TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty ImagesThe Grammy Awards are one of the most exciting nights in music for many reasons: the fashion, the performances, the speeches...but we also can't deny that one of our favorite things about the show is the unknown.
Truly, you never know what you're going to get when it comes to the Grammys. There are always surprises, unexpected guests, crazy ensembles, but more than anything, the awards show never lacks when it comes to dropping jaws.
Take a look back at some of the most shocking moments from the Grammys in years past:
Metallica Loses to Jethro Tull (1989): Every artist takes a loss at some point in his or her career, but some are bigger than others. For example, when the Hard Rock/Metal category made its debut at the Grammys in 1989, pretty much everyone thought Metallica (who was nominated to And Justice For All) would take the win easily. However, they lost to the flute-playing British rock group Jethro Tull, and the crowd collectively erupted in outraged booing—a moment so overwhelming, it's gone down in Grammys history.
Milli Vanilli Fakes Everyone Out (1990): The twosome—made up of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus—took home the gramophone for Best New Artist and even performed at the show that year, tricking fans, voters and viewers alike. Eight months later, it was revealed the group had been lip-syncing the whole time, even on their award-winning record, and they were soon stripped of their trophy. Needless to say, it ended their career.
Bob Dylan and the Soy Bomber (1998): As the legendary singer and songwriter performed "Love Sick" at the '98 awards show, one of his backup dancers named Michael Portnoy ripped off his shirt to reveal the words "Soy Bomb" written across his chest. He then proceeded to do some wild dance moves for about 30 seconds before security escorted him off-stage. Dylan, of course, went unfazed by the whole thing.
The Kanye Moment Before the Kanye Moment (1998): While everyone thinks Kanye West was the creator of interrupting awards show speeches, there was someone else who did it far before him: Dirty Ol' Bastard. The member of Wu Tang Clan ran up on stage during the 1998 Grammys after Shawn Colvin won Song of the Year for "Sunny Came Home."
The rapper yelled into the mic, "I went and bought me an outfit today that costed a lot of money today 'cause I figured that Wu Tang was gonna win," he said, adding, "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, we teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu Tang is the best. This is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!"
Jennifer Lopez's Dress (2000): Though this definitely wasn't a bad moment of shock, J.Lo certainly dropped jaws when she hit the red carpet at the 2000 Grammy Awards, wearing that famous green, plunging Versace dress that bared her toned tummy and lots of cleavage.
When she presented an award with David Duchovny that night, he couldn't help but notice how she captivated the audience. "Jennifer, this is the first time in five or six years that I'm sure nobody is looking at me," he laughed as he spoke to the crowd.
Elton John Performs With Eminem (2001): Eminem saw quite a bit of backlash for what many people considered homophobic lyrics on his The Marshall Mathers LP album. Protesters even stood outside the Staples Center on Grammy night in 2001, holding up signs that read, "Award Music, Not Hate." Thus, viewers and fans alike were shocked when he took the stage alongside Elton John that night.
John performed "Stan" with Eminem, playing the piano and singing the Dido sample from the song. At the end of the performance, the pair even shared a hug.
Jon Stewart Gets Naked (2002): The show's host had no qualms stripping down for the sake of humor in 2002, proving he's a boxers guy while poking fun of strict airline security procedures.
Justin Timberlake Apologizes for Janet Jackson's Nipple (2004): The former boy-bander attended the Grammys just a few days after Jackson's famous nip-slip scandal at the Super Bowl in 2004. When he accepted his award for Best Pop Performance (for "Cry Me a River"), he used most of the speech to apologize. The moment was incredibly awkward, as you'd probably expect, and caught viewers off-guard.
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Pregnant M.I.A. Performs on Her Due Date (2009): Not only did M.I.A. take the stage with four of hip-hop's greatest rappers at the time—including Kanye, Jay Z, T.I. and Lil Wayne—but she did so while pregnant...on the very day she was supposed to give birth! Luckily, the baby didn't come until a little while later, but the whole world was shocked to see her deliver the stellar performance when she was seriously about to pop!
Lady Gaga's Egg-stravagant Entrance (2011): Mother Monster arrived at the 2011 Grammy Awards in a giant Hussein Chalayan-designed egg, which was carried down the red carpet and from which she didn't appear until her performance of "Born This Way" later in the show. Needless to say, the moment dropped jaws.
Nicki Minaj Conducts an Exorcism (2012): During her controversial performance of "Roman Holiday," Nicki Minaj presented the "Exorcism of Roman" (her infamous alter-ego), which was slightly creepy but most of all pretty shocking to do on national television.
Taylor Swift Shades Kanye West (2016): Finally, the most recently shocking moment came just last year when T.Swift wasn't afraid to shoot down Kanye West. After winning Album of the Year for 1989, Swift delivered a fiery speech that not only screamed girl power, but also shaded West for his "Famous" lyrics, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous."
"I want to say to all the young women out there—there are going to be people along the way who are going to try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame," Swift said on stage. "But if you just focus on the work, and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you'll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there. And that will be greatest feeling in the world."
We can't wait to see what the 2017 Grammy Awards bring when they air live Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, on CBS.