Beyoncé, the most-awarded and most-nominated artist in Grammys history, has taken home album of the year at the 67th Grammy Awards for her smash hit Cowboy Carter. It was her fifth time she had an album up for the award, and her first time winning.
Cowboy Carter also scored Beyoncé best country music album earlier in the evening. She is the first female Black artist to win this category.
Another big winner of the evening was Kendrick Lamar, whose infamous hit from his rap feud with Drake, Not Like Us, won in every category it was nominated in, including record of the year and song of the year.
Women dominated most of the major categories, with Chappell Roan snagging best new artist, Doechii winning best rap album, and Sabrina Carpenter taking best pop vocal album.
The Weeknd also made a surprise appearance to perform two new songs off of his latest album, a move which came after years of tension between the artist and the Grammys.
The 67th Grammy Awards kicked off Sunday night with tributes to Los Angeles as music’s biggest night aimed to raise money for relief efforts following the devastating Los Angeles County wildfires.
The main telecast started with host Trevor Noah describing the horrific fires that swept through Los Angeles County in January and reminding attendees at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to donate.
The theme continued into the first performance, as John Legend, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard and St. Vincent took to the stage to support a song all about Los Angeles, with lyrics honouring firefighters and the city’s resilience.
As he accepted the award for record of the year, Lamar spoke about his connection to L.A.
“This is my neck of the woods,” he said. “I can’t give enough thanks to these places that I rolled around since high school.”
Cowboy Carter scores big
Beyoncé reacted with a start of surprise when her name was called for best country album, before making her way to the stage. The award was presented to her by a smiling Taylor Swift.
“I’d like to thank all of the incredible country artists that accepted this album,” Beyoncé told the crowd. “I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists, and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and stay persistent.”
When she won album of the year — an honour that has eluded her for four previous albums — the venue erupted into cheers
“It’s been many, many years,” she said as she accepted the award.
With 11 nominations, Beyoncé was the clear frontrunner going into Sunday evening.
Beyoncé had already made history hours before the main event, scoring her first country music Grammy win at the Grammys Premiere Ceremony with a win for best country duo/group performance category for her track II Most Wanted, performed with Miley Cyrus. With that win, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to be awarded a Grammy in a country music category.
Best new artist goes to Chappell Roan
After a seismic rise, Chappell Roan has taken home best new artist at the Grammys.
The singer accepted the award with a fiery speech aimed at the recording industry, calling for labels to offer artists healthcare and a livable wage.
“Because I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor, and when I got dropped I had zero job experience under my belt,” she shared, adding that it made her living precarious to not have any healthcare. “Record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees.”
In her first ever Grammys performance, the singer straddled a giant statue of a pink horse to sing Pink Pony Club, delivering powerful vocals as backup dancers in clown makeup caroused around her.
Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter, Shakira score wins
Doechii took home the first award of the televised event, snatching best rap album from the otherwise all-male lineup of nominees for Alligator Bites Never Heal.
The first-time Grammy winner was visibly emotional as she took the award from Cardi B., a previous winner of that category. She said she hoped she could inspire other Black women to follow their dreams.
“Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you,” she said.
Sabrina Carpenter snagged best pop vocal album for Short n’ Sweet, which she accepted shortly after an energetic performance of a medley of her songs.
“I’m still out of breath from the performance, so I really was not expecting this,” she said, brandishing a napkin she had written names on to thank. “This is — whoo — my first Grammy, so I’m going to cry.”
Shakira took best Latin pop album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which is her first album in seven years.
“I wanna dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You’re loved,” she said, to a wave of cheers. She also thanked her two young children, who were smiling up at her from the audience.
Shakira took to the stage a second time later that night as a performer, bringing her iconic hip gyrations and undulating voice back to the Grammys stage for the first time since 2007.
Pop duo/group performance went to Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, who both began by thanking each other.
“I’m so honoured to have a small part in your giant musical legacy,” Mars said.
After calling her collaborator “an incredible human being,” Lady Gaga spoke up in support of the transgender community, which has come under attack in recent weeks through numerous executive orders from U.S. President Donald Trump.
“I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible,” she said. “Trans people deserve love, the queer community deserves to be lifted up.”
Emotional tributes
Quincy Jones, a legendary record producer, composer, arranger and recording artist, received an emotional tribute at the award show, with performances by Cynthis Erivo, Jacob Collier, Stevie Wonder and Janelle Monae honouring the songs he contributed to and the artists he helped bring to the world.
Will Smith, who led the segment, called Jones “a mentor, a friend, a father figure.”
Early award winners
The vast majority of the 94 awards given out at the Grammys were handed out at a ceremony before the televised event.
Some highlights from the premiere ceremony include Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us racking up three awards: best rap performance, rap song and music video. The song, a key moment in his infamous feud with Drake, is also up for record and song of the year.
Charli XCX, whose album Brat sparked the iconic “brat summer” memes, also scored her first three Grammys ever, taking best dance pop recording for her song Von Dutch, best electric/dance album and best recording package as an art director on Brat.
Check out the full list of awards and winners so far below:
Album of the Year
Cowboy Carter by Beyonce
Song of the Year
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
Record of the Year
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Best Latin Pop Album
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran by Shakira
Best New Artist
Chappell Roan
Best Country Album
Cowboy Carter by Beyonce
Best Pop Vocal Album
Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Best Rap Album
Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Best Dance/Electronic Album
Brat by Charli XCX
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
Neverender by Justice and Tame Impala
Best Pop Dance Recording
Von Dutch by Charli XCX
Best Pop Solo Performance
Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Amy Allen
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Daniel Nigro
Best Rock Album
Hackney Diamonds by The Rolling Stones
Best Rock Song
Broken Man by Annie Clark, songwriter (St. Vincent)
Best Metal Performance
Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!) by Gojira, Marina Viotti and Victor Le Masne
Best Rock Performance
Now and Then by The Beatles
Best Remixed Recording
Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix) – FNZ and Mark Ronson, remixers (Sabrina Carpenter)
Best Rap Song
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar, songwriter (Kendrick Lamar)
Best Melodic Rap Performance
3:AM by Rapsody, with Erykah Badu
Best Rap Performance
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
Best R&B Album
11:11 (Deluxe) by Chris Brown
Best Progressive R&B Album: TIE
So Glad To Know You by AverySunshine
Why Lawd? by NxWorries (Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge)
Best R&B Song
Saturn by Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Solána Rowe, Jared Solomon and Scott Zhang, songwriters (SZA)
Best Traditional R&B Performance
That’s You by Lucky Daye
Best R&B Performance
Made For Me (Live On BET) by Muni Long
Best Alternative Music Album
All Born Screaming by St. Vincent
Best Alternative Music Performance
Flea by St. Vincent
Best Country Song
The Architect by Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
II Most Wanted by Beyoncé, with Miley Cyrus
Best Country Solo Performance
It Takes A Woman by Chris Stapleton
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
Plot Armor by Taylor Eigsti
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Visions by Norah Jones
Best Alternative Jazz Album
No More Water: The Gospel Of James Baldwin by Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Latin Jazz Album
Cubop Lives! by Zaccai Curtis
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Bianca Reimagined: Music For Paws And Persistence by Dan Pugach Big Band
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Remembrance by Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
Best Jazz Vocal Album
A Joyful Holiday by Samara Joy
Best Jazz Performance
Twinkle Twinkle Little Me by Samara Joy, with Sullivan Fortner
Best Regional Roots Music Album
Kuini by Kalani Pe’a
Best Folk Album
Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Mileage by Ruthie Foster
Best Traditional Blues Album
Swingin’ Live At the Church In Tulsa by The Taj Mahal Sextet
Best Bluegrass Album
Live Vol. 1 by Billy Strings
Best Americana Album
Trail Of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell
Best American Roots Song
American Dreaming by Sierra Ferrell and Melody Walker, songwriters (Sierra Ferrell)
Best Americana Performance
American Dreaming by Sierra Ferrell
Best American Roots Performance
Lighthouse by Sierra Ferrell
Best Roots Gospel Album
Church by Cory Henry
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Heart Of A Human by DOE
Best Gospel Album
More Than This by CeCe Winans
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
That’s My King by CeCe Winans; Taylor Agan, Kellie Gamble, Lloyd Nicks and Jess Russ, songwriters
Best Gospel Performance/Song
One Hallelujah by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell and Israel Houghton, with Jonathan McReynolds and Jekalyn Carr; G. Morris Coleman, Israel Houghton, Kenneth Leonard, Jr., Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Naomi Raine, songwriters
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
i/o – Tchad Blake, Oli Jacobs, Katie May and Dom Shaw, engineers; Matt Colton, mastering engineer (Peter Gabriel)
Best Historical Album
Centennial by Meagan Hennessey and Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band and Various Artists)
Best Album Notes
Centennial by Ricky Riccardi, album notes writer (King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band and Various Artists)
Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
Mind Games by Simon Hilton and Sean Ono Lennon, art directors (John Lennon)
Best Recording Package
Brat – Brent David Freaney and Imogene Strauss, art directors (Charli XCX)
Best Music Film
American Symphony (Jon Batiste) – Matthew Heineman, video director; Lauren Domino, Matthew Heineman and Joedan Okun, video producers
Best Music Video
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar; Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jack Begert, Sam Canter and Jamie Rabineau, video producers
Best Song Written for Visual Media
It Never Went Away (from American Symphony) – Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord by Winifred Phillips, composer
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)
Dune: Part Two by Hans Zimmer, composer
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Maestro: Music by Leonard Bernstein – London Symphony Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Bradley Cooper
Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording
Last Sundays In Plains: A Centennial Celebration – Jimmy Carter
Best Comedy Album
The Dreamer by Dave Chappelle
Best Children’s Music Album
Brillo, Brillo! by Lucky Diaz And The Family Jam Band
Best Tropical Latin Album
Alma, Corazón y Salsa (Live at Gran Teatro Nacional) by Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Boca Chueca, Vol. 1 by Carín León
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
¿Quién trae las cornetas? by Rawayana
Best Música Urbana Album
Las Letras Ya No Importan by Residente
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina – Gabriela Ortiz, composer (Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Best Classical Compendium
Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor; Dmitriy Lipay, producer
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
Alma – Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johanye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje with Regina Carter)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly & John Legend, arrangers (Jacob Collier feat. John Legend and Tori Kelly)
Best Opera Recording
Saariaho: Adriana Mater – Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan and Christopher Purves; Jason O’Connell, producer (San Francisco Symphony; San Francisco Symphony Chorus; Timo Kurkikangas)
Best Orchestral Performance
Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina – Gustavo Dudamel, conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Best Instrumental Composition
Strands – Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf and Christian Euman)
Best Immersive Audio Album
i/o (In-Side Mix) – Hans-Martin Buff, immersive mix engineer; Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel & Richard Russell, immersive producers (Peter Gabriel)
Producer Of The Year, Classical
Elaine Martone
Best Engineered Album, Classical
Bruckner: Symphony No. 7; Bates: Resurrexit – Mark Donahue & John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album
Triveni by Wouter Kellerman, Éru Matsumoto & Chandrika Tandon
Best Reggae Album
Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired By The Film (Deluxe) (Various Artists)
Best Global Music Album
Alkebulan II by Matt B, with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Best African Music Performance
Love Me JeJe by Tems
Best Global Music Performance
Bemba Colorá by Sheila E. feat. Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Beyond The Years – Unpublished Songs Of Florence Price – Karen Slack, soloist; Michelle Cann, pianist
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
Bach: Goldberg Variations by Víkingur Ólafsson
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
Rectangles And Circumstance by Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion
Best Choral Performance
Ochre – Donald Nally, conductor (The Crossing)
