A Short History of the Muppets At the Grammys

Earlier today, MTV announced that a few Muppets would be joining Cee Lee and Gwyneth Paltrow onstage at the Grammys on Sunday to perform an "unforgettable version' of 'F--- You.'" Not because the fuzzy puppets are particularly fond of either artist or profanity-laced lyrics, but because they have a project to promote. (What, you thought that inanimate objects didn't have to hit the promotional circuit hard?) Lucky for you, home audience members, this isn't the Muppets' first time at the Grammy rodeo. Let's take a look at some highlights from the Muppets' storied history with the music industry's most popular awards ceremony.

1971: Sesame Street celebrated its second year on the air with a Grammy win for The Sesame Street Book & Record in the Best Recording for Children category. Sadly, the record beat out its own "Rubber Duckie."

1974: After Bill Cosby shut out Jim Henson & Co. for two years, Sesame Street returned for another victory with their Sesame Street Live album.

1979: The Muppets trumped both Charlie Brown and David Bowie for a 1979 win for The Muppet Show.

1980: The Muppets took home their second consecutive Grammy in the Best Recording for Children category for The Muppet Movie. Kermit, Fozzie and the gang trampled Charlie Brown again and Sesame Street for this title.

1981: In Harmony/A Sesame Street Record topped all Sesame Street-related competitors (Big Bird's Bedtime Story, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Love performed by the Sesame Street cast and The People In Your Neighborhood) this year for another win. In Harmony 2 took the same category in 1983.

1982: Again, Big Bird took home the golden gramophone. This time for Sesame Country.

1984: Floyd Pepper joined John Denver onstage for a duet of 'Gone Fishing' from their Grammy-nominated Rocky Mountain Holiday soundtrack. Sadly, their collaboration ended up losing to Michael Jackson's read-along album from E.T.

1986: The Follow That Bird Sountrack performed by Jim Henson's Muppets beat out award favorite Meryl Streep (for her narration of The Velveteen Rabbit this year).

1987: Yawn! Sesame Street triumphed again, this time for The Alphabet.

2000: Years after the Best Record For Children was split into two categories -- Musical and Spoken Word -- The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland took home the trophy for the former.

2002: Elmo won his second Grammy nine years ago for Elmo & the Orchestra.

2008: They may not have been nominated but Kermit the Frog and Pepe the King Prawn interviewed musicians at the 2008 Grammys for Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show. Their subjects included Ringo Starr, Miley Cyrus and the Shins (below).

2011: Cee Lo approaches the Jim Henson Company about forming a Muppet back-up band for his and Gwyneth Paltrow's Grammy performance of 'F--- You.' Tune in this Sunday!



Comments

  • Nick Moreau says:

    The Muppets, and thus the Muppet movie that you suggest they're promoting, are owned by Disney. These are the Jim Henson Company's puppets, but they aren't The Muppets or even a bunch of random Muppets, they're just JHC puppets.