The Grammys. They call it “music’s biggest night,” and every year we tune in and argue about whether that’s actually true or not.
This year, the ceremony looked a little different, as the Recording Academy adapted to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Awards were presented on an outdoor stage across from the Staples Center, and there were no audience members in attendance besides select nominees.
To the Grammys credit, they navigated these challenges fairly well and put together a performance-heavy show that was more entertaining than some of the other ceremonies we’ve seen in recent years. The majority of the performers were relevant and the Academy largely avoided the temptation to bore us with drawn-out collaborations between artists we don’t care about.
Like we’ve come to expect, though, the evening’s highlights were balanced out by head-scratching low points. As it’s become tradition around here, the Complex Music team came together this morning to discuss them all. These are the best and the worst moments of the 2021 Grammys.