The 2025 Grammy Awards passed off tonight (Feb. 2) on the Crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles, simply weeks after wildfires ravaged Southern California, destroying hundreds of houses, with injury exceeding greater than $250 billion.
Consequently, there was a redemptive power all through the evening. The present was half award ceremony, half tribute to LA. All through the night, viewers had been in a position to contribute donations through a QR code on display. And, based on host Trevor Noah, $7 million was raised for Los Angeles wildfire reduction throughout the broadcast.
In order that was clearly good. You recognize what else was good? The awards. Going into the night, there have been two huge questions we had been most curious about exploring: How a lot would the Recording Academy honor Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”—a fierce, at instances ugly diss monitor aimed toward rap rival Drake? And would Beyoncé lastly win Album of the 12 months, an honor that’s eluded her regardless of being the most-awarded artist in Grammy historical past?
Because it seems, the Grammys determined to be on the best facet of historical past. Each artists had been the massive winners of the evening, even with stiff competitors from blockbuster names like Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter working in the identical classes.
We had our quibbles, however for essentially the most half, this was a powerful Grammys. Listed below are our takeaways—the great, the unhealthy, and the…fascinating—from the 2025 ceremony.
It was simply final 12 months when Jay-Z hit the stage on the Grammys and known as out the Recording Academy for making Beyoncé—essentially the most embellished artist in Grammy historical past—wait so lengthy for the highest honor: Album of the 12 months. In actual fact, of the 4 main Grammy classes—Album of the 12 months, Tune of the 12 months, Report of the 12 months, and Finest New Artist—Beyoncé had solely gained one as soon as: Tune of the 12 months for “Single Women” in 2010.
After Jay’s public lashing, and after Bey launched Cowboy Carter, an album that deconstructs the very idea of style, the voting block could not ignore her once more.
Beyoncé lastly acquired her Grammy for Finest Album, a second that felt lengthy overdue, particularly contemplating that this recognition got here in a 12 months when her whole profession Grammy nominations hit 99 (she acquired 11 nominations this 12 months and took house three trophies). This award was lengthy overdue (You may argue yearly she’s launched an album she ought to have gained.)
Throughout her acceptance speech, she honored nation legend Linda Martell, who’s featured on Cowboy Carter, saying:
“I need to dedicate this to Ms. Martell. I hope we simply maintain pushing ahead, opening doorways.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
With Kendrick, SZA, and Doechii all profitable Grammys, the night was an enormous evening for TDE-affiliated artists. Nevertheless it actually felt like Doechii’s homecoming—a correct coronation into superstardom. Whereas fellow Finest New Artist acts like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan had enormous moments, it was Doechii who left the most important mark.
She gained her first Grammy for Finest Rap Album, for her mixtape Alligator Bites By no means Heal. In doing so, she turned the third lady ever to win the award, accepting it from Cardi B, the final lady to take house the trophy. And he or she did so in a stacked class, going up towards heavyweights like Future & Metro Boomin, J. Cole, and Eminem.
Her acceptance speech was among the finest of the evening. Tearfully, she mentioned:
“I do know that there’s some black lady on the market…and I need to inform you that you are able to do it. Something is feasible. Don’t enable anyone to venture any stereotypes onto you. You might be precisely who it’s good to be to be proper the place you’re, and I’m an affidavit.”
Later, she showcased her artistic chops whereas performing “Catfish” and “Denial Is a River.” Although she misplaced out to Roan for Finest New Artist, taking house the highest rap award that evening was the right punctuation mark on the unimaginable six months she’s had since Alligator Bites By no means Heal dropped.
To high it off, she launched a brand new music, “Nosebleeds,” proper after the present. What’s even crazier, is that Doechii nonetheless hasn’t dropped her debut studio album, which proves her ceiling is extremely excessive. —Jordan Rose
Again in 2020, The Weeknd blasted the Grammys, calling the Academy “corrupt” after his multi-platinum album After Hours acquired no nominations. He vowed by no means to return to the awards and even mentioned he would encourage his label to not submit music.
Quick ahead to immediately, and The Weeknd has made a stunning return to the Grammys—performing on the present for the primary time since 2017. Nevertheless it’s not simply the truth that he got here again; he additionally introduced out Playboi Carti to carry out “Timeless.”(The 2 not too long ago introduced a tour collectively, in help of The Weeknd’s newest album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.) The efficiency turned among the finest moments of the evening—a real shock throughout a present that often lacks moments that shock. —Jordan Rose
“Any individual get the broom out.”
It’s official. Unarguable, even. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is the best rap diss monitor of all time. Not solely did it ship actual injury to a rap GOAT, however the music additionally stands as one of the crucial lauded rap tracks in historical past. “Not Like Us” swept the awards, going 5 for 5 within the course of.
Producer Mustard accepted the awards earlier within the day for Finest Music Video, Finest Rap Tune, and Finest Rap Efficiency. Then Kendrick, who confirmed up fashionably late, took the stage to just accept the trophies for Tune of the 12 months and Report of the 12 months.
Sporting a Canadian tuxedo—a gesture some followers speculate as a Drake snub—Kendrick didn’t deal with the feud instantly. As a substitute, he centered on themes which have consumed him: neighborhood and LA.
Throughout his acceptance speech for Tune of the 12 months, Kendrick paid tribute to his Compton roots, shouting out his TDE household and underground LA rap legends like Drawback, Unhealthy Lucc, Glasses Malone, and extra. He closed the speech with a strong assertion: “Nothing extra highly effective than rap music.”
“Not Like Us” is no longer solely one of the crucial brutal disses in rap historical past—it’s additionally essentially the most Grammy-recognized rap music of all time. Which is astonishing—once more this can be a music with a chant about Drake being a “pedophile.”
Much more notable, nevertheless, is how the group cheered and sang alongside each time the music got here on. Brutal. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Regardless of being almost 4 hours lengthy, solely 9 awards had been handed out throughout the reside broadcast.
Look, we don’t count on each award to be given out on-air—there are over 90 classes—however 9 continues to be a reasonably small quantity for such a prolonged present. It means the vast majority of the printed finally ends up being performances. And, if I’m being sincere, these performances can begin to really feel a bit redundant after they’re coming back-to-back.
Airing extra awards would give the viewers an opportunity to see a broader vary of artists. And whereas the Grammys are sensible in what awards they aired—Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii—the viewers nonetheless loses out on loads of expertise when solely 9 awards are aired.
A pattern dimension of artists who gained that the viewers missed out, embody Tems, SZA, NxWorries, Charli XCX and…nicely you get the purpose. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
Trevor Noah has hosted the Grammys for 5 years in a row, and for essentially the most half, he’s executed an admirable job. Nevertheless, it is perhaps time for the Grammys to experiment with a brand new host.
Tonight, Noah was effective. He didn’t actually attempt to ruffle feathers—which was most likely the best transfer, given the circumstances. However you don’t should be a dick to be a very good host; it simply takes poise. Sadly, there was typically a frantic, rushed power throughout his segments. Moreover, his monologue was largely a disappointment, with none of his jokes touchdown.
It is perhaps time for the Grammys to vary it up once more. I don’t know… what’s LL Cool J as much as today?—Dimas Sanfiorenzo
A Quincy Jones tribute was all the time going to be a problem. His catalog spans so many genres and many years—how do you seize his affect in a 10-minute efficiency?
The Grammys gave it a shot, with combined outcomes. The tribute included all the massive names you’d count on: an intro from Will Smith and performances by Cynthia Erivo, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Surprise, and Janelle Monáe.
It wasn’t unhealthy, per se, however one thing felt flat. You would really feel the trouble and fervour, particularly from Monáe, who introduced excessive power to her rendition of “Billie Jean.” Nonetheless, it didn’t fairly come collectively, leaving a second that felt uneven and, frankly, dragged on a bit too lengthy. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
This 12 months’s Grammys had been among the many most politically charged in latest reminiscence. Chappell Roan delivered an impassioned speech, calling on report labels to offer medical health insurance for his or her artists; Noah addressed immigration in his monologue; Girl Gaga stood in solidarity with trans folks, declaring they aren’t invisible; and Alicia Keys highlighted the significance of DEI.
What’s significantly fascinating is that almost all of those points are at present beneath assault by the Trump administration. And but, his title by no means got here up, which added a layer of ambiguity to the messages, considerably softening their affect. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo