On This Day, February 22, 1989: Jethro Tull beats Metallica for the first-ever Hard Rock/Metal Grammy

On This Day, February 22, 1989…

The 31st Grammy Awards added a new category, Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, but it was not without controversy.

Jethro Tull won the award for their album Crest of the Knave, beating out Metallica, who were the favorites to win for their album …And Justice for All.

Other artists nominated in the category included AC/DC, Jane’s Addiction and Iggy Pop.

There was so much controversy over the win, that the following year the Grammys separated the categories into Best Hard Rock Performance and Best Metal Performance, with Metallica winning Best Metal Performance in 1990 for “One.”

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