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Singer Lorde performed her hit song “Royals” at the Grammy Nominations Concert.
“The Grammy Nominations Concert Live — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night,” a one-hour CBS entertainment special broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre LA took place Dec. 6.
LL Cool J hosted the event for the sixth consecutive year since 2008. The broadcast also marked the sixth time that Grammy nominations have been announced live on TV.
The night featured performances by Lorde, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Earth, Wind & Fire, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Miguel, Keith Urban, T.I. and Robin Thicke.
This year’s Grammy nominations in select categories were also announced as part of the event.
Jay-Z collected the most nominations with nine, while Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams are each nominated for seven.
Some of the nominees announced were Album Of The Year, nominating Sara Bareilles’s “The Blessed Unrest,” Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s “The Heist” and Taylor Swift’s “Red.”
Many viewers were surprised that Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” did not receive a nod for Album of the Year.
Nominees for Record of the Year included “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams, “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons, “Royals” by Lorde, “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars and “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams.
Song of the Year, an award given to the songwriters and the performer, had five nominees.
Nomations included “Just Give Me A Reason,” written by Jeff Bhasker, Pink and Nate Ruess, “Locked Out Of Heaven,” written by Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine and Bruno Mars, “Roar,” written by Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry and Henry Walter, “Royals,” written by Joel Little and Ella Yelich O’Connor and “Same Love,” written by Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert and Ryan Lewis.
Nominees for Best New Artist were James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran.
Many fans were shocked that New Zealand-born Lorde did not receive a nomination for Best New Artist after she became almost an overnight sensation with her hit “Royals.”
Fans and critics alike were also surprised that big names like Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and One Direction did not receive any nominations, despite increasing popularity and wins from other music awards shows like the recent American Music Awards.
This year’s pool of General Field category nominees is notable in that it contains artists from multiple genres. The remaining 78 categories also include a diverse selection of performers and producers.
“This year’s nominations reflect the talented community of music makers who represent some of the highest levels of excellence and artistry of the year in their respective fields,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.
“Once again, The Academy’s awards process and its voting membership have produced an impressive list of nominations across various genres promising music fans a spectacular show filled with stellar performances and unique ‘Grammy Moments.’ We are off to a great start and look forward to Grammy Sunday as Music’s Biggest Night takes the stage.”
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held Jan. 26, 2014, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.