Top 10 GRAMMY Performances That Are Music To Our Ears

Girl power

ARTIST: Kesha, Cyndi Lauper, Andra Day, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, and Bebe Rexha
SONG: "Praying"
YEAR: 2018

Kesha's autobiographical anthem hit a powerful note at the 2019 GRAMMY Awards® as she and some of pop's best female vocalists delivered a spine-tingling rendition.

Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images. 

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Remember me

ARTIST: Kanye West
SONG: "Stronger" / "Hey Mama"
YEAR: 2008

Kanye West performed a rendition of "Stronger" with a rearranged "Hey Mama" in tribute of his late mother. A new hook—"Last night I saw you in my dreams/Now I can't wait to go to sleep"—helped make it one of the most affecting moments of his career, and of GRAMMYs history.

Photo Credit: Lester Cohen/Getty Images.

 

Heart and soul

ARTIST: Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone
SONG: "Cry Baby" / "Piece of My Heart"
YEAR: 2005

Joss Stone performed her half of this Janis Joplin tribute admirably, but Melissa Etheridge stunned audiences with her raw, uninhibited, and emotional rendition of "Piece of My Heart."

Photo Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.
 

Rock tribute

ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, and Steven Van Zandt
SONG: "London Calling"
YEAR: 2003

Four rock superstars—Steven Van Zandt, Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello—convened for a tribute to The Clash's late Joe Strummer.

Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images.

 

Dynamic duo

ARTIST: Elton John and Eminem
SONG: "Stan"
YEAR: 2001

As Eminem's star continued to rise, his controversial lyrics drew ire. Whether it was savvy marketing or true kinship, the rapper's poignant duet with Elton John made for can't-miss TV.​

READ: 2021 GRAMMY Award Nominations: The Complete List Of Nominees

Photo Credit: Dave Hogan/Getty Images.

 

Opera star

ARTIST: Aretha Franklin
SONG: "Nessun Dorma"
YEAR: 1998

A legendary musical moment from the GRAMMY Awards in 1998: Aretha Franklin stepped in for ill tenor Luciano Pavarotti and performed his famous aria "Nessun Dorma."

Photo Credit: Mike Albans/AP Images.
 

Soy bomb

ARTIST: Bob Dylan 
SONG: "Love Sick"
YEAR: 1998

The Bard's dour blues-rock assumed an unexpected tone when one of his stage extras tore his shirt, lunged to the fore, and danced enthusiastically with "SOY BOMB" drawn in marker on his chest. All the better: a steely Bob Dylan ignored the interloper completely, dead focused on his somber song.

Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.
 

Hit wonder

ARTIST: Stevie Wonder
SONG: "You Haven't Done Nothin'"
YEAR: 1975

Selecting Stevie Wonder's greatest GRAMMYs performance is a fool's errand—remember his 2014 superjam with Pharrell, Daft Punk, and Nile Rodgers?—but the politically aware funk song he performed is a worthy choice.

Photo Credit: Tim Boxer/Getty Images.
 

Music maven

ARTIST: Bonnie Raitt
SONG: "I Can't Make You Love Me"
YEAR: 1992

Bonnie Raitt didn't have to make viewers love her. Her unadorned, quietly masterful performance—far from the gaudy spectacles that often dominate the GRAMMYs— earned accolades on its own.

Photo Credit: Rick Maiman/Getty Images.
 

Dreamy duet

ARTIST: Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand
SONG: "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"
YEAR: 1980

Undeniable energy crackled between the brilliant vocalists as they inched closer to one another throughout their sublime duet. Amazingly, it was the first time Babs and Neil performed the tune together.

Photo Credit: Ron Galella/Getty Images.

SUBSCRIBE NOW: Enjoy 4 Digital Plus 2 Print/Digital Issues Of Watch Per Year— For Free!

Watch the 63rd annual GRAMMY Awards®, hosted by Trevor Noah and broadcast live from downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, March 14 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT on CBS, and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.