The 67th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 2, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. Comedian Trevor Noah hosted the event, marking his fifth consecutive year as host. The Grammys celebrate artists for their outstanding work in the music industry, with a total of 94 different categories. The four most prestigious awards are Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best New Artist.
2024 saw the release of many incredible albums, making the competition for Album of the Year especially tough. The nominees included Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, André 3000’s New Blue Sun, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, Charli XCX’s Brat, Jacob Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. The award ultimately went to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter. However, many fans were upset with the result, believing that Billie Eilish deserved the award. Hit Me Hard and Soft helped Billie gain many new fans and made her the #1 artist on Spotify for several weeks. Despite not winning a Grammy this year, she already holds nine Grammys from previous years.
Although Record of the Year and Song of the Year sound similar, they recognize different aspects of a song. Song of the Year honors the songwriter, while Record of the Year is awarded to the performer, producer, and overall recording of the song. This year, Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us won both awards—a rare occurrence. Winning both awards proved that Kendrick Lamar deserved the immense praise he received for the track. The song’s popularity also secured him a performance in front of 65,000 people at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, where he was joined by SZA, who won two Grammys this year.
The Best New Artist category featured some of the biggest breakout artists of 2024, many of whom had viral songs on social media. This year, Chappell Roan took home the award. Although she was recognized as Best New Artist, Chappell Roan has been in the music industry since 2017, when she released her first EP, School Nights. Since then, she has released 15 singles, seven of which appear on her only album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The award does not necessarily go to a newcomer in the industry, but rather to an artist who has recently gained widespread recognition. Chappell Roan achieved this in 2024 with the release of her hit single Good Luck, Babe!
Although Sabrina Carpenter didn’t win one of the four major Grammys, she won two other awards and was among the many talented artists who performed. Other performers included Charli XCX, Shakira, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, and Finneas O’Connell. This year’s Grammys showcased incredible talent and unforgettable performances, making it a night to remember.