“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. 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,” read the
statement from Recording Academy interim
CEO Harvey Mason Jr., CBS executive Jack
Sussman and Grammys executive producer
Ben Winston.
“We want to thank all of the talented artists,
the staff, our vendors and especially this year’s
nominees for their understanding, patience and
willingness to work with us as we navigate these
unprecedented times.”
The Grammys will be held in Los Angeles at
the Staples Center. Los Angeles County, the
epicenter of the crisis in California, has surpassed
11,000 COVID-19 deaths and has had 40% of the
deaths in California. It is the third state to reach
the 25,000 death count.
An average of six people die every hour from
COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, which has a
quarter of the state’s 40 million residents. County
health officials fear the incoming Christmas and
New Year’s surge.
The new Grammys date coincides with the
scheduled hosting of the Screen Actors Guild
Awards, which is typically held at another
downtown Los Angeles venue, the Shrine
Auditorium. That show honors the best
performances in film and television.