Every year the most anticipated music award show makes everyone wonder which artists and songs impacted pop culture the most. The 68th annual Grammy Award show took place on Sunday, February 1, hosted by Trevor Noah. The Recording Academy determined the most noteworthy music in the industry in the past year. Viewers were treated to a memorable night of performances and record-breaking awards featuring artists like Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Olivia Dean just to name a few. One thing was for certain- politics and music were the running theme of the night from ICE protest buttons to speeches that took aim at the government and its immigration policies. 

This was said to be a big year if not in music, then in politics, as seen from several controversial speeches given by winners like Billie Eilish who advocated for the plight of immigrants in her speech. Politics aside, the night featured many new artists topping the charts like Olivia Dean, sombr, and Alex Warren. The award for “Best New Artist” went to Olivia Dean who gave a passionate speech thanking her ancestors who made it possible for her to succeed in the music industry. Many were happy for Dean as she made a name for herself this year. Some who didn’t know who Dean was until she performed and then won at the award show hoped Katseye would win this award. Lola Young, another new artist, pulled an upset by besting Sabrina Carpenter for “Best Pop Solo Performance”. 

One of the biggest awards of the night for “Album of the Year”, went to Bad Bunny for his album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS which also made headlines in this year’s Super Bowl LX halftime show. Even after the wave of opposition that Bad Bunny faced by some who objected to the halftime show being all in Spanish, he still went on to win three awards throughout the night, proving his haters wrong. 

Another big win was in the category for “Song Of The Year” which was awarded to Billie Ellish for “Wildflower.” After getting snubbed last year, Eilish came back strong. Record of the year was given to Kendrick Lamar featuring SZA for the song “Luther” which dominated the charts this year. Lamar broke the record previously held by Jay-Z for most Grammys won by a rapper as he now owns 27 Grammy awards compared to Jay-Z’s 25. 

Aside from all of the big wins, the other aspect of the show that captivates audiences is the drama that happens on the red carpet and during the show. This year all anyone could talk about on the red carpet were the pins that singers were wearing. These weren’t any regular pins worn for fashion; they were pins that protested the actions of ICE. Among the notable celebrities donning pins were Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Kehlani, and Billie Eilish. Bad Bunny went viral for saying “ICE OUT!” in his award winning speech. Billie Eilish received some backlash for her anti-ICE speech as she infamously said, “no one is illegal on stolen land”, much to the dismay of Native Americans who felt misrepresented by Eilish’s comments considering the fact that her mansion is on their land. Social media influencer Emily Austin was among those mocking Eilish’s speech saying, “I’m so edgy.” Some did not support Austin’s views and instead praised the singer for her bold speech. 

Another talking point after the Grammy’s were the outfits that debuted on the red carpet. Chappel Roan definitely had one of the most talked about outfits at the Grammy’s. Many had their opinions and were unsupportive of the artist for her outfit choice, but Roan clapped back and said to haters, “If Justin can perform in his underwear without anyone batting an eyelid, you can rock pierced pasties diva. Misogyny.” 

AOTY winner Bad Bunny turned heads with his outfit as there have been rumors going around that the artist was wearing a bullet proof vest under his suit in response to the backlash surrounding his Super Bowl half time show performance. The Tab quoted a viewer who said, “This made me so sad… the way Bad Bunny had to wear a bulletproof vest and sit by himself at the Grammys. AMERICAN CITIZEN BTW! Lord protect him at the Super Bowl.” 

One of the most understated and classy outfits was worn by Olivia Dean, who donned a Chanel dress that was black on the top and white on the bottom. Another bold choice was worn by Miley Cyrus who sported a suit that was leather on the top. She matched this outfit with a bold pair of sunglasses.

From viral speeches to epic wins and fashion attire, this year’s Grammy’s will definitely go down in the books as a memorable night where politics and music dominated headlines.