Following speculation and amid an unprecedented wave of Covid infections fueled by the Omicron variant, CBS and the Recording Academy have officially put the 64th Annual Grammy Awards on hold.
The awards show had been scheduled for Jan. 31; no new date has been set yet.
“After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual Grammy Awards Show,” the companies said in a joint statement. “The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music’s Biggest Night® on a future date, which will be announced soon.”
Rumors started circulating in late December that CBS and the Recording Academy were considering a postponement for the Grammys, which involve elaborate music performances along with dozens of nominees and presenters.
Word of the Grammys decision to delay the ceremony came just moments before the Sundance Film Festival revealed it was scrapping its in-person Park City, UT component for the second year-in-a-row due to the Omicron variant surge. The festival will remain virtual for its Jan. 20-30 duration.
Other awards shows, including Critics Choice Awards, also have been pushed, while events, such as the Palm Springs Film Festival, have been outright canceled.
The 2021 Grammys, hosted by Trevor Noah, was one of the first major awards show to return to in-person format during the pandemic. It was praised for the way it handled the live production while following safety protocols. Noah was set to return as host for his second consecutive year for the 2022 awards show.
For the first time this year, there are 10 nominees in each of the general field categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist. This year’s top nominees include Jon Batiste (11), Justin Bieber (8), Doja Cat (8), H.E.R. (8), Billie Eilish (7) and Olivia Rodrigo (7).
The 64th annual Grammy Awards is produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy. Ben Winston, Jesse Collins and Raj Kapoor are executive producers, and Jeannae Rouzan Clay joins the team as co-executive producer. Hamish Hamilton returns as director, and Kapoor serves as showrunner.
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