Watching an awards show is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I know awards are dumb. I don’t care. I’m in it for the spectacle — the red carpet fashions, the weepy acceptance speeches, the awkward presenter banter, the hosts who try (and often fail) to get these celebs to laugh at themselves, and especially the heavy political statements. Even when the show sucks and the wrong people win, I keep watching. 

I used to think the Oscars had the best awards show, but really it’s just the most pretentious. I’m starting to think the Grammys are the best. The format suits the medium it celebrates; half of the show is live performance. It also helps that four-time host Trevor Noah has proven himself a competent master of ceremonies who can keep the event moving without boring the audience or enraging Swifties. In the wake of an absolutely dismal Golden Globes ceremony, this year’s Grammys brought me unexpected joy. Here were my highlights:

“Fast Car” Duet I hated Luke Combs’s cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” when I first heard it. Like, who the hell is this dude remaking a masterpiece that cannot be improved? Then I saw his Country Music Award acceptance speech and was pleasantly struck by his front-and-center gratitude and reverence for Ms. Chapman. I love that she’s getting lots more recognition, as there could never be enough. Who knew in 2024 we’d see her on the Grammys stage, performing alongside Combs with a voice as hauntingly beautiful as it was 35+ years ago? He just seemed content to bask in her presence.

The Perfect Sinéad Tribute I love In Memoriam segments, and this one was jam packed with tributes. The best was when diva extraordinaire Annie Lennox sang “Nothing Compares 2 U” in honor of Sinéad O’Connor. Lennox still sounds great and looks as beautiful as ever. And in a spirit so fitting Sinéad’s legacy, she shouted at the end, “Artists for a ceasefire! Peace in the world!” I’ve been waiting for some brave celeb to speak up for Palestine on an awards show stage. I’m pretty sure Annie was the first to do it, and I hope there are more to come 🇵🇸 

Noms and Wins I Can Appreciate I’ll often watch awards shows with little knowledge of who or what’s nominated, so I was surprised how often I said, “Oh I like that song!” My favorite going into the ceremony was Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” a tune that grew on me with slow, steady intensity. I have mixed feelings about Taylor. On one hand she’s a billionaire, so I hate her on principle. On the other hand, she does have a knack for crafting solid earworms. On the other other hand, she comes off as too wounded by her haters for someone who enjoys astronomical success. On the fourth hand, she makes some of the world’s most pathetic men lose their minds. I’ve learned to accept all this nuance and not question it. In any case, I was happy for her to win Album of the Year for “Midnights,” becoming the only artist to ever win that category four times. She works hard for it.

Yet I have to admit Miley Cyrus deserved Record of the Year for “Flowers.” That song’s a jam. Best pop disco hit since The Cardigans’ “Lovefool”. It’s not as lyrically interesting as “Anti-Hero” or SZA’s “Kill Bill” (another one of my fav nominees). But that crisp production and great growl of hers really set the song apart, which makes it a fair win. Plus it’s about choosing self love over a troubled relationship, which I dig.

My favorite win was Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” as Song of the Year, an honor she shared with her songwriting partner/brother Finneas. Their palpable shock in winning was quite endearing. I’ve found BE thoroughly likable and authentically weird since she showed up with “Bad Guy” in 2019 and have been rooting for her ever since. Even though this song wasn’t my favorite nomination, it was absolutely perfect for that montage in the third act of BARBIE. As my young coworker said about that scene, “It made my mom cry. And it made me cry!” Girl, same. That segment was equal parts pain and beauty – the two things that make me cry the most.

I’m happy to see these young women writing and performing hit songs about self-loathing, self-esteem, boyfriend murder, and depression. They’re putting all their big, weird feelings out there, just like Sinéad and Tracy Chapman did so many years ago. It feels appropriate for this absolutely insane era of human history, and I hope to see more of it.