Topline
The Recording Academy is “likely” to postpone the upcoming 2022 Grammy Awards because of rising Covid-19 cases and the omicron variant, anonymous sources told Billboard, possibly becoming the second year in a row the ceremony was delayed because of the pandemic.
Billie Eilish poses with her awards in the press room during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at … [+]
Key Facts
The 2022 Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on January 31 indoors at the Crypto.com Arena—formerly the Staples Center—in Los Angeles, and are to be hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the event in 2021.
Last year, the ceremony was also scheduled to take place on January 31 but on January 5 was postponed until March 14, according to Billboard, and was ultimately held outdoors.
The Recording Academy has not yet responded to Forbes’ request for comment.
Big Number
44,753. That’s how many new Covid-19 cases were reported in Los Angeles county on Sunday, according to county data. Los Angeles county has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Covid-19 tracker.
Key Background
The Grammys isn’t the only awards show possibly taking a step back amid the intense rise in Covid-19 cases around the country. Last month the Critics Choice Awards and the Academy Governors Awards postponed their January ceremonies, leaving the coming awards season up in the air. The 2022 Golden Globes awards are set to be held Jan. 9, though it’s still not clear what form they will take as NBC refused to hold the ceremony this year because of controversy surrounding the organization that holds the awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. This year’s Super Bowl is also planned to take place in Los Angeles on February 13.
Tangent
Musician Jon Batiste received 11 nominations this year, more than any other artist. Doja Cat, H.E.R. and Justin Bieber received 8 nods each, and other popular acts like Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Nas X are expected to receive trophies.
Further Reading
4 Broadway Shows Shutter: How Will New Covid Surge Impact Movies, Concerts? (Forbes)
Jon Batiste, Justin Bieber Lead 2022 Grammy Nominations (Forbes)
