54th Annual Grammy Awards

{{short description|Event held on February 12, 2012}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox award

| name = 54th Annual Grammy Awards

| image = 54th Grammy Award Poster.jpg

| caption =

| date = February 12, 2012
1:00–3:30 p.m. PST (Pre-Telecast Ceremony)

5:00–8:30 p.m. PST (54th Grammy Awards)

| location = Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

| host = LL Cool J

| most_awards = Adele (6)

| most_nominations = Kanye West (7)

| network = CBS

| ratings = 40 million viewersJon Weisman, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130825023435/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/sns-201305130912reedbusivarietyn1200479888-20130513,0,1926471.story Grammy Awards Set for Jan. 26], Los Angeles Times, May 13, 2013

| previous = 53rd

| main = Grammy Awards

| next = 55th

}}

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles being broadcast on CBS honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. LL Cool J hosted the show. It was the first time in seven years that the event had an official host.{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/ll-cool-j-to-host-54th-annual-grammy-awards|title=LL Cool J To Host 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards|date=January 18, 2012|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=March 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322095655/http://www.grammy.com/news/ll-cool-j-to-host-54th-annual-grammy-awards|url-status=live}} Nominations were announced on November 30, 2011, on prime-time television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! – Countdown to Music's Biggest Night", a one-hour special broadcast live on CBS from Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live.[http://beta.news.yahoo.com/recording-academy-cbs-enter-10-grammy-deal-162240941.html Recording Academy, CBS enter 10-year Grammy deal] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120604014509/http://beta.news.yahoo.com/recording-academy-cbs-enter-10-grammy-deal-162240941.html |date=June 4, 2012 }}, Associated Press, June 21, 2011{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/news/jason-aldean-lady-gaga-to-perform-at-the-grammy-nominations-concert-live |title=Jason Aldean, Lady Gaga To Perform At "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!" |publisher=GRAMMY.com |date=October 25, 2011 |access-date=November 18, 2011 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104092807/http://www.grammy.com/news/jason-aldean-lady-gaga-to-perform-at-the-grammy-nominations-concert-live |url-status=live }} Kanye West received the most nominations with seven. Adele, Foo Fighters, and Bruno Mars each received six nominations. Lil Wayne, Skrillex, and Radiohead all earned five nominations. The nominations were criticised by many music journalists as Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy missed out on a nomination for Album of the Year despite being highly critically acclaimed and topping many end of year charts.{{cite web|last=Montgomery|first=James|title=Grammy Nominations: The Biggest Shocks And Snubs|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675217/grammy-award-nominations-surprises.jhtml|publisher=MTV|access-date=December 15, 2012|archive-date=February 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211210634/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675217/grammy-award-nominations-surprises.jhtml|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Mervis|first=Scott|title=Grammys stumble with Kanye West album snub|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/music/grammys-stumble-with-kanye-west-album-snub-222228/|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|access-date=December 15, 2012|date=December 1, 2011}} West's album went on to win Best Rap Album.

A total of 78 awards were presented following the Academy's decision to restructure the Grammy Award categories. Paul McCartney received the MusiCares Person of the Year award on February 10, 2012, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two nights prior to the Grammy telecast.{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/news/paul-mccartney-is-2012-musicares-person-of-the-year |title=Paul McCartney Is 2012 MusiCares Person Of The Year |publisher=GRAMMY.com |access-date=November 18, 2011 |archive-date=January 9, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109035045/http://www.grammy.com/news/paul-mccartney-is-2012-musicares-person-of-the-year |url-status=live }}

On February 8, 2012, the Academy announced that the 54th Grammy Pre-Telecast Ceremony would stream live internationally. The ceremony took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center and was streamed live in its entirety internationally at Grammy's official website and CBS Television Network. The ceremony was co-hosted by Dave Koz and MC Lyte. A total of 68 awards were presented in the Pre-Telecast ceremony.{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/grammy-pre-telecast-ceremony-to-stream-live-internationally|title=Watch live: 2012 GRAMMY Pre-Telecast Ceremony|date=February 8, 2012|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=March 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314073850/http://www.grammy.com/news/grammy-pre-telecast-ceremony-to-stream-live-internationally|url-status=live}} The official poster was designed by architect Frank Gehry.[http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/press-release/dec-08-2011-1113-am Architect Frank Gehry Creates Official Artwork for the 54th Annual Grammy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305232728/http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/press-release/dec-08-2011-1113-am |date=March 5, 2012 }}, Grammy.org December 8, 2011

The day before the ceremony, Whitney Houston died in Los Angeles, and the show's producers quickly planned a tribute in the form of Jennifer Hudson singing Houston's "I Will Always Love You".{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/02/grammys-2012-whitney-houston-tribute-to-be-sung-by-jennifer-hudson-.html|title=Grammys 2012: Whitney Houston tribute to be sung by Jennifer Hudson|date=February 11, 2012|website=Latimesblogs.latimes.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=February 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215055156/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2012/02/grammys-2012-whitney-houston-tribute-to-be-sung-by-jennifer-hudson-.html|url-status=live}} The awards show began with a Bruce Springsteen performance followed by an LL Cool J prayer for Whitney Houston. Adele won all of her six nominations, equalling the record for most wins by a female artist in one night, first held by Beyoncé.{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/ |title=Grammy.com |publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |date=February 12, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-date=May 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507010400/http://www.grammy.com/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120212/NEWS/120212003/Adele-wins-6-Grammys-including-record-year?odyssey=nav%7Chead |title=Adele wins 6 Grammys, including record of the year |work=The Clarion-Ledger |publisher=Gannett Company |date=February 12, 2012 |access-date=February 12, 2012}} Adele became only the second artist in history, following Christopher Cross in 1981, to have won all four of the general field (Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year) awards throughout her career.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2012/music/news/adele-s-21-wins-album-of-the-year-at-grammys-1118050159/ |title=Adele's '21' wins album of the year at Grammys |work=Variety |date=12 February 2012 |first=Christopher |last=Morris |access-date=25 March 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216160635/http://variety.com/2012/music/news/adele-s-21-wins-album-of-the-year-at-grammys-1118050159/ |archive-date=16 December 2013 }} Foo Fighters and Kanye West followed with five and four awards, respectively.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/feb/13/grammys-2012-live|title=Grammys 2012 – as it happened|date=February 13, 2012|work=Guardian|access-date=March 6, 2012|location=London|first1=Brian|last1=Braiker|first2=Joshua|last2=Alston|archive-date=November 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105063215/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/feb/13/grammys-2012-live|url-status=live}} With his win for Best Musical Theater Album (for The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording), producer Scott Rudin became the 11th person to become an EGOT winner.{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/scot-rudin-egot-30-rock_n_1273643 |title=Scott Rudin, EGOT Winner: Mega Producer Has Won An Emmy, Grammy, Oscar And Tony |publisher=HuffPost |date=February 13, 2012 |access-date=September 1, 2023}}

Ratings

The anticipation for the show's tributes to the late Whitney Houston greatly helped increased the ratings for the 54th Grammy Awards, which became the second highest in its history with 39.9 million viewers (trailing only behind the 1984 Grammys with 51.67 million viewers). The rating was 50% higher than in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2012/02/ratings-rat-race-grammys-sharply-up-in-early-ratings-230237/ |title=Whitney Houston Tragic Grammys Draw 39.9 Million Viewers, Second Most Watched Ever |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=February 13, 2012 |access-date=February 14, 2012 |archive-date=February 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214170304/http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/ratings-rat-race-grammys-sharply-up-in-early-ratings/ |url-status=live }} This remains the highest-rated Grammy telecast on 21st-century U.S. television.

Pre-telecast

=Performers=

=Presenters=

Main telecast

{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/the-beach-boys-to-reunite-at-54th-grammy-awards|title=The Beach Boys To Reunite At 54th GRAMMY Awards|date=February 8, 2012|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207091753/https://www.grammy.com/news/the-beach-boys-to-reunite-at-54th-grammy-awards|url-status=live}}

=Performers=

The following performed:

class="wikitable"
Artist(s)

!Song(s)

Bruce Springsteen
The E Street Band

|"We Take Care of Our Own"

Bruno Mars

|"Runaway Baby"

Alicia Keys
Bonnie Raitt

|Tribute to Etta James
"A Sunday Kind of Love"

Chris Brown

|"Turn Up the Music"
"Beautiful People"

Jason Aldean
Kelly Clarkson

|"Don't You Wanna Stay"

Foo Fighters

|"Walk"

Rihanna
Coldplay

|"We Found Love"
"Princess of China"
"Paradise"

Maroon 5
Foster the People
The Beach Boys

|Celebrating the Beach Boys' 50th anniversary
"Surfer Girl"
"Wouldn't It Be Nice"
"Good Vibrations"

Paul McCartney
Diana Krall
Joe Walsh

|"My Valentine"

The Civil Wars

|"Barton Hollow"

Taylor Swift

|"Mean"

Katy Perry

|"E.T."
"Part of Me"

Adele

|"Rolling in the Deep"

The Band Perry
Blake Shelton
Glen Campbell

|Homage to Glen Campbell
"Gentle on My Mind"
"Southern Nights"
"Rhinestone Cowboy"

Tony Bennett
Carrie Underwood

|"It Had to Be You"

Jennifer Hudson

|Tribute to Whitney Houston
"I Will Always Love You"

Chris Brown
David Guetta
Lil Wayne
Foo Fighters
deadmau5

|"I Can Only Imagine"
"Rope"
"Raise Your Weapon"

Nicki Minaj

|"Roman's Revenge" (Intro)
"Roman Holiday"

Paul McCartney
Bruce Springsteen
Dave Grohl
Joe Walsh
Rusty Anderson
Brian Ray
Paul Wickens
Abe Laboriel Jr.

|"Golden Slumbers"
"Carry That Weight"
"The End"

  • Maceo Parker was scheduled to pay tribute to Clarence Clemons following the montage of those that had died in 2011 although his tribute was dropped in the 24 hours leading up to the awards show to make room for the Jennifer Hudson tribute to Whitney Houston.{{cite web |last=Chianca |first=Pete |url=http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/springsteen/2012/02/13/grammy-disappointment-tribute-to-clarence-clemons-was-scrapped-says-report/ |title=Grammy disappointment: Tribute to Clarence Clemons was scrapped, says report | Blogness on the Edge of Town Massachusetts |publisher=Blogs.wickedlocal.com |date=February 13, 2012 |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217101441/http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/springsteen/2012/02/13/grammy-disappointment-tribute-to-clarence-clemons-was-scrapped-says-report/ |archive-date=February 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

=Presenters=

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

{{div col end}}

Nominees and winners

The winners per category were:{{cite web |url=http://ca.eonline.com/news/277725/complete-list-of-nominees-for-the-54th-annual-grammy-awards |title=Complete List of Nominees for the 54th Annual Grammy Awards | E! Online UK |publisher=Ca.eonline.com |date=November 30, 2011 |access-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-date=September 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905180742/http://ca.eonline.com/news/277725/complete-list-of-nominees-for-the-54th-annual-grammy-awards |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=54th Annual GRAMMY Awards {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/54th-annual-grammy-awards |website=grammy.com |access-date=14 May 2024}}

=General=

Record of the Year

Album of the Year

Song of the Year

Best New Artist

=Pop=

=Dance/Electronic=

Best Dance Recording

:Sonny Moore, producer & mixer

Best Dance/Electronic Album

=Traditional Pop=

=Rock=

= Alternative =

=R&B=

=Rap=

;Best Rap Performance

;Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

;Best Rap Song

;Best Rap Album

=Country=

=New Age=

;Best New Age Album

=Jazz=

;Best Improvised Jazz Solo

;Best Jazz Vocal Album

;Best Jazz Instrumental Album

;Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

=Gospel/Contemporary Christian=

;Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

;Best Gospel Song

;Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

;Best Gospel Album

;Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

=Latin=

;Best Latin Pop, Rock or Urban Album

;Best Regional Mexican or Tejano Album

;Best Banda or Norteño Album

;Best Tropical Latin Album

  • The Last MamboCachao
  • Homenaje A Los Rumberos – Edwin Bonilla
  • Mongorama – José Rizo's Mongorama

=American Roots Music=

=Reggae=

=World Music=

=Children's=

;Best Children's Album

  • All About Bullies ... Big and Small – Steve Pullara, Jim Cravero, Pat Robinson, Kevin Mackie and Gloria Domina, producers (Various Artists)
  • Are We There Yet? – The Papa Hugs Band
  • Fitness Rock & RollMiss Amy
  • GulfAlive – The Banana Plant
  • I Love: Tom T. Hall's Songs of Fox Hollow – Various Artists

=Spoken Word=

;Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)

=Comedy=

=Musical Show=

;Best Musical Theater Album

=Music for Visual Media=

=Composing/Arranging=

;Best Instrumental Composition

;Best Instrumental Arrangement

;Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)

=Package=

;Best Recording Package

;Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

=Notes=

;Best Album Notes

  • Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond as Recorded by the San Francisco Bay by Chris Strachwitz in the 1960s
  • Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)
  • The Bang Years 1966-1968
  • Neil Diamond, album notes writer (Neil Diamond)
  • The Bristol Sessions, 1927–1928: The Big Bang of Country Music
  • Ted Olson & Tony Russell, album notes writers (Various Artists)
  • Complete Mythology
  • Ken Shipley, album notes writer (Syl Johnson)
  • The Music City Story: Street Corner Doo Wop, Raw R&B and Soulful Sounds from Berkeley, California 1950–75
  • Alec Palao, album notes writer (Various Artists)

=Historical=

;Best Historical Album

  • Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition)
  • Paul McCartney, compilation producer; Sam Okell & Steve Rooke, mastering engineers (Paul McCartney & Wings)
  • The Bristol Sessions, 1927–1928: The Big Bang of Country Music
  • Christopher C. King & Ted Olson, compilation producers; Christopher C. King & Chris Zwarg, mastering engineers (Various Artists)
  • Complete Mythology
  • Tom Lunt, Rob Sevier & Ken Shipley, compilation producers; Jeff Lipton, mastering engineer (Syl Johnson)
  • Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond as Recorded by the San Francisco Bay by Chris Strachwitz in the 1960s
  • Chris Strachwitz, compilation producer; Mike Cogan, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
  • Young Man with the Big Beat: The Complete '56 Elvis Presley Masters
  • Ernst Mikael Jorgensen, compilation producer; Vic Anesini, mastering engineer (Elvis Presley)

=Production=

;Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

;Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

:* "I Would Do Anything for You" (Foster the People) (T)

:* "I'll Be Waiting" (Adele) (T)

:* "Life on the Nickel" (Foster the People) (T)

:* "No One's Gonna Love You" (Cee Lo Green) (S)

:* "Rolling in the Deep" (Adele) (T)

;Best Remixed Recording

= Production, Surround Sound =

;Best Surround Sound Album

  • Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition)
  • Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek and the Dominos)
  • An Evening with Dave Grusin
  • Frank Filipetti & Eric Schilling, surround mix engineers; Frank Filipetti, surround mastering engineer; Phil Ramone, surround producer (Various Artists)
  • Grace for Drowning
  • Steven Wilson, surround mix engineer; Paschal Byrne, surround mastering engineer; Steven Wilson, surround producer (Steven Wilson)
  • Kind
  • Morten Lindberg, surround mix engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround mastering engineer; Morten Lindberg, surround producer (Kjetil Almenning, Ensemble 96 & Nidaros String Quartet)
  • Spohr: String Sextet in C Major, Op. 140 & Nonet in F Major, Op. 31
  • Andreas Spreer, surround mix engineer; Robin Schmidt & Andreas Spreer, surround mastering engineer; Andreas Spreer, surround producer (Camerata Freden)

=Production, Classical=

;Best Engineered Album, Classical

Aldridge: Elmer Gantry

:Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

;Producer of the Year, Classical

Judith Sherman

:* Adams: Son of Chamber Symphony; String Quartet (John Adams, St. Lawrence String Quartet & International Contemporary Ensemble)

:* Capricho Latino (Rachel Barton Pine)

:* 85th Birthday Celebration (Claude Frank)

:* Insects & Paper Airplanes – Chamber Music of Lawrence Dillon (Daedalus Quartet & Benjamin Hochman)

:* Midnight Frolic – The Broadway Theater Music of Louis A. Hirsch (Rick Benjamin & Paragon Ragtime Orchestra)

:* Notable Women – Trios by Today's Female Composers (Lincoln Trio)

:* The Soviet Experience, Vol. 1 – String Quartets by Dmitri Shostakovich & His Contemporaries (Pacifica Quartet)

:* Speak! (Anthony De Mare)

:* State of the Art – The American Brass Quintet at 50 (The American Brass Quintet)

:* Steve Reich: WTC 9/11; Mallet Quartet; Dance Patterns (Kronos Quartet, Steve Reich Musicians & So Percussion)

:* Winging It – Piano Music of John Corigliano (Ursula Oppens)

  • Blanton Alspaugh
  • Aldridge: Elmer Gantry (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
  • Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas (Peter Takács)
  • Osterfield: Rocky Streams (Paul Osterfield, Todd Waldecker & Various Artists)
  • Manfred Eicher
  • Bach: Concertos & Sinfonias for Oboe; Ich Hatte Viel Bekümmernis (Heinz Holliger, Eric Höbarth & Camerata Bern)
  • Hymns & Prayers (Gidon Kremer & Kremerata Baltica)
  • Manto & Madrigals (Thomas Zehetmair & Ruth Killius)
  • Songs of Ascension (Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble, Todd Reynolds Quartet, The M6 & Montclair State University Singers)
  • Tchaikovsky/Kissine: Piano Trios (Gidon Kremer, Giedre Dirvanauskaite & Khatia Buniatishvili)
  • A Worcester Ladymass (Trio Mediaeval)
  • David Frost
  • Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Live (Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass)
  • Mackey: Lonely Motel – Music from Slide (Rinde Eckert, Steven Mackey & Eighth Blackbird)
  • Prayers & Alleluias (Kenneth Dake)
  • Sharon Isbin & Friends – Guitar Passions (Sharon Isbin & Various Artists)
  • Peter Rutenberg
  • Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45 (Patrick Dupré Quigley, James K. Bass, Seraphic Fire & Professional Choral Institute)
  • The Vanishing Nordic Chorale (Philip Spray & Musik Ekklesia)

=Classical=

;Best Orchestral Performance

"Brahms: Symphony No. 4"

:Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

;Best Opera Recording

"Adams: Doctor Atomic"

:Alan Gilbert, conductor; Meredith Arwady, Sasha Cooke, Richard Paul Fink, Gerald Finley, Thomas Glenn & Eric Owens; Jay David Saks, producer (Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; Metropolitan Opera Chorus)

  • "Britten: Billy Budd"
  • Mark Elder, conductor; John Mark Ainsley, Phillip Ens, Jacques Imbrailo, Darren Jeffery, Iain Paterson & Matthew Rose; James Whitbourn, producer (London Philharmonic Orchestra; Glyndebourne Chorus)
  • "Rautavaara: Kaivos"
  • Hannu Lintu, conductor; Jaakko Kortekangas, Hannu Niemelä, Johanna Rusanen-Kartano & Mati Turi; Seppo Siirala, producer (Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra; Kaivos Chorus)
  • "Verdi: La Traviata"
  • Antonio Pappano, conductor; Joseph Calleja, Renée Fleming & Thomas Hampson; James Whitbourn, producer (Orchestra of the Royal Opera House; Royal Opera Chorus)
  • "Vivaldi: Ercole Sul Termodonte"
  • Fabio Biondi, conductor; Romina Basso, Patrizia Ciofi, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Vivica Genaux, Philippe Jaroussky, Topi Lehtipuu & Rolando Villazón; Daniel Zalay, producer (Europa Galante; Coro Da Camera Santa Cecilia Di Borgo San Lorenzo)

;Best Choral Performance

"Light & Gold"

:Eric Whitacre, conductor (Christopher Glynn & Hila Plitmann; The King's Singers, Laudibus, Pavão Quartet & The Eric Whitacre Singers)

  • "Beyond All Mortal Dreams – American A Cappella"
  • Stephen Layton, conductor (Choir of Trinity College Cambridge)
  • "Brahms: Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45"
  • Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; James K. Bass, chorus master (Justin Blackwell, Scott Allen Jarrett, Paul Max Tipton & Teresa Wakim; Professional Choral Institute & Seraphic Fire)
  • "Kind"
  • Kjetil Almenning, conductor (Nidaros String Quartet; Ensemble 96)
  • "The Natural World of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen"
  • Paul Hillier, conductor (Ars Nova Copenhagen)

;Best Small Ensemble Performance

"Mackey: Lonely Motel – Music from Slide" – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

  • "Frank: Hilos" – Gabriela Lena Frank; ALIAS Chamber Ensemble
  • "The Kingdoms of Castille – Richard Savino, conductor; El Mundo
  • "A Seraphic Fire Christmas" – Patrick Dupré Quigley, conductor; Seraphic Fire
  • "Sound the Bells!" – The Bay Brass

;Best Classical Instrumental Solo

"Schwantner: Concerto for Percussion & Orchestra"

:Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Christopher Lamb (Nashville Symphony)

  • "Chinese Recorder Concertos – East Meets West"
  • Lan Shui, conductor; Michala Petri (Copenhagen Philharmonic)
  • "Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini"
  • Claudio Abbado, Yuja Wang (Mahler Chamber Orchestra)
  • "Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4"
  • Leif Ove Andsnes, Antonio Pappano (London Symphony Orchestra)
  • "Winging It – Piano Music of John Corigliano"
  • Ursula Oppens

;Best Classical Vocal Solo

"Diva Divo"

:Joyce DiDonato (Kazushi Ono; Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Lyon; Choeur De L'Opéra National De Lyon)

  • "Grieg/Thommessen: Veslemøy Synsk"
  • Marianne Beate Kielland (Nils Anders Mortensen)
  • "Handel: Cleopatra"
  • Natalie Dessay (Emmanuelle Haïm; Le Concert D'Astrée)
  • "Purcell: O Solitude"
  • Andreas Scholl (Stefano Montanari; Christophe Dumaux; Accademia Bizantina)
  • "Three Baroque Tenors"
  • Ian Bostridge (Bernard Labadie; Mark Bennett, Andrew Clarke, Sophie Daneman, Alberto Grazzi, Jonathan Gunthorpe, Benjamin Hulett & Madeline Shaw; The English Concert)

;Best Contemporary Classical Composition

"Aldridge, Robert: Elmer Gantry" – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

  • "Crumb, George: The Ghosts of Alhambra" – George Crumb
  • "Friedman, Jefferson: String Quartet No. 3" – Jefferson Friedman
  • "Mackey, Steven: Lonely Motel – Music From Slide" – Steven Mackey
  • "Ruders, Poul: Piano Concerto No. 2" – Poul Ruders

=Music Video=

;Best Short Form Music Video

;Best Long Form Music Video

Special Merit Awards

;MusiCares Person of the Year

;President's Merit Award

  • Sir Richard Branson{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/the-recording-academy-clive-davis-partner-for-pre-grammy-gala|title=The Recording Academy, Clive Davis Partner For Pre-GRAMMY Ga|date=January 19, 2012|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=April 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403134918/http://www.grammy.com/news/the-recording-academy-clive-davis-partner-for-pre-grammy-gala|url-status=live}}

;Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/the-recording-academy-announces-special-merit-award-honorees-0|title=The Recording Academy Announces Special Merit Award Honorees|date=December 21, 2011|website=Grammy.com|access-date=August 1, 2017|archive-date=March 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317093600/http://www.grammy.com/news/the-recording-academy-announces-special-merit-award-honorees-0|url-status=live}}

;Grammy Trustees Award

;Technical Grammy Award

Artists with multiple nominations and awards

In Memoriam

References

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