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How Beyoncé finally won album of the year at the Grammys

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“As selected by the 13,000 voting members of the Recording Academy…”

Did you catch that phrase used during the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday night? Each presenter who announced one of the significant awards – album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, best new artist – would always utter a specific sentence before disclosing the winner.

As a film enthusiast, I noticed a subtle yet significant shift in the Academy’s approach, signaling an effort to reshape its image after years of being labeled as a secretive record-industry clique. Facing criticism for undervaluing the contributions of women and artists of color, they’ve been working diligently to communicate that the Grammy decisions aren’t concocted in dimly lit back rooms but are made by the vast community of music professionals who are part of this esteemed organization.

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Join us as we delve into a conversation between renowned pop music critic Mikael Wood and fellow staff writer August Brown, who share insights on the standout artists, memorable performances, and shocking highlights from the 2025 Grammy Awards.

Moreover, it’s important to note that the academy has consistently underscored this change – even during Sunday’s event, Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. made this clear in a speech. Essentially, they have been welcoming a more youthful and diverse membership (which implicitly means saying goodbye to older and less racially diverse ones).

Maybe it’s working.

On Sunday, Beyoncé triumphed in securing the Grammy’s most esteemed honor for album of the year with “Cowboy Carter.” This project showcased her scholarly yet daring investigation into the Black origins of country music. It marked her fifth attempt over a 15-year span to win this prize, a feat that Taylor Swift accomplished an unmatched four times during the same period. Significantly, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to receive this award since Lauryn Hill in 1999.

Beyoncé, with a gentle chuckle, expressed that it’s been quite some time since… as she graciously received the award. She dedicated this triumph to Linda Martell, a trailblazing Black country singer, who featured in “Cowboy Carter.” “I hope we continue to advance and break barriers,” she continued, assuming her role as the fourth Black woman to win album of the year at the Grammys, a historic milestone in their 67-year journey.

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Another manifestation of systemic change on Sunday night: Kendrick Lamar’s victories for both Record and Song of the Year with “Not Like Us,” marking a significant move in his long-standing feud with Drake. This lively diss track has led to Drake filing a federal lawsuit against both artists’ record company last month, alleging defamation. Notably, “Not Like Us” is only the second hip-hop song to win both of these prestigious categories, following Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” which claimed them in 2019.

After swearing off the Grammys in 2021 due to a lack of nominations for his hit single “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, a Canadian pop-soul sensation who accused the voting process of being corrupt, unexpectedly performed during the awards ceremony on Sunday. This performance came immediately after the academy’s CEO praised The Weeknd, stating that he was someone who had witnessed the academy’s efforts, and coincidentally, he also happens to have a fresh album to promote.

Despite the triumphant narrative surrounding the night’s biggest winner appearing as a heartwarming story of systemic change within the Recording Academy, it’s actually more intricate than that. In truth, Beyoncé seems to have adjusted herself to the academy in creating “Cowboy Carter,” rather than the other way around.

With an abundance of acoustic instruments played by hand and references to diverse historical musical traditions, this Grammy-winning album shares more similarities with past Album of the Year winners such as Norah Jones, Herbie Hancock, the Dixie Chicks, Beck, and even Mumford & Sons, when compared to Beyoncé’s earlier work.

Beyoncé’s song “Cowboy Carter” carries a strong narrative centered around family, heritage, and the sense of belonging that comes with being American. It appears that Mumford & Sons primarily focused on haberdashery in their songs. However, by adopting a deeply rooted musical style, Beyoncé aimed to challenge the Grammy Awards’ value system. In essence, she was subtly daring the voters not to award her the prize, revealing the underlying hierarchies within the organization.

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Dawes, a band from Los Angeles who were deeply affected by the Eaton fire, discussed the significance of playing Newman’s ’80s classics in their performances.

It’s important to note that just because she didn’t win Album of the Year, it doesn’t mean she didn’t desire to do so. On “Cowboy Carter,” she sings about her disappointment at the Grammys with 2022’s club-inspired “Renaissance.” She expresses her frustration by saying, “I took that hit on the chin / I’ll come back and make them eat their words.” It’s evident that Beyoncé put a lot of effort into organizing her intricate concert during halftime of a Christmas Day NFL game, which coincided with when academy members were casting their votes. (Earlier this week, the singer revealed she will be touring “Cowboy Carter,” starting with four shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, beginning late April.)

It seems I’m leaning towards believing that both the new and old fans contributed to Beyoncé’s victory in the Grammy Awards. The newly-enrolled supporters, as Mason claims, might have played a part, but so did the long-time fans who found resonance in her music. The fact that “Cowboy Carter” won the Country Album prize on Sunday added to Beyoncé’s Nashville backing. Given the Academy rules that allow voting in only three genres, it appears this triumph wasn’t a result of pop outsiders overwhelming the field to lift Beyoncé over established country artists like Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.

Additionally, I have a feeling that among the 13,000 individuals you mentioned, there were probably numerous musicians who’ve long been overshadowed by Beyoncé and believed it was her turn – that she had been unfairly denied the premier Grammy for too long. They may have felt it important to rectify the historical record.

To be clear, ‘Cowboy Carter’ isn’t Beyoncé’s best work; it’s not even my top choice among her albums. However, as Beyoncé herself stated in her acceptance speech, it does serve to open new avenues. I suspect that 83-year-old Martell enjoyed the mention.

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2025-02-03 23:03

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