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53rd GRAMMY Awards Season Hits High Notes

GRAMMY telecast draws largest audience in more than a decade, "GRAMMY Effect" increases album sales and GRAMMY Week features diverse slate of programs

GRAMMYs/Dec 3, 2014 - 05:06 am

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 13 showcased an eclectic mix of musical performances and special segments that once again gave CBS and GRAMMY Sunday increased ratings with 26.7 million viewers (up from 25.8 million last year), and delivered the largest audience in more than a decade, as well as topping all shows for the entire week. The 16 signature GRAMMY Moments showcased legends and newcomers throughout the three-and-a-half-hour show. Music's Biggest Night was up in adults 18–49, adults 18–34 and adults 25–54 from last year (the best demos since 2004).

GRAMMY Week events — including the annual MusiCares Person of the Year gala, GRAMMY Career Day, Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception, Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, Social Media Rock Stars Summit, and more — highlighted education, philanthropy, advocacy, diverse artists, and musical genres, and set records with increased guests and media attendance. Aggressive social networking and marketing and a user-friendly redesign helped increase traffic to GRAMMY.com, and the "GRAMMY Effect" the week following the show resulted in significantly increased album sales and digital song downloads for performers and GRAMMY-winning artists. Additionally, The Recording Academy furthered its efforts to present a greener GRAMMY Awards by once again reducing the environmental impact of the telecast and associated GRAMMY Week events.

"From our extraordinary GRAMMY nominees and recipients to the unique, special and historic performances, everyone can agree that one basic premise was clearly evident: the 53rd GRAMMY Awards was about the music. This is precisely what the GRAMMY Awards and The Recording Academy represent — excellence in recorded music," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "We are exceptionally proud to continue to offer unparalleled events throughout GRAMMY Week, which spotlight the best in music as well as highlight education, preservation and human services. It's also gratifying to see consumers and fans continue to engage with the GRAMMYs through our social networking sites and GRAMMY.com, demonstrating the power of Music's Biggest Night."

GRAMMY Awards Performers And Presenters
Building on the stunning opening tribute to Aretha Franklin featuring Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, and Florence Welch, many other great GRAMMY Moments followed on this year's telecast, including Arcade Fire; Justin Bieber and Usher with Jaden Smith; B.o.B, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe; Drake and Rihanna; Eminem with Dr. Dre, Skylar Grey, Adam Levine, and Rihanna; Mick Jagger with Raphael Saadiq; Lady Antebellum; Cee Lo Green with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Jim Henson Company Puppets; Lady Gaga; Miranda Lambert; Muse; Katy Perry; Barbra Streisand; and Esperanza Spalding in a special segment with members of the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles and GRAMMY Camp. Presenters included Marc Anthony, Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Foxx, Selena Gomez, Neil Patrick Harris, Jewel, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, John Legend, LL Cool J, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Clay Matthews, John Mayer, Nicki Minaj, Matthew Morrison, Paramore, Pauley Perrette, Seth Rogen, Ryan Seacrest, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Donnie Wahlberg, and will.i.am.

GRAMMY Nominees Album And The "GRAMMY Effect"
The 2011 GRAMMY Nominees album made its debut at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 album chart (tying the series' highest debut) and continued its success after the telecast by remaining in the Top 10. This year, The Recording Academy and Jive Records teamed to release the 17th edition of the best-selling series, which highlighted artists and songs nominated for the current GRAMMY year. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the CD benefits MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation. Additionally, post-GRAMMY telecast, numerous artists enjoyed the "GRAMMY Effect" with significant sales increases, including Esperanza Spalding (up 476 percent), Arcade Fire (238 percent), Lady Antebellum (205 percent), Mumford & Sons (169 percent), Cee Lo Green (96 percent), Eminem (60 percent), and Bruno Mars (55 percent), among others. Increases on the Digital Songs chart included Mumford & Sons' "The Cave" (205 percent), Cee Lo Green's "F*** You/Forget You" (178 percent), Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" (77 percent), and Justin Bieber featuring Jaden Smith's "Never Say Never" (67 percent), among others. The Academy was once again able to offer a number of this year's once-in-a-lifetime performances as video downloads on iTunes.

TBWA\Chiat\Day Marketing Campaign
The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards marketing campaign MusicIsLifeIsMusic — which featured print, outdoor, digital, TV, an interactive microsite, and the MusicMapper app, available on iPhone and Android devices — celebrated the songs that have significance in one's life and the places connected to those songs. Utilizing social networking and geolocation, music fans were able to map out their musical journeys and share them with others. The fully integrated campaign highlighted music fans' unprecedented impact in the current digital age. MusicIsLifeIsMusic told the stories of both nominees and music fans, and not only allowed users the opportunity to map their own respective musical journeys, they explored other MusicMapper tags through an augmented reality view that provided an innovative, real-life glimpse at how "music is life is music." By using a mobile device camera, users could see others' tags, Flickr photos and Foursquare check-ins associated with the space they enter. Additionally, fans had the ability to unlock exclusive GRAMMY content based on their physical location as determined by SimpleGeo. Via a QR Code Reader on all print material and outdoor advertisements, users accessed eight full-length GRAMMY performances from past shows. The microsite and iPhone and Android apps continue to live on beyond the telecast.

GRAMMY Live
For the second consecutive year, music fans worldwide had the opportunity to experience and participate in the color and excitement leading up to GRAMMY Sunday through GRAMMY Live — a real-time, innovative, three-day online broadcast of the VIP events leading up to the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. The GRAMMY Live stream of the road to Music's Biggest Night began on Friday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. PT and ran through Sunday, Feb. 13, and received 20 million views collectively between GRAMMY.com and YouTube.com/thegrammys. GRAMMY Live featured video, photos, blogs, tweets and retweets, as well as official news reports and personalized updates from hosts actor/comedian Ben Gleib, TV/Web personality Shira Lazar and veteran broadcast music journalist John Norris. Exclusive behind-the-scenes GRAMMY cams gave the audience an insider's view into GRAMMY Week events including the Social Media Rock Stars Summit; MusiCares Person of the Year tribute; Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception; Pre-GRAMMY Gala featuring the 2011 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons; and all the action on GRAMMY Sunday, including red-carpet arrivals, the Pre-Telecast Ceremony, and the official GRAMMY Celebration after-party. Additional behind-the-scenes footage offered viewers a "dual-screen" experience, complementing the GRAMMY telecast with red-carpet coverage, backstage interviews, exclusive photo sessions with winners (with renowned photographer Danny Clinch), press room sessions, and past GRAMMY moments.

GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony
The GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony — during which awards for a majority of the 108 categories were presented — took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center prior to the telecast and enjoyed its largest attendance to date. Once again, the ceremony was streamed live on GRAMMY.com and the stream was available for 30 days following the event. The Pre-Telecast live stream was viewed by more than 460,000 visitors, a 130 percent increase over last year. The ceremony was co-hosted by Bobby McFerrin and Esperanza Spalding and featured live performances by ChocQuibTown, Buddy Guy, Cyndi Lauper, Maria Muldaur, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mavis Staples, Trombone Shorty, Kirk Whalum, and Betty Wright. GRAMMY Awards were presented by Laurie Anderson, Sara Bareilles, BT, Kathy Griffin, and Wayne Wallace. Overall, GRAMMYs in 46 out of 108 categories this year were awarded to independent artists and/or music released on an independent label.

GRAMMY Week Events
Official GRAMMY Week events presented a diversity of celebrations leading up to Music's Biggest Night. For the fourth year, The Producers & Engineers Wing presented an event that paid tribute to those "behind the glass," honoring legendary producer and 12-time GRAMMY winner T Bone Burnett. Titled Shaken Rattled & Rolled, the event was held at the Village recording studio in Los Angeles and celebrated the P&E Wing's 10th anniversary. With record-breaking attendance numbers, the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Julie Andrews, Roy Haynes, Juilliard String Quartet, the Kingston Trio, Dolly Parton, the Ramones, and George Beverly Shea; Al Bell, Wilma Cozart Fine and Bruce Lundvall received the Trustees Award; and Roger Linn and Waves Audio Ltd. were Technical GRAMMY Award honorees.

Pre-GRAMMY Gala And GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons
The Recording Academy once again partnered with Clive Davis to present the exclusive, star-studded Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Entertainment entrepreneur David Geffen was honored with the President's Merit Award for his indelible contributions to the music industry. The event featured performances by Mary J. Blige, Cee Lo Green, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Hudson, R. Kelly, Janelle Monáe, Matthew Morrison, Mumford & Sons, and Dionne Warwick. Attendees included Warren Beatty, the Black Eyed Peas, Jackson Browne, Cher, Diddy, Foo Fighters, David Foster, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Adam Lambert, Ray LaMontagne, Barry Manilow, Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Martina McBride, Katy Perry, Usher, and Neil Young, among many others.

GRAMMY Celebration
The party continued immediately following the live GRAMMY telecast at the Los Angeles Convention Center with the largest-ever guest attendance at the 2011 GRAMMY Celebration, The Academy's official after-party. Live performances included Keri Hilson, the Roots, DJ Wayne, and members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles. Chef extraordinaire Wolfgang Puck once again treated guests to gourmet dishes and sweet delights throughout the three-and-a-half-hour party. Produced by Along Came Mary Productions, the exclusive invitation-only soiree took guests back to the '70s with a journey through a Night at Studio 54 and was one of the night's most sought-after parties.

GRAMMYs Get Greener
In an ongoing effort to reduce the environmental impact of the GRAMMY Awards, The Academy continued its greening initiative and found additional ways to utilize alternative energy resources to power the telecast and promote recycling and waste reduction. For the fourth consecutive year, the GRAMMY telecast was produced with renewable energy, which was purchased by The Recording Academy. Additionally, The Academy collaborated with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to balance the energy consumption over the course of the seven-day period of setup and tear down by investing in existing clean energy projects. The Academy continued its partnership with Waste Management to recycle waste from the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Other greening achievements included: a red-carpet made from 100 percent recycled materials (which were used at the 51st and 52nd GRAMMY Awards); for the second year in a row, all incoming GRAMMY ticket requests were processed electronically; recycled content paper was used for nearly all paper products (including 100 percent recycled content tickets, with 30 percent post-consumer content, and program books printed on recycled paper with 10 percent post-consumer content); recycling bins for aluminum, glass and plastic containers provided at both Staples Center and LACC, in addition to a number of other GRAMMY Week events; most set pieces and furniture were either rentals or stored for reuse; unused food from staff box lunches and the GRAMMY Celebration after-party were donated to local food banks; the Wolfgang Puck after-party menu incorporated locally grown and organic options.

For the first time this year, The Academy teamed with 100% Cork and ReCORK to recycle corks from wine bottles used at the GRAMMY Celebration. More than 1,000 corks were diverted from landfills and repurposed for various industrial, household and fashion goods. Also a first-year collaboration, The Academy teamed with ridesharing company Ride Amigos, allowing guests attending the 53rd GRAMMY Awards to connect with each other online and organize carpools to Staples Center.

GRAMMY Foundation
This year's GRAMMY Foundation GRAMMY Week events took guests and GRAMMY nominees through unique educational and cultural experiences. For the second year, the GRAMMY Foundation presented GRAMMY In The Schools Live! — which featured the GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles, student alumni from GRAMMY Camp and GRAMMY Signature Schools, with a special guest performance by Sara Bareilles. The Ensembles also performed at Spaghettini Italian Grill & Lounge in Seal Beach, Calif., with special guest artist Esperanza Spalding; the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute; and the GRAMMY Celebration after-party. Legendary Capitol Studios & Mastering was again provided by the EMI Music Group for the Ensembles to record an album that will join the lineup of previous Ensembles recordings available for purchase at online music outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.

GRAMMY Career Day hosted 750 Los Angeles-area students at the USC campus where high school students were given insight into music business careers from artists including GRAMMY-winning producer Warryn Campbell; GRAMMY-winning songwriting team Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic; artist JoiStarr; songwriter/producer Claude Kelly; rapper Lecrae; GRAMMY-winning engineer Manny Marroquin; artists Mohombi and Kelly Price; multi-platinum producer RedOne; singer/songwriter Eric Roberson; and recording artist Jordin Sparks. Participating industry professionals included "Glee" music producer Adam Anders; Recording Academy Chair Emeritus, GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares Board member and five-time GRAMMY winner Jimmy Jam; "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" musical director Rickey Minor; Chair of the GRAMMY Foundation Board and Chief Marketing Officer of Coca-Cola North America Bea Perez; and MusiCares Board member and Head of Urban Music for EMI Music Publishing Jon Platt. A special highlight of GRAMMY Career Day was Best Buy's presentation of a check for $1.24 million to the GRAMMY Foundation in support of music education activities.

The Foundation's 13th Annual Music Preservation Project, Word Revolution: A Celebration Of The Evolution Of Hip-Hop, featured live musical performances and historical footage from preservation archives. Kevin Frazier of "Entertainment Tonight" and "Insider" was the evening's host and performers included Marsha Ambrosius; GRAMMY winners Arrested Development and Chrisette Michele; Beat Freaks from "America's Best Dance Crew"; DJ Beverly Bond; Brave New Voices; Everlast; DJ Jazzy Jeff; Kid Capri; Lil Mama; MC Lyte; Musiq Soulchild; Naughty By Nature; Phife from A Tribe Called Quest; DJ Skee; Paul Wall; and Young Chris, among others.

The annual Entertainment Law Initiative & Scholarship Presentation featured seven-time GRAMMY winner and GRAMMY Foundation Board member will.i.am as keynote speaker. The luncheon also honored John T. Frankenheimer, distinguished entertainment attorney, partner and co-chairman of Loeb & Loeb LLP, and chair of the firm's music industry practice group, as the recipient of the 2011 Service Award.

MusiCares Person Of The Year
Eight-time GRAMMY winner, Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award and GRAMMY Legend Award recipient Barbra Streisand was honored as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year with a tribute that raised a record-breaking $4.75 million to support MusiCares' programs and services for music people in need. The 21st anniversary of the gala, which was attended by a record audience of more than 2,400 guests, included a special reception, silent auction, dinner, award presentation, and a star-studded tribute concert that featured performances by Jeff Beck; Tony Bennett; Kristin Chenoweth; "Glee" cast members Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison and Darren Criss; Herbie Hancock; Faith Hill; Diana Krall; Leona Lewis; Barry Manilow; LeAnn Rimes; Seal; BeBe Winans; Stevie Wonder; and Nikki Yanofsky. Streisand closed the evening with her own special performance. Fran Drescher, Bill Maher and multi-GRAMMY-winning artists Prince and will.i.am were presenters at the tribute.

GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions
In celebration of the GRAMMY Awards, GRAMMY Charity Online Auctions offered approximately 100 exclusive items, including once-in-a-lifetime VIP experiences, memorabilia from world-renowned celebrities, and official GRAMMY merchandise signed by participating stars backstage during telecast rehearsals and show day. All proceeds benefited MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation.
 

Sony Music Publishing Chairman & CEO Jon Platt To Receive GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honor At The Pre-GRAMMY Gala During GRAMMY Week 2024
Sony Music Publishing Chairman & CEO Jon Platt will receive the GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honor at the 2024 Pre-GRAMMY Gala

Source Photo: Nadav Kander; Graphic Courtesy of the Recording Academy

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Sony Music Publishing Chairman & CEO Jon Platt To Receive GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honor At The Pre-GRAMMY Gala During GRAMMY Week 2024

Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, the renowned Pre-GRAMMY gala, hosted by the Recording Academy and Clive Davis, returns Saturday, Feb. 3, where Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt will be honored as the 2024 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honoree.

GRAMMYs/Dec 7, 2023 - 02:00 pm

The Recording Academy’s GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honor celebrates the music industry's leading lights and biggest supporters. Ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs, Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt will become the latest honoree.

The GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honor is awarded during the invitation-only Pre-GRAMMY Gala, an annual celebration hosted by the Recording Academy and music industry icon Clive Davis that takes place the night before the annual GRAMMY Awards. Held on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, and sponsored by Hilton, IBM and Mastercard, the Pre-GRAMMY Gala has become one of the music industry's most distinguished events for the innovative and influential creators and professionals it draws. Jon Platt is certainly among them.

"One of the most influential figures in the industry, Jon has consistently set the bar for leadership in music," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. “His ongoing commitment to equity, his dedication to quality, and his advocacy for artists across all crafts and genres have been an inspiration to music leaders everywhere. We look forward to an incredible evening dedicated to honoring his incredible impact.”

“Jon Platt is one of the music industry’s most illustrious leaders and I am thrilled that he will be this year’s Salute to Industry Icons honoree,” Clive Davis said in a statement. “Jon’s longtime trailblazing commitment to supporting songwriters across the music spectrum as well as his staunch dedication to advocacy, diversity and equality in the music business are exemplary. Artists and the industry at large are fortunate to have his insight and passion at the helm.”

Read More: Clive Davis On His Famed GRAMMY Party, The Future Of The Industry & Whitney Houston's Enduring Legacy

Since his appointment as Chairman and CEO of leading global music publisher Sony Music Publishing (“SMP”) in 2019, Platt has worked to revitalize the company’s Songwriters First mission. His efforts have focused on emphasizing service and transparency at every level, prioritizing equity, and reshaping the company’s administration services.

During Platt's tenure, Sony Music Publishing has strengthened both its legacy and its future, creating historic partnerships with songwriting legends like Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Ashley Gorley; signing the next generation of superstars like Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow, Latto, Anitta, Central Cee, Kane Brown, and the Kid LAROI; and delivering opportunities for DIY creators through a landmark deal with BeatStars.

Throughout his career, Platt advocated for fair compensation for songwriters. Under his direction, Sony Music Publishing has focused on improving the lives of songwriters by putting more money in songwriters’ pockets, and getting that money in their pockets sooner. In an increasingly global music business, the company has also expanded its leading presence internationally into India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

Reflecting Platt’s commitment to artist development and his long-held belief that it’s better to grow hits than to chase them, SMP has built out its services for songwriters and composers at every stage of their careers. Songwriters Forward — a global initiative — has seen SMP providing mental health and wellness support to its roster through the Songwriter Assistance Program. SMP’s Legacy Unrecouped Balance Program has offered new financial opportunities to legacy songwriters. And SMP has provided over $1 million in grants to working songwriters in collaboration with organizations such as the 100 Percenters, Songwriters of North America (SONA) and Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

Jon Platt’s career in the music business began in the mid-‘80s, when, as a DJ in his hometown of Denver, he was credited with breaking records from Public Enemy and Arrested Development in the Midwest. He brought the same passion for spotting hits-in-the-making to his career in music publishing, signing and collaborating with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Drake, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams and Usher. Platt is widely credited for elevating how hip-hop and R&B artists are respected and compensated as songwriters. 

Platt has consistently shared his belief in building a music business every bit as diverse as the music it represents. He has increased diversity across senior leadership teams throughout his career, and supported the development of a pipeline of female executives with SMP’s global Women’s Leadership Program. His commitment to equity and inclusion extends to empowering the next generation of songwriters and composers with initiatives like SMP’s Screen Scoring Diversity Scholarship at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. 

Platt previously served as chairman & CEO of Warner Chappell and led the company’s turnaround. He also spent 17 years at EMI Music Publishing, where he cemented his reputation for recognizing icons-in-the-making by signing Jay-Z on the release of his 1996 independent debut album, Reasonable Doubt.

Platt sits on the boards of Berklee College of Music, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Motown Museum, Living Legends Foundation, and the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA), and his numerous recognitions include City of Hope’s prestigious Spirit of Life Award, SONA’s Warrior Award, NSAI’s President’s Keystone Award, SESAC’s Visionary Award, Billboard’s Power 100, Variety’s Variety500, and Morehouse College’s Candle Award. In 2005, he launched The Big Jon Platt Scholarship Program for college-bound students from his Denver community in Montbello. 

2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List

GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016
Kendrick Lamar

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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GRAMMY Rewind: Kendrick Lamar Honors Hip-Hop's Greats While Accepting Best Rap Album GRAMMY For 'To Pimp a Butterfly' In 2016

Upon winning the GRAMMY for Best Rap Album for 'To Pimp a Butterfly,' Kendrick Lamar thanked those that helped him get to the stage, and the artists that blazed the trail for him.

GRAMMYs/Oct 13, 2023 - 06:01 pm

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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Atlantic Records Leading Lights Julie Greenwald And Craig Kallman To Receive GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honor
Julie Greenwald and Craig Kallman

Photo courtesy of the Recording Academy

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Atlantic Records Leading Lights Julie Greenwald And Craig Kallman To Receive GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honor

Ahead of the 2023 GRAMMYs, the renowned pre-GRAMMY gala, hosted by the Recording Academy and Clive Davis, returns Saturday, Feb. 4.

GRAMMYs/Dec 8, 2022 - 02:10 pm

The GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons is a universally distinguished honor for people at the music industry's highest echelon — and now, two more names can be added to that pantheon.

Recognized for their dynamic leadership and revolutionary creativity, Atlantic Music Group Chairman and CEO Julie Greenwald and Atlantic Records Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman, are the 2023 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons honorees.

The Recording Academy and Clive Davis will celebrate Greenwald and Kallman's accomplishments at the Pre-GRAMMY Gala on Sat, Feb. 4, 2023. The illustrious event preceding the 2023 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 65th GRAMMY Awards, is returning for the first time since 2020.

"Respected across the music community, Julie and Craig have fostered the careers of an incredible range of talent," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "They both have a passion and love for music, and they are constantly pushing the music industry forward with their transformative work with the artist community. We are so honored to celebrate these two industry titans at this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala."

"I've personally known Julie and Craig for many years and it's so very exciting to celebrate their exceptional creativity and achievements at this year's Pre-GRAMMY Gala," said Davis. "What a special night it will be spotlighting them and their incredible music and artists! They both fully deserve an unforgettable evening."

In 2023, Atlantic Records will celebrate its 75th anniversary, and Greenwald and Kallman can look back on two decades of industry-leading accomplishments. The duo has presided over a new golden age in the history of one of the world's most iconic labels.

Under their watch, Atlantic Records has regularly ranked as the top company in the industry. The combination of Greenwald's artist-focused marketing and culture-building savvy with Atlantic has seen success after success due to Kallman's deep musical knowledge and A&R and producing expertise.

The recently formed Atlantic Music Group, which includes the Atlantic and 300 Elektra label families, garnered nearly 40 GRAMMY nominations this year. This achievement exemplifies the company's focus on long-term artist development.

Keep watching this space for more exciting news involving this illustrious honor — and the rest of GRAMMY week in 2023!

2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List

A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea
Franc Moody

Photo: Rachel Kupfer 

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A Guide To Modern Funk For The Dance Floor: L'Imperatrice, Shiro Schwarz, Franc Moody, Say She She & Moniquea

James Brown changed the sound of popular music when he found the power of the one and unleashed the funk with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." Today, funk lives on in many forms, including these exciting bands from across the world.

GRAMMYs/Nov 25, 2022 - 04:23 pm

It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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