The 10 Most Memorable Grammy Performances of All Time
From "Glitter in the Air" to "I Will Always Love You," these 10 performances are unforgettable.
As musicians gear up for the 2024 Grammy Awards this Sunday, L'OFFICIEL looks at the 10 most iconic Grammys performances of all time. Spanning multiple decades and genres, these artists left their all on the stage and made their mark in music history.
Houston was a powerhouse, and this 1994 performance proves why we still refer to her as "The Voice" decades later. Standing by herself on a raised platform, Houston performed one of the most emotional renditions of her hit song "I Will Always Love You" from her film The Bodyguard. The ballad, known as one of the greatest love songs of all time, won Houston the most significant awards of the night, including Record of the Year, album of the year, and best female pop vocal performance. After Houston's untimely death, Jennifer Hudson honored the life and work of the soulful singer by covering the song 18 years later at the 2012 Grammys.
Almost as unexpected as Paul McCartney, Rihanna, and Ye's collaboration of FourFiveSeconds, Elton John and Eminem were the last pair people expected to see performing together at the 43rd Grammy Awards. John, a five-time Grammy winner, joined rap legend Eminem to perform his single "Stan" from The Marshall Mathers LP and the pair hugged at the end of their duet.
Few covers are as iconic as Christina Aguilera's tribute to the late Godfather of Soul James Brown at the 2007 Grammys. Aguilera belted "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" while wearing a three-piece suit. This performance is known as one of the most powerful tributes in music history and cemented Aguilera as one of the greatest singers of this generation.
Any early 2000s baby is sure to recognize the time Pink defied gravity while singing "Glitter in the Air." Donning a Bob Mackie costume, the Funhouse singer was suspended over the Grammy's audience showing off her skills from her days as a former gymnast. "Everyone's pretty much done everything else there is to do," she said about the performance that earned her a standing ovation. "I was like, 'Well, why can't I do it and sing?'"
Not only was Lady Gaga's 2011 performance iconic, but her entrance to the red carpet told a part of the story. Gaga arrived on the red carpet inside a Hussein Chalayan-designed egg. "She's incubating. She won't be born until her performance this evening," her choreographer Laurieann Gibson told performers. After finally "hatching" onto the stage, Gaga wore a rubber outfit from Mugler by Nicole Formichetti to perform her hit single "Born This Way," a true testament to Gaga's theatricality.
Considering it was his first performance in six years, Justin Timberlake had a lot to prove at the 2013 Grammys. He definitely delivered as he brought Jay-Z to the stage wearing the looks from his song "Suit & Tie" from The 20/20 Experience. Timberlake and Jay-Z were a crossover we didn't know we needed, but it's easy to see why the pair work so well together after watching.
Despite going home empty-handed, Swift was praised in 2014 for her bold choice to perform her ballad "All Too Well" from Red. Wearing a stunning Alberta Ferretti gown while playing the piano, Swift showed her vulnerability and delivered one of the most emotional performances of the night and certainly of her entire career.
During a time of political tension due to election season in the United States, Kendrick Lamar kicked off his performance of "The Blacker The Berry" with a powerful entrance in chains. The groundbreaking six-minute set continued as Lamar performed his hit single "Alright" in front of a giant bonfire. The medley came from his sophomore album To Pimp a Butterfly, which comments on the Black experience in America. His powerful performance is one of the greatest political performances in Grammys history.
Beyoncé reminded audiences not to "get it twisted" in 2017. After 30 years of performing, the singer proved she can still do it all even while pregnant with twins Sir and Rumi Carter. She performed the haunting "Sandcastles" and the hopeful song "Love Drought" from her award-winning album Lemonade. The most memorable part of Beyoncé's performance came during a recreation of the Last Supper when her chair was tilted back and raised once again, hailing her as a queen.
Last year, Megan Thee Stallion stunned audiences when she performed a 1920s flapper-girl-inspired rendition of her hit single "Body." The high-energy, theatrical performance was heavily choreographed and led straight into a remix of her Grammy-winning song "Savage." Beyoncé later joined Megan on stage to accept their win for Best Rap Song.
