Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter Photograph: Christopher Polk/Billboard/Getty Images
Wow, what a ride. This year’s Grammys felt both five hours and 40 minutes long, a mostly smooth affair that was assumedly a relief to organizers – homage paid to first responders, LA consistently shouted out and no one can say Beyoncé was snubbed again.
The Cowboy Carter artist was a sparse presence at the show but emerged gracious and triumphant, winning best country album – the first Black female artist to do so – and album of the year. Intentionally or not, the Grammys spread the love around this year – Kendrick Lamar won the most awards of the evening with five, followed by Beyoncé and Charli xcx with three each. Plenty of time went to celebrating a diverse crop of new artists – Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii and best new artist winner Chappell Roan, among others – as well as the resilience of wildfire survivors.
Four hours, nine awards, many tributes and one very bad night for Drake later, the Grammys are through. Thanks for sticking with us! See you next year.
WINNER: Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter – album of the year
Adrian Horton
Beyoncé accepts the Grammy award for album of the year. Photograph: Valérie Macon/AFP/Getty Images
Thank god – Beyoncé is FINALLY an album of the year Grammy winner, for Cowboy Carter.
There’s a sense of relief to this win, for an artist who long ago deserved it, and is now only the fourth Black female artist to win it. Beyoncé, accompanied on stage by her daughter Blue Ivy (how is she this grown?!), keeps it short and sweet: “I just feel very full and very honored,” she said. “It’s been many, many years and I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all the hard work.”
And she offered a special final dedication to Black country trailblazer Linda Martell – “I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors,” she said. “God bless y’all.”
There’s one final, poignant tribute for the evening, as dozens of Los Angeles firefighters present the award for album of the year.
Fire chief Anthony Marrone thanked first responders “who came from near and far” to battle the flames. “Their selfless acts of courage and commitment were nothing short of inspiring,” he said. “I am confident that we will recover and rebuild together, because we are LA strong.” He got the longest standing ovation of the evening, of course.
Brat was the dominant music story of the year, the ultimate album cycle and meme of 2024, and Charli xcx was rewarded with the final performance of the night at the Grammys. It’s a very Charli performance – a car, sunglasses, strutting, underwear, a shout out to Julia Fox (it’s apparently her birthday). Von Dutch and Guess (with Billie Eilish, though not on stage here) go hard at the club, and it sort of translates here.
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us – song of the year
Adrian Horton
Kendrick Lamar wins song of the year Grammy. Photograph: Caroline Brehman/EPA
The Grammys brought out an icon for this one: Diana Ross, who pondered: “how can we have the balance of celebrating and being filled with sorrow?” before handing Kendrick Lamar – who has swept his categories tonight – for song of the year.
“I’m starstruck,” he said, before passing off to his collaborators, all from Compton. “All the west coast artists, man,” he added. “This is what it’s about, man, because at the end of the day, there’s nothing more powerful than rap music.”
“We are music,” he added. Also: “Respect the art form.” It truly only gets worse for Drake.
We’re reaching the end of the night, but not before the Dr Dre Global Impact award, presented by Queen Latifah to Alicia Keys for her work as a singer, musician, producer, Keep a Child Alive charity and efforts to expand opportunities for women in music.
Keys “is a constant inspiration, through her voice, her talent, but most importantly through her heart”, said Latifah of the 17-time Grammy winner, including today for musical theater album.
Alicia Keys and Queen Latifah on stage. Photograph: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Keys was especially excited to be acknowledged as a producer. “I always had to fight for a certain level of respect as a songwriter and composer and especially as a producer,” she said. “Female producers have always powered the industry.
“This is for all the ladies that know the magic that they bring to the room,” she added before a shout out to diversity. “DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift,” she said to cheers. “And the more voices, the more powerful the sound.
“When destructive forces try to burn us down, we rise from the ashes like a phoenix and as you’ve seen tonight, music is the universal language that connects us all,” she added. “Let’s keep showing up with compassion, empathy … the dream of the world as it ought to be, as the great Toni Morrison said.”
