One of the biggest nights in music, the Grammy awards, is an opportunity for America’s most distinguished music sensations to take the stage in their finest attire, recognizing artists dedication and success within their work. Renowned superstars, nominated or not, are invited to LA’s Crypto.com Arena each year, enhancing their experiences through social media posts and film angles. Being one of the most anticipated award shows of each year comes with an opinionated audience, as viewers across the nation express their thoughts and opinions through social media engagement and controversy. The 65th reproduction of the award show was no different, with its first-time awardees, unsatisfactory wins and priceless celebrity interactions, social media users are still discussing the events a week later. 

Most of this year’s drama flourishes from One Direction star Harry Styles, a male music artist that is known for overcoming the norms of masculinity, expressed through his vibrant fashion statements and advocating for gender equality. In the past year, Styles released his funk-pop album “Harry’s House,” a collection of songs that contain energetic melodies and vivacious imagery—and while the success of the collection could be clearly seen from his “Love on Tour” achievements and record-breaking singles, many online critics made it clear that the album was not an award-winning material. Regardless, the melodic musician went home with two Grammys, one win coming from the foremost category of Album of the Year, consisting of iconic nominees from Kendrick Lamar to Adele. 

Although Styles’ continues to be the hottest topic on a variety of media platforms, the show became a groundbreaking night for several other artists as well. Beyoncé, despite her unanticipated loss for Album of the Year, ended the night with not only multiple Grammy awards, but with the new title of most Grammys won in history. Similarly, Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ hit single “Unholy” won for Best Duo, marking Petras as the first openly transgender person to win the award. Both artists emphasized their graciousness through speeches, with Petras expressing her fulfillment through a heartfelt speech dedicated to her inspirations and LGBTQ+ community everywhere. With her large step forward and Beyoncé’s record breaking achievements, many felt satisfactory with the results of such categories. 

Performances from the year’s most distinct celebrities serve as the main discussion every year, bringing together old and new artists to represent the modern music evolution. Argued to be the most applaudable, however, is the annual dedication to those who have passed within the music community, as multiple groups perform wistful, classical versions of music as names are listed throughout the arena. For this February’s awards, rising popstar Kacey Musgraves teamed alongside Sheryl Crow, Mick Fleetwood and Bonnie Raitt to honor the lives of Loretta Lynn and Christine McVie, who is otherwise known as the queen of country music and hitmaker of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac. Following this performance, Maverick City Music joined rapper and band member Quavo for a ballad of “Without you,” dedicated to deceased band member, Takeoff. As the three groups alternated, a carousel of photos reflected the hundreds of artists that the industry heartbreakingly lost within the past year. The tradition has grown to be one that is most appreciated through fans and the industry, an acknowledgement to the contributions each artist had brought to such a broad trade.

The Recording Academy has always managed to effectuate controversy, mainly addressed in recent years as the amount of attendees continues to diminish. While this year’s awards were no different, it was a show of distinguishing accomplishments, from a wide-ranging celebration to fifty years of Rap to personalized successes. Although there is a clear audience disapproval in multiple categories, the annual ceremony marketed and honored some of the most influential musicians of the generation, bringing together crowds to tribute one of the most acclaimed principals throughout history: music.