Update, Tuesday, January 18 at 3:45 p.m.: Viva Las Vegas! The 2022 Grammys live on — in the City of Lights for the first time ever — after being postponed because of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The Recording Academy announced the awards ceremony will now take place on April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show was originally set for January 31 at Crypto.com Arena (formerly and in our hearts known as the Staples Center). The postponement created a scheduling issue for the Recording Academy, per reports, with the arena’s NBA and NHL games nixing many future dates for the ceremony and prompting the move to Vegas. But the new date isn’t without its own scheduling issues: It was the original date of the CMT Awards, which were set to make their CBS debut. A separate joint statement from CBS, which also broadcasts the Grammys and the Academy Awards, notes that the CMTs will now be moved to later in April. “We are excited to take the Grammys to Las Vegas for the very first time and to put on a world-class show,†Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement. And we’re excited to see how much of what happens in Vegas that night actually stays in Vegas.
Original story follows.
The 2022 Grammy Awards have officially been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic for the second year in a row. The Recording Academy confirmed the news in a statement on January 5 but did not provide details of a new date or venue. “Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks,†it read. “We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night® on a future date, which will be announced soon.†The awards were set for January 31 at Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) and would have marked the Grammys’ return both to the venue and to a live audience. In 2021, the Grammys were postponed from January 31 to March 14 because of COVID-19 and eventually presented in a semi-outdoor, audience-free ceremony at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The 2022 Grammys have already weathered controversy. Ahead of nomination voting, music by Kacey Musgraves and Brandi Carlile was moved to the pop field after being submitted in country and American roots, respectively. On the day the nominations were announced, the Academy made a last-minute decision to expand the general-field categories (including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist) from eight to ten nominees. Multiple artists accused of sexual abuse received nominations, including Dr. Luke, Marilyn Manson, and Louis C.K. And days after the nominations were announced, Drake returned his two nominations without explanation.
Jon Batiste leads this year’s nominations with 11 nods, including Record of the Year for his song “We Are†and Album of the Year for Freedom. Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, and H.E.R. follow with eight nominations, while Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have each logged seven. Trevor Noah is still set to return to emcee this year’s awards after making his hosting debut in 2021.