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🗓️🎶Music History | The first Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance 1989

  • February 22, 2026
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Nina Nebo
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The first Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance was presented on February 22, 1989, at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards.

In a decision widely regarded as one of the most infamous upsets in music history, the progressive rock band Jethro Tull won the award for their album Crest of a Knave,

 

 

defeating the heavy metal favorites, Metallica, who were nominated for their album ...And Justice for All.

 

 

The Recording Academy recognized heavy metal music artists for the first time at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards (1989). The category was originally presented as Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental, combining two of the most popular music genres of the 1980s. Jethro Tull won that award for the album Crest of a Knave, beating Metallica, which were expected to win with the album ...And Justice for All. This choice led to widespread criticism of The Recording Academy, as journalists suggested that the music of Jethro Tull did not belong in the hard rock or heavy metal genres. In response, The Recording Academy created the categories Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance, separating the genres.

 

Other nominees in this inaugural category included  :

 

AC/DC (Blow Up Your Video)

 

Jane's Addiction (Nothing's Shocking)

 

and Iggy Pop ("Cold Metal")

 

What do you think about this award ?


Do you like any album mentioned above ,or any song  ?

 

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