Get Lucky: The Re-Branding of the Grammys

2014 Album of the Year winners Daft Punk
(with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers)

Last night, CBS aired the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. Once the ratings are in, it will be interesting to see if the renowned awards show will pull in respectable, or even record, numbers. Back in the mid 1980s, circa Thriller-Madonna-Springsteen, Grammy night was THE night for musicians and the fans. But as loyal viewers aged and younger audiences flocked to the more hip American Music Awards or MTV Video Awards, Grammy ratings slipped. In fact, the Grammys of 2007 and 2008 were among the lowest rated ever. But then two years ago, the awards show had its second highest ratings ever. So, what happened?

Well, certainly one factor that parallels the show's popularity is the music scene itself. When there is a powerhouse singer on the charts, such as a Whitney or Adele, people tune in. Lagging music sales in any year mean losing interest in the show itself. But the factor I believe is most helping ratings is what CBS bills as the Grammy Moment -- the network's clever move of putting artists together from different genres and generations to create a musical morsel one cannot see anywhere else. With the easy access to music videos and concert performances online, it is no longer such a special event to watch an artist perform a popular hit. But pitting artists together can bring magic (or sometimes, scandal, as in Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke from last summer's MTV's VMAs).



10 years ago: Prince and Beyonce
perform "Purple Rain" at 2004 Grammys
courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

Perhaps this newfound interest in unlikely duets can be traced back to Frank Sinatra's wildly popular Duets CD, released in 1993. Elton John, Ray Charles among others adopted the formula. Couple that with the rising popularity of mash-ups and CBS has re-branded and revitalized the Grammys such that the more exciting reason to tune is to ensure you are present to view that Grammy moment; that unique collaboration. In this age of social media-fueled instant gratification, CBS has marketed the program as one where something legendary is going to happen. And really, who wants to miss that.

A few comments from last night's telecast...

• So, I wrote the above before the telecast started and true to fashion CBS kicks off the show touting the Grammy Moments and highlights a few from past programs: Prince and Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, Usher and James Brown and several others.
• Is it me or do we hardly see Beyoncé and Jay-Z perform together live? The power couple open the show. Though someone is a little heavy handed on the fog machine.
• In case you want to forget "Blurred Lines," Robin Thicke just won't let you. He performs a snippet from his mega-hit backed by members of the group Chicago who I believe still sound good. It was hard to tell--Thicke sang over them as they performed their 70s era single "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
• Jamie Foxx is supposed to present an award but seems to first want some attention. How else to explain his rambling on about Beyonce looking hot (while the songs he is supposed to announce skip by him in the background)
• Rap and rock come together in the high-octane performance of Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons--for me, the best performance of the night so far.
• Paul McCartney performs a new song while Ringo Starr takes to the drums to help out his Beatle buddy. Plus, how cool to see Yoko Ono on her feet, dancing along.
• Another standing ovation (there seemed to be a lot during the night) as Daft Punk (who would later pick up Record of the Year) perform "Get Lucky" with Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers. The Grammy Moment comes when Stevie Wonder joins along and the set features a little of Chic's "LeFreak" (Rodgers' old group) and Wonder's "Another Star."
• Phil Everly and Phil Ramone garner the most applause during the In Memoriam segment. Though I'm still trying to figure out why comedian Jonathan Winters was included here.
• And finally, Grammy did create what was arguably THE Grammy moment on the telecast. As Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed the critically-acclaimed "Same Love," more than 30 couples, some of which were same-sex, exchanged rings as Queen Latifah presided over the "ceremony." And behind closed doors, out comes the performer who needs no introduction: Madonna, who adds a few chorus of "Open Your Heart." This, I imagine, is the water cooler segment that CBS hoped to create with the re-branded, not-your-grandfather's Grammys.

Now the Oscars? That's another story...








-- Tom Quash