1. Academy Awards
Los Angeles
Earlier this year, Nomadland took home Best Picture at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. The event was held on April 25 rather than its usual late-February date due to the pandemic. And instead of the Dolby Theatre, the ceremony was held at Union Station, an architectural gem with soaring ceilings. Attendees rotated in and out of the transportation hub in order to limit the number of people gathered in one place at one time. And similar to a movie set, nominees were permitted to remain maskless while on camera, but had to put their masks back on when the cameras stopped rolling. Also, due to travel restrictions and a need for social distancing, this year’s show was spread out across several locations including London. Next: March 27, 2022
See more: Oscars 2021 Review: Event Producers Give the 93rd Ceremony a B-
Earlier this year, Nomadland took home Best Picture at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. The event was held on April 25 rather than its usual late-February date due to the pandemic. And instead of the Dolby Theatre, the ceremony was held at Union Station, an architectural gem with soaring ceilings. Attendees rotated in and out of the transportation hub in order to limit the number of people gathered in one place at one time. And similar to a movie set, nominees were permitted to remain maskless while on camera, but had to put their masks back on when the cameras stopped rolling. Also, due to travel restrictions and a need for social distancing, this year’s show was spread out across several locations including London. Next: March 27, 2022
See more: Oscars 2021 Review: Event Producers Give the 93rd Ceremony a B-
Photo: Courtesy of Spencer Lowell & Rockwell Group
2. Grammy Awards
Los Angeles
Hosted by Trevor Noah, this year’s 63rd Grammy Awards presentation, which was held in March at the Los Angeles Convention Center, just across the street from the show's usual home at Staples Center, was a pared-down affair. Like most award shows earlier this year, there was no live audience except for a limited number of performers and nominees, including Beyoncé. But despite the scaled-down vibe, the evening’s performances still packed a punch, with Meg Thee Stallion and Cardi B debuting “WAP” in person for the first time, Taylor Swift singing three “Folklore” songs from a fairytale-esque cabin and Dua Lipa grooving to her dance-pop hits “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now.” Next: Jan. 31, 2022
Hosted by Trevor Noah, this year’s 63rd Grammy Awards presentation, which was held in March at the Los Angeles Convention Center, just across the street from the show's usual home at Staples Center, was a pared-down affair. Like most award shows earlier this year, there was no live audience except for a limited number of performers and nominees, including Beyoncé. But despite the scaled-down vibe, the evening’s performances still packed a punch, with Meg Thee Stallion and Cardi B debuting “WAP” in person for the first time, Taylor Swift singing three “Folklore” songs from a fairytale-esque cabin and Dua Lipa grooving to her dance-pop hits “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now.” Next: Jan. 31, 2022
Photo: Francis Specker/CBS 2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
3. Primetime Emmy Awards
Los Angeles
The 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony embraced the pandemic-era’s preferred method of communication and transported nominees onto the stage via video conferencing. Held Sept. 20 at Staples Center in Los Angeles (instead of its usual venue, the Microsoft Theater), the event was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, with winners accepting their awards remotely from their homes or other locations. This year, the ceremony was relocated to L.A. Live’s Event Deck, with host Cedric the Entertainer, who opened the night with a karaoke rendition of “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie, aided by Rita Wilson and LL Cool J. Instead of the typical auditorium seating, attendees were placed at small tables. Next: Sept. 18, 2022
The 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony embraced the pandemic-era’s preferred method of communication and transported nominees onto the stage via video conferencing. Held Sept. 20 at Staples Center in Los Angeles (instead of its usual venue, the Microsoft Theater), the event was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, with winners accepting their awards remotely from their homes or other locations. This year, the ceremony was relocated to L.A. Live’s Event Deck, with host Cedric the Entertainer, who opened the night with a karaoke rendition of “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie, aided by Rita Wilson and LL Cool J. Instead of the typical auditorium seating, attendees were placed at small tables. Next: Sept. 18, 2022
Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS 2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
4. Juno Awards
National
The Juno Awards, which honor Canadian music achievements, celebrated its 50th anniversary in June of this year. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in March, but was pushed back to May, then eventually June, due to the ongoing pandemic in Canada. As opposed to a live, in-person event, the televised ceremony consisted of prerecorded and live performances by musicians at various venues throughout the country. In 2020, the awards were canceled due to the emergence of the pandemic. Award winners were announced during an online event in June of that year. The awards are slated to return to Toronto next year with in-person celebrations at the Budweiser Stage. Next: May 15, 2022
The Juno Awards, which honor Canadian music achievements, celebrated its 50th anniversary in June of this year. The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place in March, but was pushed back to May, then eventually June, due to the ongoing pandemic in Canada. As opposed to a live, in-person event, the televised ceremony consisted of prerecorded and live performances by musicians at various venues throughout the country. In 2020, the awards were canceled due to the emergence of the pandemic. Award winners were announced during an online event in June of that year. The awards are slated to return to Toronto next year with in-person celebrations at the Budweiser Stage. Next: May 15, 2022
Photo: @rorykramer
5. ESPY Awards
Los Angeles
After hosting a virtual, taped event in 2020 that honored acts of activism and humanitarian efforts, instead of athletic achievement, the ceremony returned in July 2021 with an in-person show hosted by Anthony Mackie at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York. WNBA star Maya Moore was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award. When accepting her award, Moore was escorted to the stage by her husband Jonathan Irons, whom she helped free from prison after he served 22 years on a wrongful conviction. Other highlights included U.S. gymnast Simone Biles winning Best Championship Performance and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking the top prize for Best Team. Next: July 2022
After hosting a virtual, taped event in 2020 that honored acts of activism and humanitarian efforts, instead of athletic achievement, the ceremony returned in July 2021 with an in-person show hosted by Anthony Mackie at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York. WNBA star Maya Moore was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award. When accepting her award, Moore was escorted to the stage by her husband Jonathan Irons, whom she helped free from prison after he served 22 years on a wrongful conviction. Other highlights included U.S. gymnast Simone Biles winning Best Championship Performance and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking the top prize for Best Team. Next: July 2022
Photo: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ESPN Images
6. NAACP Image Awards
Los Angeles
During a two-hour show that aired live on BET and CBS and across ViacomCBS networks in March, honors were doled out at the 52nd NAACP Image Awards, which celebrate outstanding achievements and performances by people of color in the arts. Anthony Anderson hosted for the eighth year in a row from a Los Angeles studio, while nominees and winners appeared remotely via video and presenters appeared from iconic locations in LA, New York and Atlanta. DJ D-Nice, who hosted socially distanced dance parties during the early days of the pandemic, received the night’s top honor of Entertainer of the Year. Next: TBD 2022
During a two-hour show that aired live on BET and CBS and across ViacomCBS networks in March, honors were doled out at the 52nd NAACP Image Awards, which celebrate outstanding achievements and performances by people of color in the arts. Anthony Anderson hosted for the eighth year in a row from a Los Angeles studio, while nominees and winners appeared remotely via video and presenters appeared from iconic locations in LA, New York and Atlanta. DJ D-Nice, who hosted socially distanced dance parties during the early days of the pandemic, received the night’s top honor of Entertainer of the Year. Next: TBD 2022
Photo: Courtesy of the NAACP
7. Tony Awards
New York
This year’s 74th Tony Awards honored the best achievements of the 2019-2020 Broadway season. That’s because the original 2020 ceremony, which was scheduled to take place in June, was delayed due to the pandemic. Held in September, the 2021 award show adopted an unusual format, beginning with a ceremony hosted by singer and actress Audra McDonald that was streamed on Paramount+, followed by a live concert event, "The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!," hosted by Leslie Odom Jr. at the Winter Garden Theatre, which was broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. The final three awards—Best Play, Best Revival of a Play and Best Musical—were presented during the primetime special. Next: Sept. 25, 2022
This year’s 74th Tony Awards honored the best achievements of the 2019-2020 Broadway season. That’s because the original 2020 ceremony, which was scheduled to take place in June, was delayed due to the pandemic. Held in September, the 2021 award show adopted an unusual format, beginning with a ceremony hosted by singer and actress Audra McDonald that was streamed on Paramount+, followed by a live concert event, "The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!," hosted by Leslie Odom Jr. at the Winter Garden Theatre, which was broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. The final three awards—Best Play, Best Revival of a Play and Best Musical—were presented during the primetime special. Next: Sept. 25, 2022
Photo: Mary Kouw/CBS 2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
