The Super Bowl came a week early for me in the form of the Grammys. This is my favorite event of the year, and yet, just like I was after the nominations came out, I am sadly disappointed in this year’s broadcast. I began watching the awards at 3:30 p.m. when the pre-show ceremony began.
Hosted by Darren Criss, 86 awards were given out while only nine were presented during the main broadcast later that night. For an awards show that prides itself on the celebration of music is jarring to see how much of the celebration happens on this small YouTube live stream, starting more than four hours before the official broadcast.
In any case, the premiere had its share of memorable moments for me. An emotional win of the day came from YUNGBLUD, when he took home the award for his performance of “Changes.” by Black Sabbath at their final concert before the death of the beloved Ozzy Osbourne. This moment was shared with Sharon, Ozzy’s widow, creating a moment about legacy rather than the spectacle of the award.
Moving on to the main show, hosted for the sixth and final time by comedian Trevor Noah.
The show opened with an anticlimactic performance from Bruno Mars and Rosé. Paying actors to stand at the front of a stage to pretend to have fun just shows how this performance was not a good choice from the beginning.
A huge talking point from the night is Justin Bieber, who was snubbed in all four of his nominations. Even so, his long-awaited return to The Grammys was talked about after his performance. Bieber performed a literally stripped-back version of his song Yukon, alone onstage, in only his underwear with just a guitar and a loop pedal. It was a reminder that he doesn’t need spectacle to hold attention, which is a sharp contrast to the production-heavy performances surrounding him.
Sabrina Carpenter, on the other hand, leaned fully into spectacle, and it worked for her. With a set complete with half an airplane and a live dove making an appearance twice, it is hard not to mention this performance. The Grammys also brought back performances from the Best New Artist nominees. They were fine and enjoyable, but forgettable and noticeably less impactful than last year’s lineup.
Something slipped in that you may have missed was the announcement of Noah Kahan’s new tour.
This was done during a random commercial break, where he also debuted a music video for his newest single, “The Great Divide.” Tyler the Creator got some laughs when he fell down the stairs at the end of his performance and lay there until the commercial break began. Then we have Cher, who walked off the stage before presenting the award she was scheduled to present. After returning to the present, she stayed in the group of people who came to accept the award, then proceeded to have side conversations while the speeches were being given.
In all of these negatives, there were awards and wins worth celebrating. Bad Bunny’s Album of the Year win was well deserved and felt like a genuine acknowledgment of his impact rather than a giveaway. And thank God “Wildflower” won Song of the Year. While some viewers were upset that songs like Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters did not take the win based on its success, that criticism misses the point. The Grammys shouldn’t be about popularity; they should be about songwriting, composition, and artistic merit.
In the end, this year’s Grammys were frustrating, messy, and deeply confusing, which, at this point, feels on brand. The night reminded us why people keep watching anyway, not for clarity or fairness, but for the moments where music briefly cuts through the noise and reminds us that music brings us together.
–Feb. 4, 2026–
