61st Annual Grammy Awards – Wikipedia

61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.^[2][3] Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted.^[4][5] During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, each of whom spoke about the impact that music had on their lives.^[6]

The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, which ran from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018.^[7] Nominations were announced on December 7, 2018.

Dolly Parton was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two days prior to the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2019.^[8]

Kendrick Lamar received the most nominations, with eight. Childish Gambino and Kacey Musgraves tied for the most wins of the night with four each.^[9] Childish Gambino did not attend the Grammys and became the first major award winner to be absent from the ceremony since Amy Winehouse in 2008.^[10] “This Is America” producer Ludwig Göransson and recording engineer Riley Mackin accepted the Record of the Year Grammy on behalf of Childish Gambino.

Nominations announcement[edit]

Nominations were to be announced on December 5, 2018, but were delayed to Friday, December 7, 2018 following the death and state funeral of former President George H.W. Bush.^[3][11]

Performers[edit]

Presenters[edit]

Premiere ceremony[edit]

Listed in no particular order.^[13]

Nominations and winners[edit]

Winners are highlighted in Bold

General[edit]

Record of the Year[edit]

• “This Is America” – Childish Gambino
• “I Like It” – Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin
• “The Joke” – Brandi Carlile
• “God’s Plan” – Drake
  • Boi-1Da, Cardo & Young Exclusive, producers; Noel Cadastre, Noel “Gadget” Campbell & Noah Shebib, engineers/mixers; Chris Athens, mastering engineer
• “Shallow” – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
  • Lady Gaga & Benjamin Rice, producers; Brandon Bost & Tom Elmhirst, engineers/mixers; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
• “All the Stars” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
  • Al Shux & Sounwave, producers; Sam Ricci & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
• “Rockstar” – Post Malone featuring 21 Savage
  • Louis Bell & Tank God, producers; Louis Bell, Lorenzo Cardona, Manny Marroquin & Ethan Stevens, engineers/mixers; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
• “The Middle” – Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey
  • Grey, Monsters & Strangerz & Zedd, producers; Grey, Tom Morris, Ryan Shanahan & Zedd, engineers/mixers; Mike Marsh, mastering engineer

Album of the Year[edit]

• Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
• Invasion of Privacy – Cardi B
  • Leslie Brathwaite & Evan LaRay, engineers/mixers; Belcalis Almanzar & Jorden Thorpe, songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer
• By the Way, I Forgive You – Brandi Carlile
  • Dave Cobb & Shooter Jennings, producers; Dave Cobb & Eddie Spear, engineers/mixers; Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters; Pete Lyman, mastering engineer
• Scorpion – Drake
  • Noel Cadastre, Noel “Gadget” Campbell & Noah Shebib, engineers/mixers; Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters; Chris Athens, mastering engineer
• H.E.R. – H.E.R.
  • Darhyl “Hey DJ” Camper Jr., David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris, H.E.R., Walter Jones & Jeff Robinson, producers; Miki Tsutsumi, engineer/mixer; Darhyl Camper Jr. & H.E.R., songwriters; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer
• Beerbongs & Bentleys – Post Malone
• Dirty Computer – Janelle Monáe
• Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By – (Various Artists)
  • Kendrick Lamar, featured artist; Kendrick Duckworth & Sounwave, producers; Matt Schaeffer, engineer/mixer; Kendrick Duckworth & Mark Spears, songwriters; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer

Song of the Year[edit]

Best New Artist[edit]

Pop[edit]

Best Pop Solo Performance

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Best Pop Vocal Album

Dance/Electronic Music[edit]

Best Dance Recording

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Contemporary Instrumental Music[edit]

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Rock[edit]

Best Rock Performance

Best Metal Performance

Best Rock Song

Best Rock Album

Alternative[edit]

Best Alternative Music Album

R&B[edit]

Best R&B Performance

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Best R&B Song

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Best R&B Album

Rap[edit]

Best Rap Performance

Best Rap/Sung Performance

Best Rap Song

• “God’s Plan”
• “King’s Dead”
  • Kendrick Duckworth, Samuel Gloade, James Litherland, Johnny McKinzie, Axel Morgan, Mark Spears, Travis Walton, Nayvadius Wilburn & Michael Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake)
• “Lucky You”
• “Sicko Mode”
  • Khalif Brown, Rogét Chahayed, BryTavious Chambers, Mike Dean, Mirsad Dervic, Kevin Gomringer, Tim Gomringer, Aubrey Graham, Chauncey Hollis, Jacques Webster, Ozan Yildirim & Cydel Young, songwriters (Travis Scott, Drake & Swae Lee)
• “Win”

Best Rap Album

Country[edit]

Best Country Solo Performance

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Best Country Song

Best Country Album

New Age[edit]

Best New Age Album

Jazz[edit]

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Best Latin Jazz Album

Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music[edit]

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Best Gospel Album

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Best Roots Gospel Album

Latin[edit]

Best Latin Pop Album

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

Best Tropical Latin Album

American Roots Music[edit]

Best American Roots Performance

Best American Roots Song

Best Americana Album

Best Bluegrass Album

Best Traditional Blues Album

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Best Folk Album

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Reggae[edit]

Best Reggae Album

World Music[edit]

Best World Music Album

Children’s[edit]

Best Children’s Album

Spoken Word[edit]

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)

Comedy[edit]

Best Comedy Album

Musical Theater[edit]

Best Musical Theater Album

• The Band’s Visit – Etai Benson, Adam Kantor, Katrina Lenk & Ari’el Stachel, principal soloists; Dean Sharenow & David Yazbek, producers; David Yazbek, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)
• Carousel – Renée Fleming, Alexander Gemignani, Joshua Henry, Lindsay Mendez & Jessie Mueller, principal soloists; Steven Epstein, producer (Richard Rodgers, composer; Oscar Hammerstein II, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
• Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert – Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, Ben Daniels, Brandon Victor Dixon, Erik Grönwall, Jin Ha, John Legend, Norm Lewis & Jason Tam, principal soloists; Andrew Lloyd Webber & Harvey Mason Jr., producers (Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer; Tim Rice, lyricist) (Original Television Cast)
• My Fair Lady – Lauren Ambrose, Norbert Leo Butz & Harry Hadden-Paton, principal soloists; Van Dean, David Lai, & Ted Sperling, producers (Frederick Loewe, composer; Alan Jay Lerner, lyricist) (2018 Broadway Cast)
• Once on This Island – Phillip Boykin, Merle Dandridge, Quentin Earl Darrington, Hailey Kilgore, Kenita R. Miller, Alex Newell, Isaac Powell & Lea Salonga, principal soloists; Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty & Elliot Scheiner, producers (Stephen Flaherty, composer; Lynn Ahrens, lyricist) (New Broadway Cast)

Music for Visual Media[edit]

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Best Song Written for Visual Media

Composing[edit]

Best Instrumental Composition

• “Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil)”
• “Chrysalis”
• “Infinity War”
• “Mine Mission”
• “The Shape of Water”

Arranging[edit]

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

• “Stars and Stripes Forever”
  • John Daversa, arranger (John Daversa Big Band featuring DACA Artists)
• “Batman Theme (TV)”
• “Change the World”
  • Mark Kibble, arranger (Take 6)
• “Madrid Finale”
• “The Shape of Water”

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

Packaging[edit]

Best Recording Package

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

Notes[edit]

Best Album Notes

• Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris
• Alpine Dreaming: The Helvetia Records Story, 1920-1924
• 4 Banjo Songs, 1891-1897: Foundational Recordings of America’s Iconic Instrument
• The 1960 Time Sessions
• The Product of Our Souls: The Sound and Sway of James Reese Europe’s Society Orchestra
  • David Gilbert, album notes writer (Various artists)
• Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13/1979-1981 (Deluxe Edition)

Historical[edit]

Best Historical Album

• Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris
• Any Other Way
  • Rob Bowman, Douglas McGowan, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton & Maria Rice, mastering engineer (Jackie Shane)
• At the Louisiana Hayride Tonight…
  • Martin Hawkins, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various artists)
• Battleground Korea: Songs and Sounds of America’s Forgotten War
  • Hugo Keesing, compilation producer; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various artists)
• A Rhapsody in Blue: The Extraordinary Life of Oscar Levant

Production, Non-Classical[edit]

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

• Colors
  • Julian Burg, Şerban Ghenea, David “Elevator” Greenbaum, John Hanes, Beck Hansen, Greg Kurstin, Florian Lagatta, Cole M.G.N., Alex Pasco, Jesse Shatkin, Darrell Thorp & Cassidy Turbin, engineers; Chris Bellman, Tom Coyne, Emily Lazar & Randy Merrill, mastering engineers (Beck)
• All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do
• Earthtones
  • Robbie Lackritz, engineer; Philip Shaw Bova, mastering engineer (Bahamas)
• Head Over Heels
  • Nathaniel Alford, Jason Evigan, Chris Galland, Tom Gardner, Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel, Şerban Ghenea, John Hanes, Tony Hoffer, Derek Keota, Ian Kirkpatrick, David Macklovitch, Amber Mark, Manny Marroquin, Vaughn Oliver, Chris “TEK” O’Ryan, Morgan Taylor Reid & Gian Stone, engineers; Chris Gehringer & Michelle Mancini, mastering engineers (Chromeo)
• Voicenotes
  • Manny Marroquin & Charlie Puth, engineers; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer (Charlie Puth)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

Best Remixed Recording

• “Walking Away” (Mura Masa Remix)
• “Audio” (CID Remix)
• “How Long” (EDX’s Dubai Skyline Remix)
• “Only Road” (Cosmic Gate Remix)
• “Stargazing” (Kaskade Remix)

Production, Immersive Audio[edit]

Best Immersive Audio Album

• Eye in the Sky: 35th Anniversary Edition
• Folketoner
  • Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Anne Karin Sundal-Ask & Det Norske Jentekor)
• Seven Words from the Cross
  • Daniel Shores, surround mix engineer; Daniel Shores, surround mastering engineer; Dan Merceruio, surround producer (Matthew Guard & Skylark)
• Sommerro: Ujamaa & the Iceberg
  • Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Ingar Heine Bergby, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Choir)
• Symbol
  • Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround mix engineers; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Prashant Mistry & Ronald Prent, surround producers (Engine-Earz Experiment)

Production, Classical[edit]

Best Engineered Album, Classical

• Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11
• Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1
• John Williams at the Movies
• Liquid Melancholy: Clarinet Music of James M. Stephenson
  • Bill Maylone & Mary Mazurek, engineers; Bill Maylone, mastering engineer (John Bruce Yeh)
• Visions and Variations
  • Tom Caulfield, engineer; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (A Far Cry)

Producer of the Year, Classical

• Blanton Alspaugh
  • Arnesen: Infinity – Choral Works (Joel Rinsema & Kantorei)
  • Aspects of America (Carlos Kalmar & Oregon Symphony)
  • Chesnokov: Teach Me Thy Statutes (Vladimir Gorbik & PaTRAM Institute Male Choir)
  • Gordon, R.: The House Without a Christmas Tree (Bradley Moore, Elisabeth Leone, Maximillian Macias, Megan Mikailovna Samarin, Patricia Schuman, Lauren Snouffer, Heidi Stober, Daniel Belcher, Houston Grand Opera Juvenile Chorus & Houston Grand Opera Orchestra)
  • Haydn: The Creation (Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Betsy Cook Weber, Houston Symphony & Houston Symphony Chorus)
  • Heggie: Great Scott (Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade, Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra)
  • Music of Fauré, Buide & Zemlinsky (Trio Séléné)
  • Paterson: Three Way – A Trio of One-Act Operas (Dean Williamson, Daniele Pastin, Courtney Ruckman, Eliza Bonet, Melisa Bonetti, Jordan Rutter, Samuel Levine, Wes Mason, Matthew Treviño & Nashville Opera Orchestra)
  • Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Serenade to Music; Flos Campi (Peter Oundjian & Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
• David Frost
  • Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Volume 7 (Jonathan Biss)
  • Mirror in Mirror (Anne Akiko Meyers, Kristjan Järvi & Philharmonia Orchestra)
  • Mozart: Idomeneo (James Levine, Alan Opie, Matthew Polenzani, Alice Coote, Nadine Sierra, Elza van den Heever, The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus)
  • Presentiment (Orion Weiss)
  • Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier (Sebastian Weigle, Renée Fleming, Elīna Garanča, Erin Morley, Günther Groissböck, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus)
• Elizabeth Ostrow
• Judith Sherman
• Dirk Sobotka

Classical[edit]

Best Orchestral Performance

• Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1
• Nielsen: Symphony No. 3 & Symphony No. 4
• Ruggles, Stucky & Harbison: Orchestral Works
• Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4

Best Opera Recording

• Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
• Adams: Doctor Atomic
• Lully: Alceste
• Strauss, R.: Der Rosenkavalier
• Verdi: Rigoletto

Best Choral Performance

• McLoskey: Zealot Canticles
  • Donald Nally, conductor (Doris Hall-Gulati, Rebecca Harris, Arlen Hlusko, Lorenzo Raval & Mandy Wolman; The Crossing)
• Chesnokov: Teach Me Thy Statutes
  • Vladimir Gorbik, conductor (Mikhail Davydov & Vladimir Krasov; PaTRAM Institute Male Choir)
• Kastalsky: Memory Eternal
• Rachmaninov: The Bells
• Seven Words from the Cross
  • Matthew Guard, conductor (Skylark)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

• Kernis: Violin Concerto – James Ehnes
• Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2 – Yuja Wang
• Biber: The Mystery Sonatas – Christina Day Martinson
• Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46; Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
• Glass: Three Pieces in the Shape of a Square

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

Best Classical Compendium

• Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’; Poems of Life; Glacier; Rush
• Gold
• The John Adams Edition
• John Williams at the Movies
• Vaughan Williams: Piano Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Serenade to Music; Flos Campi

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

• Kernis: Violin Concerto
• Bates: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
• Du Yun: Air Glow
• Heggie: Great Scott
  • Jake Heggie, composer; Terrence McNally, librettist (Patrick Summers, Manuel Palazzo, Mark Hancock, Michael Mayes, Rodell Rosel, Kevin Burdette, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Nathan Gunn, Frederica von Stade, Ailyn Pérez, Joyce DiDonato, Dallas Opera Chorus & Orchestra)
• Mazzoli: Vespers for Violin

Music Video/Film[edit]

Best Music Video

• “This Is America” – Childish Gambino
  • Hiro Murai, video directors; Ibra Ake, Jason Cole & Fam Rothstein, video producers
• “Apeshit” – The Carters
  • Ricky Saiz, video director; Mélodie Buchris, Natan Schottenfels & Erinn Williams, video producers
• “I’m Not Racist” – Joyner Lucas
  • Joyner Lucas & Ben Proulx, video directors; Joyner Lucas, video producer
• “Pynk” – Janelle Monáe
  • Emma Westenburg, video director; Justin Benoliel & Whitney Jackson, video producers
• “Mumbo Jumbo” – Tierra Whack
  • Marco Prestini, video director; Sara Nassim, video producer

Best Music Film

Special Merit Awards[edit]

MusiCares Person of the Year[edit]

Lifetime Achievement Award[edit]

Trustees Award[edit]

Technical Grammy Award[edit]

Music Educator Award[edit]

Grammy Hall of Fame inductions[edit]

In Memoriam[edit]

Multiple nominations and awards[edit]

The following received multiple nominations:

Two:

The following received multiple awards:

Category changes[edit]

For the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, multiple category changes are being made;^[14]

Controversy[edit]

On February 4, 2019, it was reported that American singer Ariana Grande would not be performing at or attending the Grammys, due to a dispute with producer Ken Ehrlich. On February 7, 2019, Grande made a public statement on the matter, she alleged that Ehrlich stifled her creativity and tried to stipulate what song she could perform.^[15] She then later went on and alleged that Ehrlich “lied” and she could “pull together a performance over night.”^[16]

On February 11, 2019, Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj backed up Grande and alleged Ehrilch “bullied” her. Minaj later said in a statement on Twitter: “I was bullied into staying quiet for 7 years out of fear. But I’ll tell my fans the REAL on the next episode of #QueenRadio they deserve the truth.”^[17]

References[edit]

External links[edit]