Beyoncé has finally won the coveted Album of the Year award at the 67th Grammy Awards, correcting what many saw as a long-standing oversight. This victory brings her Grammy total to 35, making her the most awarded artist in the ceremony’s history.
Her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter, which highlights the Black roots of country music, earned her the prestigious prize after four previous nominations in the category.
As her name was announced, Beyoncé embraced her daughter, Blue Ivy, and husband, Jay-Z, before stepping onto the stage in a stunning gold paisley dress to accept the award.
“I just feel very full and very honored,” she said. “It’s been many, many years.”
She dedicated her win to Linda Martell, a trailblazing Black country artist and the first Black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry. Martell is featured on several tracks from Cowboy Carter.
“I hope we just keep pushing forward and opening doors,” Beyoncé added. “God bless y’all. Thank you so much.”
A Long-Awaited Victory
Beyoncé’s win comes 25 years after her first Grammy nomination with Destiny’s Child. While she has amassed the most Grammy wins in history, the top prize had always eluded her—until now.
Focusing on country and Americana, Cowboy Carter is the second installment in a trilogy that explores American musical traditions and the underappreciated contributions of Black artists. With this win, Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to take home Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1999.
A Surprise Country Win
Earlier in the night, Beyoncé also won Best Country Album, to her visible shock.
Taylor Swift—an artist who also made a successful genre transition and had previously beaten Beyoncé for Album of the Year in 2010—presented her with the award.
“Wow, I really was not expecting this,” Beyoncé admitted in her speech, expressing gratitude to the country artists who voted for her.
This recognition follows her being snubbed at the Country Music Awards, despite making history as the first Black woman to top the Hot Country Songs chart with Texas Hold ‘Em.
Kendrick Lamar’s Big Night
Elsewhere at the Grammys, Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us dominated, winning all five of its nominations, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
The diss track, which marked the climax of Lamar’s rap battle with Drake, became only the second hip-hop song to win Record of the Year, following Childish Gambino’s This Is America in 2019.
Rather than focusing on his achievement, Lamar used his moment to pay tribute to his hometown of Los Angeles, which has been impacted by recent wildfires.
“We’re gonna dedicate this one to the city,” he said. “Compton, Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the valley… This is my neck of the woods that held me down since a young pup.”
Story by Obaapa Janee
