NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY
15: Sam Smith performs at Madison Square Garden on January 15, 2015 in
New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Smith took home awards in the marquee categories of best new artist, song of the year and record of the year, as well as pop vocal album. He was the only artist to win four awards at the annual ceremony, telecast Sunday on CBS.
“In the Lonely Hour,” Smith’s soulful debut album, vaulted the 22-year-old from performing in clubs to huge arenas. The album, about a troubled affair with another man, was one one of last year’s top sellers, according to Billboard, and produced the hit single “Stay With Me.”
Beyonce Knowles and Pharrell Williams each received three awards at the event, hosted by LL Cool J. Beck won for album of the year and best rock album for ‘‘Morning Phase.’’
Song of the year is a songwriting award, while
record of the year honors the performer and producers. Smith said success came when he stopped trying so hard to get his music heard.
‘‘I tried to lose weight, was making awful music,’’ Smith said. ‘‘It was only when I started to be myself that the music started to flow and the people started to listen.’’
Controversy over ‘‘Stay With Me,’’ which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, threatened to derail Smith’s Grammy breakthrough. Smith belatedly gave a writing credit to Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, whose 1989 single ‘‘I Won’t Back Down” has a similar chorus.
Songwriting Credit
Petty has since said he harbors no ill will towards Smith. In a post on his website, Petty said litigation “was never my intention.”The annual Grammy Awards serve as a showcase for the music industry, bringing together its biggest names along with lesser-known artists and older acts sprinkled in. A Grammy nomination, performance or win exposes the artist to millions of viewers, boosting album sales, streaming on Spotify and YouTube, and demand for concert tickets.
“It helps our scene,” Tiesto, one of the world’s most recognizable DJs, said backstage of his Grammy win for best remixed recording. Electronic dance music is still trying to increase its presence on mainstream radio, he said.
Wild Pairings
The performances offered a diverse picture of the music industry, beginning with AC/DC, an Australian hard rock band who came to fame more than three decades ago, and concluding with Knowles, Common and John Legend, a troika of American musicians still at their apex. Common and Legend ended the show with a rendition of “Glory,” the Oscar-nominated song from the Martin Luther King Jr. biopic “Selma.”The Recording Academy continued its tradition of pairing artists from different generations on the stage at the same time. Rihanna and Kanye West teamed with Paul McCartney to perform “FourFiveSeconds,” the first song from Rihanna’s forthcoming album. West also performed a song he co-wrote with McCartney, “Only One,” a tribute to his daughter delivered from the perspective of his dead mother.
Other duets included Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani, and Irish musician Hozier with Annie Lennox. Bennett and Lady Gaga shared a Grammy for their album, ``Cheek to Cheek.''
President Barack Obama appeared on-screen with a public service announcement for “It’s On Us,” a campaign against domestic violence. He urged musicians and their fans to help create a culture where violence isn’t tolerated.
Brooke Axtell, an activist and survivor of domestic violence, echoed the president’s message from the stage.
“Please reach out for help,” Axtell said. “Let it set you free to know who you truly are.”
Miley’s Moment
The show also had its mischievous moments. Kanye West pretended to rush the stage when Beck won album of the year, to the surprise of many in the crowd. West was widely denounced for interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 Video Music Awards.Miley Cyrus, introducing pop singer Madonna, told the audience: “Let’s all show some love and give it up for our bitch Madonna. She made me call her that.”
Capitol Records, home to both Beck and Smith, swept the top four awards, capping off a good night for owner Universal Music Group. Universal, owned by Vivendi SA, is the world’s largest record label while Sony, the second largest, earned wins with Williams and Knowles.
Knowles took home awards for best R&B song and R&B performance for “Drunk in Love,” and best surround-sound for her self-titled album.
‘Beyonce’ Album
“Beyonce,” released in December 2013, is the singer’s fifth solo studio album. Each has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s charts. The latest was released on iTunes without any prior marketing or press. The work, which included short films to accompany each song, was the fastest-selling album in the history of the iTunes store.Williams won for best pop solo performance and best music video for the hit track “Happy.” For the show, he performed a new arrangement of the song with composer Hans Zimmer. Williams also won the award for best urban contemporary album for “Girl.”
Only the highest-profile of the awards given out annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences are presented during the telecast. Rosanne Cash received three awards in the American roots categories, which were among the 74 awards given before the televised show.
Joan Rivers received a posthumous award for the best spoken-word album, accepted by her daughter Melissa.
The soundtrack for “Frozen,” Walt Disney Co.’s hit movie, was honored for best compilation score and best song, “Let It Go,” for visual media. From the stage Robert Lopez, one of the song’s writers, thanked fans on YouTube who made their own videos with the song.
“We had no clue even when the movie started getting good that it would have this phenomenal success that would still be going a year and a half later,” Lopez told reporters backstage.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: - “Morning Phase,” Beck RECORD OF THE YEAR: - “Stay With Me,” Sam Smith SONG OF THE YEAR: - “Stay With Me,” James Napier, William Phillips and Sam Smith BEST NEW ARTIST: - Sam Smith
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