Beyonce wins album of the year Grammy at long last with Cowboy Carter
Beyonce has finally won the album of the year Grammy Award for her chart-topping country album Cowboy Carter after previously missing out on it four times.
The US superstar had previously failed to secure the prize with 2008’s I Am… Sasha Fierce, 2013’s Beyonce, 2016’s Lemonade and 2022’s Renaissance and alluded to the previous misses in her speech, saying it had been “many, many years”.
Collecting the album of the year award at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the 43-year-old said: “I just feel very full and very honoured.
“It’s been many, many years and I want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work.
“I want to dedicate this to Ms (Linda) Martell, and I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors. God bless y’all. Thank you so much.”
US singer Martell, a groundbreaking country performer who became the first black woman to play at the Grand Ole Opry, features on Cowboy Carter tracks Spaghettii and The Linda Martell Show.
Beyonce, who was joined on stage by her daughter Blue Ivy, also praised the firefighters for “keeping us safe” during the Los Angeles wildfires.
The singer admitted she was “not expecting” to win the award and praised the “incredible country artists” who accepted her album, adding: “I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and to stay persistent.”
US rapper Kendrick Lamar scooped up two of the other top awards – record of the year and song of the year – for his “diss” track Not Like Us, which is reportedly directed at Canadian rapper Drake.
The song also picked up a slew of early prizes including best music video, best rap performance and best rap song, with Lamar dedicating the record of the year award to his hometown Los Angeles after the city was devastated by wildfires.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga offered her support to the transgender community as she collected her award after the new Trump administration issued executive orders rolling back transgender rights.
Accepting the best pop duo/group performance prize for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on Die With A Smile, Gaga said: “It is a privilege to be a songwriter and a producer, a musician, such an honour to sing for all of you.
“And I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you.”
Chappell Roan called for the music industry to provide a “liveable wage and healthcare for artists” as she collected her first Grammy award, the best new artist prize.
The 26-year-old US star revealed she had told herself she would demand that labels and the industry would protect artists more if she ever won a Grammy.
She recalled feeling “betrayed” and “dehumanised” when she struggled to find work and afford health care during the pandemic after getting dropped by her first label as a young artist when she had given “everything” to them.
Colombian singer Shakira dedicated her best Latin pop album award for her 12th record Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran to all of her “immigrant brothers and sisters” in the US after US President Trump toughened immigration policies.
She added: “You’re loved, you’re worth it, and I will always fight with you. And to all of those women who work really hard every day to provide for their families, you are the true heroes”.
The US singer was cheered on by fellow nominees Swift and Billie Eilish as she made her way to the stage shortly after performing a theatrical medley of Espresso and Please Please Please from the winning album.
British star Charli XCX was among the early winners picking up best dance/electronic album and best recording package for her culture-shaping sixth record Brat and best dance pop recording for its lead single Von Dutch – her first Grammy wins.
The Beatles also picked up best rock performance for their new song Now And Then, which was written and sung by John Lennon and later finished by Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr using overdubs and guitar tracks by George Harrison.
Meanwhile, fellow British rockers The Rolling Stones won best rock album for 2023’s Hackney Diamonds, their first album of original music in 18 years.
The 2025 award show was hosted by South African comedian Trevor Noah for the fifth year in a row.