The 2021 Grammy Awards were always going to be a little awkward, given pandemic constraints. But the show managed to soldier on anyway – and indicated it’s been paying attention to criticism about diversity and inclusion by recognizing Black and female artists with wins in major categories.
The Recording Academy – the voting body behind the Grammy Awards – has been working to diversify its membership and organization, accelerating efforts over the last year. Viewers will be pleased that the academy seems to be making good on those efforts for now – except when it came to record of the year.
At Sunday night’s ceremony, the slate of winners reflected current music tastes and sales charts by honoring artists like Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift. Here’s a closer look at what they got right – and wrong.
The full winners list:Beyoncé makes history with most wins, Billie Eilish wins second record of the year
What did the Grammys get right? Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, H.E.R. win
Judging solely by the diverse array of performers – from DaBaby to Bad Bunny to Mickey Guyton to Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B – you wouldn’t necessarily think the Grammys had a diversity problem. But when you learn that Guyton was the first Black female solo country singer to perform at the show, that should put things into perspective.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z unexpectedly turning up instantly made the show that much more interesting and relevant – and…
