‘COWBOY CARTER,’ Charli xcx and Compton, California Control the Grammys

Hosted by Trevor Noah at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the 67th Grammy Awards took place Feb. 2. Considered one of the most prestigious awards in music, both the main and premiere shows were filled with unforgettable musical performances, emotional speeches and surprising snubs. 

Snubs

Billie Eilish, Post Malone and Taylor Swift — notable Grammy favorites — all left empty-handed. In addition, critically lauded artists such as Magdelena Bay, Vampire Weekend and Geordie Greep didn’t receive a single nomination. 

Chappell Roan 

The self-proclaimed “Midwest Princess” was nominated for six awards after a meteoric rise to fame in 2024.

Winning Best New Artist, Roan beat out artists like actress-turned-pop-star Sabrina Carpenter and rapper Doechii, who won Best Rap Album — the third woman ever to win the award.

In her acceptance speech, Roan called out record companies who give their signed artists better treatment.

“I told myself, if I ever won a Grammy, and I got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a liveable wage and healthcare, especially to developing artists,” Roan said.

However, Roan’s album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” and single “Good Luck, Babe!” both lost to Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” and “Espresso,” for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance. 

Roan also gave an elaborately choreographed performance of “Pink Pony Club,” transporting the viewer into her flamboyant, rodeo clown-filled reality, with bedazzled cowboy hats, over-the-top makeup, and a literal pink pony.

Charli xcx 

At the forefront of one of the biggest cultural moments of 2024, Charli xcx closed out the night with a bratty performance and took home three awards.

Surrounded by those considered “brat,” she performed “Von Dutch” in a stage loading dock fit for a rave, before moving inside for the overtly sexual “Guess,” complete with panties raining from the sky.

As for awards, her album “BRAT” won Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Recording Package, with lead single “Von dutch” winning Best Dance Pop Performance. The British pop star missed out on awards for TikTok sensations “Apple” and “360,” the former losing in the Best Pop Solo Performance category to Carpenter’s “Espresso.”

While she may not have won any of the “Big Four” awards, after a long career in the underground hyperpop music scene, Charli’s heightened relevance and Recording Academy recognition remains enough of a celebration.

Kendrick Lamar

After a year defined by a feud with one of the most successful artists of the 21st century, a surprise album drop and a Super Bowl halftime announcement, rapper Kendrick Lamar continued his winning streak by snagging five awards — the most of the night.

Having a lengthy history with the Grammys, Lamar has consistently swept awards in the rap categories. This year, though, Lamar broke into the “Big Four” categories, winning both Song of the Year and Record of the Year for his song “Not Like Us” — a diss track targeting Canadian rapper Drake. 

In addition, “Not Like Us” also won awards for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Video, the latter being directed by Lamar and producer Dave Free and filmed in Lamar’s hometown of Compton, Calif.

These wins were a victory lap for Lamar, cementing his status in the cultural zeitgeist ahead of his Super Bowl halftime show.

Beyoncé

The most decorated artist in Grammy history took home the long-elusive Album of the Year award for her splash into Southern country music, “COWBOY CARTER.” 

The win follows four failed attempts to secure the award, spanning 15 years since her first nomination for “I Am… Sasha Fierce” in 2010. While long overdue for Beyoncé, other worthy contenders included Charli xcx’s “BRAT” and Billie Eilish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.”

Beyoncé’s AOTY win made her the first Black woman to win the award since Lauryn Hill in 1999. 

“COWBOY CARTER” also won Best Country Album, beating out genre veterans like Chris Stapleton and Kacey Musgraves. The album was also awarded Best Country Duo/Group Performance for Beyoncé’s song with Miley Cyrus, “II MOST WANTED.”