Ah, GRAMMY season, that time of the year when the mainstream media pulls rock and metal in for a clumsy, uncomfortable hug. This year’s 62 GRAMMY Awards looks to be no different, with the headbanger-relevant categories offering us the usual strange cross-sampling of daring newcomers and bands who should have won the award years ago.
But nominations are one thing – GRAMMY performances are a whole different animal. A loud band has to impress some pretty important people before they’ll be allowed to play in front of the high-profile crowd attending the music industry’s big night. And while expecting too much of the Recording Academy is a silly move – if our favorite musicians were worried about being understood by everyone, we wouldn’t like them – they’ve also hosted some rock performances that even the most hardened cynic has to admit were top-notch.
Here, in chronological order, are the best rock and metal GRAMMY Awards performances. And before you ask, yeah, Dave Grohl shows up. Twice!