The 56th Annual Grammy Awards are Sunday, January 26, and there’s a whole lot to sort through in advance of the big show. So if you’ve got some basic questions, or some really specific ones, let SPIN be your sound sherpa on this particular spirit quest.
When and where does the show actually happen?
The Grammys will broadcast live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on CBS on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST. The pre-telecast ceremony, which takes place at the Nokia Theatre and is hosted by Cyndi Lauper, starts at 4 p.m. EST and can be seen here, but coverage begins at noon.
Where can I find amazing, hilarious, up-to-the-minute coverage of “Music’s Biggest Night?”
Right here at SPIN! We’ll be covering the news and the winners as they happen. Our live-tweet starts at 8 p.m. EST. Follow us @spinmagazine.
Who’s hosting the awards show?
LL Cool J (yes, for the third time in a row). Perhaps he’ll be accidentally funny?
Who’s performing?
Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl, and special guest Lindsey Buckingham will give a special closing performance. And there’s that persistent rumor about Beyoncé and Madonna will team up for something. But the most recent official additions were Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Jay Z with Beyoncé (who may or may not perform her risqué breakfast jam “Drunk in Love”), Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, John Legend, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Keith Urban, and Sara Bareilles (with Carole King).
They follow previously announced performers Daft Punk (with Nile Rodgers, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, and several Random Access Memories session players), Kendrick Lamar (with Imagine Dragons), Lorde, Metallica (with pianist Lang Lang), Katy Perry, Pink (with fun.’s Nate Ruess), Robin Thicke (with Chicago), and multiple country legends (Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson, with current nominee Blake Shelton). Also, Gary Clark Jr.