Unforgettable Grammy moments: from Elton and Eminem’s performance to Adele’s heartfelt tribute
Protests and controversies seem to go hand in hand with the Grammy Awards, much like the shiny trophies themselves.
From Will Smith’s 1989 protests about the rap categories getting little airtime to The Weeknd’s ongoing refusal to submit his work after his “After Hours” album faced snubbing, the event has seen its fair share of frustration.
Yet, beyond the disputes, the ceremony has brought countless memorable moments—some contentious, others humorous, and quite a few simply strange—worth revisiting.
With the 67th annual Grammy Awards set for February 2, here’s a look back at 10 of the show’s most unforgettable moments. They may not all be shocking, but they certainly catch your attention.
Adele wins against Beyoncé and expresses her gratitude during her speech (2017)
As Adele received the evening’s most prestigious award, taking home five Grammys at the 59th Annual Awards, she tearfully stated that the Album of the Year title should have gone to Beyoncé for her work on “Lemonade,” which she referred to as “the artist of my life.”
Adele’s victory for “25” was anticipated, and Beyoncé took her loss gracefully, appearing genuinely moved as Adele praised the “remarkable” “Lemonade.”
This show of respect was still a delightful surprise, as it is not often that one major artist openly declares their admiration for another with, “We (expletive) adore you. You are our life.”
Macklemore wins over Kendrick Lamar – and feels remorse (2014)
Though it didn’t happen during the Grammy ceremony, afterward, Macklemore recognized that his upbeat pop-rap album with Ryan Lewis won Best Rap Album for “The Heist,” which felt undeserved next to Kendrick Lamar’s powerful “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City.” He sent Kendrick a text saying, “I wish you had won. You deserved it. It’s unsettling that I took this from you.” Macklemore later shared this message on social media.
His admission drew criticism from some artists (with Drake referring to his action as “cheap”) and the online community, but others appreciated his sincerity.
In 2021, Macklemore explained to Talib Kweli on the “People’s Party With Talib Kweli” that sharing that text online was a mistake, but it was a precursor to artists humbly acknowledging their wins in a new way.
Jennifer Hudson pays tribute to Whitney Houston with a performance (2012)
The sorrow surrounding Whitney Houston’s passing just before the 54th Annual Grammys was palpable when the show commenced with a strong sense of “the show must go on.”
Producers had less than 36 hours to adapt, relying on artists’ willingness to step up in this somber moment. Host LL Cool J opened the show with a prayer for Houston, capturing the mood perfectly.
However, it was Jennifer Hudson’s deeply moving performance of “I Will Always Love You,” starting with an a cappella rendition illuminated by a spotlight and a photo of Houston in the background, that left a lasting impact.
50 Cent disrupts Evanescence’s win for Best New Artist (2004)
Five years before Kanye West’s notorious interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, 50 Cent had his own, albeit less extreme, reaction to losing a Grammy.
Anticipating a win for Best New Artist due to his successful debut, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” he was surprised when alt-metal band Evanescence took home the award instead.
While Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody accepted the trophy, 50 Cent casually strolled across the stage, pretending he had won, clearly catching Lee off guard.
In 2020, a still-hurt 50 Cent mentioned the snub again while receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “Can someone find Evanescence? I haven’t seen them since that night,” he remarked.
Lee later joked in an interview that 50 Cent “must hate me… It was like the scene from Zoolander when he thought he won.”
Elton John and Eminem showcase unity through their duet (2001)
At the time, Eminem faced backlash for his frequent use of homophobic language in his music. Thus, when openly gay Elton John surprised the crowd by joining Eminem on stage during his performance of “Stan,” it was meant to symbolize support and unity.
The audience erupted in applause as John was revealed at a keyboard, singing the part originally performed by Dido in the studio recording.
John later shared on “The Graham Norton Show” that he believed accusations of Eminem being homophobic were unfounded and expressed his support for Eminem in that moment.
J. Lo breaks the internet with her iconic dress (2000)
If not for the eye-catching green Versace dress worn by Jennifer Lopez, the advent of Google Images as we know it today might not have occurred.
The stunning gown Lopez wore to the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards sparked such a frenzy that it prompted Google engineers to realize the need for real images in search results rather than just text links.
Jennifer Lopez later donned a modernized version of the dress—now the subject of its own Wikipedia page—during the Versace Spring 2020 Fashion Show in Milan.
Bob Dylan’s unexpected encounter with Soy Bomb (1998)
Bob Dylan managed to maintain his composure during his performance of “Love Sick” despite the sudden appearance of an exuberant, shirtless man with “SOY BOMB” tattooed on his chest.
Dylan, puzzled, called out to his guitarist, “Who the hell is this guy?” but continued playing as security escorted the intruder away.
This man, New York performance artist Michael Portnoy, had been hired by the Recording Academy as an extra during the performance but aimed to make a statement on live television, according to his comments to The Hollywood Reporter.
He chose “soy bomb” as a phrase because soy symbolizes dense nutritional value, and he wanted his art to convey “dense, transformative, explosive life.”
Billy Joel reacts to Sinatra’s interruption (1994)
It’s well-known not to
