The 2025 Grammys took place on Sunday, February 2nd, and as always, it was an exciting night of celebrating the music that shaped the last year. This year’s ceremony also celebrated the unity of Los Angeles, which is still recovering from the fires that devastated it throughout January. The CBS broadcast of the ceremony included a QR code inviting viewers to donate to fire relief, which raised more than $24 million. This unity was also featured several times during the ceremony, including when Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga performed a cover of the Mamas and the Papas’ classic song “California Dreamin'” and when Los Angeles firefighters were brought on stage to present Album of the Year, the final award of the night.
The ceremony also had many more performances than normal, mostly due to a new system where all the nominees for Best New Artist were given their own performances. Many of these performances were considered highlights of the night, such as Doechii’s mashup of “Catfish” and “Denial Is A River,” Sabrina Carpenter’s performance of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” and Chappell Roan’s performance of “Pink Pony Club.” Other performances included a tribute to legendary producer Quincy Jones performed by musicians including Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe, and Stevie Wonder.
But of course, the night was all about awards. One of the first awards of the night proved to be perhaps the most controversial: Best Country Album. Instead of being awarded to well-known country stars like Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, or Kacey Musgraves, the award instead went to Beyoncé for her album Cowboy Carter. This award reignited conversations about whether or not the album is actually “country.” With the award, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to win a country award since the Pointer Sisters won Best Country Performance for a Duo or Group in 1975 for their song “Fairytale.” (Beyoncé also won this award for “II Most Wanted,” her duet with Miley Cyrus.)
Later in the night, the “Big Four” awards were handed out. Best New Artist went to Chappell Roan, who used her speech to advocate for healthcare and wage reform for up-and-coming musicians. Both Song of the Year and Record of the Year went to Kendrick Lamar’s smash hit, “Not Like Us,” which won all 5 awards it was nominated for, making it the most awarded song in Grammys history. The final and biggest award of the night, Album of the Year, ended up going to Beyoncé for Cowboy Carter. The award marked her first Album of the Year win, which many artists in attendance agreed was well-deserved. Surprisingly, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, arguably the two biggest artists of 2024, did not win a single award. (Swift was nominated for 6 awards and Eilish was nominated for 7.)
