The 2025 Grammy Awards were supposed to be a celebration of the best artists and music of the year. However, the awards, specifically the “Album of the Year” award, have, once again, sparked controversy and divided fans.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter took home the top prize, marking her first win in the category. However, many fans and critics — including us — believe that there were multiple, significantly stronger and more popular contenders, proving yet another instance where the Grammys seem out of touch with reality. In fact, many fans have been going as far as creating conspiracy theories on how the Grammys must’ve been rigged. Either way, we’re going to do a breakdown of every album that was nominated, and what we — and much of the general public — believe should’ve won.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter:
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter marked a groundbreaking moment in her career, blending country, R&B, and pop influences. The tracks on this album stand out in her discography because they’re nothing like the other songs she’s released in the past. Despite this new sound, most members of the Beyhive — a loyal fandom dedicated to Beyoncé — stuck by her and praised the album. However, even fans of the new album have admitted that “Album of the Year” may be a bit of a stretch. Personally, the only song we really knew from the album — prior to seeing the nominees list and listening to more of the songs — was “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” and even that was only due to social media platforms such as TikTok. In our opinion, Beyoncé is a standout artist, and she definitely deserves to be a holder of the “Album of the Year” award. However, Cowboy Carter was not the album that should’ve won it. It isn’t a bad album; it just isn’t anywhere near as good as some of the other nominees. Furthermore, if we’re to look at all these albums from a purely statistical standpoint, Cowboy Carter did have fewer streams than other nominated albums. Simply said — and with no hate towards Beyoncé herself — Cowboy Carter should not have won the title of “Album of the Year.”
Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft:
On the other end of the spectrum, Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft has much of the general public in agreement that it was robbed. The album was one of the most emotionally charged and sonically cohesive albums to release this year, and many fans even argue that it’s the best album Billie has ever released — we’re not quite sure how we feel about that claim. Hit Me Hard and Soft consists of 10 emotional, heart-wrenching tracks, each one being unforgettable and unique in its own way. The album showcases her most refined and mature sound yet, while staying true to her intimate, melancholic vibe that’s defined her artistry. The songs on this album are real and raw, diving into themes of self-discovery, self-image, heartbreak, and relationships. Billie’s lyrics were vulnerable and introspective, many times even bringing tears to our eyes because of how relatably and genuinely they were delivered. More specifically, songs like “BLUE,” “WILDFLOWER,” and “SKINNY” truly expressed a raw intensity and vulnerability that clung to us. Her unfiltered lyrics were incredibly refreshing and almost freeing to listen to, a feeling that none of these other albums were able to evoke to this extent. Additionally, her vocal power has significantly grown, showing more advanced range and control, while the production — handled by her brother, Finneas — demonstrated a more rich and layered quality compared to all of the other albums nominated. Billie really cut herself open and put her heart out for public display with this album. As of February 19th, 2025, her passion has been rewarded with Hit Me Hard and Soft spending nine months in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. It goes without saying that this album was more than deserving of the “Album of the Year” Grammy; every aspect of its production was flawless. Each song had its chance in stardom — repeatedly playing all over the internet and sparking numerous trends — as they were catchy and hit home in a way nothing else on the list of nominees did. It was, in our opinion, the best album, and one of the most popular ones, of 2024.
Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department:
Another album that, in our opinion, should’ve won over Cowboy Carter was Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. Given her track record, cultural dominance, and the sheer magnitude of the album’s success, many expected Taylor to walk away with the top award this year. Additionally, Swift is the first and only artist to have won this award four times, so many anticipated her win to mark a new record of five. With introspective lyricism, poetic storytelling, and a mix of alternative, indie, and synth-pop influences, Swift delivered a deeply personal project that explored heartbreak, regret, and reinvention.
Commercially, it was an undeniable force. Making history, Tortured Poets became Spotify’s “most-streamed album in a single day,” ultimately becoming the first album ever to surpass 300 million streams within 24 hours. Her momentum didn’t end there; just five days later, TTPD became the first album in Spotify history to hit 1 billion streams in a single week. On the Billboard 200, the album also debuted at No. 1 with a staggering 2.61 million units sold — the largest first-week total since Billboard began measuring by units in 2014. With this achievement, TTPD became Swift’s 14th No. 1 album, tying her with Jay-Z for the most chart-toppers among solo artists. As a musician, Taylor herself has shattered multiple Billboard Hot 100 records. With Midnights, she became the first artist to hold all top 10 spots on the chart simultaneously. This time, she broke her own record, claiming the entire top 14 at once. Furthermore, all 31 songs from The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology — an extended version of TTPD that released two hours afterwards — placed on the Billboard Hot 100 list, the most any act has accomplished since the chart debuted in 2013.
The overwhelming commercial success, along with the popularity amongst listeners and loyal Swifties, shows the major mark the release of this album has made on modern music history, let alone 2024. Songs like “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me,” “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” and “Clara Bow” are emotional, catchy, and contain poetic lyricism mixed with soothing vocals. Despite the impact this album has left, we agree that Hit Me Hard and Soft was more than just a successful album — it was a cultural phenomenon. HMHAS resonated on a deeper level with a broader audience; it was raw, powerful, and iconic. While our opinion remains that Hit Me Hard and Soft is the album that should’ve won, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department is a close second. Either way, the fact remains that there were far stronger contenders for “Album of the Year” than Cowboy Carter.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet:
It is undeniable that Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet became quite the worldwide phenomenon. The album, flawlessly blending confidence with vulnerability, touched the hearts of millions of pop listeners. After her release of “Espresso,” Carpenter was finally able to put her music on the charts; people began to take note of how her lyrical talent pairs perfectly with her comedic acting skills, owed to her years of working with Disney Channel. Since then, the craze for Sabrina Carpenter’s music only flourished with the release of “Please Please Please” and its accompanying music video, reaching over 192 million views. The release of these two singles left millions of pop-obsessed fans waiting eagerly for Short n’ Sweet, and it’s safe to say that these fans were not disappointed. The highly anticipated album amassed 233 million streams within its first week of debuting, placing it at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This milestone marks a significant moment in Carpenter’s career, as this went on record as the best week in the entirety of her music career. Short n’ Sweet consists of 12 tracks, each one delivering its own narrative. The album starts off with upbeat, spirited songs such as “Taste” and “Good Graces,” and ends with deeply introspective, passionate tracks such as “Lie to Girls” and “Don’t Smile” — my personal favorites — along with “Coincidence.” The album seamlessly transitions from upbeat country tracks perfect for dancing and singing along with, to intricate emotional pieces that are sure to make your eyes swell up from tears.
Needless to say, this year was a transformative one for Sabrina Carpenter, and the uproar of her Short n’ Sweet-obsessed fans in 2024 finally gave her the musical recognition she deserves. This year, she was nominated for six Grammys, including “Album of the Year,” and received two: “Best Pop Vocal Album” for Short n’ Sweet, and “Best Pop Solo Performance” for “Espresso.” Despite missing the “Album of the Year” Grammy, her fans are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and her progression as an artist, and it’s irrefutable the impact she had on pop culture worldwide.
Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess:
The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess is Chappell Roan’s first full length debut, following the release of her EP School Nights in 2017. However, it was only with the virality of her single “Good Luck, Babe,” that Chappell Roan’s music finally accumulated a more widespread audience. Fans resonated with Chappell’s music, due to its more “innovative art-pop auteur” as described on Billboard. But from her distinct, eye-catching look to her impressive repertoire of bubbly, energetic pop anthems, Chappell Roan’s music was stuck in everybody’s minds all summer. The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess was such a fun listen, as the album ranges from synth-pop tunes such as “Femininomenon” and “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” to more introspective tracks like “Coffee” and “Kaleidoscope”. No matter what you’re into, there’s a song for everyone in this album, some of our favorites being “My Kink is Karma” and “California.” Following Chappell Roan’s sudden surge in popularity, The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess reached the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200, and hit the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums Chart in August of 2024. Chappell Roan expresses her perspective on her skyrocketing career in an interview, sharing that “It’s amazing but really hard when you’ve been working for almost a decade and then everything comes so fast at once. I’ve been preparing for this.” This year, she was nominated for six Grammys, but The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess has yet to win an award. In the meantime, she won the Grammy for “Best New Artist,” which in our opinion, was certainly well deserved. Although her stardom for The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess didn’t come quickly, her distinctive talent deems her one of the biggest queer pop icons of 2024.
Charli XCX’s BRAT:
BRAT by Charli XCX was much more than just an album; it inspired a whole wave of electronic music, and the impact it had on pop culture is almost unmatched. BRAT was released in June of 2024, and it can very well be considered the perfect cultivation of exaggerated hyperpop tunes. Especially with the hyperpop scene having lost its mainstream momentum many years prior, we personally love how BRAT brought back the early 2000’s maximalist production style, with a more modern twist to it. The album was packed with catchy, unforgettable tunes, and the album as a whole perfectly captured those rebellious, adventurous summer vibes. Beyond the songs itself, the whole “brat” concept became a pop culture sensation in itself; the neon green BRAT album cover now holds an entire brand, and has even inspired fans to coin the term “brat summer”; a trend that encapsulates a rambunctious, rebellious summer aesthetic. As the summer progressed, the popularity of the album continued to grow, and tracks such as “Apple” and “Guess” featuring Billie Eilish” caught the eyes of many on social media. The album spend 31 consecutive weeks on top of the Billboard Top Dance Albums chart, and debuted at the #3 spot on Billboard 200. Charli XCX was nominated for numerous Grammys, with three being for BRAT, including the “Album of the Year” award. Her album ended up winning “Best Dance/Electronic Album” and “Best Recording Package.” While we do feel that BRAT was not necessarily on par with the other album nominees for “Album of the Year,” such as Hit Me Hard and Soft or Short n’ Sweet, we do agree that the impact this album had on pop listeners was immense, and it definitely had a fair shot at winning the award.
André 3000’s New Blue Sun:
New Blue Sun sets itself apart from the rest of the nominees, purely because this album is completely instrumental. This lyricless release is André 3000’s first release in 17 years; it consists of eight songs, each one crafted with minimalistic woodwind sounds and a soothing jazz composition. A majority of the tracks on this album are considerably long, ranging from as small as three and a half minutes to as lengthy as seventeen minutes. I personally admire how, rather than making a rap album, André 3000 decided to construct an album purely built around his passion for playing the flute. In staying true to his heart’s desire, he was able to release a sentimental, minimalist-style album that the general public viewed as transcendent and tribal. Each song on this album has its own distinct, unique name; the album opens up with a track titled “I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.” Fans predict that this title almost reads as an apology to the listeners for not releasing a rap album, but that he felt the necessity to follow his heart. In an interview regarding his release, André 3000 shared how he felt about the album: “New Blue Sun was something that I realized, whoa, I really want people to hear it. I really want to share it. That’s my only gauge.” New Blue Sun appeared on countless Billboard charts this year, including “Hot 100” and “New Age Albums,” where he debuted at the number one spot. André’s album was nominated for three Grammys: “Album of the Year,” “Best Instrumental Composition,” and “Best Alternative Jazz Album.” Despite not taking any Grammys home this year, New Blue Sun received widespread acclaim from the public, for his daring experimentation with jazz instrumentals and the raw passion that went into its creation. While we do believe that this was a very strong album, it was not as deserving of “Album of the Year” as the other nominees. The flute instrumentals for this album were highly impressive and well done, but at one point it became quite repetitive, leading us to believe that the album lacked a variety of substance to be considered album of the year.
Jacob Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4:
Out of all the “Album of the Year” nominees, Jacob Collier’s Djesse Vol. 4 was, in our opinion, the second most surprising nomination, after New Blue Sun. Collier, who is one of the less known artists on this list of nominees, is highly respected in musician circles for his complex arrangements and technical skill. Despite this, he remains relatively unknown to the general public. While his technical and compositional skill is present in Djesse Vol. 4, we felt it lacked the mainstream popularity, cultural impact, and streaming success that most of the public — and us — associate with an album titled “Album of the Year.” The album features an extensive list of collaborators, intricate harmonies, and genre-defying compositions. Yet, when compared to iconic albums like Hit Me Hard and Soft, The Tortured Poets Department, and Short n’ Sweet, it’s impossible to argue that it was a more relevant and popular album. It simply didn’t have any viral moments or hold the same emotional weight for listeners the way other contenders did. That’s not to say that Djesse Vol. 4 isn’t a good album, impressive, or deserving of being nominated for such a high prize. But when considering the characteristics we believe makes an album the “Album of the Year,” it’s fair to question whether this was the right pick. Collier’s nomination speaks to the Grammys’ appreciation for technical brilliance; however, it also highlights their frequent disconnect from what truly shaped the musical landscape of 2024. All in all, it’s not surprising that this album didn’t win. However, people should still give it a shot and form their own opinions on the tracks, instead of just following mainstream trends.
The 2025 Grammys, once again, proved to be a night of surprises, celebrations, and inevitable controversy. While Cowboy Carter taking home “Album of the Year” marked a historic win for Beyoncé, it also sparked heated debates about whether the award truly reflected the best and most impactful album of the year — and whether other artists with nominated albums were robbed. With record-breaking albums like Hit Me Hard and Soft and The Tortured Poets Department — both of which dominated charts, streaming numbers, and cultural conversations — it’s hard to ignore the feeling that the Grammys may have missed the mark.
At the end of the day, music is subjective and it’s difficult to award an album the honor of being the “Album of the Year.” However, when statistics, cultural impact, and fan reception all point toward stronger contenders, the Grammys’ decision feels increasingly out of touch. Despite this, the fact remains that 2024 was an incredible year for music, and the albums that shaped it will be remembered far beyond a single award.
