The Grammy Awards. Whether you love them or hate them, believe that they’re the most important honor the music industry has to offer, or are as irrelevant as a floppy disc drive on an iPad, it’s going to be very hard to escape them this weekend.
So here are a few of the things that people will be talking about for at least the next 72 hours.
Tomorrow night, the Grammys will hold a ceremony for its Special Merit Awards. Normally, this pre-Grammy event draws very little attention from just about everyone. Except this year, a couple of very special guests are rumored to be making an appearance.
According to CNN, Prince Michael and Paris Jackson will be on hand to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of their late father Michael. Their younger brother, Blanket, is not expected to join them, but grandmother Katherine is expected to. Grandpa Joe is reportedly sitting out the event in protest over his grandchildren being trotted out for the ceremony. (Big loss.)
Speaking of Michael Jackson, the highlight of the evening (besides Lady Gaga’s opening number which is rumored to be a duet with Elton John) is likely to be the Grammys’ tribute to the King of Pop.
Paying respects to MJ’s musical legacy are Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Smokey Robinson and Carrie Underwood, who told MTV News that she’s “very excited to be even considered in that group of names.”
The tribute will feature previously unreleased footage from Jackson’s 3-D project “Earth Song,” which was to be part of his ill-fated “This Is It” tour last year. Fans can pick up a free pair of 3-D glasses for the tribute at Target stores through Sunday.
Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga has certainly inspired other artists to bring their best work to the party and The Black Eyed Peas are apparently no exception.
Will.i.am recently told MTV News that fans should expect to see the Peas on a whole new level Sunday night.
“Before it was just being raw, jumping around stage, diving, b-boying, bringing that whole raw energy of the hip-hop element,” the singer explained. “And now, going into the Grammys, we want to bring something bigger, a bigger spectacle.”
Hmmm. Sounds like things could get interesting.
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards airs live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Friday, January 29
Michelle Collins, Randy Sklar, Jason Sklar – “Chelsea Lately” – rerun
Julian Casablancas – “Late Show With David Letterman” – rerun
Howie Mandel – “The Jay Leno Show”
Ke$ha– “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
John Mayer – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Corinne Bailey Rae – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Phoenix – “Last Call with Carson Daly” – rerun
Saturday, January 30
Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson – “Austin City Limits”
Michael Buble – “Saturday Night Live”