Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X and the Weird Vibes of the 2020 Grammys

The latest episode of the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast takes on the 62nd annual ceremony, with a blow-by-blow examination of Alicia Key’s supernaturally calm hosting skills, ’s genre-blending triumph, ’s reluctant victories,the show’s baffling emphasis on ballads, that wacky “I Sing the Body Electric” performance, ’s stumbles, and much more.

Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield join host Brian Hiatt for the discussion, which also touches on the controversies surrounding the institution, from departed CEO Deborah Dugan‘s accusations against the Recording Academy to persistent complaints about the the awards’ failure to honor the best of contemporary music, even as the show itself does a better job at that task.

To hear the entire episode, press play below or download and subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.

Download and subscribe to our weekly podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on iTunes or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts), and check out two years worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth, career-spanning interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Ice Cube, Neil Young, the National, Questlove, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Alicia Keys, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies, Gary Clark Jr. and many more – plus dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates and explainers with Rolling Stone’s critics and reporters. Tune in every Friday at 1 p.m. ET to hear Rolling Stone Music Now broadcast live from SiriusXM’s studios on Volume, channel 106.