So, what can we expect from the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020? Here, Vogue rounds up everything you need to know about the Grammys, including the hotly-tipped nominees, and who will be hosting the show and when.
When and where will the Grammy Awards 2020 be held?
The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards is scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 January 2020, and will be broadcast live on CBS at 8pm ET/5pm PT in the US [1am GMT]. It will take place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, which has hosted the Grammys since 2000 (with the exception of 2003 and 2018).
What is new for the Grammy Awards 2020?
Only music released between 1 October 2018 and 31 August 2019 can be nominated for the Grammys 2020, cutting short the eligibility window by a month. This is because the Grammy Awards 2020 ceremony has been moved forward by two weeks, to avoid clashing with the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony on 9 February 2020.
For the 2019 awards, the Recording Academy announced it would be increasing the number of nominations from five to eight for four of the major categories — Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist’— to address discrimination and improve diversity in the music industry after only one woman won a main award at the 2018 ceremony.
Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Blue Ivy at the 2018 Grammys – year of Blue Ivy’s viral moment
Who is hosting the Grammy Awards 2020?
Alicia Keys will return as the host in 2020, after hosting the Grammy Awards in 2019 when she became the first woman in 14 years to do so. Before that, the last woman to host was Queen Latifah in 2005.
Keys told Billboard in a statement: “Last year was such a powerful experience for me. Not only did I feel the love in the room, but I felt it from around the world and it confirmed the healing and unifying power of music.” Keys herself has won 15 Grammy awards.
Who are the nominees for the Grammy Awards 2020?
Two of the biggest breakout stars of 2019, British Vogue cover star Lizzo and Billie Eilish, have received multiple nods in major categories. Both are in the running for the Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist gongs. Lizzo racked up eight Grammy nominations in total, with six for Eilish, and six for another star who exploded in 2019, Lil Nas X.
Maggie Rogers and Rosalia are also among the breakout performers recognised in the Best New Artist category. See the full list of nominees here.
Jennifer Lopez’s infamous appearance at the 2000 Grammys
How are the Grammy Awards nominees and winners selected?
Members of the Recording Academy and record companies submit entries for all 84 categories of the Grammy Awards. These are screened for eligibility and category placement by 350 experts in various fields of music. Two rounds of ballots (first-round and final) are then sent to voting members, which determines the five nominees in each category and then the winners.
Ballots are monitored by independent accounting firm Deloitte, which keeps the voting results secret until the live televised Grammy Awards ceremony.
Predictions for the Grammy Awards 2020
The Grammy Awards 2020 could be the year the newcomers win big. Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Lil Nas X — who all broke through in a big way in 2019 — are among the frontrunners, including in the Best New Artist category. Major contenders for Album of the Year and Song of the Year include Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande.
Who is invited to the Grammys?
Grammy nominees and their guests, guests of the Recording Academy and voting members are invited to attend the awards ceremony.
What is the dress code?
The Grammys specifies black or white-tie as the dress code, but guests have certainly pushed the boundaries over the years. Think Cher wearing a bikini-style top on the red carpet in 1974; Nicki Minaj’s Red Riding Hood-inspired look in 2012; and Cardi B wearing vintage Thierry Mugler in 2019.
Cardi B had a vintage Mugler moment on the 2019 Grammys red carpet
© Kevin Mazur
Why are the Grammys so important?
The Grammys, which first began in 1959, is considered to be the music industry’s equivalent to the Oscars or the Emmy Awards. In the past, it has shone a spotlight on important issues in music; during the 2018 awards, for example, the hashtag #GrammysSoMale started trending on social media due to the lack of female representation across the major categories.
Who will be performing?
At the Grammys 2020, there will be performances from Rosalía, Camila Cabello, Tyler, the Creator, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and British Vogue cover star Lizzo. Past performers include Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Whitney Houston and Mary J. Blige – it has always been an unmissable night on the music industry calendar. In addition to those taking to the stage on 26 January, a tribute show to the late Prince will take place two days later. Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince will see the Purple Rainartist honoured by the likes of Alicia Keys, John Legend, Beck and Usher. Prince’s drummer Sheila E. will act as musical director of the concert, along with his long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Grammy records over the years
Many people are unfamiliar with the artist who holds the most Grammys (most assume Queen Bey). Classical artist Georg Salti won 31 before his death in 1997. Quincy Jones and Alison Krauss are up there too, winning 28 and 27 respectively. Beyonce has won 23 to date, and has been nominated the most in the Best Female Artist category (63 times). She and Adele are on a par when it comes to the most trophies scooped by a woman in one night (six apiece), and Taylor Swift remains the youngest artist to win Album of the Year – she won for Fearless in 2010, when she was just 20 years old.