UR ENTERTAINED: #GRAMMYs 2014 Performances + Highlights
Written by Sabrina Renée
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards took place Sunday evening in front of a live audience and millions more watching on television, as the biggest and brightest in popular music showcased their talents, supported one another, and sat in anticipation as the years best projects were awarded the coveted trophy. The Grammys haven’t always met expectations, with some years being more yawn-worthy than others, but last evenings event was one to remember, as some of the best performances in recent years took place on the Staples Centers’ stage. Jay-Z and Beyoncé opened the show with their recent hit, “Drunk In Love,” as other collaborations also got the crowd up and out of their seats, including Robin Thicke 
and Chicago, Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons, Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney, Carole King and Sara Bareilles, and the performance of “Get Lucky,” the year’s smash hit and winner of the Record of the Year award, featuring Daft Punk, Pharrell, Nile Rodgers and Stevie Wonder. Pop-rapper Macklemore and his producer Ryan Lewis caused a stir, as the two earned four awards, including best new artist and best rap album, ousting top contenders Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves, Drake, James Blake and Eminem. The highlight of their glory evening was the performance of their equality anthem “Same Love,” while 33 gay, lesbian, heterosexual and mixed race couples were wed during their set by officiator 
Queen Latifah, and serenaded by the song’s featured vocalist, Mary Lambert, and special guest Madonna. LL Cool J hosted the event for the third time, and took a second to pay homage to his foundation, and one of the most influential labels in Hip Hop history, Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons’ brainchild, Def Jam. New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde took the stage to perform her anti-industry hit “Royals,” while taking home the awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Pop/country princess Taylor Swift went home empty handed, losing both the Country Song of the Year and Best Country Album awards to newcomer 
Kacey Musgraves.
Overall, Daft Punk got the most lucky, also taking home the night’s most vied after award, Album of the Year for “Random Access Memories.”
If you missed the telecast, or want to relive the moments, check out a few of the performances below:
Beyoncé & Jay Z, “Drunk In Love”
Katy Perry & Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive” and “M.A.A.D. City”
John Legend, “All Of Me”
Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell, & Stevie Wonder, “Get Lucky”
Ringo Starr & Paul McCartney
P!nk and Nate Reuss, “Just Give Me A Reason”
