Jimmy Fallon hosts the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards

While winning an Oscar may seem like the epitome of Hollywood achievement, another award has been gaining in popularity in recent years. Compared to the stuffy pomp and circumstance of the Academy Awards and SAG Awards, the relaxed atmosphere of the Golden Globes has made it one of the most entertaining awards shows of the season, for both viewers and nominees.

This year, stars gather at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills to celebrate the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing Sunday, Jan. 8, on NBC. Bestowed annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association since 1944, the Golden Globes recognizes excellence in both film and television.

Hosting the Golden Globes is a high-profile gig, and who better to host this year's big event than NBC's golden boy, Jimmy Fallon? The Emmy- and Grammy-winning star has been at the helm of the network's flagship late-night program "The Tonight Show" since 2014, and he has experience hosting awards programs -- in 2010, he earned rave reviews when he hosted the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, reviews NBC executives are confident he will garner again.

"This is the most spontaneous and uninhibited award show on television, and Jimmy's playful, disarming comedic brilliance makes him the ideal host to enhance and elevate the sense of fun and irreverence that's made the Golden Globes one of the premier events of the entire broadcast year," said NBC exec Robert Greenblatt when it was announced Fallon would serve as host.

The laid-back atmosphere of the Golden Globes has made for some entertaining moments, thanks to such previous hosts as Ricky Gervais ("The Office"), Tina Fey ("30 Rock") and Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation"), and the popularity of the ceremony has been on the rise. Last year's telecast -- hosted by Gervais -- attracted more than 18 million viewers all told, and Fallon has the potential to pull in even more.

While Fallon will no doubt be entertaining, viewers really tune in to watch their favorite movies, TV shows and actors win awards. This year, the big screen musical "La La Land" leads the pack with seven nominations, including nods for best director for Damien Chazelle ("Whiplash," 2014), best actor for Ryan Gosling ("The Notebook," 2004) and best actress for Emma Stone ("The Amazing Spider-Man," 2012).

The drama "Moonlight" follows closely with six nominations. The film about a young black man growing up in a tough Miami neighborhood is also up for best director for Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy," 2008), as well as best drama and best screenplay (also for Jenkins). Fellow best drama nominee "Manchester by the Sea" earned five nominations for its story about a New England plumber. Other best drama nominees include "Lion," "Hacksaw Ridge" and "Hell or High Water."

A Golden Globe award

In addition to "La La Land," the best musical or comedy category includes "Deadpool," "Sing Street," "Florence Foster Jenkins" and "20th Century Women." Other high-profile nominations include best actress in a motion picture (drama) nominees Jessica Chastain ("Miss Sloane"), Isabelle Huppert ("Elle"), Ruth Negga ("Loving"), Natalie Portman ("Jackie") and Amy Adams ("Arrival"). Best actor in a motion picture (drama) nods include Casey Affleck ("Manchester by the Sea"), Joel Edgerton ("Loving"), Andrew Garfield ("Hacksaw Ridge"), Viggo Mortensen ("Captain Fantastic") and Denzel Washington ("Fences").

Unlike the Academy Awards, which only pays tribute to the feature film industry, the Golden Globes recognize outstanding achievement in television as well. With more big name stars turning up on the tube, and programs such as "Game of Thrones" and "Westworld" making big waves in the entertainment industry, it seems the Globes is more on trend with today's audiences. It's interesting to note, however, that one of television's highest-rated shows -- AMC's "The Walking Dead" -- was completely shut out of this year's Golden Globe nominations.

The shows that did make the cut include best television drama nominees "Game of Thrones," "This Is Us," "The Crown," "Stranger Things" and "Westworld." Meanwhile, "Black-ish," "Transparent," "Mozart in the Jungle," "Veep" and "Atlanta" earned nominations in the best television musical or comedy category.

While network broadcaster NBC did well with "This Is Us," which also earned two best supporting nominations for stars Mandy Moore ("A Walk to Remember," 2002) and Chrissy Metz ("American Horror Story"), cable still reigns supreme at this year's Golden Globes. HBO earned a whopping 14 nominations, while FX clocked in second with nine Golden Globe nods. 

Also of note is the fact that 30-time Golden Globe nominee and eight-time winner Meryl Streep ("Sophie's Choice," 1982) is on hand to accept the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. She's also nominated for her work in "Florence Foster Jenkins."

No matter who wins, the Golden Globes is sure to be entertaining as stars share food and drinks around tables instead of being stuck in theater seats like they are at the Academy Awards and most other awards ceremonies. Throughout the ceremony's history, the jovial, relaxed atmosphere of the Golden Globes has led to some memorable moments -- like the time Jack Nicholson pretended to moon the audience while receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award, or when Renée Zellweger was stuck in the bathroom when she should have been accepting her award for "Nurse Betty" in 2001.

Don't miss the fun as Fallon hosts the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards Sunday, Jan. 8, on NBC.