The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, as was the case in 2010 and 2014.[2] James Corden returned as host.[3]
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The ceremony recognizes the best recordings, compositions and artists of the eligibility year, which ran from October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017. The nominations were announced on November 28, 2017. The "pre-telecast" ceremony (officially named The Premiere Ceremony) was held on the same day prior to the main ceremony.[4][5]
Bruno Mars was nominated for six awards and won all six on the night.[6][7]
Nominees list adapted from the Recording Academy's website.[15][16]
General
- Record of the Year
- Album of the Year
- 24K Magic – Bruno Mars
- "Awaken, My Love!" – Childish Gambino
- 4:44 – Jay-Z
- Damn – Kendrick Lamar
- DJ Dahi, Sounwave & Anthony Tiffith, producers; Derek "MixedByAli" Ali, James Hunt & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers; K. Duckworth, D. Natche, M. Spears & A. Tiffith, songwriters; Mike Bozzi, mastering engineer
- Melodrama – Lorde
- Jack Antonoff & Lorde, producers; Serban Ghenea, John Hanes & Laura Sisk, engineers/mixers; Jack Antonoff & Ella Yelich-O'Connor, songwriters; Randy Merrill, mastering engineer
- Song of the Year
- Best New Artist
Gospel/contemporary Christian music
Best Gospel Performance/Song
- "Never Have to Be Alone" – CeCe Winans
- Dwan Hill & Alvin Love III, songwriters
- "Too Hard Not To" – Tina Campbell
- Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters
- "You Deserve It" – JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise featuring Bishop Cortez Vaughn
- David Bloom, JJ Hairston, Phontane Demond Reed & Cortez Vaughn, songwriters
- "Better Days" – Le'Andria
- "My Life" – The Walls Group
- Warryn Campbell, Eric Dawkins, Damien Farmer, Damon Thomas, Ahjah Walls & Darrel Walls, songwriters
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
Best Gospel Album
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Best Roots Gospel Album
Musical theatre
- Best Musical Theater Album
- Dear Evan Hansen – Laura Dreyfuss, Mike Faist, Rachel Bay Jones, Kristolyn Lloyd, Michael Park, Ben Platt, Will Roland & Jennifer Laura Thompson, principal soloists; Pete Ganbarg, Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
- Come from Away – Ian Eisendrath, August Eriksmoen, David Hein, David Lai & Irene Sankoff, producers; David Hein & Irene Sankoff, composers/lyricists (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
- Hello, Dolly! – Bette Midler, principal soloist; Steven Epstein, producer; (Jerry Herman, composer and lyricist) (New Broadway Cast Recording)
Composing
Best Instrumental Composition
- "Three Revolutions"
- "Alkaline"
- "Choros #3"
- "Warped Cowboy"
- Chuck Owen, composer (Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge)
- "Home Free (For Peter Joe)"
- Nate Smith, composer (Nate Smith)
Arranging
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
- "Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra" from Catch Me If You Can
- "Ugly Beauty"/"Pannonica"
- "All Hat, No Saddle"
- Chuck Owen, arranger (Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge)
- "Home Free (For Peter Joe)"
- Nate Smith, arranger (Nate Smith)
- "White Christmas"
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
- "Putin"
- "I Loves You Porgy"/"There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York"
- "Every Time We Say Goodbye"
- "Another Day of Sun"
- "I Like Myself"
Notes
Best Album Notes
- Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings
- Arthur Q. Smith: The Trouble with the Truth
- Wayne Bledsoe & Bradley Reeves, album notes writers (Various Artists)
- Big Bend Killing: The Appalachian Ballad Tradition
- Ted Olson, album notes writer (Various Artists)
- The Complete Piano Works of Scott Joplin
- Bryan S. Wright, album notes writer (Richard Dowling)
- Edouard-Léon Scott De Martinville, Inventor of Sound Recording: A Bicentennial Tribute
- David Giovannoni, album notes writer (Various Artists)
- Washington Phillips and His Manzarene Dreams
Historical
Best Historical Album
- Leonard Bernstein – The Composer
- Bobo Yeye: Belle Epoque in Upper Volta
- Jon Kirby, Florent Mazzoleni, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton & Maria Rice, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
- Glenn Gould – The Goldberg Variations – The Complete Unreleased Recording Sessions June 1955
- Robert Russ, compilation producer; Matthias Erb, Martin Kistner & Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Glenn Gould)
- Sweet as Broken Dates: Lost Somali Tapes from the Horn of Africa
- Nicolas Sheikholeslami & Vik Sohonie, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
- Washington Phillips and His Manzarene Dreams
- Michael Corcoran, April G. Ledbetter & Steven Lance Ledbetter, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Washington Phillips)
Engineered album
- Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
- Best Engineered Album, Classical
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio
- Danielpour: Songs of Solitude & War Songs
- Kleiberg: Mass for Modern Man
- Schoenberg, Adam: American Symphony; Finding Rothko; Picture Studies
- Tyberg: Masses
- John Newton, engineer; Jesse Brayman, mastering engineer (Brian A. Schmidt, Christopher Jacobson & South Dakota Chorale)
Producer
- Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
- Producer of the Year, Classical
- David Frost
- Blanton Alspaugh
- Adamo: Becoming Santa Claus (Emmanuel Villaume, Kevin Burdette, Keith Jameson, Lucy Schaufer, Hila Plitmann, Matt Boehler, Jonathan Blalock, Jennifer Rivera & Dallas Opera Orchestra)
- Aldridge: Sister Carrie (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Matt Morgan, Alisa Suzanne Jordheim, Stephen Cunningham, Adriana Zabala, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
- Copland: Symphony No. 3; Three Latin American Sketches (Leonard Slatkin & Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
- Death & The Maiden (Patricia Kopatchinskaja & The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra)
- Handel: Messiah (Andrew Davis, Noel Edison, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir & Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
- Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 53, 64 & 96 (Carlos Kalmar & Oregon Symphony)
- Heggie: It's A Wonderful Life (Patrick Summers, William Burden, Talise Trevigne, Andrea Carroll, Rod Gilfry & Houston Grand Opera)
- Tyberg: Masses (Brian A. Schmidt, Christopher Jacobson & South Dakota Chorale)
- Manfred Eicher
- Mansurian: Requiem (Alexander Liebreich, Florian Helgath, RIAS Kammerchor & Münchener Kammerorchester)
- Monk, M.: On Behalf Of Nature (Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble)
- Point & Line – Debussy And Hosokawa (Momo Kodama)
- Rímur (Arve Henriksen & Trio Mediaeval)
- Silvestrov: Hieroglyphen Der Nacht (Anja Lechner)
- Morten Lindberg
- Furatus (Ole Edvard Antonsen & Wolfgang Plagge)
- Interactions (Bård Monsen & Gunnar Flagstad)
- Kleiberg: Mass For Modern Man (Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Trondheim Vokalensemble & Trondheim Symphony Orchestra)
- Minor Major (Oslo String Quartet)
- Northern Timbre (Ragnhild Hemsing & Tor Espen Aspaas)
- So Is My Love (Nina T. Karlsen & Ensemble 96)
- Thoresen: Sea Of Names (Trond Schau)
- Judith Sherman
- American Nocturnes (Cecile Licad)
- The Birthday Party (Aki Takahashi)
- Discovering Bach (Michelle Ross)
- Foss: Pieces Of Genius (New York New Music Ensemble)
- Secret Alchemy – Chamber Works By Pierre Jalbert (Curtis Macomber & Michael Boriskin)
- Sevenfive – The John Corigliano Effect (Gaudette Brass)
- Sonic Migrations – Music Of Laurie Altman (Various Artists)
- Tribute (Dover Quartet)
- 26 (Melia Watras & Michael Jinsoo Lim)
Remixer
- Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
- "You Move" (Latroit Remix)
- "Can't Let You Go" (Louie Vega Roots Mix)
- "Funk O'De Funk" (Smle Remix)
- "Undercover" (Adventure Club Remix)
- "A Violent Noise" (Four Tet Remix)
Surround sound
- Best Surround Sound Album
- Early Americans
- Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson & Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)
- Kleiberg: Mass for Modern Man
- So Is My Love
- Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Nina T. Karlsen & Ensemble 96)
- 3-D The Catalogue
- Fritz Hilpert, surround mix engineer; Tom Ammermann, surround mastering engineer; Fritz Hilpert, surround producer (Kraftwerk)
- Tyberg: Masses
- Jesse Brayman, surround mix engineer; Jesse Brayman, surround mastering engineer; Blanton Alspaugh, surround producer (Brian A. Schmidt, Christopher Jacobson & South Dakota Chorale)
Classical
- Best Orchestral Performance
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio
- Concertos for Orchestra
- Copland: Symphony No. 3; Three Latin American Sketches
- Debussy: Images; Jeux & La Plus Que Lente
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5
- Best Opera Recording
- Berg: Wozzeck
- Berg: Lulu
- Bizet: Les Pêcheurs De Perles
- Händel: Ottone
- Rimsky-Korsakov: The Golden Cockerel
- Best Choral Performance
- Bryars: The Fifth Century
- Händel: Messiah
- Mansurian: Requiem
- Music of the Spheres
- Tyberg: Masses
- Brian A. Schmidt, conductor; South Dakota Chorale (Christopher Jacobson, soloist)
- Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
- Death & the Maiden
- Buxtehude: Trio Sonatas Op. 1
- Divine Theatre – Sacred Motets by Giaches de Wert
- Franck, Kurtág, Previn & Schumann
- Martha Argerich & Friends – Live From Lugano 2016
- Best Classical Instrumental Solo
- Transcendal
- Bach: The French Suites
- Haydn: Cello Concertos
- Levina: The Piano Concertos
- Shostakovich: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
- Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
- Crazy Girl Crazy – Music by Gershwin, Berg & Berio
- Bach & Telemann: Sacred Cantatas
- Gods & Monsters
- In War & Peace – Harmony Through Music
- Sviridov: Russia Cast Adrift
- Best Classical Compendium
- Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto
- Barbara
- Alexandre Tharaud, conductor; Cécile Lenoir, producer
- Kurtág: Complete Works for Ensemble & Choir
- Les Routes de l'Esclavage
- Jordi Savall, conductor; Benjamin Bletton, producer
- Mademoiselle: Première Audience – Unknown Music of Nadia Boulanger
- Lucy Mauro, pianist and producer
- Best Contemporary Classical Composition
- Viola Concerto
- Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Diaz, Giancarlo Geurrero & the Nashville Symphony)
- Songs of Solitude
- Requiem
- Tigran Mansurian, composer (Alexander Liebreich, Florian Helgath, the RIAS Kammerchor & the Münchener Kammerorchester)
- Picture Studies
- Adam Schoenberg, composer (Michael Stern & the Kansas City Symphony)
- Concerto for Orchestra
Music video/film
- Best Music Video
- "Humble" – Kendrick Lamar
- "Up All Night" – Beck
- Canada, video director; Alba Barneda, Laura Serra Estorch & Oscar Romagosa, video producers
- "Makeba" – Jain
- Lionel Hirle & Gregory Ohrel, video directors; Yodelice, video producer
- "The Story of O.J." – Jay-Z
- "1-800-273-8255" – Logic featuring Alessia Cara & Khalid
- Andy Hines, video director; Brandon Bonfiglio, Mildred Delamota, Andrew Lerios, Luga Podesta & Alex Randal, video producers
- Best Music Film
- The Defiant Ones – (various artists)
- Allen Hughes, video director; Sarah Anthony, Fritzi Horstman, Broderick Johnson, Gene Kirkwood, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Michael Lombardo, Jerry Longarzo, Doug Pray & Steven Williams, video producers
- One More Time With Feeling – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
- Andrew Dominik, video director; Dulcie Kellett & James Wilson, video producers
- Long Strange Trip – The Grateful Dead
- Amir Bar-Lev, video director; Alex Blavatnik, Ken Dornstein, Eric Eisner, Nick Koskoff, Justin Kreutzmann, video producers
- Soundbreaking – (various artists)
- Maro Chermayeff & Jeff Dupre, video directors; Joshua Bennett, Julia Marchesi, Sam Pollard, Sally Rosenthal, Amy Schewel & Warren Zanes, video producers
- Two Trains Runnin' – (various artists)
- Sam Pollard, video director; Benjamin Hedin, video producer
In June 2017, the Grammy organization announced a few minor changes to the voting and awarding process.[26]
- As of 2018, voting members will cast their votes online rather than by paper ballot. This transition will provide greater flexibility for touring artists, eliminate the possibility of invalid ballots, and protect further against fraudulent voting.
- All music creators, including songwriters, producers, engineers, mixers, mastering engineers and featured artists, which are credited with at least 33 percent or more playing time on the winning album will be eligible to receive a Grammy in the Album of the Year category. This is the first time songwriters are recognized in this category.
- From this year on, Nominations Review Committees will be created and implemented for the Rap, Contemporary Instrumental, and New Age Fields.
- From this year, the definition of Album is expanded in Classical, Dance, And Jazz Fields. To be eligible for Grammy consideration, an album must comprise a minimum total playing time of 15 minutes with at least five distinct tracks or a minimum total playing time of 30 minutes with no minimum track requirement.
- An exception on the rule of only one version of a song allowed to enter in the Grammy Awards nomination process will be made in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category, allowing the film version of a track to be entered in the category, even if a different version of the track is submitted in other categories. In the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category, eligibility guidelines have been amended to require soundtrack albums for a documentary or biopic to contain 51 percent or more of newly recorded music.
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards marked the first time since 2003 that the ceremony was held in New York City. The Staples Center in Los Angeles had been the home of the Grammys since 2000. The 2003 ceremony was also held at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The fifteen-year gap between the 2003 and 2018 Grammys in New York marked the longest period of time New York went without hosting the awards.
With the main telecast being held at Madison Square Garden, the premiere ceremony (also known as the Pre-Telecast) was held at the Hulu Theater.
The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute is typically held at the Los Angeles Convention Center two days prior to the Grammys, but since the 2018 Grammy Awards were held in New York, the MusiCares tribute was held at Radio City Music Hall.
Controversy and cost overruns
Hosting the Grammy Awards in New York City resulted in the Grammy Awards costing more to organize, as the costs associated with hosting it in Los Angeles are significantly less. The awards cost $8 million more to host in New York City. The host committee that the city assembled failed to raise the money that they had initially promised. The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute, which the Barclays Center (operated by AEG) was hoping to host, ended up being held at Radio City Music Hall, which is owned by The Madison Square Garden Company. MusiCares funds, which were intended for charitable purposes, were instead used to pay for the $8 million cost overruns associated with hosting the Grammys in New York City.[27][28]
Dana Tomarken, the former executive VP of MusiCares, claims that Recording Academy president Neil Portnow directed these funds away from MusiCares to pay for the cost overruns. Dana Tomarken had been negotiating a deal to have the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Fleetwood Mac to be held at the Barclays Center, but Portnow decided to have it at Radio City Music Hall, without consulting Tomarken. Irving Azoff who heads Azoff MSG Entertainment (which is affiliated with The Madison Square Garden Company), informed her of this change rather than Portnow consulting her first. Tomarken has since made a claim of wrongful termination.[29][30] On June 5, 2018, an independent investigation was launched to examine the claims made by Dana Tomarken. The investigation also examined the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute as well as sexual harassment allegations.[31] In May 2019, Tomarken claimed she was fired because she pushed back against the academy's "boys club". The academy allegedly tried to keep Tomarken's allegations from being fully made public. She also claimed that she struggled to find a suitable venue in New York for the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Fleetwood Mac. The Barclays Center offered up an acceptable deal, but Irving Azoff of the Madison Square Garden Company prevented the event from being held there. By having it at Radio City instead, the event was not a traditional VIP dinner, nor did it have a silent auction. This then prevented the event from turning a profit.[32]
On June 4, 2018, the mayor's office weighed in on the controversy, saying their position was always to be "venue neutral" and denied any involvement in the venue controversy. The Barclays Center notified City Hall of their interest in being involved with Grammy week, and Julie Menin (the New York City Commissioner for the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment) passed that information along to Grammy organizers.[33]
The show was moved to January to avoid competing with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, as was the case in 2010 and 2014. Viewership for the ceremony dropped 24% compared to the previous year, obtaining the smallest audience in the show's history in the key demographic.[citation needed]