Taylor Swift made history at the 2024 Grammy Awards by receiving her fourth Album of the Year award for Midnights, becoming the first artist to do so, surpassing Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon, who all have three.
Celine Dion, who has not made a public appearance since being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in 2022, presented the prize as the night’s final surprise. Host Trevor Noah introduced Dion after Billy Joel performed his first new song in 17 years.
Dion gave a touching statement on the power of music, appearing to be overjoyed to be on stage, before presenting the statue for the night’s grand award.
Swift joyously hugged her colleagues and invited others on stage, including producer Jack Antonoff and sound engineer Laura Sisk, to accept her historic honor.
The Midnights vocalist acknowledged her producers, including Antonoff, and highlighted her fellow Album of the Year candidate and friend, Lana Del Rey, who appears on the Midnights single “Snow on the Beach.” She closed her statement by thanking her supporters and said that she was delighted to perform in Tokyo, the next destination of her Eras Tour.
Swift outperformed SZA’s SOS, Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation, Janelle Monáe’s The Age of Pleasure, Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS, boygenius’ The Record, Jon Batiste’s World Radio Music, and Del Rey’s Did You Know There Was a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard.
Swift has had 52 Grammy nominations throughout her career, and her record-breaking Album of the Year triumph is her 14th. Swift won more than one prize tonight. Previously, she won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights and revealed that her next album, The Tortured Poets Department, will be released on April 19.
