Prince and George Michael to be honoured at Grammys

The Grammy Awards will pay tribute to both Prince and George Michael.

Recording Academy bosses have confirmed plans for special memorial segments for each of the two late "creative innovators" – who both passed away last year – at the ceremony on Sunday (02.12.17), though they did not give any details as to which artists will be involved.

Academy CEO Neil Portnow said in a statement: "George Michael and Prince were pop icons who showcased rare musical genius and otherworldly charisma.

"While each possessed a distinct style and sound, they were both adored by audiences worldwide. The passings of two such creative innovators were a huge loss for the creative community; The Recording Academy is humbled to pay homage to their tremendous legacies on the Grammy stage."

Prince – who died of an accidental prescription drug overdose last April – won seven Grammys in his career, while George, who was found dead from heart failure on Christmas Day (12.25.16), picked up two.

Grammy’s bosses feel they have a "responsibility" to honor the two stars.

Executive producer Ken Ehrlich said: "While the primary focus of the Grammy Awards is to celebrate and honor the year’s best in music, we consider it our responsibility to tell music’s broader story by honouring its legends lost-that’s what we strive to achieve with our annual tributes.

"While it’s nearly impossible to convey the full depth of an artist’s cultural impact in a single performance, it’s that very challenge that has led us to some of our most memorable Grammy moments."

It was previously reported that Bruno Mars was in talks to join The Time for a tribute to Prince, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Last year’s Grammys saw Lady Gaga pay tribute to the late David Bowie with a medley of his biggest hits.