Recording Academy Moves 2022 Grammy Awards To April In Las Vegas

[UPDATE 1/19/22]: The 64th annual Grammy Awards will take place on April 3rd, 2022 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, the Recording Academy announced. Music’s governing body earlier this month postponed the Grammys from January 31st at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA amidst surging COVID-19 cases.

The 2022 Grammys will mark the first time the ceremony will be hosted in Las Vegas rather than LA. The Daily Show host Trevor Noah is still on tap to host, alongside composer and bandleader Jon Batiste—who is up for 11 nominations this year, including Album and Song of the Year.

Though the date and location of the 2022 Grammys are set, numerous other details are still undetermined. No performers have yet been announced, nor have specifics regarding the usual pre-Grammys run-up of ceremonies, shows, and galas. The Recording Academy’s charitable arm, MusiCares, was set to crown Joni Mitchell its Person of the Year the week of the Grammys.

Additionally, record industry magnate Clive Davis was also due to host his annual gala where Sony Music Group chairman Rob Singer would receive the 2022 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award. The Recording Academy said plans for those events “would be announced soon.”

[H/T The New York Times]

[1/5/22]: The Grammys will not take place as planned on January 31st, 2022, the Recording Academy announced on Wednesday. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country to due the Omicron variant, music’s governing body has elected to postpone the award ceremony. Originally set to take place at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as the Staples Center) in Los Angeles, CA, sources tell Billboard that the Grammys will now occur in spring, possibly April.

“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show,” reads a joint statement from the Recording Academy and CBS. “The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night® on a future date, which will be announced soon.”

This will mark the second year the Grammys have been postponed. The 2021 ceremony was pushed from January 31st, 2021 to March 14th, with the postponement announcement coming exactly one year ago today, January 5th, 2021. The show was also relocated from the Staples Center to the Los Angeles Convention Center to reduce crowding. Just like in 2021, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah host Trevor Noah is on tap to host this year’s awards.

As Billboard points out, the Recording Academy has a vested interest in hosting the awards at a larger venue as it recuperates sizable ticketing revenue. The ceremony is still scheduled to take place at Crypto.com Arena.

The Grammy-adjacent awards ceremonies including the MusiCares gala and Clive Davis and the Recording Academy’s pre-Grammys gala have also been postponed. The MusiCares event, originally slated for January 29th at the L.A. Convention Center, will honor Joni Mitchell as MusiCares’ 2022 person of the year. At the pre-Grammys gala, Sony Music Group chairman Rob Singer will receive the 2022 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award.

[H/T Billboard]