It only took five tries, public shaming by Jay-Z, and a strategically timed tour announcement to upstage the Grammys. But Beyoncé has finally done it. After years of snubs — losing to Adele, Taylor Swift, and even Beck — the Recording Academy has finally given its biggest award to the woman who, by all logic, should have already won Album of the Year at least as many times as Swift’s four wins.
Why Beyoncé’s win is about more than music
No one is naïve enough to think Beyoncé won because she suddenly produced an album worthy of this honor. Yes, Cowboy Carter was an ambitious, sweeping project that recontextualized Black contributions to country music — a genre that historically erased them. And yes, it checked all the boxes Grammy voters claim to love: historical weight, genre-bending innovation, and critical acclaim.
But the truth is, the Grammys had finally backed themselves into a corner.
Fifteen years ago, Kanye bum-rushed Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs to declare that Beyoncé had been robbed of Best Female Video. It was chaotic, embarrassing, and became the moment (White) Swift was crowned America’s good girl, while (Black) Beyoncé was subtly recast as the mean girl to be shunned. It didn’t matter that Beyoncé was more horrified by Kanye’s behavior than anyone.
Since then, the Recording Academy has kept Beyoncé exactly where they wanted her—rewarded but not crowned, celebrated but not championed. She could collect the most Grammys of all time (in “Black” genre categories), but Album of the Year? No, that would convey too much acceptance.
And every time she lost, the same justifications surfaced:
- The Grammys don’t reward popularity.
- They favor “cohesive storytelling” (whatever that means).
- They value songwriting and artistry over gyrations and spectacle.
Blah, blah, blah.
Why the Grammys finally gave Beyoncé her due
So what changed this time? A few things.
Swift was collecting Album of the Year trophies like participation ribbons, Adele was apologizing for winning hers, and even newbie Billie Eilish felt compelled to thank Beyoncé more than the Grammys for her own victory. The optics of Beyoncé never winning were turning the Academy into a punchline.
Meanwhile, Beyoncé kept proving that the Grammys needed her more than she needed them. She had become so resigned to this annual snub that she dropped the announcement of her Cowboy Carter Tour mere hours before the telecast. This wasn’t just marketing — it was a preemptive power move.
If the Grammys were going to deny her Album of the Year again, Beyoncé made sure the story of the night wouldn’t be her loss, but her future. Swift, in contrast, has always used the Grammy stage itself as a launchpad — announcing her Eras Tour in 2022 and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) last year. Beyoncé’s move sent a different message: I don’t need your show to stay relevant.
Then there’s Jay-Z.
Last year, he stood on stage and all but called Grammy voters hypocrites for using Beyoncé’s legacy to prop up their event while repeatedly denying her the top prize. It was a gangsta move. And the Academy must have resented it—especially because it was so true. But the point was clear: denying Beyoncé Album of the Year was turning the Grammys into a petty farce.
Jay-Z’s menacing role and Kendrick Lamar’s dominance
When is Jay-Z going on the road again? I can’t be the only one wondering about this. It seems he’s becoming to Beyoncé what Colonel Tom Parker was to Elvis. Except that Jay-Z exudes that pimp vibe. That’s why I fear it’s only a matter of time before Beyoncé accuses him of abuse – just as Cassie accused his Bad Boy buddy, Diddy.
Incidentally, I’ve seen reports of white folks scoffing at Beyoncé as an interloper for making this country album. They’d have you believe this is like Taylor Swift doing rap. I don’t remember much from my gut course in college on the history of Black American music, but I do remember learning that country music is as Black as rap.
So, with all due respect to those white folks, Cowboy Carter isn’t Beyoncé intervening — it’s her reclaiming. I just wish she didn’t think she had to become a fake blond with horse hair to do it.
Still, Beyoncé’s victory wasn’t the full redemption arc some were hoping for. Yes, she finally won Album of the Year, and yes, she made history as the first Black woman to win Country Album of the Year. But when all was said and done, Beyoncé had 11 nominations and won only 2. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar took home 5 wins from just 7 nominations, making him the night’s biggest winner — and arguably, the artist who most deserved Album of the Year.
At long last, Beyoncé must’ve felt a little schadenfreude watching her de facto nemesis, good girl Taylor Swift, sit through 6 nominations and win none.
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