The Grammys Paid Lip Service to the Now
Bruno Mars’s retro pop swept the big categories after a night of blazing performances and of-the-moment causes.
The Grammys pulled off an impressive feat in its 60th year: giving its biggest prizes to the safest possible work—and still making it feel like a shock.
When Bruno Mars, the 32-year-old master craftsman of nostalgic pop, swept Song of the Year (for “That’s What I Like”), Record of the Year (for “24K Magic”), and Album of the Year (for ), it could hardly be called a surprise. Mars makes hits as reliably as Nestle makes chocolate bars. The Grammys are notorious for rewarding broad-appeal pop grounded with traditionalist musical chops. More than one viewer we could now think of Bruno Mars as the new
