Every year, the Grammy Awards command global attention, spotlighting the most compelling achievements in music across genres, cultures, and styles.
From pop and rock to rap, country and classical, the Grammys recognize excellence in songwriting, production, performance, and engineering. But a question frequently asked is: Who won the Grammy Awards?
By the end, you’ll have a clearer, authoritative view of who the Grammy winners are, why they were honored, and what their wins mean for music history.
Who won the Grammy Awards in 2025?
From Beyoncé’s breakthrough Cowboy Carter earning Album of the Year, to Kendrick Lamar’s sweep of Record and Song of the Year with “Not Like Us,” this year’s Grammy winners reflect both tradition and disruption.
In this post, we’ll explore every major winner, unpack surprising category crossovers, and assess how these awards stack up against legacy winners past and present.
Table of Contents
1. The Grammys: History, Purpose & Prestige
1.1 Origins and Evolution
The Grammy Awards, originally called The Gramophone Awards, trace their roots to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), founded in 1957.
The first Grammy ceremony was held in 1959, recognizing musical achievements from the prior year.
Over time, the Grammys have grown from a modest set of categories into a sprawling awards show with 80+ categories, spanning major genres and niche ones (e.g. best polka album, best Hawaiian music album).
Today, the Recording Academy gives Grammys to artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, mixers, and other professionals who contribute to recorded music.
1.2 What Does It Mean to “Win a Grammy”?
Winning a Grammy is often seen as the highest peer-recognized form of accolade in the U.S. recording industry.
Because winners are chosen by the music-industry professionals and peers rather than public vote, the award is viewed as a mark of artistic and technical excellence.
A Grammy win can:
- Elevate an artist’s credibility
- Boost sales, streaming numbers, and media attention
- Influence future collaborations and opportunities
- Cement a legacy in musical history
Given this, “who won the Grammys” is more than trivia—it’s a reflection of trends, cultural moments, and who the industry deemed outstanding in a given period.
2. How the Grammys Select Winners
To appreciate who the winners are, it’s important to understand how they are picked.
2.1 Nomination and Voting Process
Here’s the step-by-step overview:
- Submission & Screening: Recording Academy members and registered media companies submit recordings for Grammy consideration. These submissions are screened to ensure eligibility (release date, genre, etc.).
- Nomination Voting: Voting members (artists, producers, engineers) cast ballots to generate a shortlist of nominees in each category.
- Final Voting: Once nominees are locked, voting members again cast ballots to select winners.
- Tabulation & Audit: An independent accounting firm tallies votes to ensure fairness and confidentiality.
- Announcement: At the annual Grammy ceremony, the winners are revealed.
Because the process is peer-based and governed by strict eligibility and audit standards, it contributes to the award’s trustworthiness and prestige.
2.2 Eligibility Period & Rules
- The eligibility window typically spans about 12 months (for example, from September of one year to August of the next), meaning albums/songs released outside that window aren’t considered for that year.
- Some categories require contributions beyond performing (e.g. songwriting, production).
- Artists can be nominated multiple times in one year across different categories.
3. Notable Grammy Winners & Records
When asking who won the Grammy Awards, some names continuously surface because of their repeated success. Here’s a look at record holders, standout giants, and trends.
3.1 Top Grammy Winners of All Time
- Beyoncé currently holds the record for the most Grammy wins by a single artist, with 35 awards. Wikipedia+1
- Others high up the list include U2 (22 wins) Wikipedia, conductor Georg Solti, Quincy Jones, Alison Krauss, Stevie Wonder, etc.
- Some wins are in technical or classical categories, which broaden the field beyond mainstream categories.
3.2 Historic Wins & Milestones
- In 2024 (66th Grammy Awards), Taylor Swift made history by winning Album of the Year for the fourth time — the first artist ever to reach that milestone.
- In the 2025 Grammys (67th edition), Beyoncé won Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, becoming the first Black woman to do so in the 21st century.
- Kendrick Lamar at the 2025 Grammys swept both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Not Like Us,” becoming a rare rap artist to win both.
3.3 Genre Spanning & Cross-Category Wins
Some artists win in seemingly uncharacteristic genres, underlining their versatility:
- Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, a country album, won Best Country Album. That crossover win pointing to genre fluidity was notable.
- Artists in rap, pop, R&B, rock, country, Latin, classical — Grammy winners come from diverse styles, though mainstream genres often dominate visibility.
4. Grammys 2025: Who Won, and Why It Mattered
Let’s dig deeply into the most recent ceremony to see who won the Grammy Awards in key categories, how those wins align with trends, and what they tell us.
4.1 Overview of the 67th Grammy Awards
- The 67th Grammys took place on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Wikipedia
- Hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive time, it honored music released between September 16, 2023, and August 30, 2024. Wikipedia
- Kendrick Lamar emerged as the artist with the most awards (5). Wikipedia
- Beyoncé led nominations (11) and also won multiple awards including the much-talked-about Album of the Year.
- Chappell Roan was awarded Best New Artist.
4.2 Highlights: Major Categories & Winners
Below are some of the most closely watched categories and their winners.
| Category | Winner | Notes / Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Album of the Year | Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé | Landmark win as first Black woman in the 21st century to win this top award. |
| Record of the Year | “Not Like Us” — Kendrick Lamar | Swept with Song of the Year — rare for one track to take both. |
| Song of the Year | “Not Like Us” — Kendrick Lamar | Honors the songwriters; gives Lamar credit beyond performance. Wikipedia |
| Best New Artist | Chappell Roan | Breakout act of the year. Wikipedia |
| Best Country Album | Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé | Further underscoring genre crossover success. Al Jazeera |
| Best Pop Vocal Album | Short n’ Sweet — Sabrina Carpenter | Signifies pop industry confidence in emerging/pop mid-career voices. |
These are only a few of the dozens of awards handed out, spanning rock, rap, alternative, classical, gospel, Latin, and more.
4.3 What These Wins Signify
- Recognition of Cross-Genre Work: Beyoncé’s wins in country and Album of the Year indicate how genre boundaries are shifting.
- Rap Ascendance: Kendrick Lamar’s sweep shows that hip-hop continues to hold a central role in contemporary music’s critical recognition.
- Emerging Talent Gets Spotlight: Awarding Best New Artist to a fresh face like Chappell Roan emphasizes the Grammys’ interest in both legacy and discovery.
- Historic Moments: Beyoncé’s win for Album of the Year had broader cultural resonance, being both an artistic triumph and a historic first in modern Grammy history. AP News+2The Guardian+2
Thus, “who won the Grammy Awards” in 2025 isn’t just names—it’s a reflection of changing industry values, representation, and artistic directions.
5. Trends, Controversies & Criticism
No awards show is without criticism. To present an honest, trustworthy view, here are major debates and concerns around Grammy winners.
5.1 Representation & Bias
- Critics have often raised questions about the Grammys’ voting bias—whether certain genres (e.g. hip-hop, Latin, non-English music) are underrepresented.
- The Grammys have made efforts to diversify — for example, adding more categories for Latin and global music, adjusting voting membership to include younger and more diverse voices.
- Some past snubs have led artists to refuse participation or publicly criticize the institution.
5.2 Commercial vs. Artistic Merit
- Debate continues whether Grammys favor commercially successful, well-backed, big-label artists over more experimental, independent ones.
- Some winners are seen as safe, mainstream choices rather than daring selections.
5.3 Category Overlaps & Confusion
- Grammys have many overlapping categories (pop, pop vocal, pop solo vs duo), sometimes confusing both artists and fans.
- Genre definitions are evolving; some artists are “genre-fluid,” making categorization a challenge.
5.4 Transparency & Credibility
- While ballots and counting are audited, the Academy has been criticized for opacity in decisions or how screening committees shape nominee lists.
- Some years have seen backlash over controversial winners or omissions (artists stating they were “snubbed”).
By acknowledging these critiques, a blog can be more credible and nuanced.
