The Grammys' mistakes and failures help keep the show vital

Justin Bieber performs "Love Yourself" and "Where Are U Now" onstage with Jack U.

By August BrownStaff Writer

Feb. 16, 2016 10:35 AM PT

Adele’s piano-mic kerplunk. Rihanna calling in sick and Lauryn Hill not showing up. Jack U’s shaggy-dog set of electro-emo with Justin Bieber.

This year’s Grammys were full of the rarest things in pop music today — mistakes. Not social media meltdowns, bizarre rap beefs or surprise album leaks patched over with duct tape on Tidal. These were earnest attempts to find greatness that fell dramatically, unmistakably flat.

And the Grammys were all the better for it.

For as much as fans like to complain about nearly every aspect of the Grammys, it’s perhaps the last public space where musicians must perform their craft on someone else’s terms.

Pop music today is defined by control. From the ubiquity of vocal tuning to the elite super-producers and songwriting summer camps and the omnipresence of laptops in live band setups — so much of modern pop is about leaving nothing to chance.

That insistence on perfection creates its own uncanny aesthetic. Though pop music is perhaps more baseline pleasurable in 2016 than it’s ever been, it’s more and more rare to see any reminders that humans make this music.

On the other hand, it’s also never been a better time for an artist to be maniacally authentic on social media. They can be revealing, uncouth, brash and confused — or entirely in command of their public persona in ways that mass media would never let them have before.

Consider the contrast in those semi-manufactured musical adversaries, Kanye West and Taylor Swift. Watching Kanye’s creative process unravel in real-time has been one of the more educational things in recent music memory, if only to remind us that art often comes from some deeply weird corners of one’s brain, while Swift’s multiplatform capabilities of delivering a massive fan base’s ideal of the Taylor Swift Experience is unmatched in media or art.

POLL: Which performance stole the show at the Grammys?

The Grammys are perhaps music’s last space in between those poles. Forced into a live-television production schedule, on someone else’s stage and someone else’s set, they no longer set the terms of their engagement with the audience.

When it works, it’s transcendent. The Eagles and Jackson Browne paying pristine tribute to Glenn Frey just weeks after his death. Kendrick Lamar burning down the stage and earning his place as America’s most meaningful musician. Even Lady Gaga turning the unenviable task of capturing the sprawling musical legacy of David Bowie into a zany and virtuosic medley.

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A look at the show highlights from the 2016 Grammys. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS;Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS; Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

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Taylor Swift accepts the award for album of the year for “1989.” (Matt Sayles / Invision/Associated Press)

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Philip Bailey, from left, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson of Earth Wind & Fire present the award for album of the year. (Matt Sayles / Invision/Associated Press)

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Pitbull performs “Taxi” with actress Sofia Vergara dancing to close out the show. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Pitbull performs “Taxi.” (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Mark Ronson accepts the award for the record of the year, for “Uptown Funk,” with Bruno Mars, center. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Bruno Mars holds up the award for record of the year for “Uptown Funk” as he thanks the fans. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Beyonce presents the final award of the night, record of the year. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Lady Gaga pays tribute to David Bowie by singing through nearly half a dozen of his songs, including “Ziggy Stardust,” “Fashion” and “Heroes.” (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Lady Gaga pays tribute to David Bowie by singing nearly half a dozen of his songs, including “Space Oddity,” “Rebel Rebel” and “Under Pressure.”
(Robyn Becl / AFP/Getty Images)

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A teary Meghan Trainor recieves the award for best new artist. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Sam Smith presents the award for best new artist onstage. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Rapper Kendrick Lamar, center, performs a rendition of his songs “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.” (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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Rapper Kendrick Lamar, center, performs a rendition of his songs “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.” (Matt Sayles/Invision/Associated Press)

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Rapper Kendrick Lamar, center, performs a rendition of his songs “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.” (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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Musician Dave Grohl takes the stage. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Alice Cooper, left, and Joe Perry of Hollywood Vampires perform songs including “As Bad As I Am” and “Ace of Spades.” (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Johnny Deppy performs onstage with Hollywood Vampires. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Kaley Cuoco introduces Justin Bieber and Jack U. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Justin Bieber performs “Love Yourself” and “Where Are U Now” onstage with Jack U. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Skrillex of Jack U performs onstage with Justin Bieber. (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Adele takes the stage with a performance of her song “All I Ask.” (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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Don Cheadle introduces a performance by Kendrick Lamar. (Matt Sayles/Invision/Associated Press)

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Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes accepts the award for rock performance for “Don’t Wanna Fight.” (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Bruno Mars hits the stage. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Twelve-year-old jazz pianist Joey Alexander smiles as the audience cheers after his performance. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Singer Tori Kelly sings a rendition of her song “Hollow” with James Bay. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Tori Kelly, left, and James Bay embrace after perfoming a rendition of their songs “Hollow” and “Let It Go.” (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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Miguel performs the song “Off the Wall” onstage. (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Ed Sheeran recieves the award for song of the year, “Thinking Out Loud.” (Robyn Beck/ AFP / Getty Images)

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Stevie Wonder, center, and Mitch Grassing, left, Kristin Maldonado and Kevin Olusola of Pentatonix present the award for song of the year. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

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Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes offers up a powerful performance with the song “Don’t Wanna Fight.” (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

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Actor-filmmaker Seth MacFarlane speaks onstage. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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The Eagles perform onstage in a tribute to the late Glenn Frey. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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The Eagles perform onstage in a tribute to the late Glenn Frey. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Richie. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

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during a tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Richie. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Lionel Richie. (Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)

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Demi Lovato sings “Hello” for a tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Lionel Richie. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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John Legend performs “East” for a tribute to MusiCares Person of the Year honoree Lionel Richie. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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LL Cool J, left, and James Corden introduce a tribute to Lionel Richie. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press)

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Little Big Town performs the song “Girl Crush.” (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Chris Stapleton receives the Grammy country album for “Traveller” onstage. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Singer Andra Day, right, and Ellie Goulding team up to sing “Rise Up” and “Love Me Like You Do.” (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Host LL Cool J greets the crowd. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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The Weeknd performs two hit songs, including “Can’t Feel My Face” and “In the Night.” (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Ariana Grande introduces a performance by the Weeknd, and does her own rendition of his hit song “Earned It.” (Matt Sayles / Invision/AP)

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Actor O’Shea Jackson, left, and rapper/actor Ice Cube announce the nominees for rap album. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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Kendrick Lamar recieves the Grammy for his rap album “To Pimp a Butterfly” as Ice Cube looks on. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Singers Sam Hunt and Carrie Underwood perform “Take Your Time” and “Heartbeat” onstage. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images for NARAS)

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NFL player Anquan Boldin and NFL player Von Miller announce nominees onstage. (Robyn Beck/ AFP/Getty Images)

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Taylor Swift opens the show with her song “Out of the Woods.” (Matt Sayles/Invision/Associated Press)

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“Girl Crush” by Little Big Town takes home the Grammy for country duo/group performance. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Jazz pianist Joey Alexander, 12, takes a bow following his performance at the pre-telecast show. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Musicians Peter “Peetah” Morgan, left, Roy “Gramps” Morgan and Nakamyah “Lukes” Morgan of Morgan Heritage accept the award for reggae album for “Strictly Roots” at the pre-telecast show. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Tony Bennett and Bill Charlap accept the Grammy for traditional pop vocal album for “Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, the Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Abigail Washburn and Bela Fleck head for the stage to accept their Grammy for folk album at the pre-telecast show. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

But even when (and perhaps especially when) artists drift out of tune on live TV, or find that their bodies and schedules have failed them at the last minute, it’s a last vestige of the kind of animal fear that can grip even the mighty Adele when they get in front of a crowd. Nowhere else in pop music allows for that kind of surrender to the fates. And somewhere in that dynamic is the thing that makes us relate to musicians as people.

So go ahead: Mock the show, rip the award winners or revel in the perpetual weirdness of the Grammys’ task in capturing a year in music in one telecast. But acknowledge that there is nothing else like it in how it forces artists to reckon with the essence of their jobs.

That is, to make us watch and listen, right here and right now.

Follow @AugustBrown for breaking music news.

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