Feb. 2 marks the date of music’s biggest night—the 2025 Grammy Awards. After walking the red carpet, music artists compete for titles such as “Best New Artist,” “Album of the Year,” “Record of the Year,” and more. During the night, notable singers perform their hit songs for the crowd of fellow musicians.
The awards ceremony, which takes place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, raised money for the city’s fires that sparked in early January. Throughout the program, author and comedian Trevor Noah encouraged viewers to donate to the MusiCares Fire Relief numerous times. The Grammys raised around $9 million.
Fans were also upset by Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter winning both “Best Country Album” and “Album of the Year.” Beyoncé, who has been nominated for AOTY many times but has never won, competed against Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, and more. Viewers thought that many of these artists, most notably Eilish and Swift, were “robbed” in this category along with others.
“I don’t [think Cowboy Carter deserved AOTY]. Grill me for it, hate me, call me names, but it wasn’t even that good. Everybody’s talking about ‘country’s so new and different for her!’ I don’t care,” says sophomore Reagan Koch. “Even though I don’t listen to country heavily, I know that she did not deserve Album of the Year… There were so many deserving names from the nominees, yet she won? She only won because she’s Beyoncé. Regardless, thank you, Beyoncé,” she continues, referencing the ongoing conspiracy theory about the singer.
Though remarkable artists Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, and Sabrina Carpenter walked home with “Best New Artist,” “Best Dance/Electronic Album,” and “Best Pop Vocal Album,” rap artist Kendrick Lamar was awarded three Grammy awards for “Not Like Us, ” his diss track against controversial artist Drake.
However, fans noticed that Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift both walked home without a Grammy trophy. Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft earned her seven Grammy nominations and Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department earned six.
“[Billie has] been in this industry since she was 14 years old and Beyoncé is extremely talented, but [Birds of a Feather] got more listens than Beyoncé’s entire album,” sophomore Kayra Arik shares. “If that doesn’t say a lot, I don’t know what will.”
Viewers watched as breakthrough artist Doechii won “Best Rap Album” for Alligator Bites Never Heal, becoming the third Black woman to win the category alongside Lauryn Hill and Cardi B. In her speech, Doechii thanked her mom as she held her hand onstage. She also performed during the awards show, singing her viral songs “Denial is a River” and “Catfish.”
Pop artist Chappell Roan also won her first Grammy, “Best New Artist,” for her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. She performed as well, rocking back and forth on a giant toy horse whilst singing her hit song “Pink Pony Club.” Roan uses her platform to speak on LGBTQ+ rights and, during her speech, mentioned abusive record labels and her experience of being taken advantage of by her former label, Atlantic Records.
Though the 2025 Grammy Awards have been scrutinized online for snubs and greed, they also spotlighted new and upcoming artists, with Doechii and Chappell Roan both earning their first Grammy along with performing on the Recording Academy stage for the first time.
Moreover, despite the irony, the Grammys were able to raise millions of dollars in support of the LA fires and honored first responders. As performers often say, the show must go on.
