The Grammys still have a long way to go just ask pretty much any current hip-hop artist, or have a chat with Ariana Grande, who skipped musics biggest night. But considered as pure spectacle, the overstuffed 2019 awards ceremony was the most entertaining of the post-LL Cool J era, as Rob Sheffield argues in the latest episode of our Rolling Stone Music Now podcast.
Related: Best, Worst, WTF Moments at 2019 Grammys
Sheffield is joined by Brittany Spanos and host Brian Hiatt as the panel breaks down the unexpectedly soaring highs (that Dolly Parton tribute; the sleek, Camila Cabello-led opening number; Travis Scott starting a mosh pit; Gaga being very Gaga for the first time in a while; St. Vincent and Dua Lipas jaw-dropping duet) and painful lows (Jennifer Lopez awkwardly attempting to embody all of Motown Records history; the Red Hot Chili Peppers weird decision to play a recent song rather than a classic, while teaming with a superfluous Post Malone).
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Download and subscribe to Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, oniTunesorSpotify, and check out two years worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Ice Cube, Neil Young, the National, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Fleetwood Mac, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Alicia Keys, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, Gary Clark Jr. and many more plus genre-spanning discussions and debates. Tune in Fridays at 1 p.m. ET to hear the show broadcast live on Sirius XMs Volume, channel 106.