Households nationwide witnessed music and television become one during the broadcast of the 2014 56th Annual Grammy Awards. While often billed as the Oscars of music, audiences were left feeling unfulfilled by the spectacle.
The Grammys are supposed to be the highlight event of the music world, where unexpected performances leave viewers begging for more. Sadly, the 2014 show did not meet those lofty expectations. Instead, the music awards show suffered from various 2014 Grammys missed opportunities.
There were admittedly strong sets from Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons, as well as Metallica with classical pianist Lang Lang. But among those were also lackluster moments. Performances by Robin Thicke and Chicago could have been tweaked or completely replaced by stronger acts.
Here are the three performances that the Grammys should have curated to make the show larger-than-life.
What was Madonna doing?
One of the most emotional segments occurred when Macklemore & Ryan Lewis took the stage with Mary Lambert for “Same Love.” Mid-song, Queen Latifah walked through chapel-like doors to officiate the weddings of 33 couples, both gay and straight.
It would have been amazing if the rapper had thrown in an old school spin with a verse from her award-winning song “U.N.I.T.Y.” That track talks about the relationship between Black men and women, but it carries an overall message of respect, acceptance, and love. Instead, Madonna tried to steal the show as she poorly sang “Open Your Heart,” which felt highly underwhelming.
The Grammys failed to incorporate Outkast
Why was Outkast not even a small part of this whole show? Their comeback was huge and served as one of the main reasons that Coachella sold out in record time. Reports from Consequence of Sound noted the festival sold out in just 2 hours and 37 minutes.
People were clearly excited about the reunion of the eclectic rap duo. They should have been invited to perform or at least present in some way.
If it’s in Spanish it’s not music?
Music is diverse in origin, sound, and language. When it comes to awards season, many different genres should be gathered under one roof and celebrated as equals. Unfortunately, that is not what happened at the 2014 ceremony.
It is hard for the Recording Academy to recognize all types of music. However, they must be mindful that Latin culture is an integral part of modern American culture. Latino audiences are ever-growing and hold more consumer power in the U.S. each year.
Why were Latinos not fairly included during the main telecasted event? The Grammys had Juanes, Gloria Estefan, and Marc Anthony as presenters. There were also Target commercials featuring Prince Royce and Shakira albums, but audiences deserve more than just ads.
The show should have included at least one category for a Latin song, album, or artist. Marc Anthony singing “Vivir Mi Vida” would have been the perfect performance. He is an American recognized by both Latinos and non-Latinos, and his album 3.0 was nominated for Best Tropical Latin Album.
The addition of Cheb Khaled singing the original version, “C’est La Vie,” would have had everyone on their feet.
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