The best and worst Grammy performances of the past 10 years

Kendrick Lamar has utilized the Grammy stage to provide compelling performances before, but his multipart, Dave Chappelle-assisted "satire" that opened the 60th iteration of the awards show was pointed, political and disjointed in the most wonderful of ways. Just like on his acclaimed album "Damn.," a guest appearance by U2 feels like the band is doing Kendrick a favor instead of the other way around. But it made for something less geared toward populism and more toward agitprop, injecting life and vitality into an awards show many have long thought as too stale. 

Kesha's comeback story in 2017 was one for the record books. She dealt with a public battle with her former producer, which led to much heartbreak right as the #MeToo movement was taking shape. Ignored by the Grammys before, her largely self-written new record served as an empowering document, and her song "Praying" was the lead single and focal point. To top things off, on the Grammy stage she was joined by Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels and Andra Day, who all contributed to one hell of a show-stopping number. 

To call Kanye a divisive performer would be something of an understatement, but during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, Yeezy delivered an inspiring one-two punch. First, with electric glasses on, he broke out into "Stronger" with Daft Punk working its magic in a pyramid behind the duo. The fun soon gave way to Kanye giving a striking, sensitive rendition of "Hey Mama" with clear emotion in his delivery, leaving a performance that — at least on the Grammy stage — he has yet to top.

Morris Day's voice may carry some age in it, but when the Time got together on stage during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, it was a moment of absolute joy. The group's choreography was still tight, and the guys still obviously were having fun. When Rihanna appeared to do a tempo-adjusted rendition of "Umbrella," the mash-up actually made sense. It was an inspired collaboration, but once Rihanna breaks out into "Please Don't Stop the Music," the pretaped backing track kicks in, rendering the rest of the Time looking pretty impotent as a bunch of breakdancing white guys follow RiRi around. The occasional retro key stab isn't enough to shake the fact that Rihanna hijacked what was turning out to be a truly special moment.

While the Grammys truly do nominate and recognize albums across all genres and styles, television audiences are fickle beasts, so classical, jazz and other non-pop/rock/hip-hop/country categories rarely manage to make it up to the Grammy performance stage. What a treat it was then to see Lang Lang and Herbie Hancock, on dual pianos, trade bars in a gorgeous, considered rendition of "Rhapsody in Blue" that felt unabashedly joyous, pure and harmonious. Their chemistry was undeniable, and even though people probably tuned in to see Amy Winehouse perform, this remained one of the evening's undisputed takeaways.

"The future needs a big kiss!" Bono shouted at the start of the 2009 ceremony, kicking off the 51st iteration of the awards with a then-new and truly messy lead single that had The Edge's guitar way too low in the mix to make much of an impact. Bono's Frankenstein shoes and awkward posturing truly made it seem like this once-groundbreaking group was again trying to recapture a younger audience with its lean, rock sound. But instead, they all just looked, sounded and felt more out of touch than they've ever been before.

While Sugarland has had its share of ups and downs in the media, its early introduction into the world was a thing of beauty. With "Stay," a relatively new Jennifer Nettles blew the nation away with her powerful singing voice, bringing real impact to the lyrics as she belts her truth out over an acoustic guitar and a lightly mixed church organ. It was a surprise when it debuted back then and is a joy to revisit even now.

OK, let's get this straight: You got Stevie Wonder on to the stage, and he's...backing the Jonas Brothers? Then they switch over to "Superstition," and it's the brothers Jonas taking some of his best verses? Whatever happened to the old adage of just letting Stevie be Stevie...and forgetting that the Jonas Brothers were ever an entity we once paid attention to?

Opening what some would argue is the legendary band's best album (the Grammy-nominated "In Rainbows"), "15 Step" is one of the glitchiest, smartest moments in Radiohead's discography. So in taking the Grammy stage, the band decided to amp things up a bit with the USC marching band, The Spirit of Troy. What starts off as merely a fun idea soon turns into an avant-pop epic, with a clattering percussion and sizable horns giving the alternative rock gods' ghostly number some real spirit. Get it.

Michael Jackson's talent has inspired a nearly unending array of musicians and performers throughout the years, and as we all tried to wrap our heads around the idea that the world wouldn't have the King of Pop in it anymore, the Grammys did their part by paying tribute to him using his "Earth Song" and breaking out...a series of unrelated vocalists. Don't get us wrong: Inspiration can strike anyone, but even with their hearts in the right place, putting together Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson made for an interesting combination, let's say. You'd think that The Recording Academy would understand better than anyone the unspoken rule of covering Michael Jackson songs: You don't.

The last we heard from Maxwell was "This Woman's Work" all the way back in 2002. So when the glorious slice of liquid R&B that is "Pretty Wings" dropped in 2009, everyone took notice, including the Grammys, which nominated it for top prizes like Song of the Year. When he took the Grammys stage in 2010, Maxwell didn't sell out or lose himself in spectacle, no. Instead, he presented his fierce, dapper self, the horn section accentuating his fiery but controlled delivery. It won't go down as the flashiest Grammys performance, but it will be remembered as one of the smoothest.

There's a bit of Broadway to be found in the most understated single in Pink's career; hints of Jason Robert Brown in both the lyrics and piano arrangement. Yes, "Glitter in the Air" is a lovely ballad, and while Pink going out on stage and belting it would be performance enough, she decided to one-up herself by bringing a bit of the circus spectacle that has dominated her stadium tours to the awards show, wrapping herself in aerial ribbons halfway through the song and increasing her stunt work as she continues to stun with her vocal fireworks. The suspended-in-air drama only heightens the experience. One of the all-time great Grammy performances.

In reeling from the death of saxophonist LeRoi Moore, the Dave Matthews Band decided to celebrate his life not with a mournful reminiscence of an album but an uplifting party instead. "You & Me," the third single from its Grammy-nominated LP, seemed custom-made for the Grammy stage, with the band bringing in a string section, a huge horn section and tons of backup vocalists to amplify the mid-tempo strummer's optimistic tones and sunshine textures. Say what you will about DMB: This remains one of the most uplifting, unassuming moments the Grammys have ever been blessed with.

Most of the time during a major TV event, you can go grab additional snacks or drink during the commercial break. The Grammys, however, are an exception to the rule: When Barbra Streisand wants to do her umpteenth iteration of "Evergreen" from "A Star is Born," that would be an ideal time to get away from your TV, as the lush, adult contemporary string section may very well put you to sleep, making you miss the performances you truly tuned in for.

While this was technically a portion of a B.o.B./Bruno Mars performance, the second that Mars introduced and then got behind the skins for the futuristic R&B/rock jam "Cold War," it was clear something special was happening. Janelle Monáe tore the stage up with her powerful singing, crowd-surfing and unrelenting energy. Although she's focusing more on film these days, in this moment it felt like she was the absolute future of music — and very well still could be.

Arcarde Fire is one of the most acclaimed indie-rock acts of the decade...and its noisy set piece was riddled with extreme BMX bikers with GoPros attached to their helmets.

Cool.

It was barely 90 seconds, but the kinship between Norah Jones and guitarists Keith Urban and John Mayer was something truly special, filling the Dolly Parton classic with a profound sense of urgency. From the furious strumming to the way their vocals came together in perfect harmony, this too-short-but-instant-classic moment may rightly be remembered as the best performance of the night.

Nominate any performance you want as the worst thing to ever grace the Grammy stage, and we guarantee you it won't top Nicki Minaj's "huh?" spectacle that hit us in 2012. Starting with a single bar of her solid "Pink Friday" track "Roman's Revenge," Nicki soon sings "I'm So Pretty" from "West Side Story" out of sync, which then turns to a video montage where she recreates scenes from "The Exorcist." Then we go back to the stage where an exorcism is performed on her as she floats away into the ceiling and church choir comes in to...yeah, we'll just stop there. If this sounds confusing, that's because it was. Memorable for all the wrong reasons.

The day before the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, the world received shocking news that Whitney Houston had died. With fewer than 24 hours to react, the Grammy Award producers — along with an understated, reverent hosting job by LL Cool J — brought what would normally be a celebration of pop music excess into sharp focus. Against all odds, Jennifer Hudson agreed at the last possible minute to cover Whitney's trademark number "I Will Always Love You," and in the glare of a single spotlight on stage, she delivered a rendition that was heartfelt, powerful and respectful all at once. She didn't try to "outdo" Whitney — that would've been foolish. Instead, she paid tribute in the most stunning way possible.

While The Band Perry and Blake Shelton were part of a packaged tribute to Glen Campbell, absolutely nothing could top an appearance from the man himself. Only two years after his Alzheimer's diagnosis, Campbell managed to take the stage with classic cowboy gusto, making people dance in the aisles and getting Paul McCartney to cheer. It was short, unexpected and one of the sweetest things we saw all evening.

In giving tribute to both Patti Page and Carole King, Kelly Clarkson — aided only by piano and guitar — gave a stunning, pitch-perfect performance that would do any diva proud. She proved during her tribute to some of the finest women in music that she was carving out a legacy all her own. Her vocal runs weren't excessive but instead fitted each piece perfectly, showcasing her talent while also not making it entirely about herself. Traditional in nature but perfect in execution — just the way we like it.

On paper, pairing the throwback blues-rock of The Black Keys with the likes of Dr. John and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band makes sense. In practice, all the non-Black Keys performers on stage played the same rigid notes over and over again, which added next to nothing to the duo's gritty guitar number. Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe it.

Oh no. Not like this. For such a forward-thinking artist like Frank Ocean, the stage setup was incredible. Over slow-motion jogging footage, Ocean took the stage with a waist-high monitor that made it look like he was running while performing. Cool concept, but the pressure of playing such a huge venue clearly got to Frank, as he turned in a pitchy, nervous performance that stood in sharp contrast to the rest of the artists on stage that evening. No wonder it's hard to catch a live date of Ocean these days.

A year before Obergefell v. Hodges passed and allowed true equality for the United States, the Grammys pulled a hell of a stunt, with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' timely single "Same Love" with Mary Lambert given a garish treatment, as tons of same-sex couples filled the aisles and Madonna and Queen Latifah presided over a musical ceremony to make their unions official. Yes, it was a bit obvious, but that didn't diminish the well-intentioned gesture on a national stage, confronting some viewers and maybe even changing the minds of others.

Nile Rodgers — the Chic frontman and pop hitmaker for tons of artists over the decade —launched himself into popularity once again with his inspired (and Grammy-winning) Daft Punk collaboration, so for him to grace the stage with the funky robots and a lively Stevie Wonder in tow with the robots doing live mixing of all their hits before segueing into Stevie's "Another Star?" Perfection. This was one of the most inspired collaborations in Grammy history.

In many ways, the staging here was just like the music video: Rihanna, Kanye and Paul McCartney in front of a plain white background, playin' guitar and singin' their hearts out. The side guitarist adds some louder but welcome decoration on the chorus. No one overplays their roles, and in the end, we're left with one of the most unexpected but truly delightful pop surprises of the past few years. The gang didn't need to do anything to sell the song outside of combining their star power, and by going for this bare-bones aesthetic, the gambit absolutely worked.

OK, but really, though. What was the decision-making process for turning a buoyant, breezy summer hit like Pharrell's "Happy" and turning into a string-and-choir Hans Zimmer joint that sounded like it belonged in an action movie soundtrack? A documentary about how this disaster came to be would be inherently more interesting than the performance itself.

Retreating into a neon Fortress of Solitude, Ariana Grande took one of her blandest, most generic ballads and gave it a bland, generic treatment. It would be forgettable were it not for the fact that we've seen her do better so many times before, leaving this as her Grammy performance nadir.

John Legend and Common ended up performing "Glory" — their inspirational number from the movie "Selma" — on more than a few awards shows during its triumphant march to Oscar gold. But leading into it during the 57th Annual Grammy Awards was a stunning, show-stopping take on the old standard "Take My Hand, Precious Lord," with Beyoncé embellishing the song with her expected vocal histrionics but never once overplaying her hand. It came from a place of deep feeling, which in turn resonated with everyone who tuned in. Although she has dropped a litany of fine performances during the Grammys before, this may very well go down as her finest.

Most of the country acts you see grace the Grammys stage tend to be more of the "pop-country" variety. So for a gritty modernist like Eric Church, this served as a glorious bucking of tradition as well as a scintillating mainstream introduction from someone who was just coming off the biggest album of his career — and his passion and craft helped push this banjo-driven rocker to become his first Country Airplay chart-topper.

Did you know that Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp and Aerosmith's Joe Perry formed a band once? And that they were responsible for giving tribute to Motörhead's iconic guitarist Lemmy Kilmister during the 58th Annual Grammy Awards? No? Oh, OK then. Never mind. Forget we even mentioned it.

She's a brilliant performer, but as noted before, Adele has had nothing but problems when she attends the Grammys and isn't giving an acceptance speech. During this performance, she really tried to give her ballad all that diva gusto we've come to expect from her, but no one could have predicted that one of the mics inside the piano would fall off and catch the twangy sound of reverberating strings. Producers eventually figured out what the problem was and muted it — but not until Adele was already halfway done with her song.

While Lady Gaga has frequently mined the likes of Queen and Elton John for musical inspiration, her doing a tribute to the works of David Bowie almost a month after his death kind of makes sense. In practice, however, Gaga commits the one cardinal sin of doing a tribute performance: She made it about her. Although inspired by Bowie, this smash-cut medley of hits and costume changes was so fast that no single moment had the chance to land. You leave it not thinking about Bowie's brilliance but instead mulling how an artist of Gaga's stature managed to get it so very, very wrong.

During his tours, Kendrick Lamar has been a surprisingly hit-or-miss performer, but when it comes to awards shows, Kung-Fu Kenny usually brings it all. During the 2016 Grammys, he gave what may very well be his single greatest live musical moment. With live jazz saxophone and a constantly changing beat, Kendrick goes from the jailhouse to a tribal bonfire without missing a beat, spitting fire with intense, laser-locked eyes. It's not that few other rappers could've been able to do a performance of that size and impact. It's that few other performers in the history of the game could've create a moment this complex, visceral and memorable.

This is tough. When people tuned into the Grammys to see the ever-versatile Lady Gaga trade vocal leads with James Hetfield on the Metallica number "Moth into the Flame," things got awkward and fast, as Hetfield's mic absolutely didn't work. He tried to sing, and there was vocal silence. Gaga sang, and she was loud as hell. It was an all-time terrible technical disaster, but check out the rehearsal video they posted online. Not only is Hetfield's mic plugged in, but the band also is actually tighter here than it was during the live broadcast, making for an inspired mash-up moment that never was.

In a year when people were still trying to figure out the limits of what was acceptable when it came to responding to a Donald Trump presidency, leave it to Busta Rhymes to boldly take the stage and refer to him as "President Agent Orange" — twice. In a fiery, energetic performance, the Tribe ran through classics, introduced new material and even gave tribute to the late Phife Dawg in a performance that smashed all the eggshells people were walking on while thrilling the crowd in the process.

Adele has had some rather unfortunate luck when it comes to Grammy performances, from being outshone by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles when performing "Chasing Pavements" to another entry that you already saw on this list. But her tribute to George Michael during the 59th Annual Awards may be her worst effort yet and one that she famously restarted when she heard how pitchy she was during that first chorus. Yet why anyone would feel the need to turn a mid-tempo jam like "Fastlove" into a string-laden funeral dirge is anyone's guess. It made for a disastrous interpretation that not even Adele could save (despite her best efforts).

Beyoncé is at a phase of her career when virtually every performance she gives is a knockout, and even while fully pregnant, this was no exception. With immaculate choreography, vague religious imagery and a gravity-defying stunt with her on a leaning chair, Queen Bey proved that her talent can shine through any circumstance.