All but nine of this year’s 94 Grammy trophies are given out in a nontelevised ceremony around the corner from the Crypto.com Arena, where the main broadcast show takes place.
The wins there can transform the lives and careers of artists, particularly those away from the spotlight of mainstream pop. But it can also offer clues to how the Recording Academy’s voters may be leaning, since many of the night’s big nominees compete in some of the early contests.
Kendrick Lamar got off to a big start, with “Not Like Us” — his merciless track that was the breakout hit in a back-and-forth diss war with Drake — taking best rap performance and best rap song, as well as best music video. “Not Like Us” is also up for record and song of the year, flagship Grammy categories where rap has had almost no success.
Beyoncé has not fared as well, at least so far. She is up for 11 awards, more than any other artist, for her high-concept, multigenre album “Cowboy Carter,” and took one early in the day when “II Most Wanted,” featuring Miley Cyrus, won best country duo/group performance. But she lost five, including three in the country field: country solo performance (“16 Carriages”), country song (“Texas Hold ’Em”) and Americana performance (“Ya Ya”). She also lost pop solo performance (“Bodyguard”) and melodic rap performance (“Spaghettii”).
Charli XCX, the English pop singer-songwriter and meme master, won the first three Grammys of her decade-plus career: “Von Dutch” took best dance pop recording, and her album “Brat” won both best dance/electronic album and recording package.
In other early prizes, Sabrina Carpenter won best pop solo performance for her hit “Espresso.” In the rock field, the Beatles took best rock performance for “Now and Then,” a reconstructed track from a demo left by John Lennon in the 1970s. The Rolling Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds” beat LPs by Pearl Jam, Jack White and the Black Crowes in best rock album. Yet it wasn’t all fogies, with St. Vincent taking three prizes: best rock song, alternative music performance and alternative music album.
Alicia Keys won best musical theater album for the cast album of “Hell’s Kitchen,” her Broadway show. Sierra Ferrell, dressed in an elaborate bridal costume, accepted four awards in the country and American roots field, taking American roots, Americana performance, American roots song and Americana album.
The French heavy metal band Gojira won best metal performance for “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!),” which drew wide attention when the band gave an elaborate staged performance of the song at last year’s Olympics in Paris.
Samara Joy, the jazz singer who won best new artist two years ago, took best jazz performance and jazz vocal album.
Amy Allen, a songwriter behind hits by Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Tate McRae, became the third recipient of songwriter of the year, nonclassical category. In her speech, Allen highlighted the importance and struggles of songwriters — many of whom have been outspoken about the low royalty rates they earn in the streaming age. “Without us, there would be no songs for anyone to win awards for,” she said. “We are the engine that feeds the entire music industry.”
