In a night of shocks and snubs, Beyonce finally won her first Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards just 12 months after her husband Jay-Z had an epic public tantrum about her being overlooked by the Recording Academy.
Meanwhile, music superstar Taylor Swift was stunningly snubbed in all six categories she was nominated, despite her record The Tortured Poets Department being the best-selling album of 2024.
Kendrick Lamar was also a massive winner as the rapper earned two of the ‘big four’ awards with both Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for his Drake diss track Not Like Us.
The final award which is considered part of the ‘big four’ was earned by Chappell Roan in the Best New Artist category which featured one of the most impressive fields of all-time in the category.
However, in the end it was Beyonce, 43, who took home the top prize for her on Cowboy Carter as she triumphed over: André 3000 – New Blue Sun, Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet, Charli xcx – Brat, Jacob Collier – Djesse Vol 4, Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft, Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department.
In a special moment, Beyonce was presented the honor by several members of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
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In a night of shocks and snubs, Beyonce finally won her first Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards just 12 months after her husband Jay-Z had an epic public tantrum about her being overlooked by the Recording Academy
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Meanwhile music superstar Taylor Swift was stunningly snubbed in all six categories she was nominated, despite her record The Tortured Poets Department being the best-selling album of 2024
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Kendrick Lamar was also a massive winner as the rapper earned two of the ‘big four’ awards with both Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year for his Drake diss track Not Like Us
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The final award which is considered part of the ‘big four’ was earned by Chappell Roan in the Best New Artist category which featured one of the most impressive fields of all-time in the category
She was joined on stage by 13-year-old daughter Blue Ivy as she began her acceptance speech by acknowledging them for their courage as she said: ‘I’d like to thank and acknowledge and praise all the firefighters for keeping us safe.’
‘I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years. And I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work. I want to dedicate this to Ms. Martell, and just keep pushing forward, opening doors. God bless. Thank you so much. Thank you.’
The ‘Ms. Martell’ Beyonce was referring to is a Black country music pioneer named Linda Martell whose work was featured on the star’s eighth studio album.
This comes just a year after Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z used his acceptance speech at last year’s award show to condemn the Recording Academy for failing to give her the Best Album award despite already being one of the most decorated artists of all-time.
While accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award for his contribution to the music industry he said at the time: ‘I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year.
‘So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys; never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.’
Regardless, it was a historic night for the queen Bey as she finally earned her crown in the country genre and she was presented it by none other than the aforementioned Swift earlier in the night.
She was presented with the Best Country Album honor for her work on Cowboy Carter by the 35-year-old Red hitmaker.
‘This is my first Grammy, some going to cry, but — I wrote my name. It’s probably a messed up. Thank you to the Recording Academy for having me, and having everyone here tonight. In celebration in honor of everything that’s happened.
‘I feel so lucky to be able to come together and do something so special and beautiful, and celebrate music. I want to thank all the fans that let my music be heard by the Recording Academy. I want to thank my mom for driving me to every voice lesson. I want to thank my dad and my sisters.’
She went on to thank her entire team before concluding: ‘Thank you, you have no idea how much this album means to me. Thank you.’
Chappell Roan won the coveted Best New Artist award as she triumphed over a very impressive field including: Benson Boone, Doechii, Khruangbin, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims.
The 26-year-old Good Luck Babe hitmaker used her shining moment to shed a light on artist rights.
She began her powerful message by saying: ‘I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially developing artists.
‘Because I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor. When I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt, and like most people, I had a difficult job finding — — quite a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and cannot afford insurance.
‘It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized to not have — if my label had prioritized it, I could have been provided care for a company I was giving everything to. Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?’
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Sabrina Carpenter defeated her mentor Taylor Swift to earn the coveted Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards 2025
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She shared a sweet moment with Taylor before receiving the award as the megastar kissed her on the top of her head
‘It was devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and dehumanized to not have — if my label had prioritized it, I could have been provided care for a company I was giving everything to. Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection. Labels, we got you, but do you got us?’
Chappell was signed by Atlantic Records when she was a teenager in her hometown of Willard, Missouri before moving out to Los Angeles to pursue her dream.
Kendrick Lamar earned two of the ‘big four’ awards as he took home Record Of The Year and Song Of The Yearfor his smash hit Not Like Us.
The 37-year-old Compton, California native came up at the top of a stacked field for Song Of The Year which included: The Beatles – Now and Then, Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em, Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso, Charli xcx – 360, Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather, Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!, and Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – Fortnight.
The proud Los Angeleno referenced the recent devastating wildfires as he said: ‘We are going to dedicate this one to the city, Compton, Watts. Yeah. Yeah. Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the valley, pacoima, IE, San Bernardino, all that.
‘You know, this is my neck of the woods that’s held me down since a young pup, you know, since I was in the studio scrapping to write the best raps, and to records like these. I can’t give enough thanks to these places that I rolled around since high school.
‘Most importantly, the people and the families out in the Palisades and Altadena. This is a true testament that we can continue to restore the city. And, yet. We gon’ keep rocking, my boy.’
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Chappell Roan won the coveted Best New Artist award as she triumphed over a very impressive field including: Benson Boone, Doechii, Khruangbin, Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims
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The 26-year-old Good Luck Babe hitmaker used her shining moment to shed a light on artist rights. She began her powerful message by saying: ‘I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health care, especially developing artists’
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Kendrick Lamar earned one of the ‘big four’ awards as he took home Record Of The Year for his smash hit Not Like Us
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The 37-year-old Compton, California native came up at the top of a stacked field which included: The Beatles – Now and Then, Beyoncé – Texas Hold ’Em, Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso, Charli xcx – 360, Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather, Chappell Roan – Good Luck, Babe!, and Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – Fortnight
Shakira was another big winner as she was presented with Best Latin Pop Album by her pal Jennifer Lopez.
The 48-year-old Colombian hitmaker was recognized for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran as she won over: Anitta – Funk Generation, Kali Uchis – Orquídeas, Kany García – García, and Luis Fonsi – El Viaje.
She seemingly took a political stance by dedicating the win to immigrants as she began her speech by saying: ‘Wow. This is incredible. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters. In this country. You are loved. You are worth it. I will always fight with you.
‘To all of those women who worked really hard every day to provide for their families, you are the true. So this is for you too. I want to share this award with my kids. They are here with me. I’m so proud of you guys, of your kind hearts. Thank you so much for supporting me the way you do. I love you. Thank you.’
No doubt two of music’s biggest stars had to be honored on music’s biggest night as Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars earned Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
The dynamic duo were recognized for their track Die With A Smile as they triumphed over: Ariana Grande, Brandy & Monica – The Boy Is Mine – Remix, Beyoncé Featuring Post Malone – Levii’s Jeans, Charli XCX & Billie Eilish – Guess Featuring Billie Eilish, and Gracie Abrams Featuring Taylor Swift – Us.
Gaga, 38, made a strong political statement regarding LGBTQIA+ rights as she ended her speech by saying: ‘I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you.’
Doechii kicked off the show with a major upset as they earned the first gramophone in the Best Rap Album category over a field including Eminem.
The 26-year-old star received the honor for Alligator Bites Never Heal as she won over some of rap’s biggest stars including the aforementioned Eminem, Common and Pete Rock, J. Cole, and Future and Metro Boomin.
The Tampa Bay, Florida native – born Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon – was the third female winner in the category since it’s inception in 1996 as she followed Lauryn Hill in 1997 and Cardi B in 2019.
Doechii shed some light on this historic moment as she said: ‘I don’t want to make this long. But, this category was introduced in 1989, and two women have won: Lauryn Hill — three women have won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii.
‘I put my heart in my soul into this mix tape. I buried my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety, and god told me that I would be rewarded, and that he would show me just how good it can get. I have to thank god. I have to thank my beautiful mother for coaching me. I want to thank my label, my engineer Jayda, my fans.’
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Shakira was another big winner as she was presented with Best Latin Pop Album by her pal Jennifer Lopez
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The 48-year-old Colombian hitmaker was recognized for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran as she won over: Anitta – Funk Generation, Kali Uchis – Orquídeas, Kany García – García, and Luis Fonsi – El Viaje
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Jennifer stunned as she hit the stage
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Doechii kicked off the Grammy Awards 2025 with a major upset as they earned the first gramophone in the Best Rap Album category over a field including Eminem
She went on to personally thank her fans which she affectionally refers to as ‘The Swamp’ before saying there is talent where she is from in Florida.
Doechii concluded with a message to fellow Black artists as she said: ‘I know that there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there that are watching me right now, and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible.
‘Don’t allow, don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, that tell you that you can’t be here, that tell you that you are too dark or that you are not smart enough or that you are too loud you are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are. I am a testimony. Praise god.’
The 2025 Grammys were hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive year and held at LA’s Crypto.com Arena.
He kicked off the event by introducing the band Daws and a funny monologue complete with an announcement that Beyonce was going to be in attendance.
Some of music’s biggest stars had won big before the event even started as Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Charli xcx, and Sabrina Carpenter earned golden gramophones.
Beyonce scooped her first ever Grammy in the country categories for her collaboration with Miley Cyrus, as music’s premier awards gala began with dozens of prizes handed out before the televised marquee event.
Rapper Kendrick Lamar jumped out as an early top winner with three awards, as did club diva Charli xcx, while Sabrina Carpenter won her first Grammy.
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The 2025 Grammys were hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive year and held at LA’s Crypto.com Arena
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Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS performed her massive hit Birds Of A Feather
Of her 11 chances to win, Beyonce’s victory was coupled with four losses in genre categories. The other awards will be presented at the gala hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.
The Beyonce paradox — she has won the most Grammys of anyone in history but has never won the top album or record prizes — has been on the minds of many people in the industry in the run-up to Sunday’s ceremony.
Her early win with Cyrus for best country duo/group performance is one signal that she was on the minds of voters in Nashville, the capital of country that is infamous for promoting a rigid view of the genre that is overwhelmingly white and male.
Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter was a critically praised, not-so-subtle indictment of the country music industry’s powers-that-be, a genre-spanning record that elevated the work of Black artists and celebrated the rich history of their work.
For Album and Record of the Year, many critics think Beyonce might finally get what broad consensus believes is her due.
But she faces stiff competition, including from perennial winners like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift along with Carpenter, Charli xcx and the buzzy Chappell Roan.
It appears the Recording Academy is saving several awards Beyonce is nominated for — like best Americana performance and best country album — for the telecast, which could imply a big night for Queen Bey.
On Grammys eve, she already made headlines by announcing an upcoming tour in support of Cowboy Carter.
Hip-hop laureate Lamar’s early wins could also signal a big night for him: his viral smash Not Like Us derived from his much-publicized rap battle with Drake.
Other top artists to watch include Roan and Post Malone.
In true Grammy fashion, a few curiosities emerged from the handout of early awards.
Iconic band The Beatles scored the prize for best rock performance despite breaking up more than 50 years ago.
Their track Now And Then spotlighted the Recording Academy’s ongoing debate on how to handle artificial intelligence after it used an AI tool to isolate the late John Lennon‘s vocals from a poor quality demo tape they could then use as the foundation of the new song.
The Fab Four are also up for Record of the Year — the track was eligible because the AI was not generative, and the nomination could be a nod from the Academy to the future of production and recording.
Lennon’s son Sean accepted the rock award, saying: ‘They’re still in the culture, people still listen to the music. As far as I’m concerned, it’s still the greatest band of all time.’
And the late US president Jimmy Carter won a posthumous Grammy — his fourth — for best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for a collection of his final Sunday school lessons in Georgia.
The show will raise funds to support fire relief efforts after the devastation caused by the LA blazes which began on January 7 in Pacific Palisades.
Winners will be chosen by the roughly 13,000 singers, songwriters, producers, engineers and others who make up the Recording Academy.
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Beyonce scooped her first ever Grammy in the country categories for her collaboration with Miley Cyrus
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The show will raise funds to support fire relief efforts after the devastation caused by the LA blazes which began on January 7 in Pacific Palisades – pictured: Flames from the Eaton fire in Altadena engulf a home
Only recordings commercially released in the U.S. between September 16, 2023 through August 30, 2024 were eligible for nominations.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Tammy Hurt, the chair of the Academy’s board of trustees said in a joint statement: ‘This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours. In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort, and unite like nothing else.
‘The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.’
MusiCares and the Recording Academy have created the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort and pledged $1 million to support musicians and those working in the industry who are impacted by the wildfires.
