The Grammy Awards history is filled with humble beginnings and has grown into an international spectacle. Since the first ceremony held on May 4, 1959, there are more nearly 8000 of the coveted gold-plated trophies awarded, and even more to come as the Grammy’s prepare to host their 54th ceremony this February.
Originally called the Gramophone Award, the Grammys evolved out of the Hollywood Walk of Fame project. Recording executives set to the daunting task of deciding what talent would receive a star. It became quickly apparent that many outstanding individuals in the industry would not be publicly recognized for their contributions to the recording industry.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was formed and became the foundation of the Grammy Awards. Originally called the Gramophone Award after Thomas Edison’s invention, and later shortened to the Grammys, music industry leaders wanted to create an awards ceremony that emulated their counterparts in television and the silver screen who hosted the Oscars and Emmys.
The Grammy Awards created a precedent that the trophies would be peer-presented. Record companies, artists, and music professionals put together the list of nominations and from this a panel from the Academy reviews and reduces the field down to five nominees in each category. Members of the Recording Academy are then given a ballot to vote on the nominees with the highest vote getter winning the coveted award.
The original awards were also seen as a bit of a rebellion against the new music genre emerging called “rock and roll”. The Grammy Awards were in part intended by the record executives to bring what they believed was a higher standard to the publics listening taste. It was not until 1989 when Mötley Crüe became the first hard-rock artists to win an award in Grammy Awards history.
The Grammy Awards were not televised live until 1971. Prior to this in the 1960’s, the awards were taped and aired on NBC in a series of shows called “The Best on Record”. Before the live broadcasts in 1971, the awards show was held in two different venues, one in New York and the other in Los Angeles.
During the first live broadcast in 1971, the show aired from the beautiful art deco interior of the Palladium in Los Angeles. In subsequent years, the show was also broadcast live from New York at the Felt Forum, and Nashville’s Tennessee Theatre. Other notable locations in more recent decades include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, and the Staples Center.
Throughout Grammy Award history, there are several noteworthy award leaders. Conductor Sir Georg Solti has earned 31 Grammys’, the most on record for an individual. Coming in second is producer Quincy Jones with the most nominations at 79, and 27 wins. The third overall individual is singer Alison Krauss with 27, and the most amongst women. The record for most Grammy Awards is bestowed upon the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with 60. Michael Jackson and Santana share the record for winning the most Grammy’s in one night with eight.
Milli Vanilli is the only act in Grammy Award history to have their trophy revoked because they did not actually the sing the songs on their album.
The first Grammy Awards in 1959 only had 22 categories in total. Today there are over 100 presented, although only about a dozen are recognized on the syndicated television show. Despite some of the controversies surrounding the show, it remains as one of the most coveted awards amongst individuals working in the recording industry and a spectacle for the millions of fans at home who tune in to watch the program.
