The Gramophone Awards, as they were originally known, started out as the record industry’s answer to the Oscars and the Emmys in 1959. Being a black-tie event from its very inception 56 years ago, this first ever ceremony happened inside the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton in LA and the night was full of surprises! Check out some of the tunes that rocked the very first year of the grand Grammys
The Grammy Awards were not televised together from 1958 to 1971. Instead it was filmed and broadcasted on NBC throughout the year. It is also considered the most prestigious awards in the music industry. Pierre Cossetter purchased the rights for broadcast of the ceremony in 1971. It was from here when the Grammy Awards were telecasted on live.
The name ‘Grammy’ in the ‘Grammy Awards’ is because Grammy is a trophy, which the winner is awarded. Initially it was known as Gramophone Awards, which was shortened overtime to its current name ‘Grammy’. National Academy of Recording Arts and Science presents this award for the outstanding achievements in the music industry.
It all started in 1958, when rock ‘n’ roll alarmed a group of executives by its explosive success. The group fell in dilemma, whether to recognize rock ‘n’ roll or to honor “good” music such as Sinatra and Doris Day. Their final aim was to set a quality standard in the music industry. So this is the ultimate reason for the up rise of Grammys. From the beginning, the Grammys have been at odds and scornful of not only rock but every other wave of rebellious, from R&B to Woodstock, new music, street-bred music, and rap. It is also said that the early committee was very biased against modern (especially) rock ‘n’ roll music. However, the change didn’t come easily.
The first award for rock music wasn’t given until 1961. Even as late as 1967, only one nominee could fairly be termed as a rock album for Album of the year. This conservative voting of Grammy has resulted in a huge list of follies. Most of the best recordings have failed to win a Grammy in the first forty years of Grammy history. On the night of November 1959, the first Grammy Award telecast took place. Grammys successfully completed 52nd Annual Awards held on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. As of 2007, 7,578 trophies have been awarded. U2 has won 22 Grammy Awards and holds a record.
The first award for rock music wasn’t given until 1961 (Chubby Checker won the Best Rock & Roll Recording award that year), and even as late at 1967, only one nominee for Album of the Year (the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) could fairly be termed as a rock album. Jimi Hendrix never won a Grammy. Neither did Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fats Domino, the Four Tops, or Sam Cooke, to name a few.
