The show had been scheduled to take place at an arena in
downtown Los Angeles and broadcast live on the CBS network on Jan. 31.
"Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant,
holding the show on January 31 simply contains too many risks," CBS and the
Recording Academy said in a joint statement, adding that a new date would be
announced soon.
Nominations for the awards were announced in November.
Pianist and bandleader Jon Batiste led a field that spanned rap to jazz music
and embraced newcomers from teen pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo to veteran
crooner Tony Bennett, 95, who won his first Grammy in 1963.
The 2021 Grammy awards also were postponed because of the
Covid-19 pandemic. The ceremony was staged in March instead of January and
included a mix of pre-recorded and live segments in front of a small, socially
distanced crowd.
Organizers had hoped to return this year to something closer
to the traditional celebration with a large audience inside the former Staples
Center, now called Crypto.com Arena. Late-night television host Trevor Noah had
been tapped to host the event.
CBS and the Recording Academy said they consulted local
officials, health experts and artists before deciding to scrap the January
date.
"The health and safety of those in our music community,
the live audience and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our
show remains our top priority," they said.
Other entertainment industry events have been delayed or
scaled back.
Organizers of this month's Sundance Film Festival in Park
City, Utah, said on Tuesday they had canceled in-person events and would move
them online.
The Critics Choice Awards, which had been set for this
Sunday, have been postponed with no new date scheduled.
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