The Staples Center in Los Angeles hosted the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2014. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. and hosted for the third time by rapper and actor, LL Cool J.
A Grammy Award is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and some of the awards of more popular interest are presented in this widely viewed televised ceremony. It is the music equivalent to the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for stage performances, and the Academy Awards for motion pictures.
Daft Punk, a French duo, won four awards including Album of the Year for Random Access Memories and Record of the Year, with Pharrell Williams, for “Get Lucky”. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won four trophies, including Best New Artist, and led an industry show of support for gay marriage with a performance of their song “Same Love” to accompany a mass wedding of gay and heterosexual couples inside the venue. 33 gay and straight couples were officially married by rapper/actress Queen Latifah. Madonna then came out singing Open Your Heart to finish up the epic moment.
Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor, according to the New York Times, song “Royals” received awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year and Carole King was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year on January 24, two days prior to the Grammy awards ceremony.
Fans fell, fainted, and cried in joy as the show included 21 performances from cross genre favorites. Beyoncé and Jay Z opened the show performing a song from Beyoncé’s new album, Metallica played “One,” and Pink sang while performing acrobatics. Jay Z took home his 19th Grammy for best rap/sung collaboration for “Holy Grail,” featuring Justin Timberlake. For jobs at the Grammys, click here.
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