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The 2025 Grammys Were a Little Too Feel-Good
Mainstream music seems to see itself as a refuge from real-world trolls.
The Grammys broadcast was instead steeped in a desire to help L.A. rebuild and honor the city’s contributions to culture, from the opening cover of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” performed by an all-star cast led by roots rockers Dawes to Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar’s five wins for “Not Like Us.” While the show put its star power to noble use, fundraising for wildfire victims like an old-school telethon and placing celebs in ads for local businesses, it felt most prepared to address the one issue. The evening was littered with moments of heartwarming advocacy that sometimes felt like a mirror on the nascent Drumpf-era mood of the 2017 ceremony, the Grammys’ last bout with fear of a post-inauguration political crackdown, where Katy Perry performed “Chained to the Rhythm” sporting a “RESIST” armband. To be fair, there was plenty of wisdom and beauty in letting the vastness of the American musical landscape do a lot of talking; this instinct was most visible in songwriter, producer, and activist Justin Tranter’s peppy premiere ceremony-hosting gig, which often introduced guests as “fellow homosexuals.” But the stresses outside bled into the proper show at a trickle, largely via loving words.
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