Watch CBS News

BLOG: Backstage At The 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards

— Jenn McBride
Managing Editor, CBSLA.com

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With jaw-dropping performances and electrifying collaborations from artists such as Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder, the 56th GRAMMY Awards were, once again, a huge hit for CBS. About 28.5 million people – the second largest audience since 1993 – watched the show.

Daft Punk got more than lucky with five wins, including Best Dance/Electronica Album, Best Engineered Album and Album of the Year for Random Access Memories, and rap duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took home four awards, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album for The Heist.

After receiving awards or presenting for their respective categories, the show's biggest stars provided us with the night's best quotes:

Jay-Z, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Holy Grail featuring Justin Timberlake, on what he's planning to do with his Grammy:

"I want to thank God — I mean a little bit for this award — but mostly for all the universe for conspiring and putting that beautiful light of a young lady in my life," he said while gazing at Beyonce. "I want to tell Blu that, 'Look, Daddy got a gold sippie cup for you!'"

Jay-Z and Beyonce, who opened the show with an unforgettable performance of Drunk In Love, were also nominated for Part II (On The Run) in the same category. He also took home the Best Music Video Award for Suit & Tie.

Kacey Musgraves, Best Country Song for Merry Go 'Round and Best Country Album for Same Trailer Different Park, on not realizing she had won:

"I heard Same Trailer Different Park and I thought, 'Damn, I didn't get it!' and then my mom was like, 'Go!'"

Ozzy Osbourne, Best Metal Performance with Black Sabbath for God Is Dead?, on whether he actually said he's a fan of Taylor Swift:

"Yes, I did. I am a big fan of Taylor Swift! Who the f*** is Taylor Swift?"

Lorde, Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of The Year for Royals, on her two big wins of the night:

"Thank you to everyone who has let this song explode this year because it's been mental."

Pharrell Williams, winner Record of the Year and Best Pop/Duo/Group Performance for Get Lucky, on behalf of Daft Punk:

"I suppose the robots would like to thank, you know, honestly, I bet France is really proud of these guys right now."

Williams also took home the award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.

Presenter Queen Latifah on officiating the weddings of 33 straight and gay couples during Macklemore's performance of the hit song, Same Love:

"It meant a lot because two of them are good friends of mine. I'm happy for all the couples tonight."

Ryan Lewis, Best New Artist, Rap Album, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, on the large ceremony:

"My sister getting married tonight was amazing. I still have chills now."

Macklemore, on the upside of being independent artists:

"You don't have a record label to thank. We can just thank ourselves."

Ben Harper, Best Music Film with Charlie Musselwhite for I'm In I'm Out And I'm Gone: The Making Of Get-Up, donned Jesus socks under his suit.

"I'm trying to get my feet back on the ground right now!"

Harper said he plans to reunite with the Innocent Criminals and will soon be releasing an album, Childhood Home, with his mother.

Kathy Griffin, Best Comedy Album, on who she has to thank for her material.

'"The album is called Calm Down Gurrl and that's what I want to say to Justine Bieber."

Griffin has been nominated five previous times, but this was her first win.

Darius Rucker, Best Country Solo Performance for Wagon Wheel on why he didn't expect to win.

"When you're in a category with Blake and Miranda, you expect them to win everything."

Rucker was inspired to record the song after hearing teachers perform a country version of Old Crow Medicine Show's bluegrass classic at his daughter's school.

Foxes, Best Dance Recording for Clarity, on winning a Grammy before the release of her first album.

"I can't believe I just won a Grammy and I haven't put an album out!"

"Everybody thinks I'm Zedd half the time," the British singer lated added.

Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, Best Rock Performance for Radioactive, on how far the group has come:

"We never created a song thinking we would get embraced by radio."

Imagine Dragons and Best New Artist Nominee Kendrick Lamar also gave one of the night's most talked about performances of M.A.D.D. City, and of course, Radioactive, which adequately sums up the energy behind the entire show.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.