Grammy Awards 2025: Beyoncé finally wins Album of the Year – Kendrick Lamar sweeps all categories

The 67th Grammy Awards took place in Los Angeles despite fears that the ceremony would have to be cancelled due to the LA wildfires that devastated the region this year.  

But the show must go on and the biggest music night of the year saw both Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar emerge as the biggest winners of the ceremony.  

Scroll down for the list of this year’s winners.  

As we predicted, Album of the Year went to Beyoncé for ‘Cowboy Carter‘, marking the first time that the artist took home the top prize.  

Queen Bey was up for 11 awards, tying with Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ for most nominations for a single album. With the win for Album of the Year, she becomes the first Black woman to get the award in the 21st century. 

She beats Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift for the award, with Diana Ross making a surprise appearance and presenting the award.  

“I just feel very full and very honored – it’s been many, many years,” said Beyoncé with daughter Blue Ivy Carter by her side. “And I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work.”

Beyoncé also won Best Country Album, furthering her record as the most awarded artist in Grammy history (35 overall) and marking her first win in the category. The country genre has been making an almighty comeback in the past five years, and Beyoncé’s country album was even shut out of the genre-specific Country Music Awards last year.  

Beyoncé said: “I think genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about.”

Both major categories Song of the Year and Record of the Year went to ‘Not Like Us’, the ubiquitous diss track by Kendrick Lamar.  

We predicted that Lamar would nab at least one of the categories, but both was a major win for hip-hop’s poet laureate. He went 5-for-5, winning every category for which he was nominated – also winning Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Görüntü for ‘Not Like Us’, making it one of the biggest wins of the night. 

“We’re gonna dedicate this one to the city,” said Lamar when he accepted Record of the Year, before shouting out Los Angeles area neighborhoods. It was the second hip-hop single to ever win in the Record of the Year category – the first being Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’. 

The diss track effectively ended the rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, and became a culturally-relevant and impactful song that proved Lamar could not be dethroned as the leading voice in US rap.

You can bet that Drake is not taking the news well, considering he is currently suing over his loss.

Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii win big

As we also predicted (we’re gloating, give us some space), Chappell Roan won Best New Artist, and made an impassioned speech when accepting the award.  

“I told myself, if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a livable wage and health deva, especially to developing artists.”  

She continued: “Because I got signed so young. I got signed as a minor and when I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt. And like most people, I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and could not afford health insurance.” 

Her speech drew a standing ovation, especially when she concluded with: “Labels – we got you, but do you got us?” 

Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Vocal Album for ‘Short n’ Sweet’ and Best Pop Solo Performance for hit viral hit ‘Espresso’; Charli XCX took home several awards including Best Dance / Electronic Album for ‘Brat’; and The Beatles won Best Rock Performance for their ‘final’ song ‘Now And Then’.  

The trophy for ‘Now and Then’, which used AI to restore the vocals from John Lennon, was accepted by the late singer’s son Sean. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best band of all time,” he said of the Beatles. “Play the Beatles’ music for your kids. I feel like the world can’t afford to forget.” 

Again, as we predicted (and hoped), Doechii rightfully took home Best Rap Album for ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal’. The artist ended her speech with a powerful message to Black women who dream of success in music. 

“I know there is some Black girl out there. So many Black women out there that are watching me right now,” she said. “I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony. Praise God.” 

Elsewhere, a big surprise was the presence of The Weeknd, who performed the songs ‘Timeless’ and ‘Cry For Me’ for his first Grammy performance since he began a boycott of the awards show in 2020.  

His decision to show up this year was a direct reflection of the changes the Recording Academy has made to diversify its voting body, CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in his introduction. The Weeknd has been openly critical of the Grammys organization, dating back to 2020 when he wrote on Twitter: “The Grammys remain corrupt.” The artist also previously told The New York Times in 2021 that he would no longer allow his label to submit him to the awards show.

Los Angeles on the mind 

Host Trevor Noah opened the show by saying: “Just a few weeks ago, we weren’t müddet tonight that this show would even happen. You don’t need me to tell you this, this city has just been through one of the largest natural disasters in American history. … Tonight, we’re not just celebrating our favorite music, we’re also celebrating the city that brought us so much of that music.” 

Noah announced that $7 million had been pledged from viewers of the show, which kicked off with a powerful opening performance of Randy Newman’s ‘I Love L.A.’ by Dawes, backed by John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard and St. Vincent. 

The Grammys also showed a moving montage of the devastation wrought by the Los Angeles wildfires, along with testimonials by people who lost everything. This was followed by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars performing a duet on the classic ‘California Dreamin’.’

On a stage set up to look like the mountains of Los Angeles, the LA born-and-raised Billie Eilish and her brother/collaborator Finneas performed her hit ‘Birds of a Feather’.

“We love you LA,” she told the crowd at the end of the set.

Trump on the mind

Several moments during the show had socio-political inflections, as artists called for support for minorities and those oppressed by the Donald Trump administration.  

Shakira scored her fourth career Grammy with Best Latin Pop Album for ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran’. Due to the Donald Trump administration deporting undocumented immigrants from the US and instigating raids across the country, the singer dedicated her trophy to the immigrants in the US: “I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country,” she said. “You are loved. You are worth it, and I will always fight with you.” 

When Lady Gaga took to the stage alongside Bruno Mars to accept Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category for their song ‘Die with a Smile’, she took the opportunity to express her support for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

“Trans people are not invisible,” she said. “Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up” – a message which comes as the trans community has come under attack since Trump took over and rolled back diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. The Trump administration also recently removed transgender references from the federal government websites. 

Alicia Keys also defended diversity when accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, saying: “This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices. We’ve seen on this stage talented hard-working people from different backgrounds and it changes the game. DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) is not a threat it’s a gift, and the more voices the more powerful the sound.”

Here is the list of this year’s major Grammy winners:  

Album of the year 

Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé 

Song of the year 

Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar 

Record of the year 

Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar 

Best New Artist 

Chappell Roan 

Best Pop Vocal Album 

Short n’ Sweet, Sabrina Carpenter 

Best Pop Solo Performance 

Espresso, Sabrina Carpenter 

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance 

Die with a Smile, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars 

Best Dance/Electronic Recording 

Neverender, Justice and Tame Impala 

Best Dance/Electronic Album 

BRAT, Charli XCX

Best Pop Dance Recording 

Von dutch, Charli XCX

Best Music Video 

Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Album 

Alligator Bites Never Heal, Doechii 

Best Rap Song 

Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar 

Best Rap Performance 

Not Like Us, Kendrick Lamar 

Best Melodic Rap Performance 

3, Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu 

Best R&B Performance 

Made For Me (Live on BET), Muni Long 

Best R&B Album 

11:11 (Deluxe), Chris Brown 

Best Traditional R&B Performance 

That’s You, Lucky Daye 

Best R&B Song 

Saturn, Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solana Rowe, Jared Solomon and Scott Zhang, songwriters (SZA) 

Best Progressive R&B Album 

(Tie) Why Lawd?, NxWorries (Anderson. Paak & Knowledge) & So Glad to Know You, Avery Sunshine 

Best Rock Performance 

Now and Then, The Beatles 

Best Rock Album 

Hackney Diamonds, The Rolling Stones 

Best Alternative Music Album 

All Born Screaming, St. Vincent 

Best Alternative Music Performance

Flea, St. Vincent 

Best Metal Performance

Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!), Gojira, Marina Viotti & Victor Le Masne

Best Remixed Recording 

Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix), FNZ and Mark Ronson, remixers (Sabrina Carpenter) 

Best Americana Performance 

American Dreaming, Sierra Ferrell 

Best American Roots Song 

American Dreaming, Sierra Ferrell and Melody Walker, songwriters 

Best Americana Album 

Trail of Flowers, Sierra Ferrell 

Best Bluegrass Album 

Live Vol 1., Billy Strings 

Best Folk Album 

Woodland, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings 

Best Regional Roots Music Album 

Kuini, Kalani Pe’a 

Best Gospel Performance/Song 

One Hallelujah, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell and Israel Houghton, featuring Jonathan McReynolds and Jekalyn Carr. G. Morris Coleman, Israel Houghton, Kenneth Leonard Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Naomi Raine, songwriters. 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song 

That’s My King, CeCe Winans, Taylor Agan, Kellie Gamble, Lloyd Nicks and Jess Russ, songwriters 

Best Gospel Album 

More Than This, CeCe Winans 

Best Contemporary Christian Music Artist 

Heart of a Human, DOE 

Best Roots Gospel Album 

Church, Cory Henry 

Best Country Album 

Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé 

Best Country Solo Performance 

It Takes A Woman, Chris Stapleton 

Best Country Duo/Group Performance 

II MOST WANTED, Beyoncé, featuring Miley Cyrus 

Best Country Song 

The Architect, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves) 

Best Music Video 

American Symphony 

Best American Roots Performance 

Lighthouse, Sierra Ferrell 

Best Traditional Blues Album 

Swingin’ Live at The Church in Tulsa, The Taj Mahal Sextet 

Best Contemporary Blues Album 

Mileage, Ruthie Foster 

Best Latin Pop Album 

Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira 

Best Música Urbana Album 

Las Letras Ya No Importan, Residente 

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album 

¿Quien Trae las Cornetas?, Rawayana 

Best Música Mexicana Album (including Tejano) 

Boca Chueca, Vol. 1, Carin León 

Best Tropical Latin Album 

Alma, Corazon y Salsa (Live at Gran Teatro Nacional), Tony Succar, Mimy Succar 

Best Reggae Album 

Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Sinema (Deluxe), Various Artists 

Best Küresel Music Performance 

Bemba Colora, Sheila E. featuring Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar 

Best African Music Performance 

Love Me JeJe, Tems 

Best Jazz Vocal Album 

A Joyful Holiday, Samara Joy 

Songwriter Of The Year, non-classical 

Amy Allen 

Producer of the year, non-classical 

Daniel Nigro 

Producer of the year, classical 

Elaine Martone 

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media 

Hans Zimmer, Dune: Part 2 

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media 

Maestro: Music by Leonard Bernstein, Bradley Cooper and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, artists; Bradley Cooper, Yannick Nézet-Séguin & Jason Ruder, compilation producers; Steven Gizicki, music supervisor 

Best Comedy Album

Dreamer, Dave Chappelle 

Dr. Dre Global Impact Award 

Alicia Keys