Grammy time is always exciting! And with the 2013 Grammys winners announced – Snakkle unveils some amazing before they were stars photos of the winners as well as the nominees who did not get a statue this year. Some talented singers like Kanye West and Taylor Swift (yes, they’ll be on the same stage again) and songwriters alike were up for a bushel and a barrel of nominations. Click through this gallery to find out more and see their pre-fame photos!

MTV brings the summer of 2012 to a close with the live 29th annual MTV Video Music Awards on September 6 at 8/7c pm. As usual, the nominee list is a who’s who of the music industry elite with Rihanna and Drake at the front of the pack each with five “Moonman” nods.  Always a wild TV party, the VMA ceremony also actually celebrates music (which was the cornerstone of the cable channel back in the day), so expect performances by Rhianna, One Direction, Pink, Green Day and a whole lot more.

With the stars ready to belt out their songs and tear up the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Snakkle was curious about how well you know this year’s crop of nominees? We’ve assembled a visual photo feast featuring some of the biggest noms before they became global music sensations. Can you name them correctly?

Part of being an entertainer is dealing with your style, weight and personal life being under the media’s microscope. These musicians in particular have been the subject of nasty blog posts and relentless paparazzi attention all because of their weight. But, on their own terms, they have trimmed down and toned up in an appropriate and healthy way. Take that haters! But seriously, don’t these ladies look great?

While the stars who command the concert stages of today have everything perfectly coordinated and styled to enhance their successful musical personas, they didn’t all start out with stylists, choreographers, and a crew of hundreds backstage. See what these musical stars looked like when left to their own devices to style themselves back in the day!

Sure, they’re (mostly) cool now. They’re music legends, hit makers, trendsetters. But back in the day? Not so much. The funny thing about nerds in high school is that they often grow up to be the smartest and most successful people around. So take note, you aspiring music superstars: Just because you’re a nerd doesn’t mean you won’t make it big.

Every year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival hosts some of the biggest music acts from today and years past. This year’s lineup is a typically amazing and diverse selection, including the Black Keys, Pulp, Madness, Squeeze, Feist, Firehose, Florence + the Machine—plus Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, and dozens more. The annual fest also brings out many celebrities, offering them the chance to let their hair down while they listen, thanks to the laid-back California vibe. Which stars showed their musical mellow side at Coachellas gone by? Let’s find out!

Next up in the glittery celebrity awards season is the 43rd annual NAACP Image Awards, which air on NBC February 17 at 8 p.m. (EST/PST). The awards ceremony honors diversity in the arts and features A-list talent, from Beyonce to Eddie Murphy, all up for some of the biggest awards of the night. Snakkle dug into the archives to look back at the humble beginnings of many of the nominees in our gallery of greatness to come!

Grammy nominations are announced Wednesday, November 30! Who will be nominated? Who will perform? What will Beyoncé and her baby bump wear? All good questions, but at Snakkle we’d rather ask, “What did these music superstars look like before they were famous?” You’re about to find out.