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Award Tour: 22 Times the Grammys Saluted the Underground

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver wins two Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album and Best New Artist in 2012 / Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Remember when Arcade Fire won that Album of the Year Grammy in 2011, and Twitter saw it as striking some heroic blow for alternative music? Finally an underground band could win at an awards show that had previously given nominations to the White Stripes, Radiohead, Beck, and R.E.M.! Hey, don’t get us wrong, we were happy for our chiming Canadian chamber-pop pals, but the fact of the matter is, the Grammys have been sneaking in alternative, underground, and indie voices for 30 years. And whether Arcade Fire’s presence is an honor or tokenism, when Sunday rolls around, just don’t act like Bon Iver invented beards. That being said, here are 22 of our favorite awesomely alternative Grammy moments!