After a year that seemed to be ruled by powerful pop stars and ruthless rap battles, the 67th GRAMMY Awards were a highly anticipated event. Kendrick Lamar took home the most trophies with “Not Like Us” winning in five different categories, including two of the “Big Four” awards: Song of the Year and Record of the Year, as well as Best Rap Song, Rap Performance, and Music Video. Beyonce’s COWBOY CARTER earned her Album of the Year, as well as Best Country Album and Best Country Duo Performance for “II MOST WANTED” featuring Miley Cyrus.
Chappell Roan was crowned Best New Artist, and was nominated in several other categories. Other big names of the year like Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX scored multiple nominations and wins. Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, two very established pop artists, were nominated in many categories but did not take home any awards.
Beyonce’s big win for Album of the Year is the first time she’s been chosen for that coveted category, and the first time a Black woman has received the award in 26 years, since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. In past years, disappointment has been voiced when Beyonce’s Lemonade lost that award in 2016 to Adele and Renaissance lost in 2023 to Harry Styles. Both albums were considered masterpieces by many, who thought it was no coincidence that white artists were given the award over her each time.
A similar situation occurred with Kendrick Lamar, whose Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers also lost to Harry’s House in 2023, DAMN. lost to Bruno Mars in 2017, To Pimp A Butterfly lost to Taylor Swift in 2015, and Good Kid M.A.A.D City not only lost Album of the Year to Daft Punk, but also lost Best Rap Album to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. This pattern suggests that while Black artists can be recognized for their artistry within traditionally Black genres, the Recording Academy is biased against showing appreciation for Black artists in the general field.
Beyonce’s Lemonade was given Best Urban Contemporary Album that year, an award that has since been renamed to Best Progressive R&B Album after Tyler, the Creator spoke out against the use of the word “urban” to describe music genres as a racist categorization of Black musicians. He won Rap Album of the Year in 2020 for IGOR, but had mixed feelings about that designation, arguing that his genre-blending project that’s closer to a pop album was flattened to just “rap” because of his race.
This year’s recipient of Best Rap Album was Doechii, one of three women to win that award and a Best New Artist nominee who exploded in popularity after releasing Alligator Bites Never Heal in August and featuring on Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA in October. In her acceptance speech she addressed her Black female fans, encouraging them to have confidence in themselves. Doechii is openly bisexual and has a girlfriend, according to GO magazine, and has voiced support for bi people of any gender.
In fact, the GRAMMY nominations included many queer artists this year. Best New Artist winner Chappell Roan is known for overtly lesbian themes in her songs, and Billie Eilish’s lead single “LUNCH” off her AOTY-nominated Hit Me Hard and Soft and her Best Pop Duo Performance-nominated remix of Charli XCX’s “Guess” contain sexual lyrics about other women. Lady Gaga, the winner in the latter category along with Bruno Mars for “Die With a Smile,” is also bisexual and gave a shout-out to the LGBTQ community in her acceptance speech, asserting that “trans people deserve love.” Chappell Roan agreed in an interview with GLAAD that “trans people have always existed and they will forever exist” and that she “would not be here without trans girls.” The openly queer musician St. Vincent, who won three awards in the rock & alternative categories, revealed that she has a wife during her acceptance speech. These markers of success and words of support for the LGBTQ community came at a crucial time, as the election and inauguration of Donald Trump has caused concern about advances in queer and trans rights being rolled back.
While progress has been made with this year’s GRAMMY Awards, with artists like Beyonce finally getting the credit they deserve, there is still a long way to go in the future in regards to recognizing the complexity and brilliance of Black musicians and their art. And more important than any award is the music itself—incredible, innovative music being made by artists of all backgrounds and identities every year, whether or not they gain mainstream success or are recognized by institutions like the Recording Academy.