The 2025 Grammy Awards gave us many wins, including controversial ones. Beyoncé’s “COWBOY CARTER” won Album of the Year, which has caused a divide around the world.
The list of nominees consisted of André 3000, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, Jacob Collier, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift, with Beyoncé walking home with the award. Many people took to the internet to express why they thought Beyoncé should not have won. People said they did not think she deserved the award and felt another artist should have won. Freshman Ruby Watcher believes, “…Beyoncé deserved a Grammy, but I don’t think she deserved a Grammy for that album.”
Many users on social media have come out and said that Billie Eilish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,” which was nominated in the category, should have won over Beyoncé. They say that the album’s lyricism and emotion gave listeners deep feelings they never felt when they listened to Beyoncé’s album, which won. Cara Leo, a freshman, told The Times, “Beyoncé’s album wasn’t even listened to for a week after it was released, and Billie’s album was the top streamed album on Spotify.”
Beyonce also won Best Country Album, which also raised eyebrows. Freshman student Brinley Houge said, “Beyonce’s album ‘COWBOY CARTER’ should not have been under the country category.” She explained, “Compared to Kacey Musgraves, her album is more pop.”
Unlike the VMA’s or the iHeart Music Awards which are fan-noted, Grammy winners are chosen by The Recording Academy. The Recording Academy comprises over 13,000 music artists, who vote for their peers. According to The Recording Academy Website, “(The Recording Academy) Cast(s) their votes based solely on the artistic and technical merits of eligible products.” Streams and popularity do not matter when it comes to the Grammys, only the opinion of the members of The Recording Academy.
Before the Grammy Awards, Beyonce announced her next tour, “Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour,” where fans can experience the music from her recent album with Beyonce herself. Despite the controversy, when tickets were released on February 14, 2025, almost all the shows were sold out in under an hour. You can catch her at the closest Atlanta, Georgia, show on July 10-11, 2025.
