The Grammy Awards is a major annual event anticipated by many, in which musical artists are nominated for their best albums and songs during the year, with many music fans – casual and serious listeners – tuning in to see the results. This year, the 2025 Grammy Awards took place on February 2nd. They generated adamant speculation from viewers and strong opinions and reactions toward the performances, nominees, and other events.
The major award categories include Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. This year, the winners were Beyoncé for Album of the Year with her album Cowboy Carter, Kendrick Lamar for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year with his track “Not Like Us,” and Chappell Roan for Best New Artist. While the winners in these categories were clear, opinions greatly varied on whether these wins were deserved. To better understand the local sentiment, a survey was conducted to gather R.H. King Academy’s opinions on who should or shouldn’t have won.
Based on the information received, it was concluded that the majority of the respondents were caught off-guard by Beyonce’s nomination and were neutral towards the playout of the Grammys, neither in agreement nor disagreement with the final winners. Furthermore, students called for a better execution of the Awards Ceremony, as the aftermath left many viewers unsatisfied with the results. They also expected other artists, such as Billie Eilish, a potential nominee, to win Album of the Year.
“I wish there were more diversity in the nominations for [Song of the Year] and [Album of the Year], rather than just mainstream pop. Many excellent records from lesser-known artists in 2024 (e.g., Magdalena Bay, Ravyn Lenae, etc.) receive no recognition whatsoever and offer more than the generic [The Tortured Poets Department],” Stella Garcia comments.
There is also debate about whether certain artists deserve their awards. Farrah Velasco, an opinion columnist, says, “For example, take Billie Eilish. I am not a superfan, but I believe she deserved more recognition for her recent album Hit Me Hard and Soft. She was nominated for seven Grammys and did not win a single one. Her songs ‘Birds of a Feather’ and ‘WILDFLOWER’ were both extreme hits that were on the charts for multiple weeks . . . Eilish also conducted a world tour, selling out most of her shows. Yet Beyonce won Album of the Year with Cowboy Carter.”
Beyonce’s winning Album of the Year has raised suspicions since many other albums were more well-known, remained number one on the Billboard charts for longer than Cowboy Carter, and were more prominent. For example, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department was number one on the charts for at least 17 weeks, whereas Cowboy Carter only held that position for two weeks.
A student believes the Grammys should be more diverse, with smaller artists nominated because their talent is often overlooked. “Beyoncé winning the chest country album is outrageous. Many other talented artists like Chris Stapleton & even Post Malone were stronger candidates. Her album is not memorable; only one song from the many gained popularity. It seems like she won based on her popularity, not the quality of music,” says Sahara Meighlal-Sarwan.
Additionally, students gave their overall rating of the Grammys in the form, and here is what respondents commented: 33% rated it four out of five, and 67% rated it a total of three out of five. Undoubtedly, the range of viewpoints and ongoing conversations reveal that opinions on the eventful Grammy Awards were diverse. It’s also evident that R.H. King students are calling for a more diverse selection of artists, urging the Grammys to nominate talent from a wider variety of genres beyond mainstream pop.
