They don't call it 'music's biggest night' for nothing. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the 57th Annual Grammy Awards:
It's Sam Smith's night. No, it's Sam Smith's year
Beating out artists like Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, and Ed Sheeran, the 22-year-old English singer took home 4 Grammys including Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year. Smith also hit the stage to give a bone-chilling performance of "Stay with Me" with none other than Mary J. Blige.
"I'm having a really, really, really good night," Smith joked after winning Song of the Year for "Stay With Me."
As he collected more awards, his speeches became even better. After winning Album of the Year, Sam Smith gave a special shout out to his ex-boyfriend, the man who inspired In the Lonely Hour, which won Smith one of the biggest awards of the night.
"Thank you for breaking my heart, because you got me four Grammys!" Smith joked.
So, the real question is, when can we hear a Sam Smith and Adele collaboration?
Sam Smith Wants a New Boyfriend Who Can Clean His Grammys http://t.co/56ouodGPqI [12] #GRAMMYs [13] pic.twitter.com/uOflWgqPSq [14]
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 9, 2015 [15]
Who the heck is Beck?
There's no better surprise than when the win of an almost unrecognizable name shocks even himself over some of the biggest names in the industry. Beating out Beyoncé, Sam Smith, and Pharrell Williams, Beck, who even whispered "what the f--k" when he heard his name, took home the award for Album of the Year for Morning Phase.
In a trifecta of surprises, it got even better when Kanye West almost "Kanye'd" Beck on stage, running up to the stage to grab the award from his hand, provoking a laugh from the crowd, Taylor Swift included. As the night unfolded on E!'s After Party, Kanye West revealed the truth behind what everyone assumed was a joke.
Apparently Kanye West wasn't joking when he rushed the stage at the #Grammys [16] tonight—watch his post-show rant:
https://t.co/Aeo7pHfgwu [17]
— E! Online (@eonline) February 9, 2015 [18]
Blasts from the past
Between AC/DC kicking off the show with a medley of "Rock or Bust" and "Highway to Hell" and Tom Jones taking the stage alongside Jessie J, we wouldn't be surprised if millennials were scratching their heads while refreshing Twitter trying to figure out who these people were.
Back to that Tom Jones and Jessie J performance, though. Have you seen the video [19] of Jessie J belting out her hit song "Bang Bang" with her mouth closed? Sensing a lot of Grammys in her future.
One of the most special aspects of the night, however, was the fuse of generations of music. Between Annie Lennox's performance with Hozier and Tony Bennett's duet with Lady Gaga, the Grammys maintained the integrity of music by honoring the artists who have been instrumental in defining the meaning of music throughout the years.
Madonna the matador
Performing her gospel-infused "Living for Love" in matador red, Madonna proved that at 56 years old, she looks better than most young women in their 20s.
In case you missed @Madonna [20]'s epic "Living for Love" performance at the #GRAMMYs [13]... http://t.co/NisA9vXTez [21]
— billboard (@billboard) February 9, 2015 [22]
Annie Lennox's drop the mic moment
At 60 years old, Annie Lennox proved that she is fiercer than ever. Teaming up with Hozier to sing the hits "Take Me to Church" and "I Put a Spell On You", Lennox blew the roof off the Staples Center and showed everyone how it's done.
Annie Lennox's Grammys performance with Hozier just left us spellbound. http://t.co/mI85s6UEle [23] pic.twitter.com/B4eGjzOtnh [24]
— Mashable (@mashable) February 9, 2015 [25]
Beyoncé and well, Beyoncé.
True to her form, Beyoncé gave a show-stopping performance, but not one that you'd expect from Queen B.
Wearing all white and revealing a side to her we've never seen before, Beyoncé sang a moving rendition of "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" as the second to last performance of the night.
Beyoncé also took home a shiny award for Best R&B Performance for "Drunk in Love". Here's a flashback to Beyoncé’s memorable hot and steamy performance of the song at last year's Grammys with hubby Jay-Z.
Pharrell Williams
From accepting his award for Best Pop Solo Performance in shorts to his 'Grand Budapest Hotel'-like performance of "Happy", it's almost an understatement to say Twitter feeds blew up with mentions of Pharrell tonight. Perhaps one of the reasons for that was because Pharrell swapped his famous Arby's hat for more of a bell-hop mixed with Mickey Mouse look.
Who wore it better? #GRAMMYs [13]
@Pharrell [26] in The Grand Budapest Hotel 2." http://t.co/tgHajsYgmi [27] pic.twitter.com/MMTFYncihI [28]
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 9, 2015 [29]
The big debut of "FourFiveSeconds"
In perhaps the most anticipated performance of the night, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Paul McCartney stunned not only the audience, but all of Twitter with a perfect blend of generations and genres in their new song "FourFiveSeconds."
Wiig in Wig
Perhaps one of the most random moments of the night was when Kriisten Wiig shocked the Internet, invading the Grammys with her best modern dance performance during Sia's "Chandelier". Dancing around in a nude leotard and short blonde wig alongside Maddie Ziegler, Kristen Wiig gave a performance that was surprisingly praised on the wide world of Twitter.
Here's the story of #KristenWiig [30]’s crazy cameo in @Sia [31]'s #GRAMMYs [13] performance: http://t.co/0H7biSWkj1 [32] pic.twitter.com/z7XuaxZZl7 [33]
— CBS Television (@CBS) February 9, 2015 [34]
Bringing more meaning to awards shows
Last year, 33 straight and same-sex couples married during the Grammy Awards while Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed "Same Love," addressing the cultural divide on the issue of gay marriage.
This year, with the help of a public service announcement from President Obama, the issue of domestic violence was addressed. In a serious moment, domestic violence survivor Brooke Axtell took to the stage to perform a written-word piece about her abuse followed by an incredibly powerful performance of "By the Grace of God" by Katy Perry.
"Authentic love does not silence, shame, or abuse." -Brooke Axtell
With perhaps the performance of the night, John Legend and Common ended the evening with a soulful, emotional performance of "Glory", evoking a standing ovation from a room full of music's finest.
Watch Common & John Legend put on a moving live performance of 'Glory' from 'Selma': http://t.co/0uOoWpeP6P [35] pic.twitter.com/WBHqoqVv4v [36]
— JustJared.com (@JustJared) February 9, 2015 [37]
