This year’s Grammy Awards were an understated affair in light of the Los Angeles wildfires, but there was still room for levity, artistry, and plenty of surprising awards. To keep the spirit of the Grammys going, here’s a look back at some of the most shocking moments from the 2011 Grammys, which sent ripples through the music industry and posed some important questions. For example, “who is Arcade Fire?”
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3 of the Most Shocking Moments from the 2011 Grammy Awards
Lady A Dominated the Grammy Awards
Lady A were still called Lady Antebellum then, but the trio still dominated the 2011 Grammy Awards. They won all but one of their nominations, sweeping not only the country competition but the all-genre awards as well, winning Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Need You Now.” They were up against B.o.B and Bruno Mars, Rihanna and Eminem, Cee Lo Green, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, Ray LaMontagne, and Miranda Lambert. Lady A also won Country Album of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Performance by a Group/Duo.
Esperanza Spalding Won Best New Artist, Beating Justin Bieber, Florence + The Machine, and Mumford & Sons
At the 2011 Grammy Awards, Esperanza Spalding became one of only a few jazz artists to win Best New Artist. At the time, only Peter Nero had won the award as a jazz musician, and that was in 1962. Recently, Samara Joy won in 2023. However, when Spalding won, it sent a shockwave through the music industry. She was up against Florence + The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Drake, and Justin Bieber. Ultimately, the choice was surprising mostly because Bieber had debuted only two years earlier and was one of the biggest young hitmakers in the industry at the time. “Baby” dropped in 2010, and we all remember how big that got. So, a jazz musician winning Best New Artist with a viral sensation like Bieber on the docket was a big shock.
Arcade Fire Won Album of the Year, Prompting the Response “Who Is Arcade Fire?”
Arcade Fire beat out Eminem, Lady A, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga for Album of the Year with their third album, The Suburbs. Additionally, the band closed out the 2011 Grammy Awards with a performance of “Month of May” from the album. This win was unbelievable for some, though, as they were up against albums like Recovery, The Fame Monster, and Teenage Dream. While Eminem won Best Rap Album and Lady A won Best Country Album, they still missed out on the coveted final award of the night. The choice sparked an internet meme, with many sincerely asking “Who is Arcade Fire?” Not really something you’d want right after winning a Grammy for Album of the Year, but at least it got people talking.
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CIRCA 1966: Singer Mick Jagger of the rock and roll band "The Rolling Stones" performs onstage in circa 1966. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Aerosmith Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, Vorst-Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium, 31st October 1993. (Photo by Goedefroit Music/Getty Images) -
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: John LENNON between 1970 and 1973. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) -
1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images)
