2021 Grammys Postponed to March Due to COVID-19
UPDATE (1/6/2021):
The 2021 Grammys have officially been postponed and rescheduled to Sunday, March 14, “after thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear,” Harvey Mason Jr., Chair and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy, Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music, Live Events and Alternative Programming, CBS, and Ben Winston, Grammy Awards Executive Producer, Fulwell 73 Productions said in a joint statement.
“The deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show,” they continued. “We want to thank all of the talented artists, the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s nominees for their understanding, patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these unprecedented times.”
Original story (1/5/2021):
The coronavirus pandemic has affected another award show.
The Recording Academy has postponed the 2021 Grammys, originally scheduled for Sunday, January 31 (airing on CBS), Rolling Stone reports. The ceremony, with The Daily Show‘s Trevor Noah as host, could now take place in March.
This news comes as the number of coronavirus cases has risen in the United States, and California especially has seen a surge. The show will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, though there were no plans for an in-person audience. Other than presenters and performers, everyone was likely appearing remotely.
Beyoncé leads all nominees with nine noms, while Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch, and Taylor Swift each have six nominations, Brittany Howard has five, and John Beasley, Justin Bieber, Phoebe Bridgers, DaBaby, Billie Eilish, David Frost and Megan Thee Stallion all received four.
This is far from the first award show to be postponed or affected by the pandemic. The Primetime and Daytime Emmys both had virtual elements (the latter was completely remote, while some appeared in person for the former). The 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were postponed to March 14, while the 2021 Oscars will now take place on April 25.
