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The 2020 Grammy Awards: Everything You Need To Know

Beyonce, Jay Z and Blue Ivy at 60th Grammy Awards. Photo: Getty

The Grammy Awards have given us countless memorable moments over the decades, from Jennifer Lopez turning up in that Versace dress in 2000 (she treated us to another headline-making appearance in a reimagined version of it at Milan Fashion Week) to Lady Gaga arriving not in a limo, but in a giant egg in 2011.

Hosted by Alicia Keys, the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019 saw Childish Gambino and Kacey Musgrave land four awards each, the latter taking home Album of the Year for Golden Hour. Kendrick Lamar was nominated eight times, taking home one trophy for Best Rap Performance, while Cardi B — wearing vintage 1995 Thierry Mugler — made history by becoming the first solo woman to win Best Rap Album.

Cardi B and Offset at 61st Annual Grammy Awards. Getty

Other standout moments included Michelle Obama making a surprise on-stage appearance alongside Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith and Lopez to discuss how they’re empowered by music; a Dolly Parton tribute from Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and the Queen of Country herself; and Diana Ross celebrating her 75th birthday with a special performance.

Read More: All The Celebrities Who Wore Arab Designers At The BAFTA And Grammy Awards 2019

So, what can we expect from the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020? Here, Vogue rounds up everything you need to know, including nominations, dates and who’s hosting the ceremony.

When and where will the Grammy Awards 2020 be held?

The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards is scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 January 2020 and will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT in the US [1 am GMT]. It will take place at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, which has hosted the Grammys since 2000 (with the exception of 2003 and 2018).

What is new for the Grammy Awards 2020?

Only music released between 1 October 2018 and 31 August 2019 can be nominated for the Grammys 2020, cutting short the eligibility window by a month. This is because the Grammy Awards 2020 ceremony has been moved forward by two weeks, to avoid clashing with the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony on 9 February 2020.

For the 2019 awards, the Recording Academy announced it would be increasing the number of nominations from five to eight for four of the major categories — Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best New Artist’— to address discrimination and improve diversity in the music industry after only one woman won a main award at the 2018 ceremony.

Who is hosting the Grammy Awards 2020?

Alicia Keys will return as the host in 2020, after hosting the Grammy Awards in 2019 when she became the first woman in 14 years to do so. Before that, the last woman to host was Queen Latifah in 2005.

Alicia Keys at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Photo: WireImage

Keys told Billboard in a statement: “Last year was such a powerful experience for me. Not only did I feel the love in the room, but I felt it from around the world and it confirmed the healing and unifying power of music.” Keys herself has won 15 Grammy awards.

Who are the nominees for the Grammy Awards 2020?

Two of the biggest breakout stars of 2019, Lizzo and Billie Eilish, have received multiple nods in major categories. Both are in the running for the Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist gongs. Lizzo racked up eight nominations in total, with six for Eilish, and six for another star who exploded in 2019, Lil Nas X.

Maggie Rogers and Rosalia are also among the breakout performers recognized in the Best New Artist category. See the full list of nominees here.

How are the Grammy Awards nominees and winners selected?

Members of the Recording Academy and record companies submit entries for all 84 categories of the Grammy Awards. These are screened for eligibility and category placement by 350 experts in various fields of music. Two rounds of ballots (first-round and final) are then sent to voting members, which determines the five nominees in each category and then the winners.

Ballots are monitored by independent accounting firm Deloitte, which keeps the voting results secret until the live televised Grammy Awards ceremony.

Predictions for the Grammy Awards 2020

The Grammy Awards 2020 could be the year the newcomers win big. Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Lil Nas X — who all broke through in a big way in 2019 — are among the frontrunners, including in the Best New Artist category. Major contenders for Album of the Year and Song of the Year include Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande.

Taylor Swift at The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California wearing Zuhair Murad. Photo: Getty

Who is invited to the Grammys?

Grammy nominees and their guests, guests of the Recording Academy and voting members are invited to attend the awards ceremony.

What is the dress code?

The Grammys specifies black or white-tie as the dress code, but guests have certainly pushed the boundaries over the years. Think Cher wearing a bikini-style top on the red carpet in 1974; Nicki Minaj’s Red Riding Hood-inspired look in 2012; and Cardi B wearing vintage Thierry Mugler in 2019.

Why are the Grammys so important?

The Grammys, which first began in 1959, is considered to be the music industry’s equivalent to the Oscars or the Emmy Awards. In the past, it has shone a spotlight on important issues in music; during the 2018 awards, for example, the hashtag #GrammysSoMale started trending on social media due to the lack of female representation across the major categories.

Originally published on Vogue.co.uk

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