Bailey Gray

The Grammys should be based on listeners’ preference, not the industry.

The 2025 Grammy Awards, on February 3rd, were yet another reminder of how industry power is the deciding factor in the award results rather than musical talent. While it claims to be a celebration of the year’s most popular music, the outcome of the awards often reflects differently. Throughout the night, the Academy emphasized the 16,000 voting members before announcing the winners as if they were attempting to defend their choices against future criticism. A deep dive into the most prestigious awards reveals a recurring pattern of questionable choices, fueling many arguments that the Grammys are all just a scam.

Best New Artist went to Chappell Roan, a decision that many people agreed with, but I completely disagree. Sabrina Carpenter had one of the most successful tours this past year, making approximately $12 million, and she released two of 2024’s biggest hits: “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please”. While Chappell Roan also gained popularity this year, most of her viral songs like, “HOT TO GO!”, “Pink Pony Club”, and “Casual”, were released in 2023 with “Good Luck, Babe!” being the only exception. Although neither of these artists is truly new, Carpenter earned her fame from her recent songs, making her the more deserving winner.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. There have been 13 different occasions where these two awards have been won by the same artist and song. Some notable examples include “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele. “Not Like Us” is nowhere near the level of these two songs. I don’t think this song should have won either of these awards let alone both. In 2024, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozy had the longest run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 19 consecutive weeks there. Based on America’s listeners, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” should have won considering “Not Like Us” spent only two non-consecutive weeks at the top.

If the Academy is not going off of listeners, then Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” should have won. That song completely took over all social media with people making TikToks to the song or using it as a Instagram background song. It was all over the radio, and Eilish even performed this song at the Olympics on a global stage. This song deserved either Record or Song of the Year.

However, the questionable choices did not stop there. The Album of the Year also raised eyebrows. Beyoncé was awarded Album of the Year with Cowboy Carter. Older audiences justify Beyoncé’s win because of her legendary fame and her past Grammy snubs. However, this felt like an industry-driven choice rather than recognizing the most groundbreaking albums. Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft were both more deserving, delivering deep storytelling that Cowboy Carter lacked. Despite their past Grammy success, neither Swift nor Eilish won a single award this year, making it seem as though the Academy was simply pitying Beyoncé and making up for her past losses.