K-Pop supergroup BTS sold the microphones for all seven members from their Love Yourself tour at a MusiCares Grammy Week auction on Friday, and apparently, they were worth a lot. The mics sold for a whopping $83,000 in total, exceeding far and wide their pre-auction estimate of between $10,000 and $20,000. These were the first-ever auction items authorized to be sold by BTS. The boyband is set to hit the stage on Sunday night alongside Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, Diplo, and Mason Ramsay for a killer Grammys performance.
Another group that will be taking the stage at the award show are rock legends Aerosmith, who will perform with their former collaborator, Run DMC. Aerosmith were the honorees of MusiCares Person of the Year tribute this year, and they decided to donate some of their prized possessions to the auction as well. Steven Tyler autographed a Shure SM58 microphone as well as an accompanying white microphone stand covered in his signature scarves. The mic and stand nabbed $7,680, as did Joe Perry’s autographed Gibson Les Paul Signature guitar.
Other musicians also made incredible contributions to the auction. Tom Petty’s estate donated a limited-edition watch made from the leather of one of the late artist’s guitar straps, engraved with “Made with leather donated by Tom Petty.” It sold for over $22,000. Halsey’s artwork, which she made live during her SNL performance this Saturday, sold for $7,680. A Stevie Nicks-signed tambourine she had used on stage sold for $10,240, and Eddie Vedder’s ukulele covered in his own drawings went for $8,960. All proceeds from the auction went towards the Recording Academy’s MusiCares program, which provides health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to music people in times of need.
