Sam Smith wins four Grammys, including song, record of the year
Kanye West creates another kerfuffle
(CNN) —
The 2015 Grammys offered the familiar – a slew of awards for a newcomer, some outstanding performances – and the unfamiliar: Kanye West laughing and smiling?
Here are a few things that dominated the evening and ideas to make the show better:
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
Sam Smith accepts the Song of the Year Grammy for "Stay With Me" at the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8. Smith also won Record of the Year ("Stay With Me"), Best Pop Vocal Album ("In the Lonely Hour") and Best New Artist.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
Beck receives the Grammy for Best Rock Album. His "Morning Phase" was also named Album of the Year.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
Smokey Robinson presents Beyonce with the award for Best R&B Performance. "Drunk in Love" also took home the Grammy for Best R&B Song.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
Pharrell Williams accepts the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance for "Happy (Live)." The song also earned the Best Music Video award, and Pharrell's "Girl" was named Best Urban Contemporary Album.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
Miranda Lambert takes the stage after winning Best Country Album for "Platinum."
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Ian Axel, left, and Chad Vaccarino of A Great Big World accept the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. They won the award for their song "Say Something," featuring Christina Aguilera.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Winners
"Weird Al" Yankovic accepts the award for Best Comedy Album ("Mandatory Fun").
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Welcome, Sam Smith!
A year ago, the British soul singer was an unknown in America. Sunday night, he took home four Grammys, including song of the year, record of the year (both for “Stay with Me”), best new artist and best pop vocal album (for “In the Lonely Hour”).
He also gave a dazzling performance of “Stay with Me” with Mary J. Blige pitching in. About the only thing that could have made it better was if Tom Petty, who was credited on the song thanks to similarities to “I Won’t Back Down,” had joined him.
“I’m having a really, really, really good night,” Smith said as he won song of the year. That was an understatement.
Is that Kanye West?
Like dancing unicorns and functioning Congresses, a smiling, laughing Kanye West was considered a mythical creature: occasionally talked about but never seen.
On Sunday night, though, the usually grim-faced rapper gave a soulful performance of “Only One,” joined Rihanna and a somewhat awkward Paul McCartney for “FourFiveSeconds” and then jokingly stole the show by running on stage when Beck won album of the year for “Morning Phase.”
Obviously, Kanye didn’t expect Beck to win album of the year – and neither did Beck himself. But “Morning Phase” took home that major prize as well as best rock album.
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Ariana Grande arrives at the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8. See who else was there.
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Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Rihanna
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Taylor Swift
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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Iggy Azalea
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Katy Perry
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Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Maddie Ziegler, left, and Sia
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Miley Cyrus
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Chris Brown
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Beyonce
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Paris Hilton
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Joy Villa
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Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Nicki Minaj
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Madonna
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Kimberly Perry
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Monyetta Shaw and Ne-Yo
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Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
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Courteney Cox
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Usher
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Rita Ora
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
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Toni Braxton
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John Mayer
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Jennifer Hudson
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Ashanti
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Dave Grohl and Jordyn Blum
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Mary J. Blige
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Tom Jones
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Jane Fonda
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
From left, Este Haim, Danielle Haim and Alana Haim of Haim
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Charli XCX
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Ciara
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Questlove
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Vaja
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Jenny Lewis and Ryan Adams
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Gwen Stefani
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
Olivia Culpo and Nick Jonas
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Childish Gambino
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
From left, Daniel Tichenor, Brad Shultz, Matt Shultz and Jared Champion of Cage the Elephant
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Sam Smith
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
From left, Troy Sanders, Brann Dailor, Brent Hinds and Bill Kelliher of Mastodon
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Patrick Carney, left, and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Aloe Blacc
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Kelly Osbourne
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
From left, Jack Patterson, Grace Chatto, Luke Patterson and Milan Neil Amin-Smith of Clean Bandit
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Red carpet
From left, Phil Campbell, Lemmy Kilmister and Mikkey Dee of Motorhead
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Photos: Lo mejor de los Grammy 2015
Grammy 2015: Alfombra roja —
Kaya Jones
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Obviously flustered, Beck thanked the entire production team, as well as his children for “letting me keep them awake extra longer.”
President Obama dropped by via video to speak against domestic violence, with activist Brooke Axtell giving a moving speech.
Others weren’t even spoken aloud: During his performance of “Happy,” Pharrell and his background performers held up their hands in the now-familiar “Don’t shoot” move.
And then there was Prince, who came out to present album of the year.
“Like books and black lives, albums still matter,” he said.
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Common and John Legend perform their song "Glory" to close out the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8. The song, from the movie "Selma," recently won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Beyonce sings the gospel song "Take My Hand, Precious Lord."
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Chris Martin joins Beck for a performance of Beck's "Heart Is a Drum." Beck won Album of the Year and Best Rock Album for "Morning Phase."
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Actress Kristen Wiig performs while Sia sings her song "Chandelier."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Colombian rocker Juanes performs his new song "Juntos (Together)."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Mary J. Blige and Sam Smith perform Smith's "Stay With Me," which won the Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Paul McCartney, Kanye West and Rihanna team up on Rihanna's new song "FourFiveSeconds."
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John Shearer/Invision/AP
Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Dwight Yoakam performs with Brandy Clark on Clark's song "Hold My Hand."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Eric Church sings "Give Me Back My Hometown."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Usher, backed by a harp, sings Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga sing Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek," which is also the name of their collaborative album from last year.
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Katy Perry sings "By the Grace of God."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer perform "Happy."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Annie Lennox was on stage with Hozier for a cover of "I Put a Spell On You."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Gwen Stefani and Adam Levine sing "My Heart Is Open."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Ed Sheeran plays guitar with Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra for "Mr. Blue Sky."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Madonna had some interesting performers for her single "Living for Love."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Kanye West went Auto-Tune for "Only One."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Miranda Lambert performs "Little Red Wagon."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
Ariana Grande sings "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart."
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Photos: 2015 Grammys: Performances
AC/DC open the show with "Rock or Bust" and "Highway to Hell."
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Annie Lennox goes to church; AC/DC goes to hell; Sia goes looking for a place to hide
Hozier was doing a fine job with his “Take Me to Church,” but Lennox gave the song a new dimension – and then took the audience to church with her soulful, dramatic version of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You.”
Then there was AC/DC, which started the show with “Rock or Bust” and “Highway to Hell.” As surprising as it was to see the heavy-metal heroes on the Grammys – not usually known for a fondness for metal – it was equally surprising to see a group of celebrities wearing devil horns in the group’s honor.
And Sia, known for hiding her face, performed her song “Chandelier” while facing a wall. Kristen Wiig and Maddie Ziegler handled the dancing duties. Sia was even reclusive on the red carpet.
Is it over yet?
About 11:10 p.m. ET, the Grammys gave out the final award of the night, record of the year. But the show still had about 35 minutes to go – including an In Memoriam montage, a speech by Recording Academy head Neil Portnow about streaming royalties and performances by Beyonce (“Take My Hand, Precious Lord”) and John Legend and Common (“Glory”).
Johnny Carson once joked that the Oscars were “two hours of sparkling entertainment spread over a four-hour show.” One wonders how many viewers hung around to watch the Grammys after the final award – usually the sign that it’s time to go, folks.
But, of course, there’s always something unexpected about the Grammys.
Not much of a show, was it? Between trying too hard, being too long and having some awkward timing, this Grammy broadcast just didn’t measure up to those of recent years.
So here are some suggestions for next year:
Pay attention to the pacing. Sunday’s show just seemed off. And with so much show left after the final award for record of the year, viewers need a presentation that stays strong until the end.
Hire camera operators who recognize that you do not get Paul McCartney to have a seat when he’s up dancing like a grandpa. Well, he is a grandfather, but Macca is allowed to do whatever he wants. The former Beatle was really, really digging ELO’s performance of “Evil Woman” when he noticed that he was on camera and blocking the crowd shot behind him. Jam on, Macca, jam on.
Madonna, however, can have several seats. Yes, she reinvents herself all the time, but at this point, performances like Sunday night’s “Living for Love” – which we guess are supposed to be provocative – are starting to feel like when Memaw has had too much to drink at Thanksgiving.
And that’s not because of her age but because it feels dated. We’ve seen it all before.
Finally, could we please just have more Prince next year? Performing, presenting, giving side-eye, we don’t care. Just more Prince, Grammys, if you please.
CNN’s Lisa Respers France contributed to this story.
