The year 2024 was an eclectic year for music, from the rise (no fall) of a midwest princess to “that me espresso” to the unfortunate loss of rap legend Drake (he didn’t die, but it really was not his year). From the year’s dynamic and exciting musical landscape, a few artists stood out above the rest and won the top titles at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. Though a tad predictable, the Recording Academy’s decisions accurately depicted the dominant musicians of the year with only a few popular artists left in the dust. But are the night’s losers really “losers” at all? Is the Recording Academy just trying to appease the stan Twitter gods? Regardless, these are the musicians who were rightfully recognized (and unrecognized) for shaping the musical pandemonium of 2024.
Beyoncé—Duh
Album of the Year, Country Album of the Year
Cowboy Carter marked Beyoncé’s first foray into the country realm. In spite of the nay–sayers, Beyoncé rose above widespread country critique and took home the biggest country award of the night. This victory establishes her as the first Black artist to win Country Album of the Year since the award’s conception in 1995. In light of the controversy, her Album of the Year victory feels less significant than Country Album of the Year. But the only shocking thing about Beyoncé’s AOTY victory is that it’s her first.
Kendrick Lamar—One song, five awards!
Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, Best Music Video
Lamar was nominated for seven awards and walked away with five. His two losses being Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Like That,” (both of which he lost only to his own “Not Like Us”). And while a single track winning five Grammys is unprecedented, it’s not unwarranted. “Not Like Us” has established itself as a generational diss track, putting an end to Lamar's long standing beef with rapper Drake. And if you couldn’t tell, Lamar is the clear winner. The rampant success of “Not Like Us” led Lamar as far as the Super Bowl halftime show; the performance acted as the victory lap to a successful year and an even more triumphant career.
Chappell Roan—‘A DRAG QUEEN?!’
Best New Artist
It’s clear that Roan didn’t buy her way into stardom. Her Best New Artist acceptance speech wasn’t just a string of “thank you”s or a statement of false humility; she used her platform to advocate for the proper payment and health insurance benefits of smaller artists. Taking a stand against the most powerful names in the music industry takes guts, and Roan has them. Despite the star’s meteoric rise to fame, she hasn’t forgotten her roots as a struggling, up–and–coming artist.
Sabrina Carpenter—‘Espresso’ is still stuck in my head it’s been nine months
Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance
Before Carpenter, I struggled to define “pop” music: is it a specific sound, an aesthetic, a sales figure? No. It’s Carpenter. Short n’ Sweet is the newest installation of “pop Bible,” following the likes of Taylor Swift’s 1989 and Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream. I’m convinced every song was sonically engineered to stay stuck in your head for as long as possible, and honestly, I’m not mad about it.
Charli xcx—‘BRAT’ and it’s the same but now it’s recognized by the Recording Academy so it’s not
Best Dance/Electronic Album, Best Dance Pop Recording, Best Recording Package
BRAT defined 2024 and redefined chartreuse. Charli xcx had the perfect blend of critical acclaim, cultural relevance, and club potential, so it’s refreshing to see her finally obtain recognition after a decade of innovative, captivating electronic music. It’s strange to see an unapologetic dance–pop reach such extraordinary heights, and it’s even stranger that it happened alongside TikTok dance trends and metaphorical coconut trees (it's amazing what corporate co–opts and 20–somethings on the Harris–Walz social media staff can do). Still, as shown by Charli xcx’s Grammy performance, her dedication to preserving club culture and true electronic music perseveres.
Doechii—The people’s princess
Best Rap Album
Doechii was the star of the night. Her performance. Showstopping. Her speech? Tear–inducing. The new single she dropped immediately after winning? AMAZING! Stream “Nosebleeds.” Though Roan (rightfully) was awarded Best New Artist, it’s undoubtedly clear Doechii had an equally inspiring rise to success in 2024. Alligator Bites Never Heal was by far the most culturally defining rap album of 2024, from Doechii’s insane flow on “NISSAN ALTIMA” to the hypnotic self–choreographed performance of “DENIAL IS A RIVER” and “BOILED PEANUTS” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I am eagerly awaiting Doechii’s next groundbreaking project.
Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish—The not–so ‘Tortured Poets Department’
Nothing
In light of semi–prevailing Twitter accusations of a “rigged” award show, perhaps we should honor the alternative theory: Beyoncé just made a more deserving album! Eilish’s biggest mistake this year was submitting “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” for song–specific awards instead of the brutally vulnerable track “WILDFLOWER.” Though “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” was undeniably a hit, the track hit a point of staleness that “WILDFLOWER” never reached. Swift's biggest mistake, on the other hand, was releasing The Tortured Poets Department. Both artists are Recording Academy sweethearts, so they’re sure to win something again in the near future—2024 just wasn’t their peak.
The 67th Annual Grammy awards ended without any major snubs, surprises, or successful underdogs. With few exceptions, everyone walked away with a gold statue in hand and utterly unruffled feathers.
