BEST: Californication

From its opening "I Love L.A." number performed by Dawes to presenters like Red Hot Chili Peppers to commercials celebrating small businesses, this year's Grammys served as a love letter to the City of Angels and its magical music history. However, nothing was more affecting than Billie Eilish's nostalgia-drenched performance of her smash single "Birds of a Feather," which saw the L.A. native (dressed in a Dodgers cap) sing in front of a dreamy set that evoked the San Gabriel Mountains as snapshots from her and brother Finneas O'Connell's childhood were superimposed onto the screen behind them. A simple, yet perfect tribute.

BEST: Chappell's Pink Pony rodeo

Is there anything Chappell Roan can't do? Your artist's favorite artist took home the award for Best New Artist, challenged record labels to provide healthcare and living wages for artists, cycled through three different outfit transformations (thus far), and blew the roof off with her rollicking round-up rendition of "Pink Pony Club." Accompanied by rodeo clowns, Chappell brought the energy up on a slightly subdued evening with her vivacious love letter to both California and Tennessee — complete with a massive Pink Pony standee, onscreen explosions, and a built-in moment for stars like Janelle Monáe and Alicia Keys to belt out its cathartic pre-chorus, too.

WORST: Trevor Noah addressing the quiet evening

Listen, we get it: Trevor Noah is in a pretty impossible spot right now. The five-time Grammys host is tasked with keeping the energy afloat while also reminding viewers of the destruction and heartbreak left in the aftermath of the L.A. fires all in the same breath. Still, his repeated temperature checks and awkward attempts to claim that the vibes in the Crypto.com Arena were picking up were only further highlighting the fact that this year's ceremony just wasn't as jolly as it's been in the past. Which is understandable! But perhaps not something to keep bringing up over and over again.

BEST: Tear away time

This year's Grammys performers really needed to get things off their chest — literally. Benson Boone, Janelle Monáe, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doechii all found themselves tearing off their clothes mid-performance to reveal brand new, eye-catching ensembles that had been cleverly tucked away underneath their stuffy suits and ties. Benson and Sabrina even opted for the same colorway as they transformed into bright Cinderella-esque baby blue hues. Is this the start of a new trend?