The Best Of The Best
When it comes to the Grammys, let’s be honest: nobody really tunes in to watch an artist awkwardly thank their label or their accountant. We’re here for the fireworks. The live performances. The jaw-dropping, meme-making, culture-shaping moments that make you jump off the couch, clutch your pearls, or text your friend “DID YOU SEE THAT???”
Here’s a look back at 23 of the most iconic Grammy performances of all time—the ones that prove the Grammys are less about the trophies, and more about the moments.
Kendrick Lamar—“The Blacker The Berry / Alright” (2016)
Kendrick didn’t just perform at the Grammys—he detonated the stage. From chains to fire-lit backdrops, his medley was part concert, part protest, part history lesson. By the time he dropped an unreleased verse about Trayvon Martin, jaws were permanently glued to the floor. A masterclass in art as activism.
Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Performance Was An Ode to Black Power, theGrio
Prince and the Revolution—“Baby I’m A Star” (1985)
Prince hit the Grammy stage like a man who already knew he was immortal. Six minutes of purple lightning, twirls, and Sheila E pounding away on timbales. He strutted off like a heavyweight champ, proving once again that while others play music, Prince is music.
Prince and the Revolution : Baby I’m a star at the Grammy awards 1985 (pro footage), Purple MPLS
Beyoncé—“Love Drought / Sandcastles” (2017)
Only Beyoncé could show up as a literal glowing fertility goddess in a halo crown and make it look like casual Sunday attire. Her Lemonade-era performance blended vulnerability and divinity, proving that Grammy stages are just temples waiting for her sermons. Bow down indeed.
Taylor Swift—“Cardigan / August / Willow” (2021)
Taylor built a forest on the Grammy stage—moss, trees, cottage-core chic, the whole vibe. Then she twirled us through her Folklore and Evermore era with a dreamy, woodsy medley. By the time she left, it wasn’t just a performance. It was a spell.
Stevie Wonder—“You Haven’t Done Nothin’” (1975)
Stevie turned the Grammys into a funk-fueled callout session. With Nixon-era politics in his crosshairs, he made Motown grooves sound like a protest march. It was sharp, soulful, and the perfect reminder that Stevie doesn’t just sing songs—he delivers messages.
Aretha Franklin—“Nessun Dorma” (1998)
When Luciano Pavarotti bailed last minute, Aretha just shrugged and said, “Yeah, I can do opera”. No rehearsal. No safety net. Just pure Queen of Soul belting Puccini and redefining what it means to “step in.” Legendary doesn’t even cover it.
Hip-Hop 50 Tribute—LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott & More (2023)
The Grammys tried to pack 50 years of hip-hop into 15 minutes—and somehow, it worked. From Grandmaster Flash to Lil Uzi Vert, legends passed the mic in a dizzying relay race of bars, beats, and history. A celebration, an education, and a flex all rolled into one.
GRAMMYs: LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah's Hip Hop 50 Tribute, Entertainment Tonight
Harry Styles—“Watermelon Sugar” (2021)
Black leather, feather boa, cheeky hip thrusts—Harry made his solo Grammy debut as glam-rock’s new golden god. The boa didn’t survive the performance, but Harry’s star power sure did. Deliciously sweet chaos.
GRAMMYs 2021: Harry Styles Sings Watermelon Sugar in ELECTRIFYING Performance, Entertainment Tonight
Bob Dylan—“Love Sick” (1998)
Dylan crooned his bluesy lament while a shirtless man with “Soy Bomb” painted on his chest flailed around him like a cracked-out interpretive dancer. Dylan barely blinked. It was weird, iconic, and somehow very Grammy.
Love Sick - Bob Dylan, Luiz Cruz
Michael Jackson—“Man In The Mirror” (1988)
MJ at his most powerful: not moonwalking, but delivering a soaring ballad with a gospel choir behind him. The King of Pop proved that sometimes the quiet plea for change hits harder than all the glitz.
Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror | Live at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, 1988, MJHDContent
A Tribe Called Quest with Busta Rhymes & Anderson .Paak—“We The People” (2017)
Tribe stormed the stage with fury, grief, and resistance. Busta called out “President Agent Orange,” Q-Tip shouted “Resist!”, and the entire performance became a rallying cry. Political, personal, and unforgettable.
Christopher Polk, Getty images
Whitney Houston—“I Will Always Love You” (1994)
Whitney didn’t just sing—she owned the night. With her Bodyguard anthem, she hit every note with diamond precision. The result? A performance so perfect it became the standard by which all other diva ballads are judged.
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You (Official 4K Video) by Whitney Houston
Lady Gaga—“Born This Way” (2011)
Some pop stars walk on stage. Gaga hatched from an egg. She emerged in latex glory to debut her LGBTQ anthem, just two days after release, instantly birthing a movement. It was camp, it was glam, it was Gaga.
Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Live from The GRAMMYs on CBS), Lady Gaga
BTS—“Butter” (2022)
The boys from Seoul delivered slick spy-film realness in tailored suits, with choreography sharper than a switchblade. Bonus points for V whispering something spicy in Olivia Rodrigo’s ear before the music even started. International superstars, fully arrived.
BTS Slay w/ 'Butter' Performance At 2022 Grammys, Access Hollywood
Radiohead with the USC Marching Band—“15 Step” (2009)
Leave it to Radiohead to turn a Grammy stage into avant-garde theater. With a literal marching band pounding out polyrhythms, Thom Yorke crooned like the world’s coolest prophet. Experimental, explosive, and bizarrely beautiful.
Radiohead - 15 Step (2009 Grammys) 4k, pzy
Billie Eilish—“Happier Than Ever” (2022)
Perched on a rooftop in the rain, Billie shredded through her angsty epic while Finneas went wild on guitar. Oh, and she did it wearing a Taylor Hawkins tribute tee. Vulnerable, volcanic, and deeply personal.
Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever (64th GRAMMY Awards Performance), Billie Eilish
Metallica—“One” (1989)
The Grammys had to apologize in advance for how terrifying this performance would be. Metallica obliged by blowing the roof off with their thrash-metal masterpiece. Half the audience was converted on the spot. The other half is probably still scared.
Metallica - One (Live at the 1989 Grammy Awards) (Remastered) [HQ/HD/4K], WTFMusic ᴴᴰ
Ricky Martin—“La Copa De La Vida” (1999)
Before this night, Ricky was “that guy from Menudo”. After it, he was a global superstar. He turned the Grammys into a carnival, shaking hips and raising heart rates across America. Ricky didn’t just perform—he conquered.
Ricky Martin - The Cup of Life, Ricky Martin
Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl & More—“London Calling” (2003)
A punk-rock sendoff to Joe Strummer, who had just passed. Guitars clashed, voices howled, and Springsteen yelled, “This is for Joe!” It was raw, ragged, and glorious—a tribute only punks could love this much.
Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl - London Calling (2003, FHD), Strickwerker
Adele—“Rolling In The Deep” (2012)
The day after Whitney Houston’s passing, Adele stepped up with her soulful anthem. No gimmicks, no theatrics, just her voice slicing through the grief and delivering a coronation moment. Pure goosebumps.
Adele performing Rolling In The Deep | BRIT Awards 2012, Texhnician
Alicia Keys—“Songs I Wish I Wrote” (2019)
Sitting at two pianos (because one is never enough), Alicia gave us a medley of covers she loved. From Coldplay to Lauryn Hill, she wasn’t just showing off chops—she was sharing taste. It felt like being invited into her living room.
Alicia Keys GRAMMYS 2019, Navdeep Singh
Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion—“WAP / Up” (2021)
A giant purple bed. Two rap queens. Twerking, grinding, and lyrics so censored even the word “bucket” didn’t make it through. It was outrageous, hilarious, and history-making—a performance so good it made pearl-clutchers clutch harder.
GRAMMYs 2021: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's Unforgettable WAP Performance, Entertainment Tonight
Lil Nas X—“Montero / Industry Baby” (2022)
Costume changes, glitter capes, Jack Harlow cameos—Lil Nas X turned the Grammys into his personal playground. Equal parts theatrical and tongue-in-cheek, it was a reminder that nobody trolls the establishment while thriving in it quite like him.
Lil Nas X - DEAD RIGHT NOW/MONTERO/INDUSTRY BABY (64th GRAMMY Awards Performance), Lil Nas X
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