The Grammy Awards are about much more than just awards

With the 55th Annual Grammy Awards show upon us, I started to think back on some of the best and most interesting Grammy show performances. Some performers fell completely flat on music's biggest night, but others soared, quite literally. Sure, those of us who still find time to watch the Grammy Awards are often most interested in the actual awards, but the performances (and the endless teasing of those performances, coming up after umpteen million commercial breaks) keep us from changing the channel.

If I had to recall one favorite Grammy Awards performance off the top of my head, I'd say it was one in which I was introduced to some incredible new music: The 2011 Grammys collaboration of the Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons and Bob Dylan. I knew the Avett Brothers, had seen them live several times, but Mumford & Sons was a new one for me. If you haven't seen it, this video isn't the best quality (Grammy takes things down a lot), but you'll get the idea.

Grammys 2011 Mumford and Sons The Avett Brothers Bob Dylan

A light bulb went off while I was watching this particularly inspired Grammy Awards performance and I realized this was indeed the passing of the proverbial folk rock torch happening in front of my very eyes. The next day, I downloaded Mumford & Sons' debut album and became an instant fan.

Another hugely memorable Grammy Awards performance involved the reunion of one of my favorite musical duos of all time: Simon and Garfunkel. In 2003, this pair reunited to open the Grammy Awards -- and you'll never guess who introduced them. Yep, Dustin Hoffman. Here's a video of that stunningly beautiful "Sound of Silence" performance.

Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel The Sound Of Silence Live

I'd like to thank the Grammys for putting these two together on this show, because as a result, the wound up touring together in the years that followed. I saw one of those shows, and it was a bucket list moment without question.

The Grammy Awards performances often feature major musical acts that normally would never pair up with each other. The result is either thrilling, or disastrous. I'd put the 2003 Grammy Awards "London Calling" Joe Strummer tribute, featuring Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt, in the "thrilling" category for sure.

London Calling - Springsteen, Van Zandt, Grohl, Costello

As for the worst, most disastrous Grammy Awards performance? That's easy: the 2005 "Across the Universe" tribute that featured Bono, Stevie Wonder, Steven Tyler, Brian Wilson, Alison Kraus, Alicia Keys and so many other esteemed musicians I'd be here all day listing them. In short, it was dreadful. It was a mess from the beginning, meandering all over the place and generally sounding terrible.

Across the Universe by The Beatles - Live at the Grammy's 05 (Cover)

I expected far more from this all-star lineup. Somehow, they managed to butcher The Beatles. And who the heck let Tim McGraw in on this thing?

And yes, I'm going to give an honorable mention for second worst Grammy Awards performance ever to Nicki Minaj, for that ridiculous "Roman Holiday" exorcism routine.

What exactly what was Minaj thinking? Was she simply trying to outdo Lady Gaga and her egg-birthing Grammy bit? Apologies to all the Nicki Minaj fans out there, but she annoys me to no end -- and this particular debacle turned me off of her, permanently.

Let's get back to some of the positives, shall we? In arguably one of the greatest Grammy Awards performances ever, the incomparable Aretha Franklin took the 2008 Grammy Awards stage as a last minute replacement for the ailing Luciano Pavarotti.

Aretha Franklin ~ Nessun Dorma

The Queen of Soul became the Queen of Opera, belting out a mind-bending, beautiful, goose bump-inducing version of "Nessun Dorma." Not only is it among my favorite Grammy Awards performances ever, but it's one of my favorite performances ever. God bless Aretha Franklin, seriously.

I could list so many more memorable Grammy Awards performances, but I'd be here all day and, well, I've got the show to watch. Hopefully we'll see some more great pairings to add here soon. The Levon Helm tribute, featuring the likes of Elton John, Zac Brown, Alabama Shakes' singer Brittany Howard and Mavis Staples, in particular, is one I'm eagerly anticipating.

What Grammy Awards performances of years past stand out to you the most?  Do you watch solely to see who wins the big awards, or do you prefer the myriad of different, often extraordinary live performances? Over the years, I've discovered some brilliant new talent, thanks to these performances (Adele, Coldplay and the aforementioned Mumford & Sons), and I hope to discover more this year.

Photos courtesy of The Washington Post and The Hollywood Reporter