While the Grammy Awards ceremony will take place, several related events are canceled due to the devastating fires in Los Angeles.
The 2025 Grammy Awards will go ahead as scheduled on February 2, Recording Academy head Harvey Mason Jr. announced in a letter to members. The annual awards ceremony will also serve as a charity event to help victims of the Los Angeles fires.
« In close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of local resources, the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on CBS on February 2 will proceed as scheduled, Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt wrote in the letter. However, this year’s show will have a renewed meaning: raising additional funds to support fire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours. »
The fires devastated much of Los Angeles, killing at least 24 people and destroying thousands of homes. Around 150,000 people have had to be evacuated to escape the fires, and evacuation orders remain in effect in areas closest to the flames.
Hundreds of artists and industry professionals lost their homes, recording studios and equipment, and the industry rallied to help. MusiCares, the Recording Academy’s nonprofit organization that aims to help the Music community during difficult times, has committed $1 million to establish its fire relief program from Los Angeles.
« In difficult times, music has the power to heal, comfort and unite like nothing elsewrote Mason Jr. and Hurt. The Grammys will not only honor the art and achievements of our music community, it will also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles. »
Typically, Grammy week is the biggest in the music industry. Much of the industry travels to Los Angeles in the days leading up to the ceremony to attend lavish parties throughout the city. It’s hard to know just how much of a party mood the industry will be in this year. The annual MusiCares gala will go ahead as planned, a representative confirmed. As of yet, other venues like Clive Davis’ annual gala and Spotify’s Best New Artist show have yet to announce any changes, and representatives did not respond to Spotify’s request for comment. Rolling Stone.
Others in the industry have raised concerns about the logistics of these events. Songwriter management company Milk and Honey already confirmed over the weekend that its party had been cancelled. On Instagram, Milk and Honey CEO and founder Lucas Keller implored other businesses to do the same: “ Don’t come to town for the Grammys and take over hotels that people desperately need. Free up your hotel rooms or donate them. In the meantime, if you can, donate money to MusiCares to support fire relief. »
On Monday afternoon, Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record label, announced it was canceling all Grammy-related events. The company clarified that it “ would redirect resources that would have been used for these events to help those affected by the fires. […] Notre greatest gratitude goes to the first responders and emergency personnel, who continue to demonstrate heroism. LA is home for many of us. We are committed to helping and supporting the music community, our artists, our teams and the people of Los Angeles to overcome this horrific episode. »
A representative for the other major record label, Warner Music Group, also confirmed to Rolling Stone that she would not have a party this year and that she was dedicating funds to emergency aid. The company announced Sunday that it was committing $1 million to relief efforts.
Ethan Millman
Translated by the editorial staff
