The 67th annual Grammy awards occurred on Sunday, Feb. 2. The Academy seems to have learned from the mistakes that occurred in the past two years. The past two awards for Album of the Year have caused an uproar because a majority consensus believe that the winners were undeserving, and the Academy is biased in its decisions. This has caused a fall in interest and respect for the Grammys among younger generations because watching the same artists win every year becomes predictable. Knowing this, this year was the most satisfied I have felt after watching an awards show since the beginning of this decade.
My favorite performance was the combination of all the new artist nominees. This allowed for each artist to be displayed with their most popular song. Doechii’s performance was the standout as she gave a ton of energy in the choreography as well as the rap.
I also loved Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ performance of “California Dreaming.” This performance gave one of the strongest tributes to the recent devastation of the wildfires in Southern California. Their win for Best Pop Duo was also well deserved as “Die with a Smile” was a beautiful and heartfelt song that showcased both artists’ strengths.
The Best Rap Album award deservedly went to Doechii for “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” I believe she was the breakout rap artist of 2024 and this recognition being given to a rapper with a non-traditional sound makes me hopeful for the future of rap. In all of the Grammy awards, she is the third woman to win this category. With the dominance of men in hip hop and rap since its inception, it made it difficult for a lot of women to win a Grammy for Best Rap Album, so it brings me a lot of joy that Doechii was able to receive an award so soon in her career.
Sabrina Carpenter, who has established herself as a pop star of this generation, won her first Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. With all the work and popularity she’s accumulated over the past year, she has launched herself in a different direction than what the usual star would take, focusing her image on a more retro-Hollywood aesthetic. I think the public responded well to this arrangement.
Kendrick Lamar winning five Grammys for “Not Like Us” was truly telling of his ability to create thought-provoking art, and also pointed him out as a musician who knows how to reach all kinds of audiences.
Beyoncé won Best Country Album and Album of the Year which, in my opinion, she fully deserves. I admittedly am not as well versed in country music, but “Cowboy Carter” was a well-produced album with a distinctly country sound, so I find no problem with the award going to her. Although I personally liked Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” more, Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” is equally successful and deserving of the awards compared to any of her other albums.
Beyonce’s popularity and persona often overshadow her music, making a lot of people criticize her saying she is overrated and undeserving of the number of awards that she receives. However, Beyonce has put out consistently well-made and popular music for the past 20 years. I fully believe that she just happens to have an extremely strong presence and brand that have propelled her career further than just music.
Especially with the apology issued to The Weeknd right before his performance, this year felt like the ‘damage control’ for the past couple of year’s Grammys. They are rectifying the drama that the Grammys have caused which may have brought them viewers, but not respect.
This year was not of a major upset compared to previous years; I think it represents a new wave of the Grammys and their popularity among younger generations.
