Grammys 2016: 8 performances we can't wait to watch

Unlike many of the awards shows strewn across the airwaves this season, the Grammys put thespotlight on one thing: eye-popping musical spectacle by today's chart-toppers.

Sure, a few of those glittery gramophone trophies get handed out during the telecast, but the vast majority of those are distributed in the non-televised pre-show, leaving a juicy, prime-time TV block to be filled with a parade of high-profile performances.

In recent years, that's meant a lineup packed with top contenders, hot newcomers, beloved elders and interesting (sometimes head-scratching) artist mash-ups.

Here are seven Grammy performances we're looking out for Monday night.

Justin Bieber

The Biebswasa Grammy contender before, but could he win his first trophy? At the very least, we're anticipating the typically showy Biebertaking the stage to perform his best dance recording-nominated track Where Are You Now with song co-creators and EDM hitmakers Diplo and Skrillex.

Rihanna

Lending the Grammys some just-released currency, popstar Rihanna will offer a taste of her brandnew album Anti. Riri is a go-to Grammy performer in the past few years, having delivered electrifying, choreographed-to-the-nines solo sets as well as sharing the stage with Kanye West and Paul McCartney, Eminem, Mikky Ekko, Drake and Ziggy Marley, Sting and Bruno Mars.

In tribute

Tributes are a recent Grammys mainstay and, when they work, can hit that nostalgic note just right. This year's most prominent homage is expected to be Lady Gaga's seven-minute tribute to David Bowie, but don't discount some other salutes currently on the books.

Gary Clark Jr., Bonnie Raitt and Chris Stapleton will celebrate the legacy of blues great B.B. King while Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Bernie Leadon, and Timothy B. Schmit are joining Jackson Browne in honouring Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey. Also, Hollywood Vampires otherwise known as the super group comprising Alice Cooper, Aerosmith's Joe Perry and Johnny Depp will toast Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister.

Lionel Richie, who is still with us, will be celebrated as the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year by John Legend, Demi Lovato, Meghan Trainor and Luke Bryan.

Mash-up: Pitbull, Robin Thicke, Travis Barker

What do you get when you mix Miami rapper Pitbull, Blurred Lines crooner Robin Thicke and Blink 182-drummer Travis Barker? Umm we'll see.

Adele

Sure Adele'smassive, record-smashing 25 was released after this year's Grammy eligibility window. But c'mon, who wouldn't sign the 10-time Grammy-winner and ubiquitous singer up to perform this year?

Big contenders

Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift: We can't wait to see what kind of fire the trio leading the Grammys race will bring, with each slated to take the stage.

The cast ofHamilton

Though they occasionallyearn Grammy nominations, Broadway musicals only make rare appearances in the televised show. But there's no stopping the juggernaut that is Hamilton, the hip hop-infused look atU.S founding father Alexander Hamilton thehottest ticket in New York and set to beginits first U.S. national tour this fall. CreatorLin-ManuelMirandaand his talented cast will delivera number live via satellite from theRichard Rodgers Theatre inManhattan (only the fourth time in Grammy history the show has featured performance via satellite).

Grammy cam

There have been different versions of Grammy cams over the years, but this year's innovation is one actually mounted inside of trophies handed to the winners onstage (stand-ins for the engraved ones eventually delivered to winners). Organizers have embedded specially riggedGoProcameras inside these trophies in hopes of capturing a fresh, "never-before-seen" view of the celebrationsfor fans at home.

Other artists set to perform: Alabama Shakes, Joey Alexander, Miguel, James Bay, Andra Day, Ellie Goulding, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly, Little Big Town and Carrie Underwood.

Apart from the musical spectacle, it's a boffo year for Canadian acts. Aside from The Weeknd, Bieber and Toronto rapper Drake, a slew of other homegrown artists are in contention, including:

• Caribou (best dance/electronic album for Our Love)
• Alex Cuba (best Latin pop album for Healer)
• Stephan Moccio withAbel Tesfaye and others(best song written for visual media for Earned It from Fifty Shades of Grey)
• Joni Mitchell (best album notes for Love Has Many Faces: A Quartet, A Ballet, Waiting to be Danced)
• Marc-Andr Hamelin with Takacs Quartet (best chamber music/small ensemble performance)
• Yannick Nzet-Sguin (shared best opera recording nomination for Mozart: Die Entfhrung Aus Dem Serail)
• Ron Korb (best new age album for Asia Beauty)
• Matt Maher (bestcontemporary Christian music album for Saints And Sinnersand best contemporary Christian music performance/song for Because HeLives (Amen)
• ProducerKevin Howes (besthistorical album for Native North America (Vol. 1): AboriginalFolk, Rock, And Country 1966-1985)
• Michael Silver, also known as CFCF(best remixedrecording non-classical for Berlin By Overnight -CFCF Remix)
• Jan Haust and Peter J. Moore (part of the team up for besthistorical album for The Basement Tapes Complete: The BootlegSeries Vol. 11)
• Charles Moniz (as part of the teambehindrecord of the yearnominee Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson)

Grammy winners in approximately 70 categories will be announced Monday at the Premiere Grammy Awards Ceremony, a pre-televised event taking place at (and being live-streamed from) the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET.

The 58th annual Grammy Awards televised gala follows at the Staples Center. Hosted for a fifth consecutive year by rapper-turned-actor L L Cool J, it airs on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. ET.