The 2025 Grammys: Top Winners, Surprises, and Standout Performances
By Stella Violet
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards, held on February 2, 2025, at the Crypto.com Area in Los Angeles, celebrated a night of musical excellence, memorable performances, and heartfelt tributes.
Hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth consecutive year, the ceremony honored artists across diverse genres, reflecting the dynamic landscape of contemporary music.
Photo Credit: CBS
Trevor Noah kicked off the show with a powerful monologue which featured details about the devastating wildfires and how this night is a symbol for the music industry coming together to support L.A. residents whose homes and lives were affected.
“What’s unusual are our circumstances this evening. Just a few weeks ago, we weren’t sure tonight that this show would even happen,” said Noah. “Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained, and despite all the devastation, the spirit of the city has emerged.”
Memorable Performances and Tributes
PHOTO: KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE RECORDING ACADEMY
Los Angeles Wildfire Tribute:
The evening commenced with a heartfelt tribute to those affected by the recent California wildfires. Artists including St. Vincent, Sheryl Crow, Brittany Howard, John Legend, Brad Paisley and Dawes delivered a poignant rendition of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.,” honoring both the victims and first responders.
Billie Eilish captivated the audience with “Birds of a Feather,” accompanied by her brother Finneas. Shouting out her love for Los Angeles at the end of her performance.
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars took to the stage to sing “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas and Papas following a video featuring the devastation that hit Los Angeles earlier this year.
And, Chappell Roan sang “Pink Pony Club,” which is undoubtedly a tribute to Los Angeles and the impact the city has had on her self-image and career.
Quincy Jones Tribute:
The night also featured a moving performance to celebrate the life of Quincy Jones featuring musician’s: Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monáe, Cynthia Erivo and more.
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Cynthia Erivo performed a stunning tribute to the late Quincy Jones, accompanied by Herbie Hancock as she sang “Fly Me to the Moon,” which Jones arranged for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie in 1964.
Other artists who participated in the tribute included Jacob Collier and Lainey Wilson. Stevie Wonder also performed a rendition of “Bluesette” which received a standing ovation.
The Weekend ends Grammy Boycott
Photo Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
In an unexpected appearance, both The Weeknd and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. took the stage to mend a broken relationship. Mason Jr.’s decision to address criticism from The Weeknd ended in a surprise performance of The Weeknd’s hit singles, “Cry For Me” and “Timeless” with Playboi Carti.
Chris Martin’s In Memoriam Performance
Photo Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Coldplay’s Chris Martin honored those that the music community lost in the last year. Martin performed his rendition of his band’s song, “All My Love.”
Among those honored were One Direction’s Liam Payne, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Marianne Faithfull and more.
Top Honors and Notable Winners
Sabrina Carpenter - Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Solo Pop Performance
Photo Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
WINNER: Short N’ Sweet and “Espresso”
Sabrina Carpenter emerged as a standout artist, winning not only Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet but also taking home the Grammy for Best Solo Pop Performance for “Espresso.”
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for the Recording Academy
Carpenter also performed her hit songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Her performance paid homage to old Hollywood and featured several outfit changes, detailed sets and theatrics.
Both songs landed spots this summer on the Billboard Hot 100 with her album Short N’ Sweet landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, which is a career first for Carpenter.
In a pre-taped package before her performance she said, “I never expected ‘Espresso’ to be what it essentially became.”
Charli XCX - Best Dance Pop Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album
The breakthrough success of her album Brat – which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 this summer proved to not be enough to win a gramophone in any of the main categories.
Charli XCX was nominated in eight categories and took home two awards for Best Dance Pop Recording and Best Dance/Electronic Album.
She also won Best Recording Package as an art director for her album Brat.
Photo Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images
XCX performed her club classics, “Von Dutch” and “Guess” on the Grammys stage as the final performer of the night. She began her iconic performance in the Crypto.com arena driveway, stepping out of a car with Model of the Year, Alex Cosani, and fellow model, Gabriette.
She then moved inside for “Guess” and turned the stage into a complete underwear party filled with influencers and musicians like The Dare, Julia Fox, and Quen Blackwell.
It was later noted that all of the unworn garments from the performance would be donated to survivors of domestic violence through the organization, “I Support The Girls.”
Doechii - Best Rap Album
Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
WINNER: Alligator Bites Never Heal
Rising rap star Doechii won Best Rap Album for Alligator Bites Never Heal, becoming the third solo female rapper to receive this accolade alongside icons Lauryn Hill and Cardi B.
In her acceptance speech, she dedicated her win to Black girls, saying, “You are exactly who you need to be. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Doechii also performed “Catfish” and “Denial Is a River” after her revolutionary win. Her performance was second in a long-chain of performances by best new artist nominees, including Benson Boone, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey and Raye.
Chappell Roan - Best New Artist
Photo Credit: Getty Images for The Recording Academy
In an un-surprising turn of events, Chappell Roan won Best New Artist, and her speech was just as special as she is to the music community.
After thanking her friends, family and team, she used her time on stage to advocate for better support for emerging musicians, emphasizing the need for liveable wages and healthcare.
“I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here before the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels in the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists would offer a liveable wage and health care, especially developing artists,” she said.
Roan added, “I got signed so young, I got signed as a minor. When I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt, and like most people, I had… quite a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and [could not] afford insurance.”
Kendrick Lamar - Record of the Year and Song of the Year
Photo Credit: JC Olivera/WireImage
WINNER: Record of the Year and Song of the Year
Kendrick Lamar wins Record of the Year for chart-topper “Not Like Us” which was heard by every single person in the world last year, earning him a spot as a performer alongside SZA at the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show.
His speech was dedicated to his hometown, “We gonna dedicate this one to this city: Compton, Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the Valley, San Bernardino, all that. This is my neck of the woods that held me down since a young pup, since I was in the studio scrapping to write the best raps and all that to write ones like these. I can’t give enough thanks to these places that I rolled around since high school. Most importantly, the people and the families out in the Palisades and Altadena. This is a true testament that we can change and restore this city. Keep rocking.” he said in his acceptance speech.
Not too long after, Lamar also took home the Grammy for Song of the Year for “Not Like Us.”
Beyoncé’s 11 Grammy Nominations & Album of the Year Win
Photo Credit: Associated Press
WINNER: Best Country Album, Best Country Duo/Group Performance, Album of the Year
At the pre show event, most of the Grammys’ 94 categories were handed out at a ceremony before the event even began.
Beyoncé took home her first award of the night – Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted,” featuring Miley Cyrus. However, Cowboy Carter failed to win in larger categories such as best pop solo performance and best country song. .
She also made history by winning Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter, becoming the first Black woman in over 50 years to receive a Grammy in this category.
The award was presented by Taylor Swift where Beyoncé expressed her gratitude stating, “I am in shock. Thank you to my collaborators, my fans, and my family.”
In a turn of events, Beyoncé also took home the coveted award for Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter, which was presented by members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
As the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, album of the year marks the first-win in this category for Beyoncé which she previously lost four times prior for albums including Lemonade and Renaissance.
In her acceptance speech she thanked the Grammys, songwriters, and collaborators, and dedicated the award to Linda Martell.
Photo Credit: The Recording Academy
The 2025 Grammy Awards proved to be an unforgettable night of groundbreaking achievements, surprise guests, emotional tributes and a first-time for everything.
From Beyoncé making history in the country music genre to Doechii’s inspiring win for Best Rap Album, the ceremony highlighted both innovation and tradition in the industry.
Powerful performances, including a heartfelt tribute to Quincy Jones and a moving homage to those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, added both depth and meaning to the night.
As the music world continues to evolve, the Grammys once again demonstrated their ability to honor the past while celebrating the future.
With new stars rising and legends cementing their legacies, the 2025 Grammys set the tone for yet another exciting year in music.
