Céline Dion; Silk Sonic.Photo:Ke.Mazur/WireImage; Cliff lipson/CBS/Getty
Ke.Mazur/WireImage; Cliff lipson/CBS/Getty
TheGrammy Awardsaren’t just a flashy spectacle of music’s biggest stars, but an annual toast of the year’s most pioneering hits.
01of 65
Mondadori Portfolio via Getty
At the first Grammys, Italian singer Domenico Modugno won record of the year and song of the year for his international hit, “Nel Blu, Dipinto Di Blu (Volare).”
02of 65
Getty
03of 65
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
04of 65
05of 65
John Shearer/Getty
Three decades after winning the Grammy Awards for record of the year (and best solo vocal performance, male) in 1963,Tony Bennett’s signature song also became an inductee of the Grammy Hall of Fame.
06of 65
Harry Langdon/Getty
From the 1962 drama of the same name, “Days of Wine and Roses” added three more Grammys to Henry Mancini’s collection: record of the year, song of the year and best background arrangement (behind vocalist or instrumentalist).
07of 65
GAB Archive/Redferns)
Climbing to No. 5 on theBillboardTop 100 and often featured as elevator music in films likeDeep Rising(1998) andMr & Mrs. Smith(2005), this mid-1960s tune earned record of the year at the 7th annual Grammy Awards — and went on to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.
08of 65
GAB Archive/Redferns
From their albumWhipped Cream & Other Delights,Herb Alpertand his band recorded what would become the most popular version of the instrumental track — originally written and recorded for the playA Taste of Honey— and earned the Grammys for record of the year, best instrumental arrangement and best instrumental performance, non-jazz.
09of 65
Courtesy Everett Collection
On the night he won album of the year forA Man and His Music, jazz legendFrank Sinatraachieved his first and only record of the year with his 1966 version of “Strangers in the Night,” which also earned best vocal performance, male.
10of 65
11of 65
CBS Photo Archive/Getty
Featured in the 1967 American classicThe Graduate,Simon&Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” secured best contemporary pop performance — duo or group before making history as the first rock song to win record of the year.
12of 65
13of 65
Columbia Records/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
On the same evening they took home album of the year forBridge Over Troubled Water, the folk duo’s title track also earned five Grammy Awards, including record of the year, song of the year, best contemporary song, best arrangement accompanying vocalists and best engineered recording — non-classical.
14of 65
Rick Diamond/Getty Images for GAACP
Carole King, a double inductee of theRock and Roll Hall of Fameand Songwriters Hall of Fame, achieved a career milestone at the 14th annual Grammy Awards. With a total of four Grammys, the renowned singer-songwriter garnered record of the year for “It’s Too Late,” song of the year for “You’ve Got a Friend” and album of the year (as well as best pop vocal performance, female) forTapestry.
15of 65
Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images
Roberta Flack broke ground as the first solo Black artist to win record of the year, with her No. 1 hit that also secured song of the year.
16of 65
Roberta Flack onstage in Newark, N.J., in 2017.Paul Zimmerman/WireImage
Thanks to her iconic track “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” the R&B singer made Grammy history once again — becoming the first-ever artist to claim record of the year in back-to-back years. That’sherstoryfor you!
17of 65
Olivia Newton-John’s global hit not only topped the charts in the U.S. and Canada but also became a two-time Grammy winner for record of the year and best pop vocal performance, female.
18of 65
Chris Walter/WireImage
For their RIAA Gold-certified cover of “Love Will Keep Us Together,” the husband-and-wife duo Captain & Tennille won their first and only Grammy for record of the year.
19of 65
Frans Schellekens/Redferns
George Benson’s popular rendition of Leon Russell’s “This Masquerade” gained him record of the year on the same evening he walked away with best pop instrumental performance for “Breezin'” and best R&B instrumental performance for “Theme fromGood King Bad.”
20of 65
RB/Redferns
The Eagles’s signature single “Hotel California” — a catalyst for their soaring career — earned record of the year two decades prior to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
21of 65
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Billy Joelnot only scored his first top 10 hit with “Just the Way You Are” but also garnered his first two Grammys for record of the year and song of the year.
22of 65
23of 65
Fred Hermansky/NBCU Photo Bank
During the 23rd annual Grammy Awards,Christopher Crosspulled off a clean sweep in all major categories — record of the year, song of the year, album of the year and best new artist — along with grabbing the award for best arrangement accompanying vocalist(s).
24of 65
Residing at No. 1 on theBillboardTop 100 for five weeks, Kim Carnes' “Bette Davis Eyes” later raked in the Grammys for record of the year and song of the year.
25of 65
Michel Linssen/Redferns
Despite never securing a Grammy nomination for their No. 1 hit “Africa,” the rock band Toto bagged record of the year for their song “Rosanna,” featured on their album of the year-winning LP,Toto IV.
26of 65
Michael Jackson.Michael Ochs Archive/Getty
At the 26th annual Grammy Awards, Michael Jackson set the record for the most Grammy wins in a single night, grabbing eight golden gramophones: record of the year and best rock vocal performance, male for “Beat It;” album of the year and best vocal performance, male forThriller; best recording for children forE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; and best rhythm & blues song and best R&B vocal performance, male for “Billie Jean” and producer of the year (non-classical).
27of 65
Her first and only No. 1 single as a solo artist,Tina Turner’s seminal hit swept record of the year, song of the year and best pop vocal performance, female.
28of 65
Columbia/CBS Records
29of 65
Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty
30of 65
Erik Pendzich/REX/Shutterstock
The same year he won album of the year forGraceland, Paul Simon landed record of the year for his title track.
31of 65
Leon Morris/Redferns
32of 65
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
Seventeen years after her best new artist win,Bette Midlertook home another Grammy for record of the year, courtesy of her platinum-selling version of the song from theBeachessoundtrack.
33of 65
Dave J Hogan/Getty
The first single from his No. 1 album…But Seriously, “Another Day in Paradise” garneredPhil Collinsthe coveted award.
34of 65
Michael Putland/Getty
Revamped as a duet with her late father,Nat King Cole, “Unforgettable” earnedNatalie Colerecord of the year and best traditional pop performance, alongside her album of the year win forUnforgettable… With Love.
35of 65
STR/AFP/Getty
During the 35th annual Grammy Awards,Eric Claptontook home six gramophones: record of the year, song of the year and best pop vocal performance, male for “Tears in Heaven;” album of the year and best rock vocal performance, male forUnpluggedand best rock song for “Layla.”
36of 65
Frederic REGLAIN/Gamma-Rapho/Getty
37of 65
Don Arnold/WireImage
Winning best new artist the same year, singer-songwriterSheryl Crowalso scooped record of the year and best female pop vocal performance for her most commercially successful single, “All I Wanna Do.”
38of 65
Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock
“Kiss from a Rose” helped British singerSealsecure his first-ever Grammys, winning him record of the year, song of the year and best male pop vocal performance.
39of 65
Juanito Aguil/WireImage
Eric Clapton’s cover of “Change the World” for thePhenomenonsoundtrack won in all of its nominated categories: record of the year, song of the year and best male pop vocal performance.
40of 65
Waring Abbott/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Shawn Colvin’s first (and only) U.S. top-10 hit helped her net two Grammys: record of the year and song of the year.
41of 65
For James Cameron’s 1997 disaster classicTitanic, Céline Dion dropped a dramatic ballad that would becomeone of the most successful singles of all time. So it only makes sense that it would win four Grammys — record of the year, song of the year, best pop female vocal performance and best song written specifically for a motion picture or television — along with aGolden Globeand an Oscar for Best Original Song.
42of 65
In 2000,Santanaequaled Michael Jackson’s record for the most Grammy wins in a single night — both securing eight gramophones for categories like record of the year, album of the year and more.
43of 65
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
44of 65
Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, Bono and Adam Clayton of U2.Kevin Mazur/Getty
Kevin Mazur/Getty
45of 65
Scott Gries/Getty Images
During the 45th Grammy Awards,Norah Jonesand her debut albumCome Away with Meswept the competition, clinching record of the year, album of the year, best new artist, best pop vocal album and best pop vocal performance.
46of 65
Kevin Mazur/AMA2015/WireImage
Thanks to what is now considered one of their signature songs, British rock bandColdplayearned their fourth Grammy award for record of the year.
47of 65
Before he died on Aug. 31, 2004,Ray Charlesre-recorded his 1967 single “Here We Go Again” with Norah Jones. This rendition, featured on his final albumGenius Loves Company, not onlywon record of the year and best pop collaboration with vocalsbut also contributed to the LP’s victories in album of the year and best pop vocal album.
48of 65
Lex van Rossen/MAI/Redferns
In the year following their best rock album win forAmerican Idiot,Green Daytook record of the year foranother track off of that same project.
49of 65
Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Robison.Harry Langdon/Getty
50of 65
Dan Kitwood/Getty
51of 65
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Led Zeppelin’s frontmanRobert Plantjoined forces with folk artist and fiddlerAlison Krauss— now one of the most Grammy-awarded artists of all time — to craft the record of the year-winning duet “Please Read the Letter” from their album of the year-winning LP,Raising Sand.
52of 65
53of 65
John Shearer
54of 65
Gareth Cattermole/Getty
55of 65
Don Arnold/WireImage)
56of 65
Michael Kovac/WireImage
Also winning best pop duo/group performance,Daft Punk,Pharrell WilliamsandNile Rodgersbrought home record of the year fortheir now-classic hitthat spent five consecutive weeks at No. 2 onBillboardHot 100.
57of 65
After making their mark with their debut album,In the Lonely Hour,Sam Smith’s “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)” garnered themrecord of the year, song of the year and best pop solo performance, while also addingbest new artistandbest pop vocal albumto their collection of Grammys.
58of 65
JAYNE RUSSELL/AFP/Getty Images
Winning his second record of the year, producerMark Ronsoncelebrated alongsideBruno Mars— who earned his first here — for thedisco-pop sensation “Uptown Funk.“The song also earned them another gramophone forbest pop duo/group performance.
59of 65
Kevin Winter/Getty
60of 65
Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Magic was really in the air when Bruno Mars won six awards at the 2018 Grammys — includingrecord of the yearfor “24K Magic;“album of the yearand best R&B album for24K Magicandsong of the year, best R&B song and best R&B performance for “That’s What I Like.”
61of 65
Rich Fury/Getty
Childish Gambino, a.k.a.Donald Glover, swept all four of his nominated categories:record of the year,song of the year,best rap/sung performanceand best music video — forhis politically charged trackaddressing America’s history of gun violence and systemic racism.
62of 65
Billie Eilish.Kevin Winter/Getty Images
At the 2020 Grammys, then-18-year-oldBillie Eilishhad her pinch-me momentas the youngest musician to win all four major categories in one night: song of the year, best new artist, album of the year and record of the year. She also took home a win for best pop vocal album for WhenWe All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.
63of 65
Billie Eilish.Kevin Winter/Getty
With her single"Everything I Wanted,“the alt-pop singer joined the select few artists toget record of the yearin two consecutive years — placing herself alongside Roberta Flack and U2.
64of 65
Winning multiple awards that evening — for song of the year, best R&B performance and best R&B song — Bruno Mars andAnderson .Paak’s super duoSilk Sonicalsobagged the coveted prizefor their chart-topper"Leave the Door Open.”
“We are really trying our hardest to remain humble at this point,” joked Paak. “But in the industry, we call that a clean sweep!”
65of 65
Earning record of the year for her feel-good anthem"About Damn Time,“Lizzomentionedthe late Princeand Beyoncé in her acceptance speech, as well as the importance of positivity in music — whichearned her a standing ovationfrom the crowd.
source: people.com
