Every year the Grammys does an “In Memoriam” to pay tribute to the artists the music industry lost that year. Wolfgang felt that Eddie—the groundbreaking frontman of Van Halen who died on Oct. 6, 2020—wasn’t properly memorialized during the ceremony. “It was my understanding that there would be an ‘In Memoriam’ section where bits of songs were performed for legendary artists that had passed. I didn’t realize that they would only show Pop for 15 seconds in the middle of 4 full performances for others we had lost,” Wolfgang wrote on Instagram the day after the ceremony.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “What hurt the most was that he wasn’t even mentioned when they talked about artists we lost in the beginning of the show,” he wrote. “I think it’s impossible to ignore the legacy my father left on the instrument, the world of rock, and music in general. There will never be another innovator like him.” Wolfgang wasn’t the only person bothered by the Grammys tribute—many took to social media to slam the Recording Academy. Wolfgang noted that he had turned down the opportunity to play at the Grammys in tribute to his father. “The Grammys asked me to play ‘Eruption’ for the ‘In Memoriam’ section, and I declined,” said Wolfgang. It may seem strange to turn down performing during music’s biggest night, but he said he did so for good reason. “I don’t think anyone could have lived up to what my father did for music but himself,” explained Wolfgang. And for more up-to-date celebrity news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Wolfgang insisted that in sharing his reaction to the tribute, he wasn’t looking to stir up drama. “I’m not looking to start some kind of hate parade here. I just wanted to explain my side,” said Wolfgang. He also noted that his dad would likely not be bothered by the snub himself. “I know Pop would probably just laugh it off and say, ‘Ehh who gives a s***?’ He was only about the music anyway. The rest didn’t matter.” And for artists’ whose legacies are far from Van Halen’s, check out The Most Hated Rock Band of All Time, According to Data. Although Wolfgang was clear that he didn’t want anyone to start slinging hate at the Grammys, he does want to have a frank conversation with the Recording Academy. He noted that he understood that “rock isn’t the most popular genre right now, and the academy does seem a bit out of touch.” But, he added, “I’d love to get the opportunity to speak with the Recording Academy not only about the legacy of my father, but the legacy of the Rock genre moving forward.” To see which albums the Recording Academy would never award, check out This Is the Most Hated Album of the Century, According to Data.
