Grammys 2022: Fast Facts Every Music Fan Needs to Know

The 64th annual Grammy Awards finally kicks off tonight, Sunday, April 3, giving the entire music industry its time to shine. After last year’s show was conducted without an audience, the 2022 Grammys will be in front of an audience at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show was planned for late January in Los Angeles, but it was postponed until April due to the COVID-19 Omicron variant spread. Since the Crypto.com Arena was booked for other events, the show was moved to Las Vegas.

The Recording Academy hands out the Grammys, which are considered on the same level as the Oscars. After all, they are the “G” in EGOT, alongside the Emmys, which honor television, and the Tonys, which honor Broadway. Like all of these awards shows, there is plenty of controversies this year and dozens of artists who hope to join a long list of past winners. With that in mind, buckle up for a Grammys History 101 lesson.

How to watch the 2022 Grammys

• What: 64th Annual Grammy Awards
  
• Date: Sunday, April 3, 2022
  
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  
• Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
  
• TV: CBS
  
• Online Stream: Paramount+ (click here for a free trial)

When was the first awards ceremony?

The first Grammy Awards took place on May 4, 1959. Like the Academy Awards, the first ceremony was a dinner. It was held at the Grand Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton, with a similar ceremony simultaneously held in New York City. The audience included such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Autry, Johnny Mercer, Andre Previn, and Henry Mancini. Ironically, the Chairman of the Board’s only Grammy win that night came as art director for his Only The Lonely album cover.

“The GRAMMY Awards were a formal event from the beginning and very much in keeping with the times,” Christine Farnon, who helped arrange the first Grammys and became the Recording Academy’s Executive Vice President, said. “As I recall, no one objected to dressing black-tie back then, though like so much else, that would change eventually.”

Who was the host?

The first Grammys host was comedian Mort Sahl, who is still with us at age 93. Sahl set a precedent for comedians to host the show, although it would not be until Jerry Lewis hosted in 1966 that another would do so. For a time, the Recording Academy hired singers to host, with Andy Williams, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, and Paul Simon all taking turns before Billy Crystal took over in 1987. Alicia Keys hosted the previous two ceremonies, but The Daily Show anchor Trevor Noah is hosting this year. This is Noah’s second consecutive hosting gig.

Who were the first winners?

While the Grammys have seen numerous changes to the awards over the years, the top three awards have been the same since day one. During the first Grammys, Henry Mancini’s The Music From Peter Gunn won Album of the Year. Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)” won both Song of the Year for songwriters Modungo and Franco Migliacci and Record of the Year. Song of the Year goes to the songwriters, while Record of the Year recognizes the recording. Beginning in 2013, the Recording of the Year award recipients now include the artist, producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, and mastering engineer.

Last year, the Big Three awards were spread out to three artists. Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted” won Record of the Year, while H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe” won Song of the Year. Taylor Swift’s Folklore won Album of the Year. Megan Thee Stallion also won Best New Artist.

Why is it called the Grammys?

While the name “Oscar” might be up for debate, the origin of the Grammy name is straightforward. The award was initially known as the Gramophone Awards, then nicknamed Grammys in honor of Emie Berliner, who invented the vertical-cut flat disc record and founded the U.S. Gramophone Company. The award is in the shape of a gilded gramophone, and each award is made by hand by Billings Artworks in Colorado.

Who has received the most Grammys to date?

The most awarded musician is the late conductor Georg Solti, the music director for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1969 to 1991. He won 31 competitive Grammy Awards out of 74 nominations. He also received the first Grammy Trustees Award in 1967 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. Beyonce’s wins in 2021 helped her become the second-most awarded artist with 28, tying her with Quincy Jones. Alison Krauss comes in fourth with 27 wins. 

Who has been the most nominated artist?

Jay-Z is the most-nominated artist in Grammys history with 83, including his three nominations as part of The Carters. Paul McCartney comes in second with 81, including 23 nominations as a member of The Beatles. Quincy Jones has 80 nominations, with Beyonce earning 79. Kanye West rounds out the top five with 75 nominations. 

Which artist has never won a Grammy?

Like every group that hands out awards, the Recording Academy has missed some big names. Dozens of legends never won a Grammy. This group includes Rock ‘n’ Roll architect Chuck Berry, country music superstar Kenny Chesney, rock groups Journey, Queen, and The Ramones, Jimi Hendrix, reggae icon Bob Marley, and Run DMC. Indian musician Zubin Mehta holds the record for the most nominations without a win with 18. Snoop Dogg comes in second with 17, while Brian McKnight has 16 nominations without success. Paul McCartney still holds the record for most nominations in a single night without winning. He earned nine nominations in 1966 but didn’t win a single award.

The big Weeknd controversy of 2021

Every year sees snubs, but the 2021 Grammys’ snubs were more shocking than most years’. The Weeknd’s After Hours was among the most acclaimed albums of 2020, and his single “Bright Lights” was one of the year’s biggest hits, but The Weeknd received zero nominations. In November, he called the Recording Academy “corrupt.” Earlier this month, he said he would no longer allow his record label to submit his music to the Recording Academy because of the secretive and anonymous expert committees that make the final decisions on nominations for several categories. The 2022 Grammys had a similar controversy, with Drake requesting his two nominations be removed.