International/ Culture: Beyoncé finally claims long-overdue Album of the Year Grammy

The 2025 Grammy Awards delivered a historic moment as Beyoncé finally secured the Album of the Year award for Cowboy Carter, breaking a long-standing pattern of near-misses. The win is particularly ironic, considering the album itself contains lyrics addressing her past Grammy snubs: « AOTY, I ain’t win. Take that s— on the chin. »

This long-overdue recognition follows years of controversy surrounding the Recording Academy’s reluctance to grant her the top prize.

In 2017, Adele openly admitted that Lemonade deserved the award over her own album, 25, and in 2023, Renaissance lost to Harry’s House, raising further questions about the fairness of Grammy voting.

Some argue that Beyoncé’s shift to country—a genre more palatable to conservative Grammy voters—helped seal the win.

But Cowboy Carter is more than a strategic genre pivot; it’s a bold, genre-blurring statement on race, culture, and musical gatekeeping.

Beyond Beyoncé’s triumph, the night also featured unforgettable performances, including Sabrina Carpenter’s comedic stage act, which saw her fumble props and disappear through a trap door—only to emerge in full control of a dazzling big-band performance.

With Cowboy Carter marking the second installment of a trilogy, this likely isn’t Beyoncé’s last Grammy moment. After years of waiting, she has finally claimed the award she has long deserved.