In a night filled with historic wins, many surprises and shocking snubs, Beyoncé finally claimed her long-awaited Album of the Year award at the 2025 Grammy Awards, marking a triumphant victory after years of public outcry over her repeated losses in the prestigious category.
Her groundbreaking country album, ‘Cowboy Carter‘, secured the win, making her the first Black woman to win Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill in 1999. The monumental achievement comes just a year after her husband, Jay-Z, brazenly criticised the Recording Academy for failing to recognise her with the award despite her record-breaking 35 career Grammy wins.
A moment of vindication after years of snubs
Beyoncé has been nominated for Album of the Year four times before— for I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008), Beyoncé (2013), Lemonade (2016), and Renaissance (2022)—losing to Taylor Swift, Beck, Adele, and Harry Styles, respectively. However, on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, history was rewritten as she finally broke the cycle of disappointment.
Taking the stage alongside her 13-year-old daughter, Mufasa—The Lion King star Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé’s emotions were palpable. Addressing the audience, she said:
“I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years. And I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work. I want to dedicate this to Ms. Martell, and just keep pushing forward, opening doors. God bless. Thank you so much.”
Her tribute to Linda Martell, a pioneering Black country artist, highlights her continued commitment to honoring trailblazers and expanding the boundaries of music genres.
A night of big wins and bigger snubs
Beyoncé wasn’t the only artist making headlines. Kendrick Lamar secured two of the Big Four awards—Song of the Year and Record of the Year—for his explosive Drake diss track, Not Like Us. Meanwhile, Chappell Roan took home Best New Artist, beating out one of the strongest nomination pools in recent years.
However, the night wasn’t as kind to Taylor Swift, who—despite leading the year with the best-selling album, The Tortured Poets Department—was shockingly shut out of all six categories she was nominated for.
Beyoncé, on the other hand, dominated the night, also winning Best Country Album—becoming the first Black artist to do so—and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for her collaboration with Miley Cyrus on II Most Wanted.
Jay-Z’s protest pays off
Beyoncé’s long-overdue Album of the Year win comes exactly one year after Jay-Z’s fiery Grammy speech, where he called out the Recording Academy, saying:
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that.”
His words resonated across the music industry and sparked widespread conversations about Grammy bias, particularly against Black artists in major categories. Beyoncé herself addressed the snubs on Cowboy Carter, singing in Sweet Honey Buckiin’:
“AOTY, I ain’t win / I ain’t stuntin’ ’bout them / Take that s–t on the chin / Come back and f–k up the pen.”
Now, she has finally rewritten that narrative.
A win for music and representation
Beyoncé’s 2025 Album of the Year victory is more than just an award—it’s a symbol of perseverance, artistic evolution, and long-overdue recognition. From R&B to pop to country, she continues to break barriers, proving that genre knows no bounds when it comes to true artistry.
As the Queen Bey takes her victory lap, her success serves as a reminder to Black artists, women in music, and creatives everywhere: greatness prevails—even if it takes ‘many, many years’ to be recognised.
*See the 2025 Grammys full winners & nominees list here.
