In a historic performance, metal band Spiritbox performed at the Grammy’s, a rare chance to highlight the genre on the Grammy stage.
The band, originally formed in Victoria in 2017 by husband-and-wife duo Courtney LaPlante, vocalist, and guitarist Mike Stringer, was also nominated for best metal performance for their heavy anthem, Soft Spine.
This is the third year in a row the band was nominated in the category, and the third year they did not win.
At this year’s awards, Spiritbox were up against Dream Theater, Ghost, Sleep Token, and Turnstile, the latter of which won for their performance of Birds.
Spiritbox’s live performance was part of the premiere ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, which takes place prior to the main awards show. A majority of Grammys are awarded during the premiere ceremony, including in the metal and hard-rock categories, that aren’t shown during the main award show, which streams hours later.
While other metal and rock bands have appeared and performed at the Grammy Awards – such as Slipknot, Evanescence and Poppy – it was a notable and high-profile performance, which the Grammy’s hailed as a “powerful set” with “uncompromising intensity.”
Lead singer LaPlante is often lauded for her immense vocal versatility, blending ethereal, haunting singing with aggressive, guttural screams.
Watch the performance live at https://www.grammy.com/series-or-collection/2026-grammys-68th-annual-grammy-awards-videos/spiritbox-soft-spine-premiere-performance