Say hello to an unforgettable night! The 2017 Grammy Awards celebrated the music industry’s finest achievements of the past year on Sunday, February 12, and the big winners included Adele, Beyoncé, Chance the Rapper and Twenty One Pilots. Watch the best performances in the video above and all the highlights in the video below.
Check out Us Weekly‘s full, by-the-minute recap of all the notable moments, including Adele’s glitch and Bey’s crown. And be sure to start at the bottom to get it in chronological order.
11:39 p.m. ET: Beyoncé may have had the night’s most nominations, but she didn’t nab the biggest honors. Adele broke down in tears while returning to the stage to accept the best album trophy for 25. She addressed her difficult road to completing the album, during which she battled postpartum depression after welcoming son Angelo in October 2012.
.@Adele to @Beyonce: “I love you, and I always have and I always will” ? #GRAMMYs https://t.co/yivqGYByW7 pic.twitter.com/ylkf92NgSZ
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
“I struggled — I still do struggle being a mom, it’s very hard,” Adele said. And she again called attention to her biggest competition of the night, calling Bey the “artist of my life” and praising Lemonade as “monumental. … The way you make my black friends feel is empowering, and you make them stand up for themselves.”
11:37 p.m. ET: Not ready to say goodbye. Adele’s “Hello” topped fierce competition from Beyoncé and Twenty One Pilots to win the esteemed prize for record of the year. Adele told Queen Bey from the stage that she adores her: “I want you to be my mommy.”
11:23 p.m. ET: John Legend and Broadway star Cynthia Erivo performed the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” for the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment honoring such late stars as Leonard Cohen, Prince, Sharon Jones, Joey Feek, George Michael, Debbie Reynolds, Merle Haggard and George Martin.
11:21 p.m. ET: You didn’t fall for it, did you? Corden pretended to introduce Kanye — who was nominated for six awards but opted to skip the ceremony — before instead bringing out Recording Academy president Neil Portnow, who, just for the record, is not married to a Kardashian. Portnow implored Trump and Congress to protect music education and focus on endowing the arts.
11:14 p.m. ET: An exuberant Chance the Rapper — one of the ceremony’s big winners — teamed with a choir to perform his song “How Great.” And who could blame the guy for having an energy after the hugely successful night he’s had?
? Music is all we’ve got ? @ChanceTheRapper #GRAMMYs https://t.co/63TkbgoM5h pic.twitter.com/xSKt2IAd2w
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
11:08 p.m. ET: After Pentatonix’s version of “ABC,” Corden poked fun at the fact that members of the crowd were seated on folding chairs. “Wrestlers get hit with better chairs than this,” he quipped.
10:59 p.m. ET: Corden brought viewers back to a lace-filled 1985 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to set the stage for a medley of tunes paying tribute to the late and legendary Prince.
The crowd definitely took him up on his encouragement to hop to their feet as The Time performed “Jungle Love” and “The Bird,” followed by a purple-clad Bruno Mars shredding on the guitar — and legit channeling the late superstar himself — for “Let’s Go Crazy.”
10:44 p.m. ET: “We the people are ready for this,” Solange said while introducing Busta Rhymes and Consequence to join A Tribe Called Quest for a performance honoring the hip-hop group’s late member, Phife Dawg, who died in March 2016 from diabetes-related complications.
10:39 p.m. ET: Celine Dion emotionally reminisced about winning best song of the year 18 years ago for “My Heart Will Go On,” when she was joined by her late husband, René Angélil, who died in 2016 after battling cancer.
She announced Adele as the winner for song of the year for “Hello.” Adele first apologized again for swearing during “Fastlove,” before introducing producer Greg Kirstin, who joined her on stage. She thanked him for helping her to create the “favorite song I’ve ever done.”
10:31 p.m. ET: Remembering a handful of songs that will always stay alive! To mark the upcoming 40th anniversary of the seminal disco-celebrating film Saturday Night Fever, DNCE introduced a medley of hits by the Bee Gees, the group responsible for the movie’s beloved soundtrack. Among those taking part in the set were performers Demi Lovato, Tori Kelly and Little Big Town.
Big fan of the new member of @DNCE ?? @JKCorden #GRAMMYs https://t.co/StPm7Gq5Ie pic.twitter.com/27gtM42uEe
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
10:18 p.m. ET: Dwight Yoakam emotionally paid tribute to the late Sharon Jones for playing “the good kind” of music, then welcomed Sturgill Simpson and Jones’ backup band, the Dap Kings, for Simpson’s “All Around You.”
10:15 p.m. ET: Born to rock. Lady Gaga transformed into a rocker vixen extraordinaire, decked out in a safety-pinned Metallica tank, cutoff shorts, knee-high boots and one fishnet glove — not to mention that new body art — to join the veteran metal band on their song “Moth Into Flame.” And yes, she even crowd-surfed, because that’s what rock vixens do. One glitch? Frontman James Hetfield‘s microphone didn’t work for, oh, half the song.
10:12 p.m. ET: Before introducing Lady Gaga and Metallica, Orange Is the New Black‘s Laverne Cox told everyone to root for Gavin Grimm, the transgender boy whose case — deciding whether public school systems can regulate which bathroom transgender students use — is heading to the Supreme Court later this year.
10:05 p.m. ET: His big night got bigger. Chance the Rapper topped such superstars as Drake and Kanye West to win best rap album for Coloring Book. He said about his unprepared acceptance speech, “I didn’t think we were going to get this one, so I don’t have cool stuff [written].”
It’s worth noting, however, that while West was not in attendance, plenty of his fans were, as the crowd loudly cheered the polarizing rapper when his name was mentioned among the nominees.
9:59 p.m. ET: Needless to say, Adele performed the song flawlessly the second time around. By the end of the number, the star was in tears and appeared visibly disappointed about having started over.
9:52 p.m. ET: The foibles of live TV! Adele gave an emotional rendition of the first quarter of the song — a slowed-down, orchestral version of the dance track — but stopped suddenly due to an apparent gaffe, cutting the song short and uttering an expletive that was bleeped.
“I’m sorry for swearing, and I’m sorry for starting again — can we please start this again?” she said from the stage, stunning the crowd and viewers alike. “I can’t mess this up for him. I’m sorry for swearing — I’m really sorry.”
9:46 p.m. ET: Corden paid tribute to his good friend, the late George Michael, praising his music for “an honesty, an openness that excluded no one” and for making listeners “feel that whatever you were feeling, you weren’t alone.” Corden then introduced Adele to perform Michael’s 1996 tune “Fastlove.”
9:44 p.m. ET: Alicia Keys joined Maren Morris for a gorgeous, candle-filled take on the country star’s emotional hit “Once.”
9:39 p.m. ET: The night’s presenters continue to say her name. Beyoncé nabbed the prize for best urban contemporary album for Lemonade.
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Lemonade — @Beyonce! #GRAMMYs https://t.co/Zf2zdKMrw4 pic.twitter.com/rlLikWDR3m
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
She thanked her fans, husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy before explaining that she wanted her latest tunes to “give a voice to our pain, our struggles, our darkness and our history.”
9:36 p.m. ET: Fake news keeps making headlines. Before introducing William Bell and Gary Clark Jr., Corden encouraged fans to tweet about the show until he noticed that the messages were apparently slamming him (and one from President Trump praising him). “The negative ones are fake,” he promised viewers about the tweets.
9:31 p.m. ET: Who says Beyoncé is the only star who gets to perform with amazing visual effects? Decked out in shades, Katy Perry ran around a rotating picket fence (for some reason) while singing “Chained to the Rhythm,” her new reggae-inflected tune featuring Skip Marley; the backdrop ultimately morphed to showcase the U.S. Constitution, with Perry pleading, “No, no hate!” at song’s end.
When you hear a noise coming from your neighbor’s house ? #GRAMMYs https://t.co/jRd9v1cfSl pic.twitter.com/K3YRvC2CTP
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
9:23 p.m. ET: Plenty to like. An energetic Bruno Mars rocked a track suit–inspired getup during his performance of “That’s What I Like.”
.@BrunoMars always brings it! #GRAMMYs https://t.co/YdOB030dQ1 pic.twitter.com/xZLbxdqKBb
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
9:16 p.m. ET: You didn’t think Corden could go the whole night without a version of his signature bit, right? In a moment that brought to mind Ellen DeGeneres‘ star-filled Oscars selfie from a few years back, tonight’s host gathered an array of singers — Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Neil Diamond and John Legend, to name a few — to stand behind a mock-up vehicle for a spirited take on Diamond’s 1969 hit “Sweet Caroline.”
And no offense to the performers involved, but perhaps the highlight of the segment was adorable little Blue Ivy, decked out in her pink tux and appearing to have a blast while standing alongside the “car.” Cutest passenger ever.
Blue Ivy Carter is the real MVP here #GRAMMYs https://t.co/VlQAMeHo8H pic.twitter.com/5w2i9jyCZZ
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
9:13 p.m. ET: After a Beyoncé performance that may have been a religious experience for some viewers, Maren Morris appropriately took best country solo performance for “My Church.”
9:08 p.m. ET: When Beyoncé gives you Lemonade, make … sure to bow down. America’s queen performed a jaw-dropping medley from her acclaimed album, including the tunes “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles,” showcasing her often-bare pregnant belly.
Proud family alert ?? #GRAMMYs https://t.co/VBDswihg0S pic.twitter.com/D9OAJVXEwH
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
Decked out in a luminous, Virgin Mary–inspired gown and crown, the star absolutely killed it, with the mystical, sometimes-spooky but always beautiful performance enhanced by incredible visual effects. She also did a routine with a chair, causing Us to scream at our screens that she should keep all four legs on the ground.
8:55 p.m. ET: Crazy in love with her girls. Tina Knowles gave shout-outs to daughters Beyoncé and Solange, calling them “Grammy winners tonight, too — that’s not on the script.” Before introducing Beyoncé’s highly anticipated Lemonade performance, Tina went on to praise the pregnant star for the “devotion and love I see in her for her daughter [Blue Ivy].”
8:51 p.m. ET: A different kind of American idol. Ryan Seacrest presented the music educator award to Keith Hancock before introducing Kelsea Ballerini and Lukas Graham, who performed a mash-up of her hit “Peter Pan” and the group’s tune “Seven Years.”
8:44 p.m. ET: Katharine McPhee and The Chainsmokers accepted the prize for best rock on behalf of the late David Bowie for his tune “Blackstar.” The Scorpion actress said, “Like all our musical heroes, his music is forever.”
8:39 p.m. ET: The bar has been raised — and the trousers have been dropped. Corden was also without pants as he introduced Ed Sheeran to perform a stripped-down (#wordplay) rendition of his new hit, “Shape of Your Body.” Here’s hoping the disrobing one-upmanship ends there.
No band necessary! That was awesome, @EdSheeran #GRAMMYs https://t.co/In7bRY0rBu pic.twitter.com/QvUZcfefFG
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
8:35 p.m. ET: Pants-free pilots. Nick Jonas announced Twenty One Pilots as the winner of best pop duo/group performance for their track “Stressed Out.” As the group made their way to the stage, they took off their pants, revealing their briefs. Frontman Tyler Joseph explained during his speech that the two guys watched the Grammys together years ago in their underwear and decided “if we ever win a Grammy, we should receive it just like this.”
Watch Twenty One Pilots flaunt their gams in the video below:
8:25 p.m. ET: John Travolta took the stage in shades — and boasted about his “bling” — before introducing “the most dynamic duo since Danny and Sandy,” a.k.a. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, to perform “The Fighter.”
8:18 p.m. ET: Before introducing The Weeknd and Daft Punk’s performance of “I Feel It Coming” (so many MJ vibes!), Paris Jackson referenced the controversy over the Dakota Access pipeline drilling site: “We can really use this kind of excitement at a pipeline protest, you guys! Hashtag no DAPL.”
8:12 p.m. ET: Jennifer Lopez presented best new artist to Chance the Rapper, who accepted the award “for all of Chicago,” his hometown. He began to get cut off by the music but continued talking, and said about not being signed to a major label, “Independence means freedom.”
8:11 p.m. ET: Make the Grammys great again. In what was likely to be the first of many references to our current commander in chief, the Late Late Show host quipped, “With President Trump, we don’t know what comes next.”
8:09 p.m. ET: Beyoncé got her first shout-out of the night, with Corden launching into a rap about the event, saying the pregnant Lemonade star would be “taking the stage with twins in her tummy.” Proving he’s not exactly a matchmaker, he then suggested that exes Rihanna and Drake should date.
8:08 p.m. ET: Say hello to … pratfalls? Host James Corden got stuck on stage in what initially appeared to be an unexpected gaffe but was clearly a scripted bit, as he then tumbled his way down the stairs. “We cannot allow these sort of mistakes, can we?” he asked. “This is the Grammys, people!”
Rolling into work tomorrow like… @JKCorden #GRAMMYs https://t.co/EO9k1q6WZv pic.twitter.com/qoeHj2nq0v
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 13, 2017
Check out Corden taking a fall:
8:03 p.m. ET: Hello from the Grammys stage! Adele offered a warm welcome to viewers, kicking off the telecast with a rendition of her smash hit “Hello.” Meanwhile, music’s other biggest stars were presumably California dreaming about hearing their names called later tonight.
8 p.m. ET: Pour yourself a glass of your favorite citrus-based beverage, and get ready for the Grammys! The 2017 Grammy Awards ceremony airs on CBS at 8 p.m. ET live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 12, and Us Weekly will be following all the action in our live blog, including the list of winners, social media reactions and video of the most attention-grabbing performances.
Beyoncé leads the way with nine nominations for Lemonade. Her competition for the biggest prize, album of the year, are Adele‘s 25, Justin Bieber‘s Purpose, Drake‘s Views and Sturgill Simpson‘s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.
The evening’s performers include Beyoncé, Adele, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Daft Punk, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Metallica, Chance the Rapper, John Legend, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, A Tribe Called Quest, Alicia Keys, Demi Lovato, Little Big Town and Ed Sheeran.
The Recording Academy will honor the late Prince and George Michael with tribute segments and performances.
Among the presenters are Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, John Travolta, The Chainsmokers, Laverne Cox, Jason Derulo, DNCE, Halsey, Taraji P. Henson, Paris Jackson, Nick Jonas, Solange Knowles, Katharine McPhee, Pentatonix, Thomas Rhett, Gina Rodriguez, Ryan Seacrest and Camila Cabello.
Refresh this post throughout the event for frequent updates. The 2017 Grammy Awards air on CBS Sunday, February 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
