The 2025 Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, February 2nd, and were filled with incredible moments presented by the Recording Academy that marked a big year for the music industry. Performances from artists such as Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Doechii, and more appeared on the stage.
The biggest award of the night, 2025 Album of the Year was awarded to–35-time Grammy winner Beyoncé for her country-pop album, COWBOY CARTER. Other nominees included New Blue Sun by André 3000, Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter, BRAT by Charli xcx, Djesse Vol. 4 by Jacob Collier, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan, and The Torchered Poets Department by Taylor Swift. Although Beyoncé’s album has been favored in the eyes of the 13,000 voting members of the Recording Academy, the media has formed a different viewpoint. While many believed that Beyoncé deserved the award, others anticipated a different outcome if Billie Eilish won. As of February 11th, COWBOY CARTER has reached 1.7 billion streams worldwide, while Billie Eilish’s album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT reached over 5.8 billion. Despite the fact that the Recording Academy does not choose the winner based on the number of streams but on the overall production of the album, the media continues the voting process of the Grammys. Senior Justin Vo says, “I think that Billie Eilish got robbed because Birds of a Feather got more streams than most of Cowboy Carter combined.”
Another major award that was announced was the 2025 Best Song of the Year and 2025 Best Record of the Year, where 22-time Grammy winner, Kendrick Lamar for his song Not Like Us. Though Record and Song of the Year sound similar, Song of the Year highlights an artist’s songwriting rather than the production of the song like Record of the Year. Other nominees for the 2025 Record of the Year include Now and Then by the Beatles, TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé, Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, 360 by Charli xcx, BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish, Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan, and Fortnight by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone. Nominees for the 2025 Best Song of the Year include A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey, BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish, Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, Fortnight by Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan, Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter, and TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé. Lamar’s song has been in the Billboard Top 100 for over thirty weeks, reaching number one for two weeks. The song has also won three additional awards such as Best Rap Song, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Performance. Lamar has also performed the famed song at the Super Bowl this year along with several other of his past hits.
Another award announced was the 2025 Best New Artist of the Year, for which Chappell Roan claimed the title. Other nominees included Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Khruangbin, RAYE, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims. Roan has also been nominated for Best Album, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Song, Best Record, and Best Pop Solo Performance of the Year. In her acceptance speech, she discussed the issue of the industry profiting off of artists, resulting in them barely earning a livable wage.
Whether it be with new artists or old, the Grammys continue to make history as the years go by. Artists continue to spread their creativity to others around them, growing a different kind of family to others around the world.
