At the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Beyoncé made Grammy history when her “Cowboy Carter” album gave her a long-anticipated win for Album of the Year, while Kendrick Lamar’s controversial “Not Like Us” took the prizes for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Trevor Noah hosted the ceremony that took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. 

CBS broadcast the U.S. telecast of the show, which was livestreamed on Paramount+ With Showtime. Grammy nominees and winners are voted for by the Recording Academy.

Beyoncé breaks barriers

Beyoncé (who did not perform at the ceremony) had the most Grammy nominations (11) and won three Grammys. She became the first Black woman to win Album of the Year for a country music album. She also became the first Black woman to win in the categories of Best Country Duo/Group Performance (for her “II Most Wanted” song featuring Miley Cyrus) and Best Country Album. 

Beyoncé is only the third Black woman to win Album the Year as the album’s main artist. Whitney Houston won for “The Bodyguard” soundtrack in 1994, and Lauryn Hill won for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1999.

Before winning Album of the Year for “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé was nominated in this category for her albums “I Am… Sasha Fierce” (in 2010); “Beyoncé” (in 2016); “Lemonade” (in 2017); and “Renaissance” (in 2023). She was also nominated for Album of the Year in 2011 for being a featured artist on Lady Gaga’s “The Fame Monster.”

Beyoncé’s Grammy haul this year still has her reigning supreme as the artist who has won the most Grammys. She now has 35 Grammys out of 99 Grammy nominations. 

The other Black creatives who are the Album of the Year winners for “Cowboy Carter” are songwriter Jay-Z (Beyoncé’s husband, whose real name is Shawn Carter), songwriter Raphael Saadiq, producer/songwriter Terius “The-Dream” Gesteelde-Diamant, and engineer/mixer Brandon Harding. 

In a brief acceptance speech, Beyoncé thanked the firefighters who’ve responded to the California wildfires that have killed at least 29 people and destroyed thousands of buildings and acres. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, lost a bungalow in the city of Malibu during the fires.

Beyoncé also thanked singer Linda Martell, one of the first Black women to have a hit on the country music charts. Of her award, Beyoncé said: “I want to dedicate this to Miss Martell. And I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors.” 

Kendrick Lamar, Doechii win big for hip-hop

Lamar’s “Just Like Us” (a diss track against hip-hop rival Drake) won five Grammys: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video. In his speech for Record of the Year, Lamar thanked various cities in the Los Angeles area for being his musical stomping grounds. The other Black people who won the Record of the Year Grammy for “Not Like Us” are producer Mustard, producer Sounwave, engineer/mixer Ray Charles Brown Jr., and engineer/mixer Johnathan Turner.

In his acceptance speech for Song of the Year, Lamar gave a shout-out to West Coast artists such as G Malone, Problem, Bad Luck, and EastSide K-Boy as his early inspirations. “At the end of the day, there’s nothing more powerful than rap music,” he said.

Doechii’s “Alligator Bites Never Heal” won the prize for Best Rap Album. With this victory, Doechii became the second female solo artist to win in this Grammy category. Cardi B, the first female solo artist to win the category (for “Invasion of Privacy,” in 2019), presented the Grammy to Doechii. As a member of the Fugees, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” Grammy winner Hill was the first woman to win this category, when the Fugees won for “The Score,” in 1997.

Doechii gave an emotional acceptance speech where she acknowledged being one of the few women who has won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. “I know there … are so many Black women out there who are watching me right now. And I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you,” she said.

More highlights from Black entertainers

Alicia Keys received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. In her acceptance speech, she thanked the Recording Academy for giving recognition to her accomplishments as a music producer. She also gave special praise to women who have excelled in the male-dominated field of music production, such as Missy Elliot, Patrice Rushen, and Solange Knowles. Keys added, “This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices. … DEI is not a threat. It’s a gift. When destructive forces try to burn us down, we rise from the ashes like a phoenix.”

Grammy host Noah, emceeing for the fourth year in a row, kept the tone balanced between serious and comedic. Several times during the show, he mentioned charity efforts for people needing fire crisis assistance.

Cynthia Erivo, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Doechii, Shaboozey, Janelle Monáe, Raye, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, John Legend, and Brittany Howard were among the performers at the show. Black presenters at the show included Diana Ross, Queen Latifah, Victoria Monét, Will Smith, and SZA.

Other winners

These are other Black people who won Grammys during the pre-telecast ceremony:

• Avery*Sunshine: Best Progressive R&B Album (“So Glad to Know You”)*
• Matt B: Best Global Music Album (“ALKEBULAN II”)
• Jon Batiste: Best Song Written for Visual Media (“It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony”) and Best Music Film (“American Symphony”)
• Chris Brown: Best R&B Album (“11:11 [Deluxe]”)
• Erica Campbell, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds, Jekalyn Carr, G. Morris Coleman, Kenneth Leonard Jr., and Naomi Raine: Best Gospel Performance/Song (“One Hallelujah”)
• Dave Chappelle: Best Comedy Album (“The Dreamer”) 
• Lucky Daye: Best Traditional R&B Performance (“That’s You”)
• DOE: Best Contemporary Christian Music Album (“Heart of a Human”)
• Sheila E.: Best Global Music Performance (“Bemba Colorá”)
• Ruthie Foster: Best Contemporary Blues Album (“Mileage”)
• Cory Henry: Best Roots Gospel Album (“Church”)
• Samara Joy: Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” featuring Sullivan Fortner) and Best Jazz Vocal Album (“A Joyful Holiday”)
• Johnaye Kendrick (member of säje): Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals (“Alma”)
• John Legend: Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella (“Bridge Over Troubled Water”)
• Skip Marley, Bloody Civilian, Daniel Caesar, Wizkid, Mystic Marley, and Shenseea: Best Reggae Album (“Bob Marley: One Love: Music Inspired by the Film [Deluxe]”)
• Muni Long: Best R&B Performance (“Made for Me [Live on BET]”)
• Alicia Keys, Maleah Joi Moon, Brandon Victor Dixon, Kecia Lewis, and Adam Blackstone: Best Musical Theater Album (“Hell’s Kitchen”)
• Meshell Ndegeocello: Best Alternative Jazz Album (“No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin”)
• NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge): Best Progressive R&B Album (“Why Lawd?”)*
• Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu: Best Melodic Rap Performance (“3”)
• Karen Slack and Michelle Cann: Best Classical Solo Vocal Album (“Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price”)
• SZA: Best R&B Song (“Saturn”)
• The Taj Mahal Sextet: Best Traditional Blues Album (“Swingin’ Live at The Church in Tulsa”)
• Tank and the Bangas: Best Spoken Word Poetry Album (“The Heart, The Mind, The Soul”)
• Tems: Best African Music Performance (“Love Me JeJe”)
• CeCe Winans: Best Gospel Album (“More Than This”) and CeCe Winans, Lloyd Nicks, and Jess Russ: Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song (“That’s My King”) 

*Won in a tie

Noncompetitive Grammys were awarded at a ceremony that took place at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday. Black honorees of the Lifetime Achievement Award were Frankie Beverly, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal, Prince, and Roxanne Shante. Erroll Garner and Tania León each received a Trustee Award.

A complete list of Grammy winners can be found at the official Grammy website.