After years of success in the music industry, Beyonce finally received Album of the Year at the Grammys. She has been nominated for this award four times previously.
Released last spring, “Cowboy Carter” is her eighth studio album and hit over 1 billion streams just a few months after its release.
The album has 27 songs and features country superstars Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, as well as Miley Cyrus and Post Malone. Along with Album of the Year, it also won Country Album of the Year earlier in the evening.
Beyonce said she wrote the album because of past experiences of feeling unwelcome in the industry as a Black woman. She noted how Black women’s impact on the music industry is often overlooked, and she wanted to correct that narrative with “Coyboy Carter.”
The album’s streams increased 795% after the Grammy win. It received 11 nominations, making it one of the most nominated albums of all time in Grammy history.
“Texas Hold ‘Em,” a single from the album, became the first country song by a Black woman to top both Billboard and country charts.
Beyonce appeared teary-eyed in the audience as her name was announced, and she hugged her husband Jay Z before taking the stage. Blue Ivy Carter joined her mother on stage to accept the award.
While accepting the award, she began by thanking all the firefighters in Los Angeles for keeping everyone safe amidst the wildfires. She then went on to thank the numerous songwriters and collaborators.
She ended her brief speech by saying she hopes to keep opening doors and pushing forward in the industry before hugging her daughter and exiting the stage.
She also just recently announced the 22-show Cowboy Carter Tour 2025. Kicking off in April, the shows will span a few major US cities and a few international locations, including London and Paris. Press around the tour will undoubtedly increase following her historic win.
Reactions on the internet surrounding her win are divided. While some claim they are happy she finally won, many believe the album was undeserving of the Album of the Year title.
It was nominated among multiple other heavy-hitting albums of the year, including Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” and Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, “Djesse Vol. 4,” by Jacob Collier, “New Blue Sun” by Andre 3000 and “BRAT” by Charli XCX, which practically started a cultural phenomenon, were also nominated.
Naturally, people went straight to the internet to share their thoughts on the win.
“RIGHT IVE NEVER EVEN LISTENED TO ONE SONG FROM COYBOY CARTER,” one X user, @hrts4matcha, said.
“TTPD>Short N’ Sweet>the rise and fall…>BRAT>Hit me hard and soft>>>>>>Coyboy Carter,” another user said, implying Cowboy Carter was their least favorite in the category.
Fans of the album clapped back though
“‘Cowboy Carter’ was a damnation and reclamation of a genre and industry that stole from black culture and shut us out every time we tried to go back in,” one fan said. “It was, imo, the most artistic and creative venture in the category, an album that truly had a message that went beyond music.”
Even Whoopi Goldberg chimed in on the debate in response to a Fox News comment.
“You want to hold on to country music like white people didn’t also buy her country album,” Goldberg said. “Come on, man! People voted for it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t. Same with the Oscars. Sit down!”
Despite differing views and debates, Beyonce’s accomplishments in the industry cannot be disputed. The album was innovative and experimental and the award going to her does not diminish the work of the other artists in the category.
Happy Grammy season everyone, and see you next year!