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The Grammyshave certainly left us with little to complain about.
They pulled off the first major awards show since the Los Angeles wildfires with minimal tonal whiplash.
They booked great performances from rising stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX.
Who are these people and what have they done with the Recording Academy?!
WHOA: Sierra Ferrell knows how to make an entrance.
Lets get her onto the main show next time, yo!
LOW: Welcome back, Chris Brown.
HIGH: A pitch-perfect opening tribute.
The Academy correctly realized a resilient and celebratory moodpost-wildfireswould make for better TV than a mournful one.
The victorious opening performance of Randy Newmans I Love L.A. set that tone perfectly.
LOW: Trevor Noah gets too political.
Trevor Noah has to get his political jokes off somewhere.
But his one-liner about tariffs and immigration felt like end-times overload after his opening message about the L.A. wildfires.
Noah was at his best when working off the musicians in the room, screaming Mustaaard!
and telling Taylor Swift to watch out for the Swifties if she dethronesherselffor most Album of the Year wins.
HIGH: Sabrina Carpenter puts on a full show.
But Carpenter did it entirely her way, from purposefully tripping on her staircase to multiple winking costume changes.
The medley eve translated the viral campiness of herShort n Sweettour, with a mini-house onstage.
WHOA: Cardi B passes the torch to Doechii.
Doechiihad to correct herself when accepting Best Rap Album threewomen have now won that award.
I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape, Doechii said, through tears.
I bared my life.
I went through so much.
HIGH: Chappell Roan welcomes us to the Pink Pony Club.
Of course there was a massive pink pony.
That was just one part of the sensory overload ofChappell Roans Pink Pony Club performance, though.
Roan filled the stage with dancers and set pieces, down to a cheeky My Drink Is Karma billboard.
It all only added to the song, which Roan belted and rocked out to like a pro.
WHOA: Beyonces face says it all.
Wow, I really was not expecting this, Beyonce said as she accepted Best Country Album forCowboy Carter.
And everybody watching on TV could tell Beys expression after Taylor Swift read her name (!)
was pure, unadulterated shock.
Now, all she could keep saying was wow.
LOW: They didnt have to pack the new artists in like this.
But cramming six of the Best New Artist nominees into a medley was not the way.
Then, it peaked early, during Doechiis highly choreographed, energetic performance of Denial Is a River.
WHOA: Chappell Roan calls out the C-suite.
Some artists think its bad luck to prep an awards-show speech in advance.
Shegot to make that message tonight, wearing a fantastic party hat, when she won Best New Artist.
Labels, we got you, but do you got us?
she asked, to a room chock-full of the most powerful people in music.
HIGH: Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars change it up.
Few artists know how to meet amomentlike Lady Gaga.
Performing a song calledDie With a Smileat a show memorializing the L.A. fires wouldve felt a bit callous.
WHOA: The Weeknd is back, baby.
In reality, it probably also helped that Abel had a new album to promote.
WHOA: The uneven Quincy Jones tribute ends on a high.
So the Grammys tribute was bound to be a little choppy.
HIGH: Shakira brings it yet again.
Has Shakira ever turned in a bad TV performance?
TV show producers: If you have a chance to book Shakira, you do it.
WHOA: Kendrick Lamars victory lap continues.
To be fair, Drake didnt submit anything at this years awards.
But its hard to imagine the voters who screamed along to Not Like Us giving Drake anything.
Lamar didnt gloat when accepting ROTY, instead dedicating the award to a recovering L.A.
But Mustarddidduring the SOTY win: Somebody get the broom out!
HIGH: Charli XCX takes the Academy to the club.
Thats brat, all right.
WHOA: Beyonce finally did it.
It happened when we least expected it.
I just feel very full and very honored, Beyonce said.
Its been many, many years.
Too many, but the Academyfinally got it right.
