GRAMMYs till in the mood to party," the "Paper Planes" singer said on her MySpace page. "I coulda easily gone out but I went home instead. Lucky I did! Coz my early stage labour kicked in around 2am."

Lady Gaga

52nd GRAMMY Awards, 2010

Lady Gaga at the 52nd GRAMMYs in 2010

No current artist champions self-expression quite like Lady Gaga. The eccentric pop star, whose style veers towards the outrageous, is a unique spectacle of celebrity — one who utilizes the power of her larger-than-life image to bolster her music and social messages. Her list of captivating fashion moments — at the GRAMMYs alone — are many, but it was the galactic lavender dress she wore in 2010 that put her in a style universe all her own.

The corseted long-sleeve gown, one of three custom looks she wore that night by Armani Prive, was a take-over-the-carpet type creation that, in typical Gaga fashion, left everyone guessing. The spectacular look included rows of suspended rings of glittered wire, an Ombre yellow wig and a star-shaped ornament in lieu of a sparkly clutch. The result: Enough space-age glitz to outshine the biggest stars at Staples Center that night.

Katy Perry

53rd GRAMMY Awards, 2011

Katy Perry at the 53rd GRAMMYs in 2011

With her signature, quirky glamour on full display, Katy Perry made an angelic entrance in 2011 in a custom iridescent, asymmetrical-train gown by Giorgio Armani. Complete with a Swarovski crystal-encrusted bustier and feathery angel wings, Perry nearly floated down the red carpet. But it was her pared-down (for Perry) ultra-feminine beauty — including face-framing, dark ringlets and pastel makeup that really made the "California Gurls"' look soar. "The pops of candy-colored makeup really gave the look her trademark, whimsical vibe," says Flamberg.

Nicki Minaj

54th GRAMMY Awards, 2012

Nicki Minaj and the "Pope" at the 54th GRAMMYs in 2012

Wearing what can only be described as a Little Red Riding Hood-like cape, Nicki Minaj strolled into the 54th GRAMMYs with the ultimate attention-nabbing date: the Pope. (Or at least a man dressed like the Pope.) But Minaj's atypical choice of arm candy was the second-most interesting element to her entrance. The first being the intricately-designed scarlet red Versace cloak itself, complete with a beaded silhouette and matching satin gloves, that was intended to replicate a nun’s religious habit. Leave it to the controversial rapper to try to make Catholicism-chic a trend.

Pharrell Williams

56th GRAMMY Awards, 2014

Pharrell Williams at the 56th GRAMMYs in 2014

Never one to go for the expected, multi-hyphenate Pharrell Williams created one of the most meme-friendly moments in GRAMMY history when he took to the red carpet in 2014 in a vintage oversized Mountie hat by British designer Vivienne Westwood. "It wouldn't be the GRAMMYs without a couple of wild-cards," says celebrity hairstylist and Axe spokesperson/stylist Amy Komorowski, whose clients include Justin Timberlake and Joe Jonas. "Pharrell's genius styling and bold accessory choice stole the show that night."

The now-infamous Smokey the Bear-inspired topper became such a pop-culture phenomenon that it spawned its own Twitter handle (@pharrellhat) and led to a social media exchange with the fast-food chain Arby's — which uses a similarly-shaped hat as part of its logo — that turned into a philanthropic opportunity that raised $44,100 for Williams' charity, From One Hand to Another.

Beyoncé

56th GRAMMY Awards, 2014

Beyoncé at the 56th GRAMMYs in 2014

Leave it to Beyoncé to wear one of the most talked-about GRAMMY looks ever without even hitting the red carpet or stage in it. After opening the show in 2014 with a performance of her hit "Drunk In Love" with husband Jay Z, Queen Bey changed into a daringly-sheer, body-hugging gown with a stunning, asymmetrical mermaid silhouette to take her front-row seat. The custom hand-sewn gown was the creation of self-taught L.A.-based designer Michael Costello, who designed the dress especially for the occasion after meeting Beyoncé's stylist Hunter at a party.

"As soon as Ty and I spoke about dressing her, I knew it had to be a one-of-a-kind piece," says Costello, whose signature aesthetic is often described as faux-nakedness. "I wanted something that would create the perfect silhouette, make her feel empowered, and highlight her natural beauty." The superstar's berry-stained lips and messy, angular bob added to the drama of the moment. "She had just cut her hair short and it emphasized the look," says Hunter, who also styled the pop icon for her memorable five-minute medley with Prince at the 46th GRAMMY Awards in 2004. "As soon as she put it on, everyone knew it was the one."

Rihanna

57th GRAMMY Awards, 2015

Rihanna at the 57th GRAMMYs in 2015

Music's favorite bad gal shocked fans and critics in 2015 when she opted to show off her sweet side in an ultra-poofy bubblegum pink gown, rather than standout in one of her usual edgy looks. Affectionately dubbed "the cupcake dress," the two-tiered gown by designer Giambattista Valli was actually found by Rihanna on the internet after it debuted on the runway at Paris Couture Fashion Week. RiRi topped off the head-turning number with a simple beauty look: feminine, barely-there makeup and a softy pulled back bun with a few strands framing her picture-perfect face. 

More Fashion: Do Musicians Need A Stylist To Be A Star?

(Nic Screws is a New York-based stylist, writer and fashion consultant. Prior to opening her own firm, NS Style + Creative, she was most recently the style director of Bloomberg Media.)

All Photos: WireImage.com/Getty Images

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Mary J. Blige to Katy Perry: 57th GRAMMY nominee facts

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Dig deeper with 57 fun facts about this year's class of GRAMMY nominees, including Iggy Azalea, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, and more
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am
GRAMMY.com

By now you've seen the full list of 57th GRAMMY nominees. But with 83 categories, it's a lot of information to absorb. We've dissected the list to bring you factoids about this year's nominees that are sure to make you the star attraction at your group GRAMMY viewing party. So dig in with our list of 57 Fun Facts About The 57th GRAMMY Nominees and mark your calendar for Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 8 from 8–11:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. 

Sam Smith is nominated for each of the "Big Four" awards — Album, Record and Song Of The Year and Best New Artist. At 22, he's the second youngest artist ever to achieve that feat. Mariah Carey was just 20 when she was nominated for all four awards 24 years ago.

Female artists account for four of the five Record Of The Year nominees. It's the first time in 16 years — and only the fourth time in GRAMMY history — that women have dominated the category to that degree.

"Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX is just the second all-female collaboration to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The first was "The Boy Is Mine," the 1998 smash by Brandy and Monica.

"Shake It Off" is Taylor Swift's third single to receive a Record Of The Year nomination. The sassy smash follows "You Belong with Me" (2009) and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (2012).

Sia's "Chandelier" is the year's only work to be nominated for both Record Of The Year and Best Music Video.

Pharrell Williams is competing with himself for Album Of The Year. He's nominated for his own album, Girl, and as a co-producer for both Beyoncé's Beyoncé and Ed Sheeran's X.

Beck is nominated for Album Of The Year for Morning Phase. He's the first artist to be nominated in this category in each decade from the 1990s through the 2010s. He was previously nominated for Odelay (1996) and Midnite Vultures (2000).

Beyoncé is nominated for Album Of The Year for the second time, for Beyoncé. She was nominated five years ago for I Am… Sasha Fierce. Beyoncé has amassed 53 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other female artist.

Ed Sheeran's sophomore album, X, has the shortest title of any Album Of The Year finalist in GRAMMY history. The old record was held jointly by James Taylor's JT, Peter Gabriel's So and Adele's 21.

Another album titled X, by Chris Brown, is nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Brown won the 2011 award for Best R&B Album for F.A.M.E.

Hozier, a Song Of The Year finalist for "Take Me To Church," was born in Bray County, Wicklow, Ireland. Other Irish songwriters that have been nominated for this top GRAMMY include Gilbert O'Sullivan and U2.

Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," which is nominated both for Record and Song Of The Year, is not the first GRAMMY-nominated song to celebrate a woman's "bass." Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" won for Best Rap Solo Performance for 1992.

Brandy Clark, who is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Country Album, received her first GRAMMY nomination a year ago for Best Country Song. She was a co-writer (with Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves) of Miranda Lambert's hit "Mama's Broken Heart."

Haim, comprising sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, are the first sister trio to receive a Best New Artist nomination.

Two all-female collaborations — "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX and "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj — are competing for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Either would become the first all-female collabo to win in the Pop Field since "Lady Marmalade," the 2001 smash by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink.

Tony Bennett is vying for his 12th award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. He's nominated for Cheek To Cheek, a collaboration with Lady Gaga. Bennett is by far the most frequent winner in the category. Michael Bublé is second with four wins.

With Cheek To Cheek, Lady Gaga is vying to take best album honors in a third genre. She previously won for Best Electronic/Dance Album for The Fame (2009) and Best Pop Vocal Album for The Fame Monster (2010).

Johnny Mathis, nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Sending You A Little Christmas, received his first GRAMMY nomination in 1960, the third year of the awards. His classic rendition of "Misty" was nominated for Best Vocal Performance, Male — Single Or Track.

Miley Cyrus received her first GRAMMY nomination for Bangerz, which is a finalist for Best Pop Vocal Album. Her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, received a 1992 nomination for Best New Artist.

Coldplay, who are nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album for Ghost Stories, have previously won for Best Alternative Music Album (twice) and Best Rock Album (once).

Katy Perry is nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. This brings Perry's career total of nominations to 13. She is looking for her first win.

Deadmau5 is nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for the third time in the past four years. The Canadian musician is nominated for his seventh studio album, While (1

Mary J. Blige is nominated for Best Dance Recording as the featured artist on Disclosure's "F For You." The versatile singer has won nine GRAMMYs in four distinct genres: R&B, rap, pop, and gospel.

Slipknot, nominees for Best Metal Performance for "The Negative One," won the 2005 award in this category with "Before I Forget."

Two tracks from a tribute album to the late Ronnie James Dio are nominated for Best Metal Performance. They are Anthrax's "Neon Knights" and Tenacious D's "The Last In Line." Dio died in 2010.

The Black Keys, nominated for Best Rock Album for Turn Blue, won in that category two years ago with El Camino. Their album before that, Brothers, won the 2010 award for Best Alternative Music Album.

U2's 13th studio album, Songs Of Innocence, is nominated for Best Rock Album. All five of the band's studio albums since 1994, when this category was introduced, have been nominated for this award. U2 have amassed 46 GRAMMY nominations, more than any other group.

Jack White, nominated for Best Alternative Music Album for his second solo album, Lazaretto, won three times in this category with the White Stripes. If he wins again this year, he'll become the first four-time winner in the category's history.

St. Vincent is vying to become just the second female solo artist to win for Best Alternative Music Album. Sinéad O'Connor won the first-ever award in the category for her 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who rose to fame on "The Cosby Show," is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance as a featured artist on Robert Glasper Experiment's "Jesus Children." (The track also features Lalah Hathaway.)

Love, Marriage & Divorce by Toni Braxton and Babyface is nominated for Best R&B Album. It's vying to become the second collaboration to win in that category. Wake Up! by John Legend and the Roots took the 2010 award.

Robert Glasper Experiment are vying for Best R&B Album for Black Radio 2. Their initial Black Radio won the 2012 award in this category.

Two tracks from Lecrae's seventh studio album, Anomaly, were nominated in very different categories. "All I Need Is You" is a finalist for Best Rap Performance. "Messengers," featuring For King & Country, is nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

With The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem is vying to win Best Rap Album for the sixth time. Eminem's five previous wins make him the category leader. Kanye West is second with four wins.

Schoolboy Q was featured on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' The Heist, which was last year's winner for Best Rap Album. This year, the Los Angeles rapper is nominated in that category with his own album, Oxymoron.

Childish Gambino, nominated for Best Rap Album for Because The Internet, is the musical persona of actor Donald Glover, best known for his role on the TV series "Community."

Neil Patrick Harris received his first-ever GRAMMY nomination this year. The actor and frequent awards show host is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album for Hedwig And The Angry Inch.

Keith Urban, nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for "Cop Car," amassed four GRAMMYs for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in a six-year span (2005 through 2010).

"Meanwhile Back At Mama's" by Tim McGraw featuring Faith Hill is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. It's their sixth nomination for vocal performance as a team.

The Band Perry are vying to become the third artist to win a GRAMMY for a recording of "Gentle On My Mind." John Hartford (the song's composer) and Glen Campbell both won 1967 GRAMMYs for recordings of the song.

Paul Epworth is vying for his second award in the category of Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. He won three years ago, chiefly for his work on Adele's 21. This year, his projects included Paul McCartney, Foster The People and FKA Twigs.

Swedish hit-maker Max Martin is nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical for the first time. In addition, he's nominated for both Record and Song Of The Year for his work on Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off."

Current nominees Beck and Jack White are among the artists who will perform at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute gala honoring Bob Dylan on Feb. 6.

Aloe Blacc received his first career nomination for Best R&B Album for Lift Your Spirit. Blacc is among the artists who will perform at Lean On Me: A Celebration Of Music And Philanthropy, the 17th Annual GRAMMY Foundation Legacy Concert taking place Feb 5.

Taylor Swift is the lone nominee who is the subject of a current exhibit at the GRAMMY Museum. Featuring personal photographs, handwritten lyrics, tour costumes, and more, The Taylor Swift Experience is on display through May 10.

Iggy Azalea is nominated for Best Rap Album for The New Classic. Should she win, Azalea would become the first female solo artist to take home the award.

Tom Petty's nod for Best Rock Album for Hypnotic Eye with the Heartbreakers is his 18th career nomination. Petty won his first GRAMMY for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for 1989 for Traveling Wilburys Volume One. The Traveling Wilburys featured Petty and, among others, George Harrison, who is one of this year's Special Merit Awards recipients.

Paramore's Hayley Williams and Taylor York are up for Best Rock Song for the group's "Ain't It Fun." This marks the second time the two musicians have received a nomination in a songwriting category. They were previously nominated for "Decode," which was a 2009 finalist for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.

English rock group Bastille are among this year's nominees for Best New Artist. They are vying to become the first English collective to take home the honor since Sade won the award for 1985.

Former President Jimmy Carter is nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) for A Call To Action. If he takes the award, Carter will become the third former or future president with two GRAMMY wins, joining Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Carter is scheduled to present the award to Bob Dylan at the 2015 Person of the Year gala.

Gloria Gaynor's We Will Survive: True Stories Of Encouragement, Inspiration, And The Power Of Song is also nominated for Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling). At 35 years, Gaynor has the longest gap between nominations of any current nominee. Her last nominations were for 1979, including a win for Best Disco Recording for "I Will Survive."

Ziggy Marley and Anoushka Shankar are nominated for Best Reggae Album and Best World Music Album, respectively. Both artists' fathers — Bob Marley and Ravi Shankar — are GRAMMY winners and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Kendrick Lamar's "I" is the lone song with a one-letter title to be nominated this year. It's up for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.

"The Monster" by Eminem featuring Rihanna is among the nominees for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The two stars received a 2010 nomination in this category for "Love The Way You Lie."

"Weird Al" Yankovic and Louis C.K. each received nominations for Best Comedy Album. Each has previously won in the category: Yankovic for Poodle Hat (2003); Louis C.K. for Hilarious (2011).

With six GRAMMY wins, Carrie Underwood has the most GRAMMYs by an "American Idol" alumnus. She's up for two more this year: Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.

What do Arcade Fire, Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, Alison Krauss, Barbra Streisand, Taylor Swift, and U2 have in common? Besides all being current nominees, they've all released albums that have won Album Of The Year honors.

News

2015 GRAMMYs: Who's performing?

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A handy guide to the performances scheduled for the 57th GRAMMY Awards, airing Sunday, Feb. 8 on CBS
GRAMMYs
May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am
GRAMMY.com

Music's Biggest Night stands as the richest collection of musical talent on any one show, with three-and-a-half hours of nearly nonstop music from today's hottest performers as well as special GRAMMY Moments that create indelible memories for fans.

The star-studded performance lineup for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards has a bit of everything — a number of first-time GRAMMY performances; a world debut performance of Rihanna's new song with Paul McCartney and Kanye West; a high-voltage performance from rock legends; a performance from global icon Madonna; and the best in country, pop, and hip-hop. And don't forget we've got an all-star lineup of presenters and the coolest host around: LL Cool J.

It's a lot to keep track of, so we've compiled a handy alphabetical guide to artists who will be taking the GRAMMY stage. Of course, be sure to stay logged on to GRAMMY.com and follow GRAMMY Live and our live-blog to complement your GRAMMY experience, and in case there's a surprise or two.

 
And the performers for the 57th GRAMMY Awards are:

  • AC/DC
  • Beck and Chris Martin
  • Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
  • Beyoncé
  • Eric Church
  • Brandy Clark and Dwight Yoakam
  • Common and John Legend
  • Ariana Grande
  • Herbie Hancock, John Mayer, Questlove with Ed Sheeran
  • Hozier and Annie Lennox
  • Jessie J and Tom Jones
  • Juanes
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Lang Lang
  • Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani
  • Jeff Lynne's ELO
  • Madonna
  • Katy Perry
  • Rihanna, Paul McCartney and Kanye West
  • Sia
  • Sam Smith and Mary J. Blige
  • Usher
  • Pharrell Williams

Music's Biggest Night will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Staples Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For updates and breaking news, visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

News

Kanye West Tops 54th GRAMMY Nominations

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14-time GRAMMY winner Kanye West earns seven nods; Adele, Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars each garner six nods; Lil Wayne and Skrillex each receive five nods
GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 4:06 pm
GRAMMY.com

(For a complete list of 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards nominees, please click here.)

Nominations for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards were announced tonight by The Recording Academy and reflected an eclectic mix of the best and brightest in music over the past year, as determined by the voting members of The Academy. For the fourth year, nominations for the annual GRAMMY Awards were announced on primetime television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night," a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live.

Kanye West tops the nominations with seven; Adele, Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars each garner six nods; and Lil Wayne and Skrillex each are up for five awards. Drake; producers/songwriters Paul Epworth, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine; Nicki Minaj; Mumford & Sons; Radiohead; Rihanna; and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) each receive four nominations.

"Once again, it is most gratifying to see the GRAMMY Awards process produce a broad cross section of diverse and impressive nominees across multiple genres," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "This year's nominations truly reflect an exceptional and talented creative community that embodies some of the highest levels of excellence and artistry in their respective fields. Coupled with the fourth year of our primetime nominations special, the road to Music's Biggest Night, the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards in February, is off to an exciting and appropriate start."

Following are the nominations in the General Field categories:

Record Of The Year:
"Rolling In The Deep" — Adele
"Holocene" — Bon Iver
"Grenade" — Bruno Mars
"The Cave" — Mumford & Sons
"Firework" — Katy Perry

Album Of The Year:
21 — Adele
Wasting Light — Foo Fighters
Born This Way — Lady Gaga
Doo-Wops & Hooligans — Bruno Mars
Loud — Rihanna

Song Of The Year:
"All Of The Lights" — Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie)
"The Cave" — Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons)
"Grenade" — Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
"Holocene" — Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver)
"Rolling In The Deep" — Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele)

Best New Artist:
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex

Following is a sampling of nominations in the GRAMMY Awards' other 29 Fields:

For Best Pop Solo Performance, the nominees are "Someone Like You" by Adele; "Yoü And I" by Lady Gaga; "Grenade" by Bruno Mars; "Firework" by Katy Perry; and "F***in' Perfect" by Pink.

The nominees for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance are "Body And Soul" by Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse; "Dearest" by the Black Keys; "Paradise" by Coldplay; "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People; and "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera.

For Best Dance Recording the nominees are "Raise Your Weapon" by Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech; "Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce; "Sunshine" by David Guetta & Avicii; "Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn; "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" by Skrillex; and "Save The World" by Swedish House Mafia.

For Best Alternative Music Album, the nominees are Bon Iver by Bon Iver; Codes And Keys by Death Cab For Cutie; Torches by Foster The People; Circuital by My Morning Jacket; and The King Of Limbs by Radiohead.

The nominees for Best R&B Album are F.A.M.E. by Chris Brown; Second Chance by El DeBarge; Love Letter by R. Kelly; Pieces Of Me by Ledisi; and Kelly by Kelly Price.

For Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, the nominees are "Party" by Beyoncé & André 3000; "I'm On One" by DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne; "I Need A Doctor" by Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey; "What's My Name?" by Rihanna & Drake; "Motivation" by Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne; and "All Of The Lights" by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie.

For Best Country Solo Performance, the nominees are "Dirt Road Anthem" by Jason Aldean; "I'm Gonna Love You Through It" by Martina McBride; "Honey Bee" by Blake Shelton; "Mean" by Taylor Swift; and "Mama's Song" by Carrie Underwood.

The nominees for Best Americana Album are Emotional Jukebox by Linda Chorney; Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down by Ry Cooder; Hard Bargain by Emmylou Harris; Ramble At The Ryman by Levon Helm; and Blessed by Lucinda Williams.

The nominees for Best Folk Album are Barton Hollow by the Civil Wars; I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive by Steve Earle; Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes; Ukulele Songs by Eddie Vedder; and The Harrow & The Harvest by Gillian Welch.

The Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical nominees are Danger Mouse, Paul Epworth, the Smeezingtons (Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars), Ryan Tedder, and Butch Vig.

This year's GRAMMY Awards process registered more than 17,500 submissions over a 12-month eligibility period (Oct. 1, 2010 – Sept. 30, 2011). GRAMMY ballots for the final round of voting will be mailed on Dec. 14 to the voting members of The Recording Academy. They are due back to the accounting firm Deloitte by Jan. 11, 2012, when they will be tabulated and the results kept secret until the 54th GRAMMY telecast.

The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Feb. 12, 2012, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and once again will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures and John Cossette Productions for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, and Louis J. Horvitz is director.

For updates and breaking news, visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook.

News

Melinda Tarbell, Fashion Stylist On The Red Carpet

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GRAMMYs
Dec 2, 2014 - 3:22 pm

As morning broke on Sunday, Jan. 31, I could hardly wait to hop out of bed and let the day begin, as I knew it would be unforgettable.

As all fashionistas must do, I began my red carpet beauty regimen early, getting my makeup and hair done by the very talented makeup artist Daniele Piersons. I tossed on my red mini dress by Jill Stuart and jewelry by designer/ friend Sonya Ooten and was out the door to arrive downtown by 11 a.m.

I was dropped off at the top of the red carpet by noon and then was escorted to my front-row seat at the end of the carpet, a prime location to catch all the presenters, performers and nominees as they hit their final pose in front of a sea of media photographers. With 50 photographers shouting,"Look here, drop your shoulder, tilt your chin, give us a smile," it was a spectacle.

So let's get to the nitty gritty — how were the gowns? There were clear trends emerging right from the start: black, asymmetric and geometric necklines, gold and nude tones, white and, finally, the blues. Let's break them down.

Black:

I would have to say it took the ladies some time to get warmed up. From about 12-3:30 p.m., we were in a sea of black. Long black gowns, short black gowns, asymmetrical black gowns, black sequins. You name it , but it was all black. From Giuliana Rensik in a short, asymmetrical black mini dress to Nicole Kidman in a long, high-collared Prada and Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum in a one-shoulder, long gown, playing it safe. Taking a risk in black was Ciara in Givenchy Haute Couture. For me, the best of black dresses went to Jennifer Hudson wearing Victoria Beckham, not a traditional carpet gown, but the fit was impeccable and the cool zipper all the way up the back seemed flawless.

Nude Tones:

The heavy hitters arrived in the last hour of the carpet and we saw a lot of pale, flesh-tone gowns, a color palette I am partial to and love to style with. It is feminine, sexy and with the right skin tones, can be perfectly glamorous. Beyoncé wearing Stéphane Rolland made a powerful statement with a structured, blush-tone gown with a zipper down the front and geometric stitching details. Keri Hilson chose the same hue and looked elegant wearing a strapless mermaid silhouette by Dolce & Gabbana, cinched with a jewel-encrusted silver belt. Katy Perry and Heidi Klum also played up the nude tones, but with a bit more sparkle. In Zac Posen and Emilio Pucci respectively, their dresses were a play on the eye, appearing to have strategically placed gold jewels. Colbie Calliat took the gold gown all the way in a beautiful strapless gown; she is such a natural beauty and carried it well. My favorite fade away gown of the night goes to Beyoncé; the dress really did embrace the subtle, yet powerful strength she exudes.

Snow White:

White has been a standout this awards season at the Globes and SAG awards, so it was no surprise to see divas bringing it back on the GRAMMY red carpet. Jennifer Lopez wore an asymmetrical Versace gown. It definitely had that edge we can always expect on a GRAMMY carpet; the mini, long dress combo had a lot going on. We turned a corner with white, however, when Carrie Underwood stepped onto the carpet in Edition by Georges Chakra, again playing up the asymmetrical and geometric themes of the evening. The neckline was unexpected and chic, with silver straps uniquely framing her shoulders. The hard lines at the neck then broke into a relaxed and flowing white waterfall of fabric in the gown. Very chic! My favorite snow queen of the evening was Rihanna wearing a made-to-measure Elie Saab Haute Couture. The dress had a strong structured bodice and shoulders, much like Beyoncé’s gown. And yet, opposed to the geometric feel, there were soft and whimsical details in the fabric that made it appear to float up around her neckline. It was like looking at a piece of art. 

The Blues:

These playful ladies did not have a case of the blues as they rocked shades of the hue in short and sassy dresses. First up was Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas, who played with a one-shoulder, bright blue mini by Emilio Pucci. Fergie again was playing with the asymmetric craze with a silver strap that crossed her right shoulder and snaked across her perfectly fit frame. Taking the shade a bit darker to navy, and on the softer side, was Lea Michele of "Glee" in Romona Keveza. Like a broken record with the one-shoulder neckline, this dress was very sweet. I loved how it really contoured at the waist and the mini skirt looked almost like feathers, light and airy, giving it a nice contrast to the navy tone. Miley Cyrus was a bit more rock and roll, taking after Heidi Klum, in a long-sleeve, fitted mini dress. Miley wore Hervé Léger by Max Azria. Finally, Taylor Swift wore a gown fit for a fairytale night. Taylor looked stunning and her glittering blue, off-the-shoulder gown by Kaufman Franco was one of my favorite gowns of the night. It framed her figure impeccably from the knotch detail at the bustline, to the theme of perfectly placed straps as we saw on Carrie Underwood, only these straps draped across Swift's back. This gown was fit for a country princess!

A few other standouts who broke the mold with some color were Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland in a perfectly sculpted gown by Victoria Beckham. Usually, I am not a fan of black and red, but this unique cut was exquisite and the back of the gown was to die for. Mary J. Blige in Gucci also stood out in fuchsia pink with sexy cut-outs at the neckline.

Finally, what fashion write-up would be complete without a mention of Lady Gaga? At first we were taunted with an imposter Gaga. This imposter was good enough to fool the screaming bleacher fans for a moment, but she did not hold a candle to the real Lady Gaga's debut in Armani Privé. Gaga truly looked like a cross between a futuristic fairy and a constellation. Playing it up with a bright yellow wig and silver star in hand, the glittering gown was like a walking sculpture with silver rings dancing off the bodice of the structured strapless gown. The incredible jewel-encrusted heels were the perfect platform for this out-of-this-world look.

And finally, my vote for best dressed: Taylor Swift and Rihanna!