Hollywood
Sam Smith wins the ‘Record of the Year’ at Grammy Awards 2015
MUMBAI: Sam Smith dominated the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, which was held on 8 February, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Smith swept the top honours for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album for his smash hit song Stay With Me.
Pharrell Williams beat Smith in the Best Pop Solo Performance category while Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament scored the Best Recording Package.
Beyoncé took back home the honour for the Best Surround Sound album and closed the night with a powerful performance of Take My Hand Precious Lord.
Kristen Wiigg gave an electrifying dance performance with Sia, while Smith performed to his hit song – Stay With Me with Mary J. Blige.
The complete list of Grammy Awards 2015 winners are as follows:
Record of the Year: Stay with Me (Darkchild Version), Sam Smith
Album of the Year: Morning Phase, Beck
Best New Artist: Sam Smith
Song of the Year: Stay with Me, Sam Smith, songwriters Sam Smith, James Napier & William Phillips
Best Pop Solo Performance: Happy, Pharrell Williams
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Say Something, A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera
Best Pop Vocal Album: In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith
Best Dance Recording: Rather Be, Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne
Best Dance/ Electronic Album: Syro, Aphex Twin
Best Country Album: Platinum, Miranda Lambert
Best R&B Performance: Drunk in Love, Beyonce and Jay Z
Best Rock Album: Morning Phase, Beck
Best Rock Song: Ain’t It Fun, Paramore, songwriters Hayley Williams and Taylor York
Best Rock Performance: Lazaretto, Jack White, songwriter Jack White
Best Music Video: Happy, Pharrell Williams
Best Alternative Music Album: St. Vincent, St. Vincent
Best Urban Contemporary Album: G I R L, Pharrell Williams
Best Country Song: I’m Not Gonna Miss You, Glen Campbell, songwriters Glen Campbell, Julian Raymond
Best Country Solo Performance: Something in the Water, Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: The Band Perry – Gentle On My Mind
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Cheek to Cheek, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Best Spoken Word Album: Diary of a Mad Diva, Joan Rivers
Best Metal Performance: The Last in Line, Tenacious D
Best Rap Album: Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP2
Best Surround Sound Album: Beyoncé – Beyoncé
Best Musical Theatre Album: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
