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Songwriters are the under-appreciated, uber-talented engine of the pop industrial complex, churning out beloved hits for artists and doing so with little spotlight, limited fanfare, and too often these days, not very much money.

But in Netflix’s Hitmakers, the songwriter takes center stage, teasing the chance for a rare inside look at how your favorite songs got made, the people who created them and how this grinding but glitzy industry actually works. Unfortunately, the show doesn’t deliver on its promise.

Produced by Selling Sunset creator Adam Divello and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., Hitmakers forgoes the in-depth docuseries route for a reality show approach. The result is a Selling Sunset-ification of the craft, placing a dozen top songwriters — Jenna Andrews, Harv, JHart, Tommy Brown, Whitney Phillips, Trey Campbell, Ferras, Stephen Kirk, Sevyn Streeter, Ben Johnson and the duo Nova Wav — in lavish digs in the Bahamas, Nashville...

It’s pretty indisputable that the most crucial part of the music industry — the songwriter — is the most overlooked and, in most cases, shortchanged. With the rising dominance of streaming over the past decade and the looming threat of AI to the art form, songwriters have faded even further into the background as royalty rates have remained shockingly low, and the chance of landing in the credits of a certified hit has diminished as music has favored a quantity market.

“Hitmakers,” Netflix’s new unscripted reality series focusing on a dozen songwriters behind chart-toppers for Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and BTS — and has no relation to Variety’s long-established music event and cover package of the same name — barely addresses that elephant in the studio across its six-episode arc. Instead, it plays as a glossy fantasy focusing on the glitzy side of the hit machine: songwriting camps, or luxury gatherings...

Addison Rae, Katseye, and Nikki Glaser were among the list of music and recording professionals newly invited to join the Recording Academy.

The organization, which runs the Grammy awards, extended invitations to nearly 3,600 industry members, all of whom — upon accepting the invite — will be able to vote in the awards.

Other notable invitees include Joey Bada$$, Grupo Firme, and Mariah the Scientist.

"For today’s music creators, Grammy membership opens up an incredible set of opportunities," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., said in a statement. “Not only do voting members get the chance to honor their peers with Grammy nominations and awards, Academy members get access to hands-on experience, skill development to advance their careers, exposure to peers and mentors in the music industry and be part of an organization shaping the future of music.”

The news of the invitation comes at a major moment for Rae, who released...

TikToker turned pop star Addison Rae, global girl group Katseye and comedian Nikki Glaser are among those invited to join the Recording Academy’s 2025 new member class, the organization announced on Wednesday.

The Recording Academy extended its annual membership invitation Wednesday morning to nearly 3,600 music industry professionals from several disciplines. “For today’s music creators, Grammy membership opens up an incredible set of opportunities,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement.

“Not only do voting members get the chance to honor their peers with Grammy nominations and awards, Academy members get access to hands-on experience, skill development to advance their careers, exposure to peers and mentors in the music industry and be part of an organization shaping the future of music,” he added. New members will get the chance participate in several initiatives including driving “meaningful Dei progress and impact” through the organization’s Dream Initiative, according to a release.

Updated: When Donald Trump signs the “Big, Beautiful Bill” on Friday, it will be a starting point for a big messaging battle with an eye on the 2026 midterms.

Hollywood activists are likely to play a big part in that, particularly on the left, where the concern is not only on the major cuts to Medicaid and nutrition programs but a huge increase in funding for immigration enforcement. The legislation also has a large-scale rollback of clean-energy initiatives, to the dismay of everyone from climate activists to Elon Musk.

Overall, Republicans’ goal in passing the legislation was to extend the tax cuts that were put in place in 2017, during Trump’s first term, as well as to add billions to border security and defense spending.

The legislation also makes across-the-board tax changes to things like deductions for highly compensated employees and to charitable giving. One of the most hotly contested was...

The trailer for Netflix’s Hitmakers asks what lengths you’d go to to write a number one song. The documentary series dives into the stressful world of songwriters striving to pen a song that hits #1 on the charts.

“Behind every hit song is the person who wrote it. In the new docuseries, Hitmakers, we follow twelve of the industry’s best songwriters and producers as they come together at real high-stakes writing camps to create hits for today’s biggest stars like John Legend, Shaboozey, and Lisa of Blackpink,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “With tensions high and time short, viewers get a front-row seat to the creative chaos, emotional stakes, and personal breakthroughs. This isn’t just about writing music…it’s the journey to becoming a Hitmaker.”

The featured songwriters are Jenna Andrews, Tommy Brown, Trey Campbell, Ferras, Harv, Ben Johnson, Stephen Kirk, JHart, Whitney Phillips, Sevyn Streeter,...

Exclusive: Netflix is gathering a group of successful songwriters for Hitmakers, its latest music series.

The streamer is launching the series, which is part docuseries and part reality show, on July 24.

It will feature twelve of the industry’s best songwriters and producers as they come together at real high-stakes writing camps to create hits for today’s biggest stars like John Legend, Shaboozey, and Lisa of Blackpink.

Viewers will get a front-row seat to the creative chaos, emotional stakes, and personal breakthroughs that it takes to write a hit single.

Songwriters featured include Jenna Andrews, who wrote on BTS’ Butter; Tommy Brown, who wrote on Arianna Grande’s Thank U, Next; Trey Campbell, who wrote on John Legend’s U Move, I Move; Ferras, who wrote on Dua Lipa’s Genesis; Harv, who wrote on Justin Bieber’s Forever; Ben Johnson, who wrote on Jelly Roll’s Liar; Stephen Kirk,...

Five months ahead of nominations for the 2026 Grammys, the Recording Academy has retuned the rulebook.

While some of the shifts come down to little more than tweaks to the minutiae regulating existing categories and nomination rules (librettists and composers are now eligible in Classical categories!), a handful of the changes have already caused a stir online.

Or more accurately, a buzz.

In addition to the reintroduction of the Best Album Cover — which came out of a combining of Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited edition package into Best Recording Package — a change to Best Country Album has raised eyebrows among the fan community of its most recent winner, Beyoncé.

For the 2026 awards, Best Country Album will be renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, and a new category, Best Traditional Country Album, is being introduced.

What's the difference? Here's how the official Grammys descriptions explain the categories:

Best Traditional...

The 2025 Grammy Awards were suspiciously great. Beyoncé finally won the coveted Album of the Year award for Cowboy Carter, which also scored Best Country Album and mined the history of Black musicians’ foundational contributions to country music. Chappell Roan and Doechii delivered powerful, moving speeches while accepting Best New Artist and Best Rap Album, respectively. The performances were stellar and there were no egregious snubs. What a night. The Recording Academy is ready to do it all again at the 2026 Grammys, but with a few caveats and changes to its categories and rules.

The Recording Academy has revealed the key dates for this year’s Grammy season, as the awards ceremony itself will take place on Feb. 1, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, while the nominations will go live Nov. 7, 2025.

The Grammys also announced a few updates to its rules and categories for this year’s awards, with the full list of updates available in the Recording Academy’s rulebook. In the country category, there will be a new award for best traditional country album, and the current best country album category will be renamed to best contemporary country album.

In the general field, the Academy has changed a rule for the best new artist category so that artists who were previously featured on a record nominated for album of the year can still be nominated for best new artist if their contributions on the album were 20 percent or less.

In the packaging field,...

There’s going to be new Grammys categories at the 2026 Grammys!

The Recording Academy confirmed that there will now be two new categories included: Best Album Cover, and Best Traditional Country Album.

The country award is the only new music category being added for the 68th annual Grammy Awards, per Billboard.

Keep reading to find out more…

The existing best country album category has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.

The new category will join the 13 other categories in Field 5, four of which are specifically dedicated to country, while the others cover American roots, Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk and regional roots music, per the report.

“The community of people that are making country music in all different subgenres came to us with a proposal and said we would like to have more variety in how our music is honored,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. told the news outlet.

“They said,...

The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 1, the Recording Academy announced Thursday, along with the addition of two new categories.

Set to broadcast live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the 68th Annual Grammy Awards will air at 8:00 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

Nominations will be announced on Friday, Nov. 7 for work released between Aug. 31, 2024 and Aug. 30, 2025.

Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover are the two new categories. The Recording Academy also made several updates to its rulebook. All of these changes are effective immediately.

"The Academy’s top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year," said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today’s music and allow us to accurately recognize as many deserving creators as possible.

The specter of Los Angeles becoming another Detroit, a city built on a specific industry that became a shell of its former self when that business moved out, loomed over a compelling film and TV industry town hall that tackled not only the calamitous drop in production in Hollywood and California, but also the fight to get the state to increase its entertainment production tax incentive.

The event on Monday night drilled down into a later stage of the entertainment production pipeline that is also currently in crisis: scoring and postproduction.

“This is not hyperbole to say that if we don’t act, the California film and TV industry will become the next Detroit auto,” said Noelle Stehman, a member of the “Stay in LA” campaign who spoke at the event.

The push for a proposed increase in tax incentives is hitting a critical phase in the legislative process, and...

Deepfakes are dangerous — imposters that take an artist’s voice or likeness without their permission in order to say, do, or endorse something they didn’t approve. It’s the most personal and costly kind of violation, damaging reputations, careers, and worse. Unfortunately, by now, the examples are too many to count.

The music industry, working together, has led the way in search of fair and practical solutions that protect every person’s right to their face and voice while encouraging the responsible development of AI, and protecting free expression and speech.

SAG-AFTRA worked early on with major record companies to achieve protections in collective bargaining agreements. Together, we won passage of the Elvis Act in Tennessee. And now we are proud to join forces once again, with the entire music community and peers and partners from all corners of the American creative, technology, and advocacy landscape to push for...

Senate and House lawmakers Wednesday reintroduced legislation that will give individuals the right to control the use of their digital likeness, as part of an effort to limit the use of AI deepfakes and voice clones.

The No Fakes Act was introduced last year but failed to advance in Congress even with bipartisan support and changes that alleviated First Amendment worries.

The legislation gives individuals the right to authorize the use of their voice and likeness in digital replication. The digital replication right does not expire at a person’s death, and can be transferred and licensed by heirs, executors and others. That post-mortem right, though, terminates no longer than 70 years after an individual’s passing.

The legislation is sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tn), Sen. Chris Coons (D-de), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-Nc) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-mn). In the House, the sponsors are Rep.

A bipartisan group of senators has reintroduced legislation aimed at taking on unauthorized uses of voices and likenesses for AI-generated deepfakes, gaining support from stakeholders in the entertainment and tech industries.

Sens. Chris Coons (D-de), Marsha Blackburn (R-tn), Amy Klobuchar (D-mn) and Thom Tillis (R-nc) reintroduced the No Fakes (Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe) Act on Wednesday alongside Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-fl-27), Madeleine Dean (D-pa-4), Nathaniel Moran (R-tx-1) and Becca Balint (D-vt-At Large) nearly a year after the bill was first introduced last July. Entertainment organizations like SAG-AFTRA, the RIAA and the MPA had voiced their support of the bill last time, and the newly reintroduced bill has also drawn support from the likes of YouTube and OpenAI.

The bill would establish a federal right for every American to their voice and visual likeness, a particularly sought-after distinction for famous actors and recording artists. Per a press release,...

The 2026 Grammys are still a year away, but it’s not too soon to start handicapping the race.

The end of February marks the halfway point in the eligibility period, which started Aug. 31, 2024, which means the next Album of the Year may not have even been announced yet. But there is already a crowded field of officially announced, scheduled, or released material jockeying for one of the eight slots. Here’s how the contest currently stands, based on the combined predictions of Gold Derby users who have placed their bets.

SEEDrake releases new album setting up potential Grammy faceoff with Kendrick Lamar. Here’s how that could play out.

As previously noted, Kendrick Lamar is the frontrunner with Gnx, which he released on Nov. 22. The main question for him will be durability. While his trouncing of Drake in their rap battle last summer ended up sustaining through the year — and...

Albums and songs by Cat Stevens, Luther Vandross, Jay-Z and Emmylou Harris are among the 13 new additions to the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Recording Academy announced today.

The inducted recordings, each at least 25 years old, will be honored at the Grammy Museum and Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall Of Fame Gala on May 16, at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA. The Gala will also pay tribute to this year’s label honoree, Republic Records, with performers to be announced at a later date.

In addition to the above mentioned, the artist inductees include Santana’s, Big Star, Clara Ward, Eddie Floyd, Emmylou Harris, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, Geeshie Wiley, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Linda Martell, and Luther Vandross. Genre’s range from Santana’s Latin Rock, Clara Ward’s gospel, Emmylou Harris’ country rock to Eddie Floyd’s ’60s R&b, Big Star...

The Recording Academy will induct eight albums and five singles in the Grammy Hall of Fame this year. The albums include Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much, Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball, and Cat Stevens’ Tea For The Tillerman.

The Grammy Hall of Fame will also induct Big Star’s #1 Record, J.D. Crowe & the New South’s J.D. Crowe & the New South, Santana’s Supernatural, and Fela Kuti & Africa 70’s Zombie alongside singles Linda Martell’s “Color Him Father,” Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga,” Clara Ward...

“Everything leaks, always,” says Ben Winston, executive producer of the Grammy Awards. So he was surprised and pleased when the Weeknd’s dramatic return to the Grammy stage Sunday night — after a years-long boycott and months of planning — somehow managed to stay secret until the moment he appeared. The show milked maximum drama from the reconciliation, beginning with a montage of headlines criticizing the Grammys that left even the stars in the audience confused. “No one, even in the room, for a second thought, ‘Oh, he’s behind that wall,...

In the trailer for Hurry Up Tomorrow, an insomnia-plagued musician experiences hair-raising highs and emotional lows. In one clip, released Tuesday, the artist nearly drowns in a bathtub, as a narrator contemplates death, and in another he performs before ear-splitting crowds. It’s the Weeknd’s latest venture into film and TV, since his co-starring role in Max’s The Idol.

The Weeknd, born Abel Tesfaye, first announced the film project in December, and described it as a “musically driven psychological thriller.” It follows a musician who journeys with a...

When Taylor Swift announced Cowboy Carter as Best Country Album at Sunday’s Grammys, Beyoncé looked genuinely shocked. The global superstar is no stranger to the Grammy podium — after all, she holds the record for most Grammy wins, with 32 total trophies including this year’s crop — but, from her reaction, it seems she did not expect recognition from the very genre that inspired her ambitious and deeply personal eighth studio album.

And why would she? Despite earning more nominations at this year’s Grammy Awards than any other record, Cowboy...

The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, and Jenna Ortega star in the new trailer for “Hurry Up Tomorrow” from director Trey Edward Shults.

Described in Tuesday’s teaser as a “surreal cinematic odyssey,” the plot is still shrouded in mystery. Per its official logline: “A musician plagued by insomnia is pulled into an odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence.”

Shults is most known for directing “Waves” and “It Comes at Night.” Barry Keoghan also stars. The film is set to hit theaters on May 16. The film is written by Trey Edward Shults & Abel Tesfaye & Reza Fahim, and is produced by Abel Tesfaye, Reza Fahim, Kevin Turen and Harrison Kreiss.

You can watch the trailer below:

On Jan. 31, Tesfaye also released his sixth studio album under the same name. “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is the sixth studio album for the singer and reportedly touted as...

Three weeks ago, as wildfires raged across Los Angeles, there was some question over whether it would be in good taste to proceed with Grammy Weekend, even if it were safe to do so.

Yet with the go-ahead from local officials, the Recording Academy and its broadcast partner CBS quickly decided to proceed with a reduced schedule of events that would be transformed into fund-raising efforts — and the results of that decision became clear on Tuesday morning, as a rep for the Recording Academy tells Variety that it and its charity-focused partner, MusiCares, raised more than $24 million for wildfire relief and other charitable causes, with almost $9 million raised on Grammy Sunday alone.

That reduced schedule included the annual MusiCares fundraising tribute concert on Friday night, this year honoring the Grateful Dead; the Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala on Saturday, which was transformed into a fund-raiser; and the Grammy Awards themselves, which...

After four turns of being denied Album of the Year at the Grammys — losses that said four blockbuster albums (two of which spawned their own films), four legendary world tours, two Super Bowl performances, more Grammy wins than any other person, and many more acts of unequivocal genius were simply not good enough — Beyoncé finally walked away with that coveted golden gramophone for Cowboy Carter.

With the greatest living entertainer earning a win that’s been due to her since 2013’s Beyoncé, you’d think her breaking this curse would feel better.

Trevor Noah faces backlash over his comments at Grammy 2025 (Photo Credit – Prime Video)

Trevor Noah’s opening moments as host of the 2025 Grammy Awards didn’t go as smoothly as planned, as he faced backlash for a controversial joke about “illegal immigrants.” The “Music’s Biggest Night” began with a heartfelt tribute to Los Angeles, a city still reeling from devastating wildfires but quickly took a turn with Noah’s ill-timed quip.

Doechii rolls her eyes at Trevor Noah’s Immigration joke #GRAMMYs...

Before we launch into this Grammys 2025 edition of Snubs and Surprises, let’s answer one question that may come up right at the outset: How can we characterize Beyoncé winning album of the year as a “surprise” when we repeatedly predicted it, as many other prognosticators did? There’s an easy answer for that: Although we rightfully called it, we were very, very, very, very nervous about it. We can relax now. At least one thing has been righted in this chaotic world, so let’s take a deep breath and take the “surprise” of actual perceived justice being rendered while we can get it. Now, onward!

Snub: Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish getting shut out. Are there two more popular and beloved pop stars in the world right now? There are not. And that is why Recording Academy voters will sleep soundly tonight — and assume that both Taylor and...

In 2020 many were stunned when The Weeknd’s record-breaking hit Blinding Lights earned him zero Grammy nominations. Since then, The Weeknd has refused to submit his music for consideration.

Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye as Tedros in The Idol | Credits: HBO

So, his surprise appearance at the Grammys on Sunday had everyone talking. Now that the Recording Academy has made peace with him, many are asking, if he’s back, why haven’t Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande been welcomed yet?

Grammy welcomes The Weeknd back!

After announcing three years ago that he’d boycott the Grammys following his 2021 snub, The Weeknd made a surprise return to the stage at the 2025 ceremony. His absence was sparked by the Recording Academy’s decision to overlook his blockbuster After Hours album, which topped the Billboard 200 for weeks, and his smash hit Blinding Lights, which was snubbed for Record of the Year.

Related “Aaron Taylor-Johnson...

The 2025 Grammys saw plenty of smiles, tears, laughter and, honestly, a few shocking moments during Sunday’s awards ceremony. From Beyoncé’s record-breaking wins and The Weeknd’s surprise performance to Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s inappropriate red carpet moment and Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ tribute to Los Angeles, here are some of the most memorable moments from music‘s biggest night.

Beyoncé Finally Wins Album of the Year

Beyoncé took home album of the year for the first time during the 2025 Grammys on Sunday night. The singer was nominated alongside André 3000 (New Blue Sun), Sabrina Carpenter (Short n’ Sweet), Charli Xcx (Brat), Jacob Collier (Djesse Vol. 4), Billie Eilish (Hit Me Hard and Soft), Chappell Roan (The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess) and Taylor Swift (The Tortured Poets Department). Members of the L.A. Fire Department were on hand to present the award during a...

The 2025 Grammys were handed out Sunday, with Beyoncé taking home the top award of the night for album of the year and Kendrick Lamar sweeping all the categories in which he was nominated, including song and record of the year.

Beyoncé won album of the year along with best country album for Cowboy Carter. During the premiere ceremony, she won her first award of the night, taking home her first country Grammy for best country duo/group performance for “II Most Wanted” featuring Miley Cyrus, making her the first Black woman to win a country Grammy in 50 years. The album of the year award was presented by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department as a way to recognize them for their efforts to contain the wildfires that blazed through the city last month.

During the live telecast on CBS, Lamar won both song and record of the year for “Not Like Us,...

Trevor Noah and dozens of music’s greatest artists toned down the self-celebration and focused the 2025 Grammys on helping Los Angeles rise from ashes.

“As usual we’re coming to you live from Los Angeles,” said Noah, opening the show on Sunday. “But what’s unusual are our circumstances this evening. Just a few weeks ago we weren’t sure that this show would even happen. You don’t need me to tell you this, but this city has just been through one of the largest natural disasters in American history. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes, entire neighborhoods have been erased, schools, local business, and entire communities have burned to the ground. Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained, and despite all the devastation, the spirit of the city has emerged. Neighbors who had never spoken before are helping each other.

The Weeknd is back — at the Grammys.

Four years after saying he was boycotting the Grammys after receiving zero nominations for his smash album After Hours, the singer was the highly promoted “surprise superstar performance” on Sunday’s 67th Annual Grammy Awards. The Weeknd (real name: Abel Tesfaye) performed two tracks from his new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, “Cry for Me” and “Timeless,” the latter with Playboi Carti.

The four-time Grammy winner was introduced by Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., who recapped the singer’s beef with the awards show as headlines flashed onstage. When After Hours and the smash single “Blinding Lights” were snubbed in November 2020, The Weeknd tweeted, “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…” As the ceremony approached in March 2021, The Weeknd announced a boycott. “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys,...

The Weeknd and the Grammys are back together again.

The 34-year-old superstar made a surprise return to the stage of the awards ceremony after years of boycotting on Sunday (February 2) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

He originally told The New York Times in 2021 that he would no longer allow his label to submit him to the awards show “because of the secret committees.”

Harvey Mason Jr. addressed changes the Recording Academy has made in recent years in his introduction, before announcing The Weeknd to the stage, who performed “Timeless” and “Cry for Me” from his new studio album Hurry Up Tomorrow.

Keep reading to find out more…

Back in 2020, The Weeknd was nominated for zero awards, despite having the most-streamed song of all time that year (“Blinding Lights”), leading an overhaul of the show’s awards department and process. He has declined to submit his music for the awards,...

The Weeknd made a surprise appearance and performance at the 2025 Grammys after he had announced three years prior that he planned to boycott the show following his 2021 snub.

The Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. introduced the performance as he reflected on criticism that the Recording Academy received, in particular from The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye). In 2021, The Weeknd called out the Recording Academy after his hit After Hours album was snubbed from the album of the year category — After Hours held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for more than three weeks — as was his hit single “Blinding Lights” for record of the year.

“The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…” he tweeted at the time.

Tensions continued to escalate, however, when The Weeknd revealed on social media that he was planning his Grammy performance “for weeks” before learning he received zero nominations.

Back in 2021, the Weeknd made a public statement announcing he’d be boycotting the Grammy Awards moving forward. The singer was frustrated that his album After Hours was snubbed at that year’s ceremony, after both the album and its lead single “Blinding Lights” topped the charts all year. Now, the Weeknd has squashed his beef with the awards, appearing at the 2025 ceremony to perform songs off his sixth album Hurry Up Tomorrow.

@abelsupdate

The Weeknd’s Full Performance At The Grammy’s Tonight With Playboi Carti – @The Weeknd #theweeknd...

Nearly four years later, The Weeknd has ended his Grammy boycott.

After telling The New York Times in 2021 that he would no longer allow his label to submit him to the awards show, the Recording Academy welcomed the 4x Grammy winner for a surprise performance during the 67th Grammy Awards.

Related: Grammy Awards Red Carpet Photos: Chappell Roan, Jaden Smith & More

Following an introduction by Harvey Mason Jr., who laid out some of the initiatives the Recording Academy has launched in recent years, The Weeknd performed ‘Timeless’ and ‘Cry for Me’ onstage from his recent sixth studio album Hurry Up Tomorrow.

In the 2021 article, the artist explained he was boycotting the awards show “because of the secret committees. I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.”

Related: 2025 Grammy Awards: Deadline’s Full Coverage

The Recording Academy previously revealed Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan,...

Trevor Noah is back to emcee duties for the 2025 Grammys.

The former Daily Show host took the Grammys stage for the fifth time on Sunday night. (He also exec produced the show.)

At the top of the show, Noah was quick to note how, despite the show airing live from Los Angeles, music’s biggest night is coming under “unusual” circumstances.

“A few weeks ago we weren’t sure that this show would even happen. I mean, you don’t need me to tell you this, but the city has just been through one of the largest natural disasters in American history. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes, entire neighborhoods have been erased. Schools, local businesses, and entire communities have burned to the ground. Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained,” he said.

“And despite all the devastation, the spirit of the city has emerged.

Randy Newman’s 1983 song “I Love L.A.” has more than a hint of irony in the lyrics, but the 67th annual Grammy Awards kicked off with a totally sincere, even moving, version of it from a one-time-only supergroup: Dawes backed by Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, Brad Paisley, John Legend, and St. Vincent. Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith of Dawes both lost their homes in the wildfires, and they’ve been very active in relief efforts.

The Grammy Awards ceremony was nearly postponed when the full extent of the California wildfires became clear last month,...

Clive Davis once again filled the Beverly Hilton’s international ballroom to the brim with music industry insiders as he presented his pre-Grammy celebration and concert. As always, Saturday night’s show featured a unique mix at the microphone of legends (Joni Mitchell, Barry Manilow), rising stars (Shaboozey, Benson Boone and Teddy Swims) and rock royalty (members of Black Crowes, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica).

But this year’s starry event had a new moniker on the program, billed as an “event” rather than a “gala,” due to the catastrophic Los Angeles blazes that ripped through the city last month. While the wildfires forced a pivot — the typically glamorous affair got scaled back a bit by nixing the red carpet and its crush of press and photographers — and introduced a focus on fundraising via MusiCares, music, as always, remained the start of the show. Saturday night delivered a parade...

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Will Beyoncé finally take home the Grammy for Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, or will Taylor Swift get the trophy this year for The Tortured Poets Department? We’re about to find out: Music’s biggest night is finally upon us, with the 2025 Grammy Awards airing tonight, live from Los Angeles.

At a Glance: How to Watch 2025 Grammy Awards Online

Stream: DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV,...

Clive Davis’s famed Pre-Grammy Gala hit a major milestone Saturday night, as the event originally created to celebrate Barry Manilow’s first Grammy nomination has now gone on for 50 years as one of the award season’s most iconic fixtures.

Like the rest of the Grammy programming this year, with Los Angeles reeling after suffering multiple devastating wildfires, the Gala took on a renewed purpose this year, reshaping its purpose into a high-profile fundraiser for MusiCares. Along with the MusiCares Person of the Year event honoring the Grateful Dead Friday,...

André 3000 will be unable to attend Sunday night’s 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony, the Outkast member announced Saturday.

The artist announced in an Instagram post uploaded Saturday morning that he was unfortunately unable to attend but that “some of the New Blue Sun musicians, friends and supporters will be in attendance.” André 3000, whose real name is André Lauren Benjamin, is up for album of the year, best alternative jazz album and best instrumental composition for New Blue Sun. The new age jazz release is the Outkast member’s debut solo album.

“Our album was conceived and recorded in Los Angeles with spirit of openness and creative collaboration,” André 3000 said in the post. “We hope that the rebound of Los Angeles is swift and renewing. Congrats to all the musicians and collaborators being acknowledged. Keep playing.”

Billie Eilish, Charli Xcx, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Shakira, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Benson Boone,...

Hosted for the fifth year by Trevor Noah, the 2025 Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 2 and serve a dual purposes this year.

“The upcoming Grammy Awards won’t just be about celebrating and honoring the best in music this year, it will also show how the power of music can help rebuild, uplift and support those in need,” explains Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. “We are thrilled that so many artists in our community are banding together at this time to show support for their fellow music makers and others impacted by the recent wildfires.”

The Recording Academy and MusiCares’ have launched a fundraiser for wildfire relief at musicares.org/firerelief. Joining that effort are the usual music stars who will take the stage on Grammy night. Here are the announced performers so far:

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The breakthrough...

More than 15 Grammy Week events sponsored by the Recording Academy and many other Grammy-related parties were canceled this year due to January’s devastating Los Angeles fires, with the actual Grammy ceremony, which will still take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, pivoting to focus on raising funds for wildfire relief. But Friday’s MusiCares Persons of the Year Gala, honoring 2007 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients the Grateful Dead, went on as planned. And the annual charitable event actually felt more celebratory than ever, providing much-needed release and escape on the final night of a particularly rough month.

“Their fans are legendary, and their values — community, resilience, generosity — all align with the MusiCares mission,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said of the beloved psychedelic jam band Friday. “They remind us that music is a force for good. This year, though, honoring them carries extra special community. L.A. is home to an incredible music community,...

What has rainbow grilled cheese platters, giant dancing bear cutouts, and Woody Harrelson wearing a tie dye tie? The MusiCares’ annual Persons of the Year Charity Gala, where the Grateful Dead are the 2025 honorees (with some “Friend of the Devil” food cake to celebrate.)

“It’s an incredible honor and I’m humbled to stand here tonight,” drummer Mickey Hart told the audience, standing on the Los Angeles Convention Center stage on Friday night. “Because not too long ago, they wouldn’t let us into Disneyland. Our hair was too long.

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards are coming up, so here’s everything you need to know about the event.

SEEBreaking down 2025 Grammys Album of the Year race: The case for and against Beyoncé, Sabrina, Charli, and the rest

Who is hosting the awards?

Trevor Noah is back to preside over the awards for the fifth year in a row. The former Daily Show star has hosted the show since 2021. He’s also a current Grammy nominee for Best Comedy Album.

Who is performing at the awards?

Multiple contenders will take the stage during the prime time telecast including nine-time Grammy winner and current seven-time nominee Billie Eilish, eight-time nominee Charli Xcx, and six-time nominees Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter. Among the performances during the telecast will be a special tribute to the late Quincy Jones, the 28-time Grammy winner who died last Nov. 3 at age 91. There will also be a...

The FireAid benefit concerts are tonight, Jan. 30, at both the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The event will raise funds for relief, rebuilding, and fire-prevention efforts in the wake of devastating blazes across the region claimed dozens of lives and thousands of homes. And you can watch the concert at home. It will be available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu, Facebook, Instagram, Max, Netflix, Tudum, Paramount+, Peacock, NBC News Now, YouTube, and Ktla, as well as in select AMC and Regal theaters around the country starting at 9 p.m. Et/6 p.m. Pt. You can donate to relief efforts at FireAidLA.

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The Kia Forum lineup includes Alanis Morissette, Anderson .Paak, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, Pink, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks, the Black Crowes,...

The Los Angeles wildfires may have muted the music business’ usual weeklong celebration leading to the 67th annual Grammy Awards, but maybe that’s served to shine a brighter spotlight on music’s biggest night and its nominated artists? In any case, this year’s competition is (Sasha) fierce! When Beyoncé struts into the Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 2, she does so with the most nominations, 11, including three in the top general categories — album, record and song of the year — a feat shared by Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter (the last two are also up for best new artist). Will Beyoncé finally win album and/or record, two trophies she doesn’t yet have in her case, despite being the winningest artist in Grammy history? Will Swift add a back-to-back Aoty to her collection (this would be her fifth!)? Or will Charli Xcx have everyone seeing lime green?...

Updated: Brad Paisley, Brittany Howard, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Cynthia Erivo, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, Janelle Monáe, John Legend, Lainey Wilson, Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent and Stevie Wonder have joined the performer lineup for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.

The night will include a series of special performances during the In Memoriam segment, a salute to the life and legacy of Quincy Jones and tributes celebrating the spirit of the city of Los Angeles.

The latest group of performers join previously announced Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Doechii, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Shakira, and Teddy Swims.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, the 2025 Grammy Awards will air live from L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 8 pm Et/5 pm Pt on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

As previously announced, the telecast will help raise additional funds to support Los Angeles wildfire recovery efforts.

Additionally, starting at 3:30 pm Et/12:30 pm Pt,...

The Recording Academy announced a slew of performers and presenters for its Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony Wednesday morning.

Songwriter and producer Justin Tranter – nominated this year for his work on Chappelle Roan’s chart-topping single “Good Luck, Babe!” – is returning as host. The ceremony, a special pre-telecast presentation in which a bulk of the evening’s Grammys will be handed out, is slated to take place live at the Peacock Theater. The Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony is just steps away from the broadcast ceremony that will follow at the Crypto.com Arena.

A performance from nominees Yolanda Adams, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Scott Hoying, Angelique Kidjo and Taj Mahal will kick off the night. Other performers include Joe Bonamassa, Joyce Didonato, Béla Fleck, Renée Fleming, Muni Long and Kelli O’Hara, along with composer Kevin Puts. Brady and Hoying, Bob Clearmountain, Rhiannon Giddens, Queen Sheba, Anoushka Shankar and former Record Academy...