Grammy Awards postponed due to coronavirus surge

The Grammy Awards ceremony due to take place on Jan. 31 has been postponed because of the coronavirus surge in Los Angeles, Rolling Stone magazine and Variety reported on Tuesday.

The two outlets cited multiple sources as saying the ceremony to present the highest awards in the music industry may now take place in March. The Recording Academy, which organizes the Grammys, and broadcaster CBS did not return requests for comment.

Los Angeles is experiencing a spike in coronavirus deaths and hospital admissions. Gyms, hair salons and restaurants have been shut down and residents urged to stay at home as much as possible.

Grammy organizers said late last year they were seeking to change the way the annual show was held, doing without audiences and the traditional red carpet.

They also said they were looking at staging some performances in small outdoor venues rather than the large indoor Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Beyonce leads nominations for this year’s Grammys with nine nods, in a November announcement that was overshadowed by a stunning snub for Canadian musician The Weeknd. Voting on the Grammy winners, who are chosen by members of the Recording Academy, ended on Monday.

Organizers of the annual Oscars ceremony last year moved the 2021 presentation to April from late February because of the pandemic, while this year’s Golden Globes ceremony was moved to Feb. 28 from its usual early January date.

Other major awards shows, including television’s Emmy Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards, went ahead last fall with a mix of live, pre-recorded and socially distanced appearances by celebrities.