Award Shows

Grammys 2021: Pre Show Winners Announced


 The 2021 Grammy Awards are taking place this Sunday, March 14. The pre-show hosted Jhene Aiko, announced winners in the pre-show category are listed below. Performers for tonight’s awards ceremony include Bad BunnyBlack PumasCardi BBTSBrandi CarlileDaBabyDoja CatBillie EilishMickey GuytonHAIMBrittany HowardMiranda LambertLil BabyDua LipaChris MartinJohn MayerMegan Thee StallionMaren MorrisPost MaloneRoddy RicchHarry Styles, and Taylor Swift. Artists will be coming together, while still safely apart, to play music for each other as a community and celebrate the music that unites us all.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, CBS and the Recording Academy present the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, airing live on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on CBS Television Network and also available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

Here are the winners in the Pre-show categories below. (Winners are highlighted in black)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Dave Cobb
Flying Lotus
WINNER: Andrew Watt (Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Miley Cyrus)

Best Country Song

Miranda Lambert – Bluebird
Maren Morris – The Bones
WINNER: The Highwomen – Crowded Table
Ingrid Andress – More Hearts than Mine
Old Dominion – Some People Do

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Brothers Osborne – All Night
WINNER: Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber – 10,000 Hours
Lady A – Ocean
Little Big Town – Sugar Coat
Old Dominion – Some People Do

Best Country Solo Performance

Eric Church – Stick That in Your Country Song
Brandy Clark – Who You Thought I Was
WINNER: Vince Gill – When My Amy Prays
Mickey Guyton – Black Like Me
Miranda Lambert – Bluebird

Best Rock Album

Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Grace Potter – Daylight
Sturgill Simpson – Sound and Fury
WINNER: The Strokes – The New Abnormal

Best Rock Song

Phoebe Bridgers – Kyoto
Tame Impala – Lost in Yesterday
Big Thief – Not
Fiona Apple – Shameika
WINNER: Brittany Howard – Stay High

Best Metal Performance

WINNER: Body Count – Bum-Rush
Code Orange – Underneath
In the Moment – The In-Between
Poppy – Bloodmoney
Power Trip – Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe) – Live

Best Rock Performance

WINNER: Fiona Apple – Shameika
Big Thief – Not
Phoebe Bridgers – Kyoto
HAIM – The Steps
Brittany Howard – Stay High
Grace Potter – Daylight

Best Rap Album

D SMOKE – Black Habits
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo
Jay Electronica – A Written Testimony
WINNER: Nas – King’s Disease
Royce 5’9” – The Allegory

Best Rap Performance

Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle – Deep Reverence
DaBaby – Bop
Jack Harlow – What’s Poppin
Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture
WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé – Savage
Pop Smoke – Dior

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

(Burt Bacharach &) Daniel Tashian – Blue Umbrella
Harry Connick, Jr. – True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter
WINNER: James Taylor – American Standard
Rufus Wainwright – Unfollow the Rules
Renée Zellweger – Judy

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny & Tainy – Un Dia (One Day)
Justin Bieber Featuring Quavo – Intentions
BTS – Dynamite
WINNER: Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – Rain On Me
Taylor Swift Featuring Bon Iver – Exile

Best R&B Album

Ant Clemons – Happy 2 Be Here
Giveon – Take Time
Luke James – To Feel Love/d
WINNER: John Legend – Bigger Love
Gregory Porter – All Rise

Best Progressive R&B Album

Jhené Aiko – Chilombo
Chloe X Halle – Ungodly Hour
Free Nationals – Free Nationals
Robert Glasper – F*** Yo Feelings
WINNER: Thundercat – It Is What It Is

Best R&B Song

WINNER: Robert Glasper Featuring H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello – Better Than I Imagine
Beyoncé – Black Parade
Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG – Collide
Chloe x Halle – Do It
Skip Marley & H.E.R. – Slow Down

Best Traditional R&B Performance

The Baylor Project Featuring Jean Baylor & Marcus Baylor – Sit on Down
Chloe x Halle – Wonder What She Thinks of Me
Mykal Kilgore – Let Me Go
WINNER: Ledisi – Anything for You
Yebba – Distance

Best Latin Jazz Album

Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra – Tradiciones
WINNER: Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Four Questions
Chico Pinhero – City of Dreams
Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Aimée Nuviola – Viento y Tiempo – Live at Blue Note Tokyo
Poncho Sanchez – Trane’s Delight

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Gregg August – Dialogues on Race
John Beasley – Monk’estra Plays John Beasley
Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band – The Intangible Between
John Hollenbeck with Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry, Gary Versace, and the Frankfurt Radio Big Band – Songs You Like a Lot
WINNER: Maria Schneider Orchestra – Data Lords

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Ambrose Akinmusire – On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment
Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science – Waiting Game
Gerald Clayton – Happening: Live at the Village Vanguard
WINNER: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade – Trilogy 2
Redman Mehldau McBride Blade – Roundagain

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Thana Alexa – Ona
WINNER: Kurt Elling featuring Danilo Pérez – Secrets Are the Best Stories
Carmen Lundy – Modern Ancestors
Somi with Frankfurt Radio Big Band – Holy Room: Live at the Alte Oper
Kenny Washington – What’s the Hurry

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah – Guinivere
Pachamama – Regina Carter
Gerald Clayton – Celia
WINNER: Chick Corea – All Blues
Joshua Redman – Moe Honk

Best Alternative Music Album

WINNER: Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Beck – Hyperspace
Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
Brittany Howard – Jaime
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

Best Musical Theater Album

Amélie
American Utopia on Broadway
WINNER: Jagged Little Pill
Little Shop of Horrors
The Prince of Egypt
Soft Power

Best Comedy Album

WINNER: Tiffany Haddish – Black Mitzvah
Patton Oswalt – I Love Everything
Jim Gaffigan – The Pale Tourist
Bill Burr – Paper Tiger
Jerry Seinfeld – 23 Hours to Kill

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)

Flea – Acid For The Children: A Memoir
Ken Jennings – Alex Trebek – The Answer Is…
WINNER: Rachel Maddow – Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth
Ronan Farrow – Catch And Kill
Meryl Streep (& Full Cast) – Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)

Best Children’s Music Album

WINNER: Joanie Leeds – All the Ladies
Justin Roberts – Wild Life

Best Global Music Album

Antibalas – FU Chronicles
WINNER: Burna Boy – Twice As Tall
Bebel Gilberto – Agora
Anoushka Shankar – Love Letters
Tinariwen – Amadjar

Best Reggae Album

Buju Banton – Upside Down 2020
Skip Marley – Higher Place
Maxi Priest – It All Comes Back to Love
WINNER: Toots & the Maytals – Got to Be Tough
The Wailers – One World

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Black Lodge Singers – My Relatives “Nikso Kowaiks”
Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours – Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours
Nā Wai Ehā – Lovely Sunrise
WINNER: New Orleans Nightcrawlers – Atmosphere
Sweet Cecilia – A Tribute to Al Berard

Best Folk Album

Bonny Light Horseman – Bonny Light Horseman
Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance
Laura Marling – Song for Our Daughter
The Secret Sisters – Saturn Return
WINNER: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – All the Good Times

Best Contemporary Blues Album

WINNER: Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?
Ruthie Foster Big Band – Live At the Paramount
G. Love – The Juice
Bettye LaVette – Blackbirds
North Mississippi Allstars – Up And Rolling

Best Traditional Blues Album

Frank Bey – All My Dues Are Paid
Don Bryant – You Make Me Feel
Robert Cray Band – That’s What I Heard
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cypress Grove
WINNER: Bobby Rush – Rawer Than Raw

Best Bluegrass Album

Danny Barnes – Man on Fire
Thomm Jutz – To Live in Two Worlds Vol. 1
Steep Canyon Rangers – North Carolina Songbook
WINNER: Billy Strings – Home
Various Artists – The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project , Vol. 1

Best Americana Album

Courtney Marie Andrews – Old Flowers
Hiss Golden Messenger – Terms of Surrender
WINNER: Sarah Jarosz – World on the Ground
Marcus King – El Dorado
Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels

Best American Roots Song

The Secret Sisters – Cabin
Sierra Hull – Ceiling to the Floor
Sarah Jarosz – Hometown
WINNER: John Prine – I Remember Everything
Lucinda Williams – Man Without a Soul

Best American Roots Performance

Black Pumas – Colors
Bonny Light Horseman – Deep in Love
Brittany Howard – Short and Sweet
Norah Jones & Mavis Staples – I’ll Be Gone
WINNER: John Prine – I Remember Everything

Best Song Written for Visual Media

Taylor Swift – Beautiful Ghosts
Brandi Carlile – Carried Me With You
Idina Menzel & Aurora – Into the Unknown
WINNER: Billie Eilish – No Time to Die
Cynthia Ervio – Stand Up

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Max Richter – Ad Astra
Kamasi Washington – Becoming
WINNER: Hildur Guðnadóttir – Joker
Thomas Newman – 1917
John Williams – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Bill & Ted Face the Music
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Frozen 2
WINNER: Jojo Rabbit

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Thomas Adès – Adès: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Richard Danielpour – Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshua
Carlisle Floyd – Floyd, C.: Prince of Players
Ted Hearne – Hearne, T.: Place
WINNER: Christopher Rouse – Rouse: Symphony No. 5

Best Classical Compendium

Mark Stone & Christianne Stotijn – Adès Conducts Adès
Clément Mao-Takacs – Saariaho: Graal Théâtre; Circle Map; Nieges; Vers Toi Qui Es Si Loin
José Serebrier – Serebrier: Symphonic Bach Variations; Laments and Hallelujahs; Flute Concerto
WINNER: Isabel Leonard – Thomas, M.T.: From the Diary of Anne Frank & Meditations on Rilke
Matt Haimovitz – Woolf, L.P.: Fire and Flood

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

Stephen Powell – American Composers at Play – William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, John Musto
Nicholas Phan – Clairières – Songs by Lili & Nadia Boulanger
Cecilia Bartoli – Farinelli
Brian Giebler – A Lad’s Love
WINNER: Sarah Brailey & Dashon Burton – Smyth: The Prison

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

Kirill Gerstein – Adès: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
Igor Levit – Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas
Augustin Hadelich – Bohemian Tales
Daniil Trifonov – Destination Rachmaninov – Arrival
WINNER: Richard O’Neill – Theofanidis: Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

WINNER: Pacifica Quartet – Contemporary Voices
Brooklyn Rider – Healing Modes
Ted hearne, Steven Bradshaw, Sophia Byrd, Josephine Lee, Isaiah Robinson, Sol Ruiz, Ayanna Woods & Place Orchestra: Hearne, T: Place
Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion – Hynes: Fields
Dover Quartet – The Schumann Quartets

Best Choral Performance

The Crossing – Carthage
WINNER: James K. Bass, J’Nai Bridges, Timothy Fallon, Kenneth Overton, Hila Plitmann & Matthew Worth; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus & UCLA Chamber Singers – Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshua
Joseph Charles Beutel & Anna Dennis; Orchestra Of St. Luke’s; Cathedral Choral Society, The Clarion Choir, Kansas City Chorale & The Saint Tikhon Choir – Kastalsky: Requiem
Joshua Blue, Raehann Bryce-Davis, Dashon Burton, Malcolm J. Merriweather & Laquita Mitchell; Oratorio Society Of New York Orchestra; Oratorio Society Of New York Chorus – Moravec: Sanctuary Road
Sarah Walker; Skylark Vocal Ensemble – Once Upon a Time

Best Opera Recording

Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Odyssey Opera Chorus – Dello Joio: The Trial at Rouen
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Florentine Opera Chorus – Floyd, C.: Prince of Players
WINNER: The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus – Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Il Pomo D’Oro – Handel: Agrippina
Orchestra Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin; Chorus Of The Deutsche Oper Berlin – Zemlinsky: Der Zwerg

Best Orchestral Performance

Oregon Symphony – Aspects of America – Pulitzer Edition
Iceland Symphony Orchestra – Concurrence
San Francisco Symphony – Copland: Symphony No. 3
WINNER: Los Angeles Philharmonic – Ives: Complete Symphonies
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra – Lutosławski: Symphonys Nos. 2 & 3

Best Tropical Latin Album

José Alberto “El Ruiseñor” – Mi Tumbao
Edwin Bonilla – Infinito
Jorge Celedon & Sergio Luis – Sigo Cantado al Amor (Deluxe)
WINNER: Grupo Niche – 40
Victor Manuelle – Memorias de Navidad

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

Alejandro Fernández – Hecho en México
Lupita Infante – La Serenata
WINNER: Natalia Lafourcade – Un Canto por México, Vol. 1
Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez – Bailando Sones Huapangos con Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez
Christian Nodal – Ayayay!

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

Bajofondo – Aura
Cami – Monstruo
Culturo Profética – Sobrevolando
WINNER: Rito Paez – La Conquesta del Espacio
Lido Pimienta – Miss Colombia

Producer of the Year, Classical

Blanton Asplaugh
WINNER: David Frost
Jesse Lewis
Dmitriy Lipay
Elaine Martone

Best Engineered Album, Classical

JoAnn Falletta, James K. Bass, Adam Luebke, UCLA Chamber Singers, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus – Danielpour: The Passion of Yeshua
David Robertson, Eric Owens, Angel Blue, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus – Gershwin: Porgy and Bess
Devonté Hynes & Third Coast Percussion – Hynes: Field
Gustavo Dudamel & Los Angeles Philharmonic – Ives: Complete Symphonies
WINNER: Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar”

Best Remixed Recording

Phil Good – Do You Ever (Rac Mix)
Deadmau5 – Imaginary Friends (Morgan Page Remix)
Jasper Street Co. – Praying for You (Louie Vega Main Mix)
WINNER: Saint Jhn – Roses (Imanbek Remix)
Bazzi – Young & Alive (Bazzi vs. Haywyre Remix)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Devon Gifillian – Black Hole Rainbow
Katie Pruitt – Expectations
WINNER: Beck – Hyperspace
Brittany Howard – Jaime
Sierra Hull – 25 Trips

Best Historical Album

Unique Quartette – Celebrated, 1985-1896
Nat King Cole – Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early years (1936-1943)
WINNER: Mister Rogers – It’s Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mister Rogers
Prince – 1999 Super Deluxe Edition
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark – Souvenir
Bela Fleck – Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions

Best Album Notes

Various Artists – At the Minstrel Show: Minstrel Routines from the Studio 1894-1926
Various Artists – The Bakersfield Sound: Country Music Capital of the West, 1940-1974
WINNER: The Replacements – Dead Man’s Pop
Various Artists – The Missing Link: How Gus Haenschen Got Us from Joplin to Jazz and Shaped the Music Business
Nat Shusloff – Out of a Clear Blue Sky

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

Paul McCartney – Flaming Pie (Collector’s Edition)
Grateful Dead – Giants Stadium 1987, 1989, 1991
Depeche Mode – Mode
WINNER: Wilco – Ode to Joy
Various Artists – The Story of Ghostly International

Best Recording Package

Coldplay – Everyday Life
Lil Wayne – Funeral
Grouplove – Healer
Caspian – On Circles
WINNER: Desert Sessions – Vols. 11 & 12

Best Roots Gospel Album

Mark Bishop – Beautiful Day
The Crabb Family – 20/20
The Erwins – What Christmas Really Means
WINNER: Fisk Jubilee Singers – Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album)
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – Something Beautiful

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Cody Carnes – Run to the Father
Hillsong Young & Free – All of My Best Friends
We The Kingdom – Holy Water
Tauren Wells – Citizen of Heaven
WINNER: Kanye West – Jesus Is King

Best Gospel Album

Antony Brown & group therAPy – 2ECOND WIND: READY
Myron Butler – My Tribute
Ricky Dillard – Choirmaster
WINNER: PJ Morton – Gospel According to PJ
Kierra Sheard – Kierra

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes & Elevation Worship – The Blessing (Live)
Lecrae Featuring Kirk Franklin – Sunday Morning
We The Kingdom – Holy Water
Tauren Wells Featuring Jenn Johnson – Famous For (I Believe)
WINNER: Zach Williams & Dolly Parton – There Was Jesus

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Melvin Crispell III – Wonderful Is Your Name
Ricky Dillard Featuring Tiff Joy – Release (Live)
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins Presents: The Good News – Come Together
Travis Greene – Won’t Let Go
WINNER: Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music – Movin’ On

Best New Age Album

Laurie Anderson, Tenzin Choegyal, and Jesse Paris Smith – Songs from the Bardo
Priya Darshini – Periphery
Superposition – Form//Less
WINNER: Jim “Kimo” West – More Guitar Stories 
Cory Wong & Jon Batiste – Meditations

Best Music Film

Beastie Boys – Beastie Boys Story
Beyoncé – Black Is King
Freestyle Love Supreme – We Are Freestyle Love Supreme
WINNER: Linda Ronstadt – Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
ZZ Top – That Little Ol’ Band From Texas

Best Music Video

WINNER: Beyoncé – Brown Skin Girl
Future Featuring Drake – Life Is Good
Anderson .Paak – Lockdown
Harry Styles – Adore You
Woodkid – Goliath

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

John Beasley & Maria Mendes – Asas Fechadas
WINNER: Jacob Collier – He Won’t Hold You
Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnkaye Kencridk & Amanda Taylor – Desert Song
Alan Broadbent & Pat Metheny – From This Place
Talia Billig, Nic Hard & Becca Stevens – Slow Burn

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Hildur Guðnadóttir – Bathroom Dance
WINNER: John Beasley – Donna Lee
Remyle Boef- Honeymooners
Alvin Chea & Jarrett Johnson – Lift Every Voice and Sing
Jeremy Levy – Uranus: The Magician

Best Instrumental Composition

Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra – Baby Jack
Christian Sands – Be Water II
Alexandre Desplat – Plumfield
WINNER: Maria Schneider – Sputnik

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah – Axiom
Jon Batiste – Chronology of a Dream: Live at the Village Vanguard
Black Violin – Take the Stairs
Grégoire Maret, Romain Collin & Bill Frisell – Americana
WINNER: Snarky Puppy – Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Best Dance/Electronic Album

Arca – Kick I
Baauer – Planet’s Mad
Disclosure – Energy
WINNER: Kaytranada – Bubba
Madeon – Good Faith

Best Dance Recording

Diplo & SIDEPIECE – On My Mind
Disclosure Featuring Aminé & Slowthai – My High
Flume Featuring Toro y Moi – The Difference
Jayda G – Both of Us
WINNER: Kaytranada Featuring Kali Uchis – 10%

Phyllis Thomas

Phyllis Thomas – Owner/Managing Editor Phyllis Thomas is the owner/managing editor of TVMusic Network. She writes all things TV, Music and Movies for TVMusic Network. She also serves as co-host of the TVMusic Network Podcast with Phyllis and Belinda which is available wherever you get your podcasts. Favorite TV Shows: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The West Wing, and so many more. Follow Phyllis @Phyllis_Thomas on Twitter and by email at phyllis@tvandmusicnetwork.com

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