SZA, Victoria Monét And Michelle Obama Among List Of Winners At 2024 Grammy Awards

Hailed as “music’s biggest night,” the 66th Grammy Awards was truly one to remember. Hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, the ceremony aired Sunday evening from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and featured all of the entertainment industry’s brightest stars.

Building on her meteoric rise to success, SZA picked up the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the song, “Ghost in the Machine.” Leading all artists with nine nominations, the New Jersey native also won for Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best R&B Song for “Snooze.” During her acceptance speech for the latter, SZA spoke about the obstacles she’s faced through her career, telling the crowd she “came really, really far.”

The singer also hit the stage at one point during the ceremony to perform her smash single “Snooze” in front of a flaming dumpster, followed by “Kill Bill,” which saw SZA accompanied by several dancers who reenacted fight scenes from the 2003 film of the same name.

Throughout the course of 2023, several people transitioned, something that the Grammy Awards continue to recognize. During the event’s “In Memoriam” segment, the iconic Stevie Wonder paid homage to the late Tony Bennett. Lenny Kravitz then gave a tribute to the heralded music executive Clarence Avant, before introducing Jon Batiste, who sang “Lean on Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” by the great Bill Withers.

Oprah Winfrey also made an appearance in honor of Tina Turner, saying that “she was a special kind of role model.” The Color Purple star Fantasia Barrino then sang “Proud Mary,” while donning a Turner-esque ensemble, perfect for the evening, as well as the moment at hand.

Tonight, Shawn “Jay Z” Carter received the Global Impact Award, who gave a powerful speech alongside his daughter Blue Ivy. While on stage, Carter called out the Recording Academy for never giving his wife, Beyoncé, Album of the Year despite her being the most decorated musician in the show’s history “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year,” Jay-Z said. “So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys; never won Album of the Year—that doesn’t work.”

As Beyoncé looked on, Jay Z finished the speech, telling the audience to  “Keep showing up.” He added, “Forget the Grammys, you gotta keep showing up. Until they give you all those accolades you feel you deserve. Until they call you ‘chairman,’ until they call you a ‘genius,‘ until they call you ‘the greatest of all time.’ You feel me? Thank you.”

In three rap categories, the Atlanta-raised emcee Killer Mike swept the competition. He won his first Award in over two decades for Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers,” which featured André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane. The Run The Jewels member also won for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album, but also ended up in police custody due to an alleged altercation.

Outside of SZA’s set during the Grammys, Travis Scott also performed several of his songs in front of an enamored audience. The Afrobeats star Burna Boy graced the stage to recite his hit “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” and surprised viewers worldwide by bringing out Brandy and 21 Savage.

The past twelve months belonged to singer and songwriter Victoria Monét, who was nominated in seven categories at the 2024 Grammys. She took home awards for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, along with Best R&B Album for Jaguar II. She also took home Best New Artist, presented by last year’s winner Samara Joy. In the speech, Monét told viewers that her “award was a 15-year pursuit.”

“I moved to L.A. in 2009, and I liken myself to a plant who was planted and you can look at the music industry as soil,” Monét said. “And it can be looked at as dirty, or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients and water, and my roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen, for so long.” 

The night’s other winners included Coco Jones, Theron Thomas, Dave Chappelle, Michelle Obama, Tyla, Alicia Keys, and many more. 

Take a look at the full list of winners below.

Album of the Year

Midnights
Taylor Swift
Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, producers; Jack Antonoff, Zem Audu, Serban Ghenea, David Hart, Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Ken Lewis, Michael Riddleberger, Laura Sisk & Evan Smith, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer

Best New Artist

Victoria Monét

Song of the Year

What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”]
Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best Pop Vocal Album

Midnights
Taylor Swift

Best R&B Song

Snooze
Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)

Best Country Album

Bell Bottom Country
Lainey Wilson

Best Música Urbana Album

Mañana Será Bonito
Karol G

Best Pop Solo Performance

Flowers
Miley Cyrus

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

Jack Antonoff
Being Funny In A Foreign Language (The 1975) (A)
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (Lana Del Rey) (A)
Midnights (Taylor Swift) (A)

Producer of the Year, Classical

Elaine Martone

Best Engineered Album, Classical

Contemporary American Composers
David Frost & Charlie Post, engineers; Silas Brown, mastering engineer (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Best Bluegrass Album

City Of Gold
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

As We Speak
Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

The Winds Of Change
Billy Childs

Best Jazz Performance

Tight
Samara Joy

Best Progressive R&B Album

SOS
SZA

Best R&B Performance

ICU
Coco Jones

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Montgomery: Rounds
Jessie Montgomery, composer (Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry & Roomful Of Teeth)

Best Classical Compendium

Passion For Bach And Coltrane
Alex Brown, Harlem Quartet, Imani Winds, Edward Perez, Neal Smith & A.B. Spellman; Silas Brown & Mark Dover, producers

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

Walking In The Dark
Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

The American Project
Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Rough Magic
Roomful Of Teeth

Best Choral Performance

Saariaho: Reconnaissance
Nils Schweckendiek, conductor (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)

Best Opera Recording

Blanchard: Champion
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; Ryan Speedo Green, Latonia Moore & Eric Owens; David Frost, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

Best Orchestral Performance

Adès: Dante
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
Erin Bentlage, Jacob Collier, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje Featuring Jacob Collier)

Best Regional Roots Music Album (TIE)

New Beginnings
Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band

Live: Orpheum Theater Nola
Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

Best Folk Album

Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live]
Joni Mitchell

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

I Remember Everything
Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves

Best Jazz Vocal Album

How Love Begins
Nicole Zuraitis

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Folsom Prison Blues
John Carter Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Markus Illko, Janet Robin & Roberto Luis Rodriguez, arrangers (The String Revolution Featuring Tommy Emmanuel)

Best Instrumental Composition

Helena’s Theme
John Williams, composer (John Williams)

Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording

The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times
Michelle Obama

Best Children’s Music Album

We Grow Together Preschool Songs
123 Andrés

Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album

So She Howls
Carla Patullo Featuring Tonality And The Scorchio Quartet

Best Reggae Album

Colors Of Royal
Julian Marley & Antaeus

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album (TIE)

Vida Cotidiana
Juanes

De Todas Las Flores
Natalia Lafourcade

Best Latin Pop Album

X Mí (Vol. 1)
Gaby Moreno

Best Alternative Jazz Album

The Omnichord Real Book
Meshell Ndegeocello

Best Latin Jazz Album

El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2
Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Basie Swings The Blues
The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart

Best Historical Album

Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Robert Gordon, Deanie Parker, Cheryl Pawelski, Michele Smith & Mason Williams, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer; Michael Graves, restoration engineer (Various Artists)

Best Album Notes

Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos
Robert Gordon & Deanie Parker, album notes writers (Various Artists)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package

For The Birds: The Birdsong Project
Jeri Heiden & John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)

Best Recording Package

Stumpwork
Rottingdean Bazaar & Annie Collinge, art directors (Dry Cleaning)

Best Comedy Album

What’s In A Name?
Dave Chappelle

Best Alternative Music Album

The Record
Boygenius

Best Alternative Music Performance

This Is Why
Paramore

Best Rock Album

This Is Why
Paramore

Best Rock Song

Not Strong Enough
Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)

Best Metal Performance

72 Seasons
Metallica

Best Rock Performance

Not Strong Enough
Boygenius

Best Musical Theater Album

Some Like It Hot
Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks & NaTasha Yvette Williams, principal vocalists; Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Bryan Carter, Scott M. Riesett, Charlie Rosen & Marc Shaiman, producers; Scott Wittman, lyricist; Marc Shaiman, composer & lyricist (Original Broadway Cast)

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Bewitched
Laufey

Best Global Music Album

This Moment
Shakti

Best African Music Performance

Water
Tyla

Best Global Music Performance

Pashto
Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia

Best Spoken Word Poetry Album

The Light Inside
J. Ivy

Best Rap Album

MICHAEL
Killer Mike

Best Rap Song

SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS
Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane)

Best Melodic Rap Performance

All My Life
Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole

Best Rap Performance

SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS
Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane

Best R&B Album

JAGUAR II
Victoria Monét

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Good Morning
PJ Morton Featuring Susan Carol

Best Gospel Performance/Song

All Things
Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter

Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical

Theron Thomas

Best Roots Gospel Album

Echoes Of The South
Blind Boys Of Alabama

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Church Clothes 4
Lecrae

Best Gospel Album

All Things New: Live In Orlando
Tye Tribbett

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Your Power
Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Alexandria Dollar, Jordan Dollar, Antonio Gardener, Micheal Girgenti, Lasanna “Ace” Harris, David Hein, Deandre Hunter, Dylan Hyde, Christian Louisana, Patrick Darius Mix Jr., Lecrae Moore, Justin Pelham, Jeffrey Lawrence Shannon, Allen Swoope, songwriters

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Blood Harmony
Larkin Poe

Best Traditional Blues Album

All My Love For You
Bobby Rush

Best Americana Album

Weathervanes
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit

Best American Roots Song

Cast Iron Skillet
Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit)

Best Americana Performance

Dear Insecurity
Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile

Best American Roots Performance

Eve Was Black
Allison Russell

Best Country Song

White Horse
Chris Stapleton & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Solo Performance

White Horse
Chris Stapleton

Best Immersive Audio Album

The Diary Of Alicia Keys
George Massenburg & Eric Schilling, immersive mix engineers; Michael Romanowski, immersive mastering engineer; Alicia Keys & Ann Mincieli, immersive producers (Alicia Keys)

Best Remixed Recording

Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)
Wet Leg, remixers (Depeche Mode)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

JAGUAR II
John Kercy, Kyle Mann, Victoria Monét, Patrizio “Teezio” Pigliapoco, Neal H Pogue & Todd Robinson, engineers; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer (Victoria Monét)

Best Music Film

Moonage Daydream
(David Bowie)
Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer

Best Music Video

I’m Only Sleeping
(The Beatles)
Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin & Laura Thomas, video producers

Best Song Written For Visual Media

What Was I Made For? [From “Barbie The Album”]
Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)

Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab, composers

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)

Oppenheimer
Ludwig Göransson, composer

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media

Barbie The Album
Brandon Davis, Mark Ronson & Kevin Weaver, compilation producers; George Drakoulias, music supervisor
(Various Artists)

Best Tropical Latin Album

Siembra: 45º Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022)
Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta

Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)

GÉNESIS
Peso Pluma

Best Dance/Electronic Music Album

Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)
Fred again..

Best Pop Dance Recording

Padam Padam
Kylie Minogue
Lostboy, producer; Guy Massey, mixer

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

Rumble
Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan
BEAM, Elley Duhé, Fred again.. & Skrillex, producers; Skrillex, mixer

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Ghost In The Machine
SZA Featuring Phoebe Bridgers