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It felt more like 1965 than 2025 for a brief moment last night when the Beatles and The Rolling Stones both won Grammy Awards. And that, for the most part, was the only rock and roll presence at the 2025 Grammys. But once what was the dominant force in music has been long overshadowed by Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, and even Country. Nonetheless, the 2025 Grammys lit up Los Angeles with a blend of triumph, tribute, and an unwavering spirit of resilience. Against a backdrop of recent wildfires that had rocked the city, the show transformed the traditional awards ceremony into a heartfelt celebration of community and hope. Host Trevor Noah set the tone early, reminding everyone that this night was not only about the music but also about celebrating survival and unity in the face of adversity. The event, marked by stirring tributes and emotional performances, also took a moment to honor local firefighters and provide support for businesses affected by the disaster—a reminder that even in darkness, the collective light of humanity shines through.
The awards themselves were a showcase of artistic brilliance and groundbreaking achievements. Beyoncé stole the spotlight, accepting the album of the year for Cowboy Carter with her daughter Blue Ivy by her side—a moment that resonated deeply with fans and fellow artists alike. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar’s acceptance of record and song of the year for “Not Like Us” underscored his powerful connection to the city that shaped him, while Doechii’s historic win for best rap album and her moving speech inspired countless young artists. Emerging talents, such as best new artist Chappell Roan, took to the stage with calls for fair treatment and better support for developing artists, turning the ceremony into a platform for both celebration and advocacy.
The night was also a tribute to musical legends and a rallying cry for diversity and inclusion. Performances ranged from soul-stirring covers by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars to an emotive homage to Quincy Jones, where icons like Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock joined forces in a testament to the enduring legacy of a true pioneer. Each performance and acceptance speech reinforced a shared message: that music is a unifying force capable of uplifting communities and sparking change.
If you’re a classic rock fan and watched the awards, there really wasn’t much for you if you were looking to celebrate rock artists. For most old-school classic rock fans, probably the only name that they were familiar with throughout the whole night was the Rolling Stones, who took home a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The Beatles won an award for best Rock performance for their song Now And Then, which Paul McCartney claimed would probably be the last Beatles song ever released. Interestingly, St.Vincent took all the other rock awards.
Complete List Of 2025 Grammy Awards
Album of the Year: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
Song of the Year: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar (songwriter)
Record of the Year: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Best Latin Pop Album: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran by Shakira
Best New Artist: Chappell Roan
Best Country Album: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé
Best Pop Vocal Album: Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Best Rap Album: Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: “Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina” by Gabriela Ortiz (composer; performed by Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: “Alma” arranged by Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johanye Kendrick, and Amanda Taylor (for säje featuring Regina Carter)
Best Classical Compendium: “Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina” with Gustavo Dudamel as conductor and Dmitriy Lipay as producer
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album: The Heart, the Mind, the Soul by Tank and the Bangas
Best Musical Theater Album: Hell’s Kitchen – Original Broadway Cast
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” arranged by Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly, and John Legend (for Jacob Collier featuring John Legend and Tori Kelly)
Best Engineered Album, Classical: Bruckner: Symphony No. 7; Bates: Resurrexit engineered by Mark Donahue and John Newton, with Mark Donahue as mastering engineer (for Manfred Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Producer of the Year, Classical: Elaine Martone
Best Immersive Audio Album: I/O (In-Side Mix) by Peter Gabriel
Best Instrumental Composition: “Strands” by Pascal Le Boeuf (composer; performed by Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf and Christian Euman)
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: “Bach: Goldberg Variations” by Víkingur Ólafsson
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: Beyond the Years — Unpublished Songs of Florence Price with Karen Slack as soloist and Michelle Cann as pianist
Best Orchestral Performance Award: “Ortiz: Revolución Diamantina” with Gustavo Dudamel as conductor (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Best Opera Recording Award: Saariaho: Adriana Mater with Esa-Pekka Salonen as conductor; Fleur Barron, Axelle Fanyo, Nicholas Phan, and Christopher Purves; produced by Jason O’Connell (for San Francisco Symphony; San Francisco Symphony Chorus; Timo Kurkikangas)
Best Choral Performance: “Ochre” with Donald Nally as conductor (The Crossing)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: “Rectangles and Circumstance” by Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion
Best Rock Performance: “Now and Then” by The Beatles
Best Metal Performance: “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)” by Gojira, Marina Viotti, and Victor Le Masne
Best Rock Song: “Broken Man” by St. Vincent
Best Rock Album: Hackney Diamonds by The Rolling Stones
Best Alternative Music Performance: “Flea” by St. Vincent
Best Alternative Music Album: All Born Screaming by St. Vincent
Best Jazz Performance: “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” by Samara Joy featuring Sullivan Fortner
Best Jazz Vocal Album: A Joyful Holiday by Samara Joy
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Remembrance by Chick Corea and Béla Fleck
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence by Dan Pugach Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album: Cubop Lives! by Luques Curtis, Zaccai Curtis, Willie Martinez, Camilo Molina, and Reinaldo de Jesus
Best Alternative Jazz Album: No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin by Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: Plot Armor by Taylor Eigsti
Best Global Music Performance: “Bemba Colora” by Sheila E. featuring Gloria Estefan and Mimy Succar
Best African Music Performance: “Love Me JeJe” by Tems
Best Global Music Album: Alkebulan II by Matt B featuring Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Best Reggae Album: Bob Marley: One Love — Music Inspired by the Film (Deluxe) by Various Artists
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album: Triveni by Wouter Kellerman, Eru Matsumoto, and Chandrika Tandon
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: Dune: Part Two by Hans Zimmer (composer)
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media (Includes Film and Television): Maestro: Music by Leonard Bernstein
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media: Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
Best Song Written for Visual Media: “It Never Went Away” by Jon Batiste, from American Symphony
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: I/O engineered by Tchad Blake, Oli Jacobs, Katie May, Dom Shaw, and Mark “Spike” Stent, with Matt Colton as mastering engineer (for Peter Gabriel)
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Daniel Nigro
Best Melodic Rap Performance: “3:AM” by Rapsody featuring Erykah Badu
Best Rap Song: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap Performance: “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical: Amy Allen
Best R&B Performance: “Made for Me (Live on BET)” by Muni Long
Best Traditional R&B Performance: “That’s You” by Lucky Daye
Best R&B Song: “Saturn” by SZA
Best Progressive R&B Album: So Glad to Know You by Avery*Sunshine; Why Lawd? by NxWorries (Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge)
Best Country Solo Performance: “It Takes a Woman” by Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “II Most Wanted” by Beyoncé featuring Miley Cyrus
Best Country Song: “The Architect” by Kacey Musgraves
Best American Roots Performance: “Lighthouse” by Sierra Ferrell
Best Traditional Blues Album: Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa by The Taj Mahal Sextet
Best Contemporary Blues Album: Mileage by Ruthie Foster
Best Música Urbana Album: Las Letras Ya No Importan by Residente
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album: ¿Quién Trae las Cornetas? by Rawayana
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano): Boca Chueca, Vol. 1 by Carín León
Best Tropical Latin Album: Alma, Corazón y Salsa (Live at Gran Teatro Nacional) by Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Best Pop Solo Performance: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Best Dance/Electronic Recording: “Neverender” by Justice and Tame Impala
Best Dance Pop Recording: “Von Dutch” by Charli XCX
Best Dance/Electronic Album: Brat by Charli XCX
Best Remixed Recording: “Espresso (Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix)” by Sabrina Carpenter
Best Americana Performance: “American Dreaming” by Sierra Ferrell
Best American Roots Song: “American Dreaming” by Sierra Ferrell
Best Americana Album: Trail of Flowers by Sierra Ferrell
Best Bluegrass Album: Live Vol. 1 by Billy Strings
Best Folk Album: Woodland by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Best Regional Roots Music Album: Kuini by Kalani Pe’a
Best Gospel Performance/Song: “One Hallelujah” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Erica Campbell, and Israel Houghton featuring Jonathan McReynolds and Jekalyn Carr
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “That’s My King” by CeCe Winans
Best Gospel Album: More Than This by CeCe Winans
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Heart of a Human by Doe
Best Roots Gospel Album: Church by Cory Henry
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