Controversial Grammy wins—and how they’ve aged


Controversial Grammy wins—and the intention in which they’ve historical
Since the ceremony began in 1959, then hosted at the Beverly Hilton, the Annual Grammy Awards were regarded as among the many largest awards in song. That first year rewarded the likes of iconic stars including Frank Sinatra, the Kingston Trio, Depend Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald. Since then, many different eminent artists—regarded as by critics and fans to be among the many valid of all time—fill also found acclaim. Beyoncé, currently one of the most Grammy-obedient feminine artist of all time so a ways, has won 28; Stevie Wonder has earned 25; Jay-Z has 23 Grammys; Kanye West and U2 garnered 22 trophies, respectively; and Bruce Springsteen has taken house 20.
Nonetheless, whereas relatively a few the obedient artists were deserving and their legacies fill stood the take a look at of time, the Grammy Awards fill had their horny part of controversies. Tune fans fill complained that the balloting plan tends to reward these with high-selling data rather than the categorical song, divorcing winners from the actuality of what’s occurring within the alternate. And following an out of the ordinary snub for a say at the 2021 ceremony for his critically acclaimed album “After Hours,” The Weeknd even spearheaded a boycott in opposition to the point to, accusing the awards of corruption. Some undeniably iconic artists, reminiscent of Diana Ross and Jimi Hendrix, by no methodology won awards for the interval of their vaunted careers. What’s extra, obvious winners beat out kindly artists (or a minimal of artists that fans or critics insisted were greater). In a few instances, artists were nominated in courses that made no sense for their form of song.
What are one of the most controversial wins in Grammy history? Stacker compiled an unique checklist the utilization of goal analysis to bag the head Grammy flubs and the intention in which these decisions fill historical. Be taught on to uncover which moments made the prick.
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Herbie Hancock beats Amy Winehouse
By 2008, Amy Winehouse’s 2nd (and closing) studio album “Encourage to Black” had been out for several years and became once regarded as among the categorical materials for that year’s Grammy Awards. Winehouse left rehab to assemble for the ceremony by intention of satellite tv for computer and won 5 awards, including Tune of the 12 months and Finest Unique Artist. Nonetheless, for Finest Album, the winner became once Herbie Hancock, a jazz artist who had launched an album of reimagined Joni Mitchell songs. That you simply might almost definitely almost definitely also goal no longer know of Hancock except you’re a jazz mega-fan. Winehouse’s pop legacy, on the thoroughly different hand, became once cemented after her tragic death in 2011.
Kevork Djansezian / /Getty Pictures
Macklemore bests Kendrick Lamar
Hip-hop fans weren’t joyful when Macklemore, a white artist, beat out Kendrick Lamar for Finest Rap Album in 2014. They were worthy extra perplexed when Macklemore posted a textual remark material alternate with Lamar, whereby he apologized for obedient the award he felt Lamar deserved. Used to be he being authorized or pandering to public idea? Regardless of: Lamar went on to fetch the award at the 2016 ceremony for “To Pimp a Butterfly” and in 2018 for “Rattling,” which even won him the Pulitzer Prize for Tune.
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Milli Vanilli’s award rescinded
In 1990, Milli Vanilli became once awarded the Finest Unique Artist award. Nonetheless when the pop duo admitted that they hadn’t with out a doubt sung any of their songs themselves, both on their album or in concert, the Academy stripped them of their award. The pair grew to change into a laughing inventory and, despite attempting to stage a comeback, could almost definitely also no longer obtain their footing sooner than member Seize Pilatus died at age 32.
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José Feliciano wins Finest Unique Artist
It wasn’t that José Feliciano became once no longer obedient of the Finest Unique Artist award in 1969, nonetheless folks were stunned that he beat Cream, a rock band now regarded as among the many valid of all time by many. Feliciano’s lasting contributions consist of singing one of the most notorious version of “Feliz Navidad.”
[Pictured: José Feliciano playing a concert in 2007.]
Eric Clapton beats Nirvana
Eric Clapton is an easy song story—as properly as the lead guitarist of the aforementioned Cream—and his song, “Layla,” has stood the take a look at of time. Nonetheless, in 1993, it became once an acoustic duvet of that song—which, by then, became once 20 years weak—that beat out Nirvana’s “Smells Indulge in Teen Spirit” for Finest Rock Tune. Currently, “Teen Spirit” is conception of as a touchstone of the ’90s and among Nirvana’s most gripping works.
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Jethro Tull wins for Finest Exhausting Rock/Metallic
In 1989, the Grammys presented a novel category to expose that they were hip to the times: Finest Exhausting Rock/Metallic Recording. Among the many nominees were Metallica, Iggy Pop, AC/DC, and Jane’s Habit. When Jethro Tull—a innovative rock band that closely featured flute—won, many within the crowd started laughing. Currently, it’s unexcited regarded as a hilarious bungle, even by the participants of Jethro Tull.
[Pictured: British rock band Jethro Tull performs on stage, August 12, 2007, in Crozon, western France.]
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Shelby Lynn wins Finest Unique Artist
When nation singer Shelby Lynn won Finest Unique Artist in 2001, fans felt that perchance it became once a tad dreary for her to be regarded as a “unique” artist. She had already been recording for years. As she joked in her acceptance speech, it took her “13 years and 6 albums to bag here.” Since then, she’s launched seven extra studio albums and dozens of singles.
Bryan Ledgard // Wikimedia Commons
Sinéad O’Connor refuses her award
The year became once 1991 and Sinéad O’Connor became once nominated for Finest Feminine Pop Vocal Efficiency, Finest Different Tune Efficiency, and File of the 12 months. Even though she won the Finest Different category, she became once no longer there to fetch it, as she withdrew herself from the ceremony as a consequence of its “fallacious and adversarial materialistic values.” Since then, O’Connor has staged many different high-profile protests, including ripping up a characterize of the pope on “Saturday Evening Stay.”
Unique Vaudeville Band beats out rock legends
Unique Vaudeville Band, the 1960s novelty pop band, won Finest Up to date Rock & Roll Recording for their song “Winchester Cathedral” in 1967. They beat out “Monday, Monday” by The Mamas & the Papas, “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles, and “Merely Vibrations” by The Seaside Boys—all of which are regarded as classics this day.
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Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder’s awkward speech
Many artists are overjoyed to fetch their first Grammy Award—no longer so for Pearl Jam’s lead man, Eddie Vedder. After they won Finest Rock Efficiency in 1996, Vedder took the stage to enlighten, “I don’t know what this methodology. I don’t assume it methodology one thing. That’s horny how I have confidence.” Even though his nonchalance confounded some, Pearl Jam went on to assign succesful acclaim. In 2000, he dissed the Grammys once extra at a 10-year anniversary performance for this band in Las Vegas, thanking his fans, and adding, “I could almost definitely by no methodology make this accepting a Grammy or one thing.”
[Pictured: Pearl Jam performs August 23, 2000, at the Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, New York.]
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50 Cent interrupts Evanescence
Kanye West famously interrupted Taylor Swift’s Video Tune Awards speech in 2009. Perchance he became once impressed by one other rapper reduction in 2004. When the different rock band Evanescence won for Finest Unique Artist and began their speech, 50 Cent, who had also been nominated for the award, jumped on stage and paraded around the band sooner than making his formulation reduction to his seat. Evanescence singer Amy Lee took it in high-tail, joking about it. Currently, it’s unexcited regarded as an oversight that 50 Cent lost, brooding about he became once nominated for five awards that evening—and didn’t fetch any.
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Adele apologizes to Beyoncé
Adele’s reaction to obedient the Grammy for Album of the 12 months in 2017 for “25” wasn’t elation. In actual fact, she admitted “relatively of part of [her] died” when she became once presented the winner. On stage, she apologized to Beyoncé, who she acknowledged deserved the award for her album “Lemonade.” Some critics pointed out that Black artists hadn’t secured that particular award since 2008—and that dry hunch continues this day.
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Christina Aguilera tops Britney Spears
The year? 2000. The demand on every person’s mind: Which pop princess will steal Finest Unique Artist, Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears? By evening’s stop, Aguilera would prevail, signaling a reign that could almost definitely ogle the pop star dominating the Grammy Awards for years to halt reduction, having claimed 5 trophies so a ways. Spears, whereas a pop icon in her own correct, has most productive won one Grammy for her song “Poisonous.”
‘Thriller’ wins, nonetheless ‘1999’ isn’t nominated
In 1984, Michael Jackson’s acclaimed album “Thriller” won Album of the 12 months. It became once a deserved award in many fans’ eyes. Nonetheless, the competition could almost definitely also goal no longer were entirely horny. Prince’s classic “1999” wasn’t even nominated. That album, in which Prince plays with reference to the complete instrumentals himself, secured his do among song’s greats and is largely regarded as one in every of the greatest albums of all time.
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Maroon 5 and Ray Charles beat Kanye West
The 2005 Grammy Awards saw 10 nominations for Kanye West’s “The College Dropout,” one of the most nominations for any artist there. While West secured three wins, there were two major oversights. First, his defeat by Maroon 5 for Finest Unique Artist. Second, and per chance most egregiously, his loss to Ray Charles for Album of the 12 months. Charles had horny died, and the award given to his characterize “Genius Loves Company” became once seen as overly sentimental or misplaced allegiance to the song story. West isn’t hurting for Grammy wins this day, although: He has won 22 for the interval of his profession.
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