Grammys Delayed as Los Angeles Struggles With Covid Surge

(Bloomberg) -- The Grammy Awards, the music industry’s biggest accolades, will be delayed until March while Los Angeles battles a Covid-19 surge.

The event had been scheduled for Jan. 31 in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, with the telecast airing on CBS. It’s now set to be broadcast on March 14, organizers said on Tuesday.

The decision to postpone the broadcast followed discussions with health experts and the artists scheduled to appear at the 63rd Grammy Awards. Trevor Noah, host of “The Daily Show,” was slated to host the event.

“The deteriorating Covid situation in Los Angeles, with hospital services being overwhelmed, ICUs having reached capacity, and new guidance from state and local governments have all led us to conclude that postponing our show was the right thing to do,” according to a statement from the organizers, including Recording Academy head Harvey Mason Jr. “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of those in our music community and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly on producing the show.”

Award shows have struggled with how to respond to the pandemic, underscoring the hurdles facing live events. The Oscars were delayed until April, and organizers gave eligible films more time to qualify. The Emmys, the television industry’s biggest awards, held a largely virtual event in September.

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