Rob Sheffield’s review of the 2024 Grammys argues that the ceremony worked best as a fan-centered concert punctuated by dramatic moments—not as a perfectly efficient awards broadcast. Taylor Swift’s record-setting Album of the Year win, Jay-Z’s pointed criticism of the Recording Academy, and Joni Mitchell’s performance gave the night its defining contrasts.
What was Rob Sheffield’s review of the 2024 Grammys?
Sheffield’s Rolling Stone review, “Last Night’s Grammys Were About Drama, Drama, and Also Drama,” was published February 5, 2024, the day after the ceremony. He opens by asking, “Remember when the Grammys used to suck every year? These days, nobody does.” It is a deliberately sweeping critical judgment, not a claim supported by audience data.
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His central idea is that the Grammys had become “a concert where we give out awards,” borrowing host Trevor Noah’s description. Sheffield is most interested in the performances and moments that turned the broadcast into a dramatic music event. That emphasis makes his review an enthusiastic account of the show’s energy, though it does not mean every moment was smooth or successful.
The ceremony was the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, held February 4, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and broadcast on CBS. Sheffield’s piece followed the show; it should not be confused with the event date.
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Who won Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammys?
Taylor Swift won Album of the Year for Midnights. It was her fourth win in the category, setting a record at the time, according to the Associated Press. The Recording Academy’s official results list Midnights as the winner.
Swift also used her Best Pop Vocal Album acceptance speech to announce that her next album, The Tortured Poets Department, would be released April 19, 2024. The announcement gave the acceptance speech a second kind of news value: it was both an awards moment and a major release reveal.
What did Jay-Z say about Beyoncé at the Grammys?
Jay-Z received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award and used his acceptance speech to challenge the Academy’s record on Beyoncé and Album of the Year. As Sheffield reports his remark: “She has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year, so even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.” The Associated Press also reported his criticism.
Sheffield calls Jay-Z’s remarks the funniest and saltiest speech of the night. That description captures the review’s appetite for candor and friction: the speech interrupted the celebratory rhythm to question what the awards represent and how the Academy’s decisions are judged. It also underlines that Grammy results are not a neutral measure of artistic merit.
How did the performances shape the night?
The review treats performance as the show’s main attraction, while the Los Angeles Times review offers a useful second perspective on its emotional high points. The Times praised Jay-Z’s speech and described Joni Mitchell’s rendition of “Both Sides Now” as quiet and stirring. Its assessment also found the telecast’s smoothness less exciting than the messiness of past ceremonies.
That contrast helps explain the different critical emphases. Sheffield foregrounds spectacle and drama; the Times highlights particular moments while weighing the costs of a polished broadcast. Mitchell’s performance, in particular, was a reminder that a Grammy telecast can make room for restraint as well as showmanship.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What else changed at the 2024 Grammys?
The Recording Academy introduced three categories at the 2024 awards. Their addition broadened the formal award slate across several areas of music:
- Best African Music Performance
- Best Alternative Jazz Album
- Best Pop Dance Recording
The new categories add context to the question of how the ceremony represents music, but Sheffield’s review is chiefly about the televised experience: performances, speeches, and the emotional charge created when awards night refuses to stay purely ceremonial.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Rob Sheffield, “Last Night’s Grammys Were About Drama, Drama, and Also Drama,” Rolling Stone Canada, February 5, 2024
- Recording Academy, “2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List”
- Associated Press, “Taylor Swift wins album of the year at the Grammy Awards for the fourth time, setting a new record,” February 4, 2024
- Los Angeles Times, “Review: The 2024 Grammys proved that Jay-Z spoke the truth,” February 4, 2024
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