Shocking wins and unexpected snubs rocked the 67th Grammys, with big winners Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar stealing the show.
Beyoncé herself was shocked after taking home the title of Best Country Album.
“Wow, I really was not expecting this,” Beyoncé said during her acceptance speech. “I’d like to thank God again and my fans and I still am in shock, so thank you so much for this honor.”
The award came following her snub at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards. According to Rolling Stone, “Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' was snubbed when the nominations for the 2024 CMA Awards were announced on Monday… the musician was shut out of nominations.”
Best Country Album of the Year would not be the only Grammy that the album accumulated.
“Cowboy Carter” also received “Album of the Year.” According to The National, the win was “long-overdue recognition of her sustained excellence” after her four previous losses.
“I just feel very full and very honored,” Beyoncé said. “It’s been many, many years. And, I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer… God bless y’all. Thank you so much.”
Beyoncé was not the only artist honored for her pieces. Due to its widespread success, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” swept five categories, making him the biggest winner of the night. The track won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance.
Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar’s success simultaneously were some of the biggest sources of controversy of the night. While Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” and Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” easily surpassed “Cowboy Carter” in streams, neither artist took home a single award.
Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department” was the most streamed album of the year, accumulating over 310 million streams in just one day. She was nominated for six awards, including Album of the Year.
Eilish’s track “Birds of a Feather” was the most streamed song of 2024 with 1.8 billion streams. This count ran in stark comparison to Beyoncé's, receiving 300 million more streams. However, despite her seven nominations, including Album of the Year, she did not take home a single award. Some, however, insisted controversy was a crucial aspect to the Grammys experience.
“...The Grammys always surprise us with a few awards,” Alex Hopper, staff writer for American Songwriter said. “It wouldn’t be worth tuning in without an upset here and there.”
With the exception of Kendrick Lamar, female artists dominated this year’s major awards.
Sabrina Carpenter took home the first Grammy of her career. Among her six nominations, her album “Short n’ Sweet” took the title of Best Pop Vocal Album, and “Espresso” won Best Pop Solo Performance.
“All those nominees that were just on the screen are some of my favorite artists in the world and I can’t believe I’m nominated against them or even in this room right now,” Carpenter said. “I feel so lucky to be able to come together and do something so special and beautiful and celebrate music.”
Other female artists winning awards included Chappell Roan, who also won her first Grammy, taking the title of Best New Artist among her six total nominations. Doechii also won her first among her three nominations, with “Alligator Bites Never Heal” winning Best Rap Album.
While there were the usual snubs and upsets, the night provided the opportunity for lesser-known artists to take home their first Grammys. The spotlight was spread to many new artists and those who had not previously been recognized.
