The 68th Annual Grammy Awards are this Sunday, and for the first time in years, literally nobody knows what’s going to go down. Unlike past years, there’s no clear steamroller going into the night, which makes this year’s ceremony particularly exciting… and potentially very chaotic.
Recording Academy CEO and President Harvey Mason jr. recently teased to the Associated Press that we should expect “18 or 19” performances, which is a massive undertaking for a single broadcast. The lineup is a wild mix of the new guard and the legends, with artists like Addison Rae, Sabrina Carpenter, Katseye, Leon Thomas, and Olivia Dean all scheduled to take the stage. And yes, for the Little Monsters keeping track, the second most nominated artist of the year, Lady Gaga, is confirmed to perform.
Of course, the best part of any awards show is the inevitable awkwardness of the presenters. The Grammys are famous for pairing celebrities who have likely never met and asking them to find “chemistry” in front of millions. This year’s confirmed roster includes Chappell Roan, Queen Latifah, Carole King, Teyana Taylor, Jeff Goldblum, and Q-Tip. To round out the emotional highs and lows, Reba McEntire, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Post Malone will lead the “In Memoriam” segment—a trio that makes exactly as much sense as anything else in the music industry.
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In terms of the hardware, Kendrick Lamar is the one to beat with nine nominations. If he secures Album of the Year, he will become only the third rap artist to win the category, following in the footsteps of Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Outkast in 2004. But he isn’t the only one chasing a milestone; if Bad Bunny wins the top prize, it will mark the first time an all-Spanish-language album has ever won Album of the Year.
We might also see a major breakthrough for K-pop. Despite the genre’s global dominance, no K-pop artist has ever won a Grammy. That could finally change on Sunday night with multiple nominations in the mix, including the folks behind the KPop Demon Hunters track “Golden” and Rosé.
Finally, keep an eye on the drama in the country categories. The Academy has split the field into Best Contemporary Country Album and Best Traditional Country Album—a move many insiders view as a direct response to the “discourse” surrounding Beyoncé’s historic win in the category last year. While Mason jr. insists this change has been in the works for years, the timing feels a little too convenient to ignore.
Trevor Noah returns to host the festivities this Sunday night on CBS and Paramount Plus. For the live-blogging, the hot takes, and the inevitable shade, follow me at @HAlanScott and Newsweek.com for all the live coverage.
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