The 57th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live by CBS at 5:00 p.m. PST (UTC−8). Rapper LL Cool J hosted the show for the fourth consecutive time.
The Grammy nominations were open for recordings released between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014. Breaking from tradition of a prime-time concert approach, the Grammy nominees were announced during an all-day event on December 5, 2014, starting with initial announcements on the CBS This Morning telecast, followed by updates made through The Grammys' official Twitter account.
Sam Smith won four awards, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "Stay with Me" and Best Pop Vocal Album for In the Lonely Hour. Beck's album Morning Phase was named Album of the Year. This prompted Kanye West, who later said he thought Beyoncé should have won, to jokingly leap onstage to interrupt Beck in a re-enactment of his 2009 MTV VMA scandal, but West left the stage without saying anything. Both Pharrell Williams and Beyoncé took three honors; with her wins, Beyoncé became the second-most-honored female musician in Grammy history following Alison Krauss. Lifetime Achievement awards were given to the Bee Gees, George Harrison, Pierre Boulez, Buddy Guy, and Flaco Jiménez.
In all, 83 Grammy Awards were presented, one more than in 2014.
The show aired simultaneously on Fox8 in Australia, Sky TV in New Zealand, and on Channel O in South Africa.
Pre-telecast ceremony
Not all Grammys were presented during the live telecast. As in previous years, most awards were handed out during the so-called pre-telecast ceremony, held at the Nokia Theater next to the Staples Center, which takes place during the afternoon before the main show. From 2015 on, this ceremony has been known as the Premiere Ceremony. Approximately 70 Grammys were presented at this ceremony, consisting of the "minor" categories.
Performers
Artist(s)Song(s) AC/DC "Rock or Bust""Highway to Hell" Ariana Grande "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart" Tom JonesJessie J "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" Miranda Lambert "Little Red Wagon" Kanye West "Only One" Madonna "Living for Love" Ed SheeranJohn Mayer "Thinking Out Loud" Jeff Lynne's ELO "Evil Woman""Mr. Blue Sky" Adam LevineGwen Stefani "My Heart Is Open" HozierAnnie Lennox "Take Me to Church""I Put a Spell on You" Pharrell WilliamsLang LangHans Zimmer "Happy" Katy Perry "By the Grace of God" Imagine Dragons "Shots" (live commercial from Las Vegas) Tony BennettLady Gaga "Cheek to Cheek" Usher Tribute to Stevie Wonder"If It's Magic" Eric Church "Give Me Back My Hometown" Brandy ClarkDwight Yoakam "Hold My Hand" RihannaKanye WestPaul McCartney "FourFiveSeconds" Sam SmithMary J. Blige "Stay with Me" Juanes "Juntos (Together)" Sia "Chandelier" BeckChris Martin "Heart Is a Drum" Beyoncé "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" John LegendCommon "Glory"
During the ceremony, United States President Barack Obama delivered a pre-recorded message in which he spoke about domestic violence against women. His message was followed by a plea from domestic violence advocate Brooke Axtell and singer Katy Perry performing her ballad "By the Grace of God" as a dedication to the victims of the crime."Grammys: President Obama Delivers Domestic Violence PSA During Ceremony (Video)" from Variety (February 8, 2015)
Presenters
Taylor Swift – presented Best New Artist, introducing Sam Smith and Mary J. Blige Anna Kendrick – introduced Ariana Grande Jessie J and Tom Jones – presented Best Pop Solo Performance Dierks Bentley – introduced Miranda Lambert Pentatonix and Barry Gibb – presented Best Pop Vocal Album Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj – introduced Madonna Josh Duhamel, Julian Edelman, and Malcolm Butler – presented Best Rock Album Smokey Robinson and Nile Rodgers – presented Best R&B Performance James Corden – introduced Ed Sheeran and John Mayer Ryan Seacrest – introduced Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani Meghan Trainor and Nick Jonas – presented Best Country Album The Weeknd – introduced Pharrell Williams and Lang Lang Katharine McPhee – introduced Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett Keith Urban – introduced Eric Church Gina Rodriguez – introduced Juanes Prince – presented Album of the Year Shia LaBeouf – introduced Sia Enrique Iglesias – presented Song of the Year Dave Grohl – introduced Beck and Chris Martin Jamie Foxx and Stevie Wonder - presented Record of the Year Gwyneth Paltrow – introduced Beyoncé
Winners and nominees
The eligibility period for the 57th Annual Grammy Awards was October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014. The nominees were announced on December 5, 2014. The Album of the Year nominees were announced during A Very Grammy Christmas, which was broadcast on the same day.
General
Record of the Year "Stay with Me" (Darkchild Version) – Sam Smith Steve Fitzmaurice, Rodney Jerkins and Jimmy Napes, producers; Steve Fitzmaurice, Jimmy Napes and Steve Price, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer "Fancy" – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX The Arcade and The Invisible Men, producers; Anthony Kilhofler and Eric Weaver, engineers/mixers; Miles Showell, mastering engineer "Chandelier" – Sia Greg Kurstin and Jesse Shatkin, producers; Greg Kurstin, Manny Marroquin and Jesse Shatkin, engineers/mixers; Emily Lazar, mastering engineer "Shake It Off" – Taylor Swift Max Martin and Shellback, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes, Sam Holland and Michael Ilbert, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer "All About That Bass" – Meghan Trainor Kevin Kadish, producer; Kevin Kadish, engineer/mixer; Dave Kutch, mastering engineer
Album of the Year Morning Phase – Beck Beck Hansen, producer; Tom Elmhirst, David Greenbaum, Florian Lagatta, Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, Robbie Nelson, Darrell Thorp, Cassidy Turbin and Joe Visciano, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer In the Lonely Hour – Sam Smith Steve Fitzmaurice, Komi, Howard Lawrence, Zane Lowe, Mojam, Jimmy Napes, Naughty Boy, Fraser T Smith, Two Inch Punch and Eg White, producers; Michael Angelo, Graham Archer, Steve Fitzmaurice, Simon Hale, Darren Heelis, James Murray, Jimmy Napes, Mustafa Omer, Dan Parry, Steve Price and Eg White, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne and Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineers Beyoncé – Beyoncé Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Drake, Jay Z and Frank Ocean, featured artists; Ammo, Boots, Noel "Detail" Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Hit-Boy, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius "The Dream" Nash, Caroline Polachek, Rey Reel, Noah "40" Shebib, Ryan Tedder, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Key Wane and Pharrell Williams, producers; Boots, Noel Cadastre, Noel "Gadget" Campbell, Rob Cohen, Andrew Coleman, Chris Godbey, Justin Hergett, James Krausse, Mike Larson, Jonathan Lee, Tony Maserati, Ann Mincieli, Caroline Polachek, Andrew Scheps, Bart Schoudel, Noah "40" Shebib, Ryan Tedder, Stuart White and Jordan "DJ Swivel" Young, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, James Krausse and Aya Merrill, mastering engineers x – Ed Sheeran Jeff Bhasker, Benny Blanco, Jake Gosling, Johnny McDaid, Rick Rubin and Pharrell Williams, producers; Andrew Coleman, Jake Gosling, Matty Green, William Hicks, Tyler Sam Johnson, Jason Lader, Johnny McDaid, Chris Scafani, Mark Stent and Geoff Swan, engineers/mixers; Stuart Hawkes, mastering engineer G I R L – Pharrell Williams Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake, featured artists; Pharrell Williams, producer; Leslie Brathwaite, Adrian Breakspear, Andrew Coleman, Jimmy Douglas, Hart Gunther, Mick Guzauski, Florian Lagatta, Mike Larson, Stephanie McNally, Alan Meyerson, Ann Mincieli and Kenta Yonesaka, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineerSong of the Year "Stay with Me" (Darkchild Version) James Napier, William Phillips and Sam Smith, songwriters (Sam Smith) "All About That Bass" Kevin Kadish and Meghan Trainor, songwriters (Meghan Trainor) "Chandelier" Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin, songwriters (Sia) "Shake It Off" Max Martin, Shellback and Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) "Take Me to Church" Andrew Hozier-Byrne, songwriter (Hozier)Best New Artist Sam Smith Iggy Azalea Bastille Brandy Clark HAIM
Pop Best Pop Solo Performance "Happy (Live)" – Pharrell Williams "All of Me (Live)" – John Legend "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" – Sam Smith "Chandelier" – Sia "Shake It Off" – Taylor SwiftBest Pop Duo/Group Performance "Say Something" – A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera "Fancy" – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX "A Sky Full of Stars" – Coldplay "Bang Bang" – Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj "Dark Horse" – Katy Perry featuring Juicy JBest Pop Vocal Album In the Lonely Hour – Sam Smith Ghost Stories – Coldplay Bangerz – Miley Cyrus My Everything – Ariana Grande Prism – Katy Perry x – Ed Sheeran
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Cheek to Cheek – Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga Nostalgia – Annie Lennox Night Songs – Barry Manilow Sending You a Little Christmas – Johnny Mathis Partners – Barbra Streisand
Dance/Electronic Best Dance Recording "Rather Be" – Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne Grace Chatto and Jack Patterson, producers; Wez Clarke and Jack Patterson, mixers "Never Say Never" – Basement Jaxx featuring ETML Basement Jaxx, producers; Basement Jaxx, mixers "F For You" – Disclosure featuring Mary J. Blige Disclosure, producer; Disclosure, mixer "I Got U" – Duke Dumont featuring Jax Jones Duke Dumont and Jax Jones, producers; Tommy Forrest, mixer "Faded" – Zhu Zhu, producer; Zhu, mixerBest Dance/Electronic Album Syro – Aphex Twin while(1<2) – deadmau5 Nabuma Rubberband – Little Dragon Do It Again – Röyksopp and Robyn Damage Control – Mat Zo
Contemporary Instrumental Best Contemporary Instrumental Album Bass & Mandolin – Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer Wild Heart – Mindi Abair Slam Dunk – Gerald Albright Nathan East – Nathan East Jazz Funk Soul – Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb and Everette Harp
Rock Best Rock Performance "Lazaretto" – Jack White "Gimme Something Good" – Ryan Adams "Do I Wanna Know?" – Arctic Monkeys "Blue Moon" – Beck "Fever" – The Black KeysBest Metal Performance "The Last in Line" – Tenacious D "Neon Knights" – Anthrax "High Road" – Mastodon "Heartbreaker" – Motörhead "The Negative One" – SlipknotBest Rock Song "Ain't It Fun" Hayley Williams and Taylor York, songwriters (Paramore) "Blue Moon" Beck Hansen, songwriter (Beck) "Fever" Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney and Brian Burton, songwriters (The Black Keys) "Gimme Something Good" Ryan Adams, songwriter (Ryan Adams) "Lazaretto" Jack White, songwriter (Jack White)Best Rock Album Morning Phase – Beck Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams Turn Blue – The Black Keys Hypnotic Eye – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Songs of Innocence – U2
Alternative Best Alternative Music Album St. Vincent – St. Vincent This Is All Yours – alt-J Reflektor – Arcade Fire Melophobia – Cage the Elephant Lazaretto – Jack White
R&B Best R&B Performance "Drunk in Love" – Beyoncé featuring Jay Z "New Flame" – Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross "It's Your World" – Jennifer Hudson featuring R. Kelly "Like This" – Ledisi "Good Kisser" – UsherBest Traditional R&B Performance "Jesus Children" – Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway and Malcolm Jamal Warner "As" – Marsha Ambrosius and Anthony Hamilton "I.R.S" – Angie Fisher "Nobody" – Kem "Hold Up Wait a Minute (Woo Woo)" – Antonique SmithBest R&B Song "Drunk in Love" Shawn Carter, Rasool Diaz, Noel Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Beyoncé Knowles, Timothy Mosely, Andre Eric Proctor and Brian Soko, songwriters (Beyoncé featuring Jay Z) "Good Kisser" Ronald "Flip" Colson, Warren "Oak" Felder, Usher Raymond IV, Jameel Roberts, Terry "Tru" Sneed and Andrew "Pop" Wansel, songwriters (Usher) "New Flame"