The 64th annual Grammy Awards are set to take place on Jan. 31, but it’s possible that that date will get pushed back. According to Billboard, a source close to the Recording Academy says it’s “looking likely” that the Grammys will be postponed due to increasing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 omicron variant.
A spokesperson for the Academy indicated that no final decision has yet been made, according to Billboard, and cautioned against speculation set off by unnamed sources.
However, it wouldn’t be the first time that the COVID-19 pandemic shifted plans for a Grammy Awards ceremony. The 2021 show got pushed back from its original date of Jan. 31, 2021 to March 14 of that year, with showrunners citing “the deteriorating COVID situation in Los Angeles” as the reason for postponement. The rescheduled date also involved a venue change from Staples Center to the Los Angeles Convention Center, in a move to cut down on crowds at the show.
Whether or not the ceremony gets postponed, the 2022 Grammy Awards has some exciting country nominations in the mix. Mickey Guyton and Chris Stapleton each snagged three nods this year, making them the most nominated country artists at the Grammys in 2022.
Kacey Musgraves scored two nominations, both of which are for her song, “Camera Roll,” though her Star-Crossed album was deemed ineligible for consideration in country categories, due to the Academy’s screening committee’s decision that the project doesn’t sufficiently fit into the country genre. Conversely, three of country’s legends netted mentions in out-of-genre categories this year, with Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton placing albums in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal category and Carrie Underwood earning a nod for Best Roots Gospel Album.
Brothers Osborne, Miranda Lambert and Sturgill Simpson all picked up two nominations apiece, and a couple of country acts turned up in the all-genre categories, too. Jimmie Allen is in the running for Best New Artist, and Brandi Carlile got a nod for Record of the Year.
Grammy Awards Red Carpet – Country Music’s Best From 2021
PICTURES: See the 2021 Country Grammy Awards Winners
The winners at the 2021 Grammy Awards include some of the biggest and most respected names in country music.