Swifties sat on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting a potential “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” announcement. “Wicked” fans erupted into cheers on Cynthia Erivo’s starting note. Casual viewers settled in on a snowy Sunday night. The 2025 Grammys had something for everyone — whether to critique or to applaud.
Hosting the annual awards show for the fifth time, comedian Trevor Noah kicked off the program by joking that Lady Gaga’s upcoming album “Mayhem” predicted the “theme of 2025” and that Taylor Swift’s Eras tour had “more people traveling than those Turkish hair implants.”
Noah quickly established the theme of the night as a tribute both to music and the city that gave rise to so much of it: Los Angeles. Throughout the show, he repeatedly encouraged the audience to donate to fire relief efforts following a series of deadly wildfires in Southern California.
Billie Eilish and FINNEAS were among the first to take the stage, performing “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” off of Eilish’s latest album, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.” The album was nominated for seven awards — but did not win any.
Next, Sabrina Carpenter took the stage to perform a compilation of some of her biggest hits from the year. Her boundless energy and phenomenal stage presence were a fitting prelude to her Best Pop Vocal Album win later that night for her album “Short n’ Sweet.”
After a stunning performance from singer-songwriter Raye and a Simone Biles-esque backflip from skin tight jumpsuit-clad “Beautiful Things” singer Benson Boone, Cynthia Erivo took to the stage with a breathtaking rendition of “Fly Me to the Moon.”
Doechii, who performed at Brown’s own Spring Weekend a mere two years ago, also took to the stage to perform “CATFISH” and “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” both from her 2024 album “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” She won Best Rap Album for the mixtape, making her the third woman in history to claim the award.
Other notable wins included Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” for Song of the Year and Record of the Year wins for “Not Like Us,” Chappell Roan for Best New Artist and Beyonce’s “COWBOY CARTER” for Album of the Year.
Online, fans heatedly debated this outcome, arguing that while “COWBOY CARTER” was undoubtedly good, its popularity did not rival that of its opponents.
Throughout its 27 track score, “COWBOY CARTER” gracefully blends a wide array of genres, melodies and production styles, a feat that most listeners — and evidently the 1,300 voters of the Recording Academy — truly can’t contest.
A sobering moment of the night was Roan’s callout to the working conditions in the music industry. While accepting her Best New Artist award, she recalled examples of mistreatment by her record label.
“Labels, we got you, but do you got us?” Roan asked.
The show also featured a touching dedication to composer and producer Quincy Jones, best known for his contribution to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Will Smith, marking his first award show appearance since the infamous Oscars slap, opened the tribute by claiming that “you probably wouldn’t know who Will Smith was if it wasn’t for Quincy Jones.” Smith added that the 28-time Grammy-winning producer brought “the best out in legends.”
Musical tributes to Jones included Erivo’s rendition of “Fly Me to the Moon,” Lainey Wilson and Jacob Collier’s performance of “Let the Good Times Roll” and finally Janelle Monáe’s dynamic cover of “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.”
With moments like Eilish yelling “I love you LA” at the end of her performance, the ceremony reminded viewers and entertainers of the gravity of the LA fires while simultaneously serving as a touching celebration of the communal love for the city and its creatives.
