After scaling down and adjusting for the pandemic, a beguiling energy charged the GRAMMY Awards’ first time in Las Vegas. From the main performance stage to the rooftop of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, fans and artists alike were giddy to celebrate Music’s Biggest Night together.

Silk Sonic’s “777” proved a match made in casino heaven to open the show, setting the stage for a night of deserving winners. Later performances from megawatt stars like the always thrilling BTS, the captivating Lil Nas X and teen idol Olivia Rodrigo ensured that energy never flagged.

The 2022 GRAMMYs took a powerful stand for peace as well, complete with a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. A celebration of music’s capacity for joy, hope, and change all in one, the 64th Annual GRAMMYs hit a serious jackpot.

Read on for 10 memorable moments from the 2022 GRAMMY Awards:

A Powerful Call For Peace

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks, it’s time to listen. In a pre-taped video message, Zelensky urged viewers to tell the story of what is happening in his homeland, to share their plight. “Our musicians wear body armor instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals,” he said, the comparison a stark reminder of the importance of art.

To that same end, John Legend then performed his new fittingly titled song “Free,” joined by Ukrainian musicians Siuzanna Iglidan and Mika Newton, as well as poet Lyuba Yakimchuk. “Let peace rush in,” Legend called out, begging for an end to senseless violence. At the song’s conclusion, a link was shared to join in the “Stand Up For Ukraine” campaign, for which the Recording Academy announced a partnership with Global Citizen to raise awareness and raise funding.

BTS For James Bond, Shaken And Stirred

Descending to the stage like a stealth action hero here to save the day, BTS’ Jungkook set the tone for a spy-themed evening highlight. From that angelic entry forward, BTS produced an entire list of memorable moments in a brief few minutes of performance. 

The sounds of our beloved bygone dial-up modem and some horn-based James Bond–ian music led the way to V whispering mysteriously to Olivia Rodrigo before pulling a card from behind her ear. The black-clad K-pop heroes followed with a dance routine that could double as an audition for their own superspy film. The group’s choreography is unrivaled, and spinning their suit jackets into air guitars dodging laser lights meant this night was no exception. 

There’s no denying the super-smooth and GRAMMY-nominated “Butter,” and this Men In Black-backed take felt like a true star turn.

Country Goes Big At The 2022 GRAMMYs

Country has become an increasingly familiar genre to pop audiences over the last few years, and this year’s ceremony seems to have hit a critical mass, thanks to four incredible and very different performances. The first came from Chris Stapleton, whose black-and-blue lovelorn tune “Cold” also won Best Country Song. The always magnetic Brandi Carlile’s mountainous take on “Right On Time” proved a highlight, and getting introduced by Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell shows the legend-in-the-making trajectory Carlile continues on.

Carrie Underwood, meanwhile, debuted a brand new song, “Ghost Story.” With a strong wind swirling her long dress, Underwood’s insistent vocals powered the grand and vengeful heartbreak track. Winners of the Best Country Duo/Group Performance, Brothers Osborne provided the final performance of the night with the rip-roaring “Dead Man’s Curve,” solidifying country’s ascension at the 64th GRAMMY Awards.

Are You Gonna Go H.E.R. Way

Flanked on either side by the legendary duo of Jimmy Jam on keytar and Terry Lewis on bass, the enigmatic H.E.R. powered into her performance with the GRAMMY-nominated R&B song “Damage” from her GRAMMY-nominated record Back of My Mind. 

As if that iconic duo weren’t enough, H.E.R. followed up with another pairing: drummer Travis Barker and Lenny Kravitz, the latter resplendent in a gold jumpsuit. (Better yet, Catwoman’s dad in a catsuit.) With this more raucous backing, H.E.R. blitzed through a medley of her single “We Made It” and a take on Kravitz’s ‘90s classic “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” propelling audiences into a frenzy of mountainous guitars, whirring through nostalgic rock. 

Across the three tracks, H.E.R. showcased her uncanny musical range, navigating from R&B to rock, adding a drum fill and guitar solo of her own to boot.

There Go Our Heroes 

In Memoriam tributes aim to remind us of the fragility and celebration of life, often brimming with heartbreak and love, but those emotions are even more immense when the ceremony occurs so quickly after the passing of a rock hero. The segment opened with footage of Taylor Hawkins, the inimitable drummer of the GRAMMY-winning Foo Fighters, who died only nine days prior. Hawkins’ frenetic energy and radiant charm were captured with the sounds of “There Goes My Hero.” The Foos’ absence at the ceremony loomed large, as they were meant to perform and earned three more GRAMMYs — deepening the pain and loss of Hawkins’ passing even more. As much a fan as a performer, Billie Eilish honored the drummer by wearing a shirt with his image.

Broadway star Ben Platt took the stage as that footage faded, offering a stirring rendition of “Not a Day Goes By”” from Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” An eight-time GRAMMY-winner and Broadway legend, Sondheim passed away in November at the age of 91. Platt was then joined by fellow Broadway icons, the dynamic Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr., as well as Rachel Zegler of 2021’s West Side Story, and together the quartet underpinned the remaining In Memoriam tribute with two more Sondheim classics (“Send In the Clowns” and “Someday.”)

Olivia Rodrigo’s License To Thrill

Olivia Rodrigo had a big night, netting GRAMMYs for Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance — the latter of which for the cathartic “Driver’s License,” which she also performed.

The pop star began her performance by  winding through the radio dial in a vintage Mercedes, then emerged into the empty suburban street set. The song’s fusion of vulnerability and strength was captured by her iconic vocals and impeccable backing band, drums crashing like rolling thunder before Rodrigo’s plaintive, piano-led conclusion.  

Silk Sonic Sweep

What may have started out as a sort of character for Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak now seems to have become too much fun to quit, as the duo known as Silk Sonic shimmied their hips up to the stage for four separate GRAMMY wins: Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance (the latter in a tie with singer Jazmine Sullivan).

Accepting their awards, Mars’ ruffled shirt and bow tie and Paak’s green suit, wide-collared pink shirt and shining bowl cut wig were the things of ‘70s soul royalty. “Because of you guys, me and Andy are going to be singing this song forever,” Mars beamed, referencing the gloriously swanky and now GRAMMY-winning “Leave the Door Open.”

For their opening performance of “777,” the duo donned sparkly white Vegas Elvis suits — a particularly fitting choice, as Mars was a childhood Elvis impersonator. With Vegas strip neon kaleidoscoping like a mystic slog machine behind them, Silk Sonic were perfectly suited to their VIP evening. 

From Backstage To The Spotlight

“After two years of postponed shows and canceled tours, nobody deserves the spotlight more than those who put on that spotlight,” Trevor Noah said, introducing the fact that behind-the-scenes team members would be introducing performers throughout the evening. 

From tour managers to wardrobe supervisors, the impressive, diverse cast of women introducing their “bosses” more than deserved their turn on the stage for their incredible work making global tours happen — not to mention meaningful recognition after the decided lack of work brought on by the pandemic. 

The Exuberant Freedom Of Jon Batiste

While Silk Sonic and Olivia Rodrigo may have had big wins and BTS excitement reigned, the night’s biggest winner was Jon Batiste, who took home five GRAMMYs: Album Of The Year, Best American Roots Performance, Best American Roots Song, Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media, and Best Music Video. “It’s more than entertainment for me, it’s a spiritual practice,” the “Late Show” bandleader smiled while accepting Album Of The Year for We Are.

Batiste’s Album Of The Year included a children’s choir, a high school marching band, novelist Zadie Smith and others as featured artists, making them all GRAMMY winners. Batiste wasn’t the only late night TV bandleader who earned a GRAMMYs: Questlove grabbed the award for Best Music Film. 

That undeniable, exuberant joy was on full display during his performance of “Freedom,” an ebullient track full of falsetto assurance and musical virtuosity. Considering Batiste’s wife, author Suleika Jaouad, began chemotherapy for her second battle with cancer the same day he learned of his 11 GRAMMY nominations, the ability to find beauty and belief in the impact music can have held that much more strength. The performance ended with Batiste leading a mass of backing dancers through the front of the crowd, the star himself standing on Billie Eilish’s table (much to her ecstatic thrill), a joyful cry for the power of freedom. 

First-Time GRAMMY Winners Make Their Mark

While the list of winners at the 64th GRAMMY Awards featured plenty of legends, there were also plenty of first-time winners who took home some hardware. Best New Artist Olivia Rodrigo led the way in actual awards among newcomers, but Doja Cat’s night may have been the most fun: In addition to sharing a first win with SZA for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Kiss Me More,” Doja barely made it on stage to accept after taking “the fastest piss” she’s ever taken and took down a soft pretzel in the commercial break. 

Other first-timers included Black Coffee, the first African winner for Best Dance/Electronic Album, and Arooj Aftab, whose win for Best Global Music Performance made her the first-ever female Pakistani artist to net a GRAMMY.

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