2022 Grammy Awards Postponed Amid COVID-19 Concerns

The 2022 Grammy Awards have officially been postponed due to coronavirus-related concerns, a spokesperson for the Recording Academy told Variety on Thursday. No new date was announced. The show was scheduled to take place on Jan. 31 before a full audience in Los Angeles at the former Staples Center, now called Crypto.com Arena.

As the recent COVID-19 surge has forced the postponement or cancellation of several events across the country, sources told Variety that artists and music executives began expressing concerns about attending the Grammys and other events leading up to the show. On Monday, sources also told Billboard that it was "looking likely" that the show would be postponed. It could be difficult to find a new date immediately, since the Crypto.com Arena is booked through mid-April with games and concerts. The Grammys usually need a 10-day lockout of the arena and an opening like that is not available until June, notes Variety.

This year's Grammy Week events were scheduled to start on Jan. 29 with the MusiCares Person of the Year concert at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Clive Davis and the Academy's Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was scheduled for Jan. 30. Joni Mitchell is being honored at the MusiCares concert while Sony Music chief Rob Stringer is the honoree at the Pre-Grammy Gala. The Daily Show star Trevor Noah is set to host.

The Academy and CBS are still hoping to have a full Grammys concert with an audience. The show generates millions of dollars in revenue for both the network and Academy. Last year's scaled down event, which included a mix of pre-recorded and live performances at the Los Angeles Convention Center, was nowhere near as profitable as previous years. The 2021 show was also scheduled for Jan. 31, 2021 before it was postponed to March 14.

The most-nominated artist at the 64th annual Grammy Awards is Jean Batiste with 11 nominations. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. received eight nominations each. Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo picked up seven nominations each. This year, the Recording Academy changed up the rules so there would be 10 nominations in each of the big Four categories – Album, Record, and Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. However, there was still some controversy surrounding the nominations, as Drake withdrew both of his nominations, leaving the best Rap Album category with only four nominees.

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