The music industry is very excited about this once-a-year music event. And since many of the musicians are dynamic and aesthetically pleasing personalities, the fashion and beauty at the Grammy Awards is a sight to behold. The red carpet is often the place where musicians show off their new looks, from architectural wigs (Nicki Minaj) to Dolly Parton-inspired hair (Miley Cyrus).

From the over-the-top to the enviable, here are some of the coolest beauty looks in Grammy history.

Her VMA outfit will probably be Lil' Kim's most infamous look, but I love this glittery outfit with lots of gold. The red lips matched with her red hair make her look like a bejeweled Poison Ivy.

Dodja Cat's hair and makeup is usually a work of art, and this is no exception. This deep cat eye and lack of eyebrows is like a trompe l'oeil, a work of visual trickery that makes you do a double-take. I also love her 90s lipstick.

This blues singer-songwriter is known for her red hair, with only a touch of white in the front. So even if this is not the norm for Bonnie Raitt, it is still an iconic look. It looks like Cruella de Vil, it looks like Rogue from X-Men, and it's all cool and surprising.

Nicki Minaj joked that the haircut is natural. The wig has an animal print on the top of the head (matching her outfit).

Miley Cyrus is a master of transformation, and her hair and makeup play an important role in her chameleon-like evolution. The giant bouffant is an obvious reference to Dolly Parton (Cyrus' inspiration and her godmother), and I like it, although it was controversial.

"This 2006 was an evolution into a modern superstar, leaning on the influences of the decade (pink lip gloss, meticulously blow-dried hair), but making them all her own.

This is not the only time Dua Lipa makes this list. I loved her interesting fashion and beauty choices, and this 2021 outing was conceived as an ode to Cher, featuring long, shiny hair, 70s-appropriate lavender eye shadow, and a ridiculous dress.

Solange Knowles has always combined her unique sound with an equally unique style. In the year she won her first Grammy (2017), she swept her hair up on top of her head in a "towering" updo, which is still legendary today.

Rihanna had her pick of any hair and makeup - she never misses an opportunity to constantly evolve and do something impressive. She's always evolving and never misses a chance to do something impressive, and this red curly wig from 2011 could make anyone else look like a lion, but somehow makes her look even cooler.

Katy Perry's choice of outfit was the clear winner here (she wore wings on the red carpet), but she's all about the blue eye shadow on her eyelids and the green shadow under her eyes to match the green and blue light reflecting off the top of her dress, She chose a divine look that enhanced her beauty.

When Rizzo attended the 2023 Grammy Awards as a literal rose (then dramatically removed her hood to great effect), it became the fashion look of the era. Matching orange eyeshadow and artfully spiked eyelashes kept her face from getting lost in the floral pattern. [Gwen Stefani's bun hair was a fun nineties-inspired look that I had forgotten was so popular. Stefani pulls off extreme beauty looks at the best of times, but this gray eyeshadow and deep lip color are actually a bit understated for her.

Phoebe Bridgers' cool skeleton outfit is incredibly detailed (zoom in and note the gorgeous beading). Add to that her near-white hair, and it's incredibly thoughtful.

Courtney Love has sometimes favored a more grungy aesthetic to match her music (black slip dress, messy wavy hair, red lipstick, etc.), but this is a surprisingly romantic look. I love the Coachella-appropriate crown and vivid pink makeup.

With her signature braids fully up and her eyes in an extreme sequinned look, Alicia Keys defines early 00s glamour. This is not the first time I have written about this, but dressing for future awards is impressive, especially when it comes to pictures like this one.

Putting a vinyl record on your head on the biggest night in music may be on the nose to most people, but if you're Bette Midler (i.e., a legend), it's probably something you've suddenly been inspired to try. And you've done it to perfection.

This would probably be on the list of "wackiest red carpet looks," but Grace Jones, literally lampshaded, is a true icon in action. That deep, deep blue eyeshadow (very 80s appropriate) and red lips and blush are the maximalism I'm looking for.

Years before she became infamous for tearing up a photo of the Pope on live TV, Sinead O'Connor wore a T-shirt with the Virgin Mary on it (foreshadowing.) It's a little hard to see in this photo, but the side of her buzz cut also depicts a bull's eye.

Erykah Badu's towering head wrap was a signature part of her style and a powerful statement about black femininity in the music industry. I love this yellow version, especially the matching yellow and red pins on the side and her minimal makeup.

Dua Lipa in a bold belted Versace outfit, once worn by Cindy Crawford, is also fabulous here. My favorites are the visible roots that match the black of the outfit and the bold eyebrows and lips that keep her from being buried by the dress.

With a little tweaking, this classic Shania Twain look wouldn't look so out of place today. Classic leather jacket: check. Brown-pink glossy lip gloss: check. Peachy blush: check. Smoky cat eye: check. Clean half-up hairstyle.

This picture of Toni Braxton proudly holding up her Grammy is truly stunning. Her dress is appropriately glamorous, her hair is characteristically short, and her eye makeup is dark and dramatic. I also appreciate the choice of red lips.

If you're going to perform dressed as David Bowie, really lean in. Lady Gaga's feminized take on Ziggy Stardust is actually quite impressive, which makes sense since she never does anything halfway.

When Christina Aguilera infamously beat Britney Spears at the Grammys (and, as the media reported at the time, seemed to have settled once and for all that she was the better singer), she dressed glamorous. Her deep blue eyeshadow and glossy lip gloss are thoroughly Y2K.

In case you didn't know, H.E.R. has historically worn sunglasses (yes, even on the red carpet). So it makes sense that her eyeshadow here matches, and the contrasting red lip provides contrast. Her hair style is also stunning.

For this incredibly sculptural dress (which is probably one of the nicest things I've ever seen her wear), Cardi B had to pull off a makeup look that literally complements the fabric covering half her face: just a touch of blue eyeliner and intense liner on her lips.

Lana Del Rey's starry halo is very much the norm. The same graphic makeup on her face brings the same energy and cohesion: it's a strikingly long cat eye, and the deep mauve makeup is a more striking alternative to nude. Very ethereal.

Whitney Houston, in all her silver glory, with a big smile on her face and a Grammy in hand: here it is, here's a tweet. That soft, romantic updo is a great choice, and the deep red lip and smoky eye add depth to her look. (0]

Taylor Swift was on a roll at the 2024 Grammy Awards, and her look has the strength to match. The hair and makeup are very Old Hollywood, with Veronica Lake-esque side parts, blood red lips, and precise cat eyes. The watch choker (which must be some kind of Easter egg) is another favorite.

When the late Selena Quintanilla attended (and won) the 1994 Grammy Awards, we got a glimpse of just how much she could have won. The giant beehive and red lips were also an indicator of her natural fashion sense and taste. I wish she had shown more of it.

This outfit should be in the Grammy Hall of Fame. I'm not sure why, because a pregnant Beyoncé looked like a superstar herself, surrounded by her signature color (gold). The beauty is almost beyond the point, but of course, the singer was dressed in long golden hair and sparkling eye shadow.

The dress took the Internet by storm. (It's a wonder we've never appreciated her beauty before, but the blue eyeshadow is a pretty inspired choice, and the peachy lip color is pure perfection.)