Beyoncé won Best Album of the Year at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The honor corrects what many perceive as a snub by the Country Music Award show in 2024. The star was recognized for her eighth album, Cowboy Carter, which celebrates the Black roots of country music.
She had been passed over for the honor four times. She said on stage, “I feel full and honored. It’s been many, many years.” As her name was read, she hugged her daughter, Blue Ivy, then her husband, Jay-Z, before continuing to the stage to accept the award. Beyoncé’s win comes 25 years after her first Grammy nomination as part of the R&B group Destiny’s Child. Since then, she has been the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, with 35 trophies.
Inspirations and Album Dedications
The star dedicated her award to Linda Martell, a pioneering Black musician in country music. She was the first Black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry and is featured on many of Cowboy Carter‘s tracks.
A Surprise Country Release
Beyoncé’s win is the first time a Black woman has won Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill in 1999 for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The record also received the Grammy for Best Country Album of the Year. The cameras caught the look of surprise on Beyoncé’s face when her name was called.
Cowboy Carter focuses on country and Americana and is the second part of a trilogy of Albus that interrogates American musical traditions and uncovers the often unheralded contributions made by Black artists. The singer responded, “I hope we just keep pushing forward [and] opening doors. God bless ya’ll. Thank you so much”. In a symbolic moment, Taylor Swift presented the Grammy, another successful genre-switching artist who beat Beyoncé for Album of the Year in 2010.
The honor came just five months after the Country Music Awards passed her over. Many consider it a snub and the star’s new win as the righting of a historic wrong. The snub came on the heels of Beyoncé becoming the first Black woman to have a number-one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart with “Texas Hold’Em.”
Grammy Nominations
“Texas Hold’Em” was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammys but lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” The smash rap hit, which gave Lamar a decisive win over his running rap battle with Drake, hauled in five awards, including Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
It was only the second hip-hop song to win Record of the Year, but Lamar downplayed the achievement. He focused instead on his hometown of Los Angeles, recently ravaged by wildfires. “We’re gonna dedicate this one to the city,” he said during his acceptance speech.
California Wildfires
The Grammys’ central theme was the devastating wildfires in southern California. The ceremony doubled as a fundraiser, raising over $7 million for those affected. Comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted, admitted that “just a few weeks ago, we weren’t sure that this show would even happen.”
The show opened with an exceptional performance by the local band Dawes, whose homes were destroyed in the inferno. They opened with Randy Newman’s “I Love LA.” Firefighter squads were invited to the award show to honor their efforts. They walked the red carpet, taking selfies with music’s biggest stars.
Noah gave them a nod of appreciation when he said from the stage, “Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained, and despite all the devastation, the spirit of the city has emerged.”
