Story by Emely De Haro, Co-Editor in Chief & Photo Illustration by Hannah Kampitan, Co-Editor in Chief
This year’s Grammys have already made headlines as one of the most talked-about nights in music history, but the reception has been mixed. Here’s a recap of the night’s wins, snubs, and shocking moments.
As we reflect on the major categories, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year, we can note that Beyoncé was the big winner who took home Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter.” She now holds the record for the most Grammys of all time, with 35 wins and 99 nominations.
Let me set the record straight: I love Beyoncé, but I don’t think this was the album for this award. Don’t get me wrong, “Cowboy Carter” was great, but it didn’t have the same impact as the other nominees’ albums. Beyoncé should have won Album of the Year for “Lemonade” back in 2017, and this year, the award should have gone to Billie Eilish for “Hit Me Soft and Hard.” Billie’s album was raw, emotional, and a clear standout.
Other big categories like Song of the Year and Record of the Year went to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” He was one of the night’s biggest winners, taking home Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video. That’s wild to me; “Not Like Us” was a diss track aimed at Drake in response to Drake’s 2024 diss track against Kendrick. If I were Kendrick, I’d be flaunting this everywhere—this is iconic.
History was made multiple times throughout the night. Rising artist Doechii won Best Rap Album for “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” making her the third woman to win in this category, following Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. She also left the crowd in awe with her performances of “Catfish” and “Denial Is a River.”
Los Angeles was also a major theme of the night, with many artists dedicating their wins and performances to the city in light of the devastating wildfires that have displaced thousands, destroying homes, schools, and businesses. Though I appreciate the awareness, it doesn’t sit right with me that host Trevor Noah repeatedly urged people to donate in a room filled with billionaires.
Let’s move on to the biggest snubs of the night. The most shocking was Billie Eilish, who went 0-for-7 despite having multiple hit songs on her album, including “Lunch,” “Wildflower,” and “Birds of a Feather.” However, the biggest snub of all was Ariana Grande. Her well-crafted album “Eternal Sunshine” didn’t win a single award, which also doesn’t sit right with me. She’s one of the biggest artists of the century, and after the success of Wicked, at least one win should have been a given.
