Beyoncé, known for her impressive track record with nearly 20 years and 99 nominations, finally won the album of the year award at the 67th annual Grammys. The win marks a significant moment in the awards’ history, as it ends a confounding chapter of Beyoncé being overlooked despite being the most nominated artist in Grammy history.
Beyoncé’s victory for her album “Cowboy Carter,” an album that reimagines American roots music through Black participation and innovation, was met with relief from her competitors. The album’s win is a testament to its excellence, conceptually and technically impressive, and ambitious.
Beyoncé has been nominated for 99 Grammys and won 35, but the fact that she hadn’t won album of the year before made her an underdog in the eyes of many. Her losses were personal, as they highlighted the Recording Academy’s frequent sidelining of Black performers, especially Black women.
However, Beyoncé’s victory allows the Grammys to close its undervaluing-Beyoncé chapter and move on. It also gives Beyoncé the freedom to choose whether or not she wants to participate in the awards. The point has been proven: her presence is what makes the Grammys matter.
Beyoncé becomes only the fourth Black woman to win the Grammys’ top prize, following Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, and Natalie Cole. Her win for best country album marks a milestone in challenging Nashville’s orthodoxy and orthodelia.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/arts/music/beyonce-grammys-cowboy-carter.html