The 2023 GRAMMYs weren't just historic, they were iconic — and the numbers show it.

The telecast itself saw a 30% increase in viewership, with more than 12.4 million viewers tuning into the Feb. 5 ceremony, the best ratings since 2020 per Nielsen data. In turn, several of the night's winners and performers saw major spikes in sales and streams.

Album Of The Year winner Harry Styles returned to the top 10 of the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart, as Harry's House — which also took home the GRAMMY for Best Pop Vocal Album — earned 38,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., a 51% gain. His previous two albums, 2019's Fine Line and his 2017 self-titled debut also made gains, the former up 15% and the latter up 11%.

Kendrick Lamar and Adele also enjoyed increases in sales and streams on several albums. Lamar — who won three GRAMMYs this year, including Best Rap Album for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers — had a 20% gain for his fifth LP, as well as a 26% gain for 2015's To Pimp a Butterfly, 11% for 2017's DAMN., and 6% for 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city. 

Adele's 30 had a 25% increase in equivalent album units, while her 2015 album 25 went up 14% and 2011 release 21 went up 10%. (30's lead single, "Easy On Me," earned Adele her fifth GRAMMY for Best Pop Solo Performance — a record in the category.)

After Beyoncé made GRAMMY history at the 2023 ceremony with her 32nd win, her Best Dance/Electronic Music Album-winning RENAISSANCE made a huge jump. The album earned 37,000 equivalent album units, up 109%, helping Bey move from No. 24 to No. 11 on the Billboard 200.

Rising jazz star Samara Joy also had a monumental night, scoring the coveted GRAMMY for Best New Artist. As a result, her 2022 album, Linger Awhile, made its debut on the Billboard 200, with an equivalent album units gain of 319% and a 5,800% increase in Spotify streams in the U.S. The project also hit No. 1 on the Jazz Albums, Traditional Jazz Albums and Heatseekers Albums charts for the first time, as well as the top 10 of the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales charts.

Blues great Bonnie Raitt's win for Song Of The Year (for her 2022 track "Just Like That") served as one of the night's biggest surprises, but also served as a catalyst for some serious streams and sales success. The song spiked from about 10,000 daily on-demand streams in the U.S. on Feb. 3 to 697,000 the day after the GRAMMYs (Feb. 6) — a gain of around 6,700% — according to Luminate. The song's sales were even better, gaining more than 10,000% on Feb. 6; the rest of Raitt's discography also climbed 161%, from 333,000 on-demand U.S. streams on Feb. 3 to 869,000 on Feb. 6. 

Most of the 2023 GRAMMYs performers also celebrated sales and streams increases post-telecast. Show opener Bad Bunny saw gains on his GRAMMY-winning albumUn Verano Sin Ti (up 16%), as well as his 2020 albums YHLQMDLG (up 11%) and El Ultimo Tour del Mundo (up 8%). One of the songs Bad Bunny performed, Un Verano Sin Ti single "Despues de la Playa," also saw a 100% increase in Spotify streams in the U.S. in the hour following the telecast.

Lizzo delivered a soaring medley of her Record Of The Year-winning smash "About Damn Time" and the title track from her AOTY-nominated LP Special, the latter of which saw a 260% increase in Spotify streams in the U.S. after the show. Special also moved 11,000 equivalent album units, up 52%.

Steve Lacy won his first GRAMMY in the Premiere Ceremony, Best Progressive R&B Album for his album Gemini Rights. He also took the GRAMMYs stage for a sultry rendition of his hit "Bad Habit," all helping Lacy see a 16% increase in equivalent album units for Gemini Rights.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras also celebrated a historic win at the 2023 GRAMMYs, taking home Best Pop Duo/Group performance for their viral hit "Unholy" — marking the first win in the category by a trans woman. That moment, combined with the pair's risqué performance, helped the song see an almost 80% increase in Spotify streams in the U.S.

The heartfelt In Memoriam segment catalyzed stream increases, the biggest coming from Quavo's "Without U," which he sang in tribute to his late Migos bandmate and nephew Takeoff; the song jumped 890% in U.S. streams following the show. Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird," which Mick Fleetwood, Bonnie Raitt, and Sheryl Crow sang in honor of late Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie, experienced an almost 100% increase in U.S. streams. 

In other U.S. Spotify stream gains for performers, Harry Styles' "As It Was," saw a more than 75% increase; Brandi Carlile's "Broken Horses" saw a more than 2,700% increase; DJ Khaled's star-studded "God Did" (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and John Legend) saw a more than 650% increase; Mary J. Blige's "Good Morning Gorgeous" saw a more than 390% increase.

Streaming numbers are from DKC News, a PR representative of Spotify.

12 Classic Moments From The 2023 GRAMMYs, From The Heartwarming To The Surreal

In the fall of 2000, the Latin GRAMMY Awards made their television debut live on CBS, making history as the first prime-time bilingual broadcast to air on network TV.

The ceremony arrived right on time: the "Latin Explosion" was just beginning, and everyone was taking notice. Marc Anthony had risen to No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 with his smash hit, "I Need To Know (Dímelo)," Ricky Martin’s 1999 performance at the GRAMMY Awards catapulted him to international success, and Carlos Santana was in the midst of a comeback with his No. 1 collaboration "Smooth," with Rob Thomas. Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, and rising crossover star Shakira were all adding fuel to the fire. 

It was this rising movement that had prompted the establishment of The Latin Recording Academy in 1997 and, by 2000, the idea of having their own ceremony seemed like a no-brainer. Hosted by a rotating cast of stars including Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Andy García, Jimmy Smits, and Antonio Banderas, the show was broadcast to nearly 9 million viewers. And while it may have been expensive to orchestrate, then-president of The Recording Academy, Micahel Greene, told Billboard that it was "the best investment the academy ever made." 

Since then, the show has become known as the Biggest Night In Latin Music, the ceremony regularly brings together artists and fans all over the world, drawing in 18.9 million viewers in 2024. This year, the Latin GRAMMY Awards will be held on Nov. 14, broadcast from Miami, Florida.

Read more: 2024 Latin GRAMMYs: See The Full Nominations List

Ahead of the 25th Annual ceremony, revisit 25 songs that have defined the Latin GRAMMYs. As you read, press play on the playlists below.

"Oye Cómo Va" — Ricky Martin (2000) 

Just a few months before the Latin GRAMMYs’ inaugural ceremony, the Latin music world suffered the loss of Tito Puente, the legendary Puerto Rican bandleader and composer. To honor his legacy, Ricky Martin kicked off the show with an electric rendition of Puentes’ iconic 1962 cha-cha-chá song, "Oye Cómo Va," (later covered by Santana to great success in 1971), as part of a medley performed alongside Celia Cruz and Gloria Estefan.  

It had only been a year since Martin had taken the world by storm with "Livin’ la Vida Loca" — the lead single of his English-language debut, and the track that helped the "Latin explosion" of the 2000s take off. With this performance, Martin proved that while he was chasing down crossover success, he would always celebrate his roots. 

"Fíjate Bien" — Juanes (2001) 

It might be hard to imagine a time before Juanes was an internationally-renowned Latin rockstar. But back in 2001, the Colombian singer was a relatively new solo act, having disbanded his rock band, Ekhymosis in 1998. His debut album, Fíjate Bien, didn’t make waves on the charts outside of Colombia, but it did catch the attention of The Latin Recording Academy. The singer entered the ceremony with seven Latin GRAMMY nominations, and left with three wins, including Best New Artist. 

His success that night prompted him to head straight back into the studio with more than 40 demos for producer Gustavo Santaolalla. These sessions would eventually become Un Día Normal — Juanes’ international breakthrough. To date, Juanes holds the record for second-most Latin GRAMMYs won, with 27 total. 

"La Negra Tiene Tumbao" — Celia Cruz  (2002) 

Sporting a gravity-defying white and blue wig and matching sapphire-sequined gown, Celia Cruz delivered her final performance at the award show in style. That night, the 76-year-old salsa superstar was up for five awards, taking home Best Salsa Album for her release, La Negra Tiene Tumbao. 

Its title track of the same name fused the music she was most known for with reggae and hip-hop, and marked her last major hit before her death the following year in 2003. With a dazzling laugh and a booming voice, Cruz accepted her award saying, "Damas y caballeros, excuse my English, but I love you," exiting the  stage with her signature catchphrase: "¡Azúcar!" 

"En el 2000" — Natalia Lafourcade (2003) 

Though she didn’t take home an award in 2003, Mexican singer/songwriter Natalia Lafourcade left her mark with her imaginative and funky breakout single, "En el 2000." The accompanying album, her self-titled debut, gained critical acclaim for its combination of alternative pop, bossa nova, and Latin rock sounds.

Up for three awards that year, including Best New Artist, Lafourcade went on to become the most-awarded woman in Latin GRAMMYs history, with 17 awards to date. 

Read more: Catching Up With Natalia Lafourcade: How Togetherness, Improvisation & The Element Of Surprise Led To Her Most Exquisite Album

"Casi" — Soraya (2004) 

After being diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in 2000, the Colombian American singer made her triumphant return to the music industry with her fourth album. The self-titled record featured two of her biggest hits, "Solo Por Ti" and "Casi." Each of the album’s 12 tracks were written, produced, and arranged by the singer, earning her the first-ever Latin GRAMMY for Best Singer-Songwriter Album, and her first and only Latin GRAMMY. 

After receiving her award, Soraya said, "I’m standing here as a fighter … hopefully paving the way for many other female singer-songwriters." 

"Gasolina" — Daddy Yankee (2005) 

It would be difficult to overstate the global impact of Daddy Yankee’s megahit, "Gasolina" — the first reggaeton song to be nominated for a Latin GRAMMY for Record Of The Year, and the first to be inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. 

While the song ultimately lost out to Alejandro Sanz’s "Tu No Tienes Alma," "Gasolina" became one of the most influential Latin music tracks of all time. The single helped introduce a global audience to reggaeton, kickstarting a larger movement within Latin music, and opening the door to a generation of young musicians who came after it. 

Read more: Songbook: Celebrating Daddy Yankee's Legendary Three-Decade Reggaeton Reign

"La Tortura" — Shakira featuring Alejandro Sanz (2006) 

By 2006, Shakira had already cemented herself as a mainstay in Latin music, so it was only a matter of time before she began to break records at the Latin GRAMMYs. At the 7th Annual awards, she became the first female artist to win in the three major categories: Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, and Song Of The Year.

Building on the success of her English-language debut, Laundry Service, the Colombian singer returned in 2005 with Fijación Oral Vol. 1, which became the highest-selling Latin pop album of the decade in the U.S. She teamed up with Alejandro Sanz to perform their song, "La Tortura," featuring some of her signature hypnotizing belly dancing moves. 

Read more: Every Year Is The Year Of Shakira: 10 Songs That Prove She's Always Been A Superstar

"Espacio Sideral" — Jesse & Joy (2007) 

Mexico City-born sibling duo Jesse & Joy made a splash in 2006 with their debut single, "Espacio Sideral." The guitar-driven pop rock song about being lovesick went gold in Mexico, and broke through the Top 40 of Billboard’s Top Latin Songs Chart. The song gained enough traction to earn the duo a coveted win for Best New Artist. 

"No Llores" — Gloria Estefan, José Feliciano, and Carlos Santana (2008) 

Following a rousing performance of her songs, "Mi Tierra" and "Oye Mi Canto," 2008 Person Of The Year Gloria Estefan amped up the energy even more by bringing out fellow Latin icons José Feliciano and Carlos Santana. 

It was a fitting collaboration. Estefan brought the sounds of Cuba and Miami to the rest of the world, following in the footsteps of artists like Feliciano (himself credited with being one of the first Latin American acts to find crossover success in the English-speaking market of the 1960s) and Santana — whose blend of American rock and blues with Latin American jazz made him an international success in the 1970s. 

Juan Gabriel — "El Noa Noa"  (2009) 

Juan Gabriel may have been the one being honored as The Latin Recording Academy’s Person Of TheYear in 2009, but it was "El Divo de Juárez" who gifted the audience with a marathon performance lasting for almost 40 minutes during the ceremony in Las Vegas. 

Celebrating a prolific career spanning three decades, Gabriel strutted around the stage, singing hit after hit alongside mariachis and folklórico dancers donning their colorful skirts. By his final song, "El Noa Noa," the awards ceremony had been transformed into an all-out party that had kept the audience on their feet, and pushed the show nearly 30 minutes past its original three-hour duration. 

"Por Qué No Le Calas / Ya Lo Sé" — Jenni Rivera (2010) 

In what would be Jenni Rivera's final Latin GRAMMYs performance before her tragic death in 2012, the Mexican American "Diva de la Banda" gave it her all with a mashup of "Por Qué No Le Calas" and "Ya Lo Sé," from her 2009 LP, La Gran Señora. After cementing herself as a powerful female voice in the male-dominated world of banda music, Rivera pivoted to mariachi for the album. 

It was a risk, especially considering how few women had managed to break through and reach commercial success in the genre, but it was one that paid off.  The album peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums Chart, and became the best-selling Regional Mexican Album of 2010. 

Read more: Jenni Rivera Essentials: 10 Songs That Embody The Late Banda Music Icon's Rebellious Spirit

"Latinoamérica" — Calle 13  (2011) 

Puerto Rico’s preeminent hip-hop duo Calle 13 walked into the 12th Annual Latin GRAMMYs already having made history with a whopping 10 nominations for their fourth studio album, Entren Los Que Quieran, and its fifth single, "Latinoamérica." Known for their provocative and thoughtful lyrics that often tackle social justice and politics, the track tells the story of Latin America, weaving together stories of corruption, resistance, and pride. 

Supported by the Los Angeles Symphony, Residente and Visitante delivered a stirring version of the song, with Residente dedicating the performance to all of the Latin Americans who were in the room, or watching at home. "Transport yourself to your neighborhoods, to your streets, to your roots, the smell of your countries, and feel it right here in your chest." 

"Déjenme Llorar" — Carla Morrison (2012)

Without the backing of a major label, Mexican singer/songwriter Carla Morrison still managed to nab two wins for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Alternative Song for her debut LP, Déjenme  Llorar and single of the same name. But it was her nomination in two of the major award categories — Album Of The Year and Song Of The Year — that turned heads.

With a plaintive voice that complements Morrison’s simple but emotive lyrics, the song helped propel the album to reach platinum status in Mexico, and signaled a rising shift in the power and influence of indie artists within the Latin music ecosystem. 

"Volví a Nacer" — Carlos Vives (2013)

A decade earlier, the Colombian singer had been on top of the world. His 2001 album, Déjame Entrar, secured him his first GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album, reached the peak of Billboard’s Latin Albums chart, and went double platinum in the U.S., propelling him to a steady string of sold-out shows. But after he was unable to reach a new deal with his label in 2004, the singer went on an extended hiatus. 

Ten years later, thanks to a new record deal with Sony Music Latin, Vives staged an impressive comeback with Corazón Profundo in 2013. The album’s lead single, "Volvi a Nacer," (Born Again) shot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart. When he made his return to the Latin GRAMMYs, he left with three awards, including Song Of The Year and Best Tropical Song. 

"Bailando" —Enrique Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona (2014)

A truly global hit, Spanish crossover success Enrique Iglesias released no less than four versions of "Bailando" in three different languages, charting in more than 50 countries, going triple platinum, and beating out Shakira’s record for the longest-running single to top the Hot Latin Songs Chart by staying at No. 1 for 41 weeks.  

Unable to accept the award in person while he was touring in Paris, the singer released a pre-taped performance of the song to close the show, during which he won three awards, including Song Of The Year. 

Read more: Enrique Iglesias Forever: 10 Songs That Prove He's A Latin Pop Hero

"Somos Más Americanos" — Maná and Los Tigres Del Norte (2015)

Two of Mexico’s most celebrated acts joined forces during the 16th Annual Latin GRAMMYs to remind the Latino community of the importance of using their voices ahead of the upcoming 2016 election. 

Performing Los Tigres Del Norte’s "Somos Más Americanos," an immigrant anthem that includes lyrics like "Ya me gritaron mil veces que me regrese a mi tierra …Yo no crucé la frontera, la frontera me cruzó." ("They’ve shouted at me a thousand times to go back to my country … I didn’t cross the border, the border crossed me." Met with rousing applause, the groups rounded out their performance by raising up a sign that read, "Latinos unidos no voten por los racistas" (Latinos united don’t vote for racists).  

"Olvídame y Pega la Vuelta" — Marc Anthony and Jennifer López (2016) 

Two years after the couple divorced, Marc Anthony and Jennifer López surprised their fans by announcing their reunion — their musical reunion. In 2016, the two came together to record a cover of the 1982 song, "Olvídame y Pega la Vuelta" by Argentinian sibling duo Pimpinela. 

The duo performed their fourth duet together live for the first time at the 17th Annual Latin GRAMMYs, and their palpable chemistry as performers made it difficult to remember their split. Fiery, dramatic, and full of passion, the former lovers drove the crowd into a frenzy with their theatrical rendition of the song, which earned the praise of Pimpinela. 

"Despacito" — Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee (2017) 

Just a little over a decade after Daddy Yankee ushered in a new era of Latin music with "Gasolina," Luis Fonsi and "Despacito" put him back on top of the world again. The hit that wouldn’t quit, "Despacito" tied with Mariah Carey for the longest-running No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, became the first Latin song to achieve diamond status, and for three years remained the most-viewed YouTube video of all time. 

Thanks to a remix version with Justin Bieber (giving the artist his first Latin GRAMMY), the song led to a new wave of investment in Spanish-language music and sparked a massive rise in collaborations with Latin artists. Its success brought reggaeton and Latin pop to the forefront of the U.S., raising the profile of other Latin acts like Maluma, Ozuna, and Bad Bunny. 

Read more: Watch Luis Fonsi accept the Latin GRAMMY for Record Of The Year

"Malamente" — Rosalía (2018) 

A concept album centered around a tragic 13th Century Occitan romance novel might not sound like the classic makings of a hit record, but with the avant-garde creativity and skillful flamenco-trained vocals of Spanish popstar Rosalía, El mal querer was destined for greatness. 

The album’s lead single, "Malamente," blended flamenco, hip-hop, and música urbana, going viral on social media and catching the world’s attention. Unpredictable and innovative, Rosalía emerged as a new, exciting voice in Latin music, earning five nominations at her first appearance at the Latin GRAMMYs. 

Watch: Run The World: How Rosalía Became An International Superstar And Production Powerhouse

"Volver, Volver" — Vicente, Alejandro, and Alex Fernández (2019)

A masterclass performance delivered by three generations of talent, the Fernández family took over the Latin GRAMMYs in 2019 with a medley of ranchera and mariachi music. Joined by his son Alejandro Fernández, and his grandson, Alex Fernández, Vicente Fernández demonstrated exactly why he earned the title "El Ídolo de México" (The Idol of Mexico). 

Capping off their set with Vicente’s "Volver Volver," the song that made him a household name across Latin America, the trio’s voices blended beautifully. The audience roared with applause, chanting "otra, otra" as Vicente accepted the President’s Award. 

Read more: Vicente, Alejandro And Alex Fernández Steal the Latin GRAMMYs With Three-Generational Performance

"Yo Perreo Sola" — Bad Bunny (2020)

Amid the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the nominees and performers at the 2020 Latin GRAMMYs had to get creative with their sets. With each of them performing remotely from different locations across the world, Bad Bunny — nominated for the second-most awards that night, behind Rosalía — took viewers on a joy ride through the streets of San Juan. 

While most of the world was shut down, the Puerto Rican rapper reminded everyone why he deserved his newfound title as the "King of Latin Trap," breaking through language barriers to release the highest-charting Spanish album on the Billboard 200 with YHLMDLG and becoming Spotify’s most-streamed artist in 2020. "Yo Perreo Sola" became one of the defining songs of the summer, an inescapable reggaeton bop that won a Latin GRAMMY Award for Best Reggaeton Performance. 

Read more: How Bad Bunny Took Over The World: From Urbano Upstart To History-Making GRAMMY Nominee

"Patria Y Vida" — Descemer Bueno, Yotuel, Maykel Osorbo, Beatriz Luengo, El Funky, and Gente de Zona (2021)

In a category dominated by major hitmakers like Tainy, Ricky Martin, Carlos Vives, Maluma, and Rauw Alejandro, 2021’s Song Of The Year award went to a track that spoke to something much bigger than chart success. Throughout protests in Cuba in the summer of 2021, "Patria y Vida" gave voice to the people’s frustrations with their government, becoming a rallying cry for their cause. 

Subverting Fidel Castro’s slogan, "Patria o muerte" ("Country or death"), the song speaks to food shortages, authoritarianism, and human rights abuses. Banned in Cuba, the song led to the arrest of Osorbo, who Romero shouted out during his acceptance speech, dedicating the award to a free Cuba, and to all Latina mothers who fight for the dreams of their children. 

"Un Nuevo Amanecer" — Angela Álvarez (2022) 

There was more than one reason why the Best New Artist race made history at the Latin GRAMMYs in 2022. Not only was it declared a tie between Mexican musician Silvana Estrada and Cuban American songwriter Angela Álvarez, but, at 95 years old, Álvarez marked the oldest nominee to be considered in the category. 

After years of writing and performing music for her friends and family, Álvarez didn’t begin playing in public until she was 90 years old at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood. Encouraged by her grandson to finally record her songs, Álvarez released her debut album of Cuban standards and original songs in 2021. In her emotional acceptance speech, dedicating her award to those who haven’t yet realized their dreams, saying, "While life is difficult, there’s always a way, and with faith and love, you can achieve it, I promise you. It’s never too late."

"Un x100to" — Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny (2023) 

While Shakira and Bizarrap’s viral music session may have taken the world by storm in 2023, the 24th Annual Latin GRAMMYs belonged to Edgar Barrera. Working behind-the-scenes as a songwriter and producer, the Mexican American talent has been the architect behind countless hits, working with some of the biggest names in Latin music, including Peso Pluma, Karol G, Bad Bunny, Christian Nodal, Shakira, Marc Anthony, Fuerza Regina, and more. 

In 2023, he helped build on the budding Regional Mexican boom by orchestrating the chart-topping collaboration between Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny, "Un x100to," which marked the group’s first top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Leading the night with an impressive 13 nominations, Barrera picked up the award for Best Regional Mexican Song, Producer Of The Year, and snagged the first Songwriter Of The Year award.  

Read more: Edgar Barrera, The Songwriter Behind 2023's Top Latin Hits, Shares How He Remains Grounded Amidst Success

"Mi Ex Tenía Razón" — Karol G (2024)

Six years after winning Best New Artist at the Latin GRAMMYs in 2018, there’s no denying that Karol G is the head "Bichota" in charge. She’s taken the reins as one of the leading voices in a rising tide of young female artists dominating reggaeton and Latin pop. Her 2024 mixtape, Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season), built on the success of her Latin GRAMMY Award-winning album, Mañana Será Bonito — the first all-Spanish language album by a female artist to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 — which earned her a historic win as the first woman to win Best Música Urbana Album at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. 

The mixtape’s second single, "Mi Ex Tenía Razón," is an homage to one of the Colombian singer’s biggest musical inspirations: the "Queen of Tejano," Selena Quintanilla. Delivering her own version of Selena’s trademark Tejano-cumbia fusion, Karol G sings about an ex who told her she would never find someone like him, only to end up with someone much better. The song is up for two Latin GRAMMY Awards, including Song Of The Year.

Believe it or not, it's already that time of year again: the 2025 GRAMMY nominations have been revealed.

After a year that saw a pop renaissance and continued dominance by women across genres, the 2025 GRAMMY nominees followed suit. Beyoncé is this year's most-nominated artist, adding 11 more to her GRAMMY resumé (more on that later). Pop's newest reigning queens, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, solidified their thrones; they each celebrate six nominations, and are the only two artists nominated for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist. 

In fact, six of the eight leading nominees are women. Female artists dominate both the Record Of The Year and Album Of The Year Categories, as well as over a dozen other Categories Best Pop Vocal Album, Best R&B Performance and Best Latin Pop Album.

But that's just one exciting aspect of this year's nominations. As you dive into the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominee list, take a look at some of the most notable feats and firsts from the 2025 GRAMMY nominations — and be sure to tune into Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025!

Beyoncé Adds To Her GRAMMY Legacy

With 11 nominations, Beyoncé isn't just the most-nominated artist at the 2025 GRAMMYs — she's now the most-nominated artist in GRAMMY history. The 11 new nods bring her total to a whopping 99 nominations!

Queen Bey is already the artist with the most GRAMMY wins of all time with 32, a record she achieved upon her album RENAISSANCE winning Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the 2023 GRAMMYs. 

Artists Are Nominated In Fields/Categories For The First Time

Along with a new GRAMMY record, Beyoncé also adds a new GRAMMY Field to her repertoire. She received her first nominations in the Country & American Roots Music Field, and five at that: Best Country Solo Performance ("16 CARRIAGES"), Best Country Duo/Group Performance ("II MOST WANTED" Featuring Miley Cyrus), Best Country Song ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM"), Best Country Album (COWBOY CARTER), and Best Americana Performance ("YA YA").

Post Malone also tallied the first Country & American Roots Music Field nominations of his career, earning nods for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song for his Morgan Wallen duet, "I Had Some Help," and Best Country Album for F-1 Trillion.

One of Malone's many F-1 Trillion collaborators, Luke Combs, notched his first nomination in the Best Song Written For Visual Media Category for his chart-topping Twisters anthem "Ain't No Love In Oklahoma."

Meanwhile, R&B titans Alicia Keys and John Legend both celebrate nominations in new Categories as well. Keys is nominated in the Best Musical Theater Album Category for the first time (Hell's Kitchen), and Legend received his first nods for Best Children's Music Album (My Favorite Dream) and Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella ("Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Jacob Collier featuring Legend & Tori Kelly).

Charli xcx Continues Her Brat Summer

Pop's longtime cool girl Charli xcx also adds several new Categories to her GRAMMY nomination tally, but her reason to celebrate is a little bigger than that: they're her first nominations as a solo artist.

Charli xcx's previous two GRAMMY nominations came in 2015, and they were for her Iggy Azalea collaboration, "Fancy." Perhaps to fans' surprise, her own work had never received a nod — but brat changed that immensely.

One of the most-nominated artists with seven, Charli xcx earned her first nominations in the Album Of The Year (brat), Best Pop Solo Performance ("Apple"), Best Pop Dance Recording ("Von Dutch"), Best Dance/Electronic Album (brat), and Best Music Video ("360") Categories. She's also nominated in the same two Categories in which "Fancy" were 10 years ago: Record Of The Year ("360") and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Guess" Featuring Billie Eilish).

Album Of The Year Marks Notable Firsts

Three of Charli xcx's fellow Album Of The Year nominees reach milestones with their respective nominations. Taylor Swift received her seventh Album Of The Year nomination thanks to THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT, becoming the first woman artist to receive seven nominations in the Category. 

Billie Eilish notches her third Album Of The Year nomination in a row with HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, making her the first artist to have their first three albums nominated in the Category.

Jack Antonoff also achieved a back-to-back AOTY feat, as it's the second year in a row that he has been nominated for his work with two separate artists in the Category. His latest Album Of The Year nods are for Swift's THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT and Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet. (Fittingly, Swift was one of the two artists last year too, as Antonoff was nominated for AOTY for his work on Midnights as well as Lana Del Rey's Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.)

Veteran Acts Earn Nods For The First Time In A Long Time

Several artists and creators celebrate their first GRAMMY nominations this year, including big-name stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Carin Léon, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, and Morgan Wallen. What's more, 32 of those first-time nominees have two or more nominations.

But while the Recording Academy is always excited to honor new nominees — check back to GRAMMY.com in January for the annual Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee series — one of the most interesting stories of the 2025 GRAMMYs centers on those who received nominations for the first time in over a decade.

Perhaps the most unexpected names to see on the list are the Beatles. The Fab Four are nominated for the first time in 28 years thanks to "Now And Then," what Paul McCartney has dubbed "the final Beatles record." The song earned nods for Record Of The Year and Best Rock Performance, which brings their career nominations count to 25; prior to the 2025 GRAMMYs, the Beatles have won seven GRAMMYs.

The longest time between nominations this year goes to the Black Crowes, who received their first nod in 34 years for Happiness Bastards, their first album in 14 years. They earned their first Best Rock Album nomination, as they'd only ever been nominated once previously, for Best New Artist in 1991.

Interestingly, the Rock, Metal & Alternative Music Field spawned a few long-awaited nominations for veteran acts. Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth fame scored the first nominations of her career with her second solo album, The Collective, which is up for Best Alternative Music Album, and its lead single, "BYE BYE" is up for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Pearl Jam celebrated their first nominations since 2011 with their 12th studio album, Dark Matter, which received a nod for Best Rock Album as well as Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for its title track.

They're in company with their fellow '90s punk rock gods Green Day, who earned nods in all three Categories thanks to their latest album, Saviors. Marking Green Day's first nominations since 2014, Saviors is up for Best Rock Album, while singles "The American Dream Is Killing Me" and "Dilemma" are up for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, respectively.

Elsewhere, Usher earned his first nomination for his own work in 10 years with a Best R&B Album nod for Coming Home, and Eminem earned his first nod for Best Rap Album (a Category he's won six times) in 10 years with The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).

Collaborations helped Erykah Badu, Michael McDonald and Monica snag their first nominations in more than a decade, too. Badu's team-up with Rapsody, "3:AM," earned a nod for Best Melodic Rap Performance, the singer's first nomination in the Category and first overall since 2009. McDonald tallied his first nomination since 2004 thanks to his Lalah Hathaway duet, "No Lie," which is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Monica received her first nomination since 2011, which also marked a full-circle moment. Her collab with Ariana Grande and Brandy, "The Boy Is Mine," earned a nod for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — 26 years after her duet with Brandy of the same name won a GRAMMY for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

Will any legends go home with more golden gramophones? Will Beyoncé further her victory lap? Will there be several first-time winners? Tune into CBS on Feb. 5, 2025 to find out!

Sharing an album with the world is an artist’s way of immortalizing a fragment of their life. Though virality can propel music to the mainstream, releasing an album is a profound accomplishment that can have a deep and laying impact. Albums are more than an encapsulation of a musician’s lived and learned experiences: they’re a way to cherish them forever.

The Recording Academy is proud to present the 2025 GRAMMYs nominees for Album Of The Year, honoring both artistic and technical skill of the highest degree in music. The Category is notably dominated by women this season, while several entries see established artists tapping into new genres and sonic arenas. 

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. 

André 3000 — 'New Blue Sun'

André 3000 might be best known for his role in Outkast, but recently, the Atlanta rapper has been busy carving out a new reputation as André the flutist.

In the years following Outkast’s split in 2007, André 3000 has been spotted wandering everywhere from LAX to Japan with his flute in tow. Now, the opening track of his first-ever solo album amusingly calls out his genre switch: "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time."

To record improvisations that eventually birthed New Blue Sun, the flutist worked with producer Carlos Niño, keyboardist Surya Botofasina, and guitarist Nate Mercereau to craft a surreal, textured soundscape. Throughout, André 3000 plays the contrabass flute, Maya flute, wood and bamboo flutes, and more wind instruments — harmoniously uniting to create the artist’s first release in over 17 years.

Composed of eight tracks with bizarre, lengthy titles, the lyricless New Blue Sun is labeled as new-age and experimental jazz. It’s fairly shocking that André 3000 is not a trained musician, given the project’s brilliance; led primarily by rhythm, and using his instincts developed from rapping, the expert flutist embeds New Blue Sun with an organic authenticity. The album feels limitlessly atmospheric, dipping into an ambience that teeters between peaceful and precarious.

With Big Boi in the ‘90s, André 3000 undoubtedly helped shape hip-hop, pushing the genre forward with creative integrations of funk, jazz, rock, and gospel. In 2024, he continues to break rules as he champions alternative jazz — all with his flute by his side.

When Beyoncé’s first country song came out in 2016, people questioned if the icon belonged on the country radio — despite the indisputable impact of Black artists on the genre. Eight years later, the genre-bending diva is still drowning out the noise by switching on her very own radio station: COWBOY CARTER’s KNTRY Radio Texas, that is.

The fantasy station is one of the many visionary elements of COWBOY CARTER, an album that honors the cultural contributions of Black artists to American country music. The eighth studio project is Act II of her album trilogy; while the first installment RENAISSANCE (2022) focused on futuristic escapism, COWBOY CARTER looks to the past. It pays vibrant tribute to the Black community’s roots in country music, offering a glorious reimagination of Americana.

Not just championing but also reinventing Southern subgenres, COWBOY CARTER is yet another example of Beyoncé’s revolutionary versatility. From horseshoe steps to boot stomps to Beyoncé’s fingernails as percussion, the album unites bluegrass, zydeco, folk, R&B, and more to craft a majestic testament to Beyoncé’s boundless artistry.

Boasting 27 tracks and five years in the making, the Texas-born legend’s album includes features from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, embracing country legends as well as making space for up-and-coming Black artists on the scene.

While Beyoncé has yet to take home GRAMMY Gold for Album Of The Year, she remains the artist with the most GRAMMY wins of all time. After all, this isn’t her first rodeo.

"Oh, I leave quite an impression," Sabrina Carpenter croons on Short n’ Sweet, with a nonchalance that’s virtually intoxicating. While the 25-year-old indeed stands at just five feet tall, it’s evident the actress-turned-songstress has enough talent to fill a stadium.

Glowing with lighthearted, honest-to-goodness genius, Short n’ Sweet is the cherry on top of Carpenter’s already extensive discography. Her sixth studio album spawned a trinity of 2024 hits: "Espresso," "Please Please Please" and "Taste." With this remarkable trio, Carpenter became the first artist since the Beatles to chart their first three top five US hits in the same week. Short n’ Sweet's success was boosted by her Coachella debut earlier in the year, and furthered during her first arena tour.

On her delightful summer hit "Espresso," Carpenter explicitly mentions that her "twisted humor" is what makes her lovable, which might remind older fans of her 2022 single "Nonsense." The pop track went viral for its raunchy, often silly outros that Carpenter lovingly tailored to each city she toured in — and on Short n’ Sweet, she taps into her risqué wit much more fully, rocketing her album to another level of memorable.

Undoubtedly, it’s Carpenter’s bright confidence that makes space for her playful pen game on Short n’ Sweet. With her signature plucky yet composed soprano, she balances her soulful ardor with her deadpan humor expertly, allowing her to explore the nuances of romance in new and clever ways — all while maintaining her infectious charisma that earned her her first GRAMMY nominations this year.

Charli xcx knows how to throw a party, and on June 7, 2024, she turned the world into her own nightclub. BRAT, her sixth studio album, gloriously splattered the globe a garish green, with hits like "360," "Apple," and "Von Dutch" soundtracking the summer.

Ten years after scoring her first GRAMMY nominations for "Fancy" with Iggy Azalea, the British queen of "brat summer" continues to crank out bangers about chandelier swinging and driving in the fast lane. Working with producers A.G. Cook, EASYFUN, Cirkut, her fiancé George Daniel, and other longtime collaborators, Charli conjured her own genre: a chic, club-ready pop blend of electroclash and hyperpop.

Though the self-proclaimed 365 party girl sings about dancing until dawn and sipping one too many aperol spritzes, BRAT is also Charli’s most vulnerable album, her long nails gingerly peeling back the sticky layers of fame and womanhood. BRAT makes blunt confessions about jealousy, questioning motherhood, grief, and intergenerational trauma. Brilliantly, she’s dauntless and exposed all at once — and still bumpin’ that at the club.

Her popular co-headlining SWEAT Tour with GRAMMY-nominated collaborator Troye Sivan vroom-vroomed BRAT to arenas across the U.S. Charli xcx might have had her shades on while performing, but make no mistake: she has nothing to hide.

When people think of contemporary jazz, rollercoaster might not be the first word that comes to mind — but Jacob Collier is nothing if not ambitious. As the climax of his four-album project dating back to 2018, Djesse Vol. 4 triumphs as an odyssey through genre.

What makes Collier such a prolific musician is his refusal to distill abundance. He sees the beauty in anything and everything, and Djesse Vol. 4 brings his perspective to life. The project not only centers but celebrates the human voice; in fact, about 150,000 voices feature on Djesse Vol. 4 — many from his own concert audiences that he transformed into improvised choirs. 

Collier has won multiple GRAMMY Awards for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals, and Djesse Vol. 4 continues to showcase his mastery of sound via genre diversity. The nominated album is modern and sprawling, from the serenity of his audience-choirs to howling of heavy metal. Djesse Vol. 4 is thought-provoking, engrossing, and oftentimes surprising; who else would have aespa and Chris Martin on the same track?

Collier is the first British artist to win a GRAMMY for each of his first four albums, and Djesse Vol. 4 already boasts a GRAMMY-nominated track on it (2022’s "Never Gonna Be Alone," featuring Lizzy McAlpine and John Mayer, which was later announced as the album’s first single). Collier was previously nominated for Album Of The Year for Djesse Vol. 3 and also received a nod at the 2023 GRAMMYs in the same Category for Coldplay’s nominated Music of the Spheres.

Djesse Vol. 4 has redefined Collier’s perspective on life, and in a way, Collier’s album is more than a reflection: it’s an open invitation.

Billie Eilish had a fear of water as a child, yet to capture the album cover for HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she spent six brutal hours on-and-off submerged underwater with a weight on her shoulders. "A lot of my artwork is painful physically in a lot of ways, and I love it," the 22-year-old told Rolling Stone. "Oh, my God, I live for it."

Eilish delves beneath the surface in more ways than one on HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. As rippling, immersive alt-pop, the album swims through similar topics covered in her first two studio albums, including coping with fame, body image, and post-breakup grief. Yet Eilish is no longer the proudly self-proclaimed "bad guy"; instead she doesn’t tether herself to a persona.

In this way, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT holds dear a newfound, striking level of maturity. Eilish is incontestably true to herself, and lyrically, the album feels especially unbridled and attentive. With its title a paradoxical demand, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT powerfully represents the impossible struggle between intensity and tenderness — both in love and in life.

Though the album cascades as an emotional torrent, it’s as cohesive as it is potent. It’s (unsurprisingly) produced by her brother and day-one collaborator, FINNEAS, whose minimalistic but nevertheless hard-hitting soundscape gives bedroom pop a makeover. Eilish’s third Album Of The Year nomination shows that, once again, she isn’t treading water; she’s plunging straight into the deep end.

In the prismatic world of pop, Chappell Roan knows how to rotate through every color in the rainbow. A kaleidoscope of wistful yet intense romance, Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess churns with the unabashed authenticity that only true superstars can craft — and on a debut album, nonetheless.

Although Roan’s career began 10 years ago on YouTube, the Missouri-born singer skyrocketed to fame in the last year following spectacular festival performances and an opening slot on Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour. Her 2020 single "Pink Pony Club" pushed the singer toward a massive 2024 breakthrough, the song an open proclamation of queer joy (amid understanding her evolving relationship with religion).

Inspired by drag queens, Roan’s aesthetic is breathtakingly campy and sparkly — much like her striking debut album. Championing female and queer freedom, The Rise And Fall gushes with yearning in a way that’s both carefree and confessional. From the hungry, heart-shattering "Casual" to the kinky pleasure of "Red Wine Supernova," each track showcases Roan’s sharp dynamism.

The Rise And Fall bursts with radiant '80s-inspired and 2000s synthpop from GRAMMY-winning producer Dan Nigro, all of which only highlights her dynamism. Beyond her vocal flips and cutting lyricism meant for laughing and/or crying, what’s special about Roan’s album is its defiance. Chappell Roan is the definition of unapologetic, and The Rise And Fall is all the evidence anyone needs.

Before it was even released, The Tortured Poets Department had already made GRAMMY history: during her acceptance speech for the 2024 GRAMMY Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, Taylor Swift surprised audiences by announcing the album’s upcoming release. And just one year later, Swift is making history yet again with her seventh Album Of The Year nomination.

Serving as a creative "lifeline" for Swift during the Eras Tour, working on The Tortured Poets Department reminded the star of how integral songwriting is to her wellbeing. Consequently, the 16-track album (plus an additional 15 tracks in an expanded version of the labrum) unveiled some of her most diaristic songwriting yet. Swift's meandering lyrics stand out as particularly candid, dramatic, and whimsical — though it’s far from the first time the prolific songwriter has used or referenced poetry in her work.

For a return to her folksy synthpop sound, Swift turned to her close friends Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, who most recently helped produce her GRAMMY-winning album Midnights among other projects. Showcasing Swift’s collaborative brilliance, The Tortured Poets Department also features Post Malone on the hauntingly atmospheric opener "Fortnight" and a stirring "Florida!!!" verse from Florence + the Machine.

As the Eras Tour comes to a close (unless, of course, she has another surprise up her sleeve) on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, The Tortured Poets Department’s nomination is one of the many recent reminders of Swift’s staggering legacy. Swift is the first and only person to have won Album Of The Year four times, and The Tortured Poets Department could score her a legendary fifth win — further solidifying her as a breaker of records and rules.

The Record Of The Year Category honors some of the year's biggest recordings — and at the 2025 GRAMMYs, the nominees are hits by a mix of newcomers and superstars.

Throughout the past year, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and Chappell Roan proved why they're at the top of pop's current class. The Beatles and Kendrick Lamar both cemented their respective legacies, while Beyoncé and Taylor Swift continue to challenge their own musical boundaries.

With a range of unforgettable music moments, there's no telling who will take home the golden gramophone for Record Of The Year — which is awarded to the artist and the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s) — at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. But one thing is for sure: the eight nominees make for quite an exciting contest.

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

It can take years for an artist to work on their masterpiece. In the Beatles' case, the journey of "Now And Then" took 45 years. John Lennon originally wrote the demo in the late '70s. It's a mournful, piano-backed confession: "I know it's true/ It's all because of you/ And if I make it through/ It's all because of you."

The song remained unfinished long after Lennon's tragic 1980 passing, but — in a powerful act of love — his bandmates completed it for him. Paul McCartney enlisted Giles Martin (the son of Beatles' former producer and longtime collaborator George Martin) as the song's co-producer, using Lennon's original 1977 demo, George Harrison's guitar melodies from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and Ringo Starr's drumming and backing vocals from 2022. "Now And Then," which marked the Beatles' 35th top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, is a tearful close to the band's legacy. 

"Obviously, it hasn't been, but it sounds like John's written it for Paul now, in a very emotional way," Martin told Rolling Stone. "It's a bittersweet song, which is very John. But with a combination of happiness and regret." 

McCartney never gave up on the song, which is a testament that true friendship never dies.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD 'EM"

After shimmying underneath a disco ball for 2022's GRAMMY-winning RENAISSANCE, Beyoncé wanted to keep the dance party going on 2024's COWBOY CARTER — except this time around, she traded Studio 54 for a honky-tonk. But "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," the album's joint lead single alongside "16 CARRIAGES," is much more than an instructional hoedown.

The 32-time GRAMMY winning icon has long incorporated African American history in her music, and "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is no different. The single, like many tunes on COWBOY CARTER, is rooted in liberation. Country music is the backbone of America, but its roots in Black culture are often hidden. With "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," Beyoncé lifts the veil off the genre's true history by celebrating both her Houston heritage and the Black country artists that paved the way for her.

The song's message is clear, but it's balanced by playful melodies, Beyoncé's signature stacked harmonies and a plucking banjo (played by Rhiannon Giddens, an advocate for the reclamation of country music instruments by Black musicians). While Beyoncé is no stranger to chart-topping hits ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is her ninth solo No. 1 single on the Hot 100), she made history as the first Black woman to score a No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Sabrina Carpenter does whimsy so well. Chalk it up to her Disney Channel roots, but the singer's innate ability to craft an earworm is why she's skyrocketed as one of the biggest pop stars of the new generation. "Espresso," the lead single from 2024's Short n' Sweet album and unofficial song of the summer, encapsulates Carpenter's irresistible charm.

"The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that b—," she told Vogue in April. 

That confidence is found all throughout "Espresso," from her cooing vocals to her cheeky songwriting ("I can't relate to desperation/ My give-a-f—s are on vacation"). Topped off by an irresistibly catchy, undulating chorus, "Espresso" helped Carpenter reach several career milestones that kickstarted a year full of them — including her first GRAMMY nominations.

Charli xcx has long been one of the coolest girls in pop, and her sixth album brat cemented that fact. On "360," the album's second single, the British star not only acknowledges her own cool factor, but of those around her. Produced by longtime collaborator A. G. Cook, the song trades in the producer's signature exaggerated hyperpop sonics for more minimalistic synths that complement Charli's auto-tuned vocals.

"I went my own way and I made it/ I'm your favorite reference, baby," Charli xcx exclaims on the cocky opening line before comparing herself to friends like model/musician Gabbriette and actress Julia Fox. "360" is a cheeky reflection of the ever-growing digital era, giving fellow internet "It" girls an anthem for the ages.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

The beauty of Billie Eilish's artistry is in her vulnerability. For the nine-time GRAMMY winner's third album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she pushed herself into her deeper territories with the assistance of her brother and go-to collaborator FINNEAS.

Second single "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" best exemplifies the album title's meaning in both its tenderness and desperation. It was initially intended to be a traditional love song, but given the siblings' unorthodox track record, they couldn't resist making it slightly untraditional: "I want you to stay/ 'Til I'm in the grave/ 'Til I rot away, dead and buried/ 'Til I'm in the casket you carry," Eilish sings on the opening verse in her signature whisper. 

Even with the juxtaposing lyrics, the song's airy production and wistfully gauzy synths still make for a beautiful, adoring statement piece. And the heartfelt sentiment paired with Eilish's breathy vocals quickly made "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" the biggest hit from HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, already garnering nearly 1.5 billion Spotify streams as of press time.

Branding Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" as merely a diss track would be doing it a disservice. The 17-time GRAMMY winner's tune is not just a rap song, but a cultural phenomenon. A seething finale to his (very public) feud with Drake, "Not Like Us" is a triumphant win for both Lamar and rap music as a whole.

Atop a buzzing sample of Monk Higgins' 1968 "I Believe to My Soul" cover, Lamar delivers slick wordplay and calls out Drake's presumed cultural appropriation of Southern rap: "You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/ No, you not a colleague, you a f—in' colonizer."

Following its release, the song took on a life on its own: tennis icon Serena Williams (Drake's alleged former lover) crip walked to the track at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Megan Thee Stallion and Janet Jackson incorporated it into their concerts, and many national sports leagues used it in their game broadcasts.

Drama aside, "Not Like Us" — which also scored a Song Of The Year nomination — is a celebration of West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, a proud Compton native, enlisted Los Angeles-born DJ Mustard to produce the track. The chopped-up sample is inspired by Oakland's "hyphy" rap subgenre, while Lamar exaggerates his already-animated cadence, paying homage to late Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler. While "Not Like Us" is a targeted diss, it's also a reminder of California's historical impact on rap — and Lamar's place within that legacy.

Chappell Roan grabbed the world's attention with her bombastic interpretation of baroque pop and her knack for highlighting queer romance. "Good Luck, Babe!," April's breakout hit following her 2023 debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, ushered in a new chapter.

The song discusses compulsory heterosexuality, as Roan sings about a woman she's dating who tries to deny her feelings for Roan: "You can kiss a hundred boys in bars/ Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling." 

"I knew exactly what I wanted. I wrote it in three minutes," Chappell Roan told Rolling Stone of the song's creation, which she co-wrote alongside Daniel Nigro and Justin Tranter. "I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn't add anything when I wrote it all done. It was a perfect storm."

The anger definitely explodes on "Good Luck, Babe!," with Roan channeling '80s divas like Kate Bush and George Michael. The singer's goal was to make a "big anthemic pop song," and "Good Luck, Babe!" soared beyond all expectations.

Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone — "Fortnight"

Despite nailing a formula that has made her one of the biggest pop stars of all time, Taylor Swift is still willing to take risks.

"Fortnight," from the 14-time GRAMMY winner's The Tortured Poets Department, serves as both the LP's first single and opening track. The chart-topping smash introduces the album's moodier tones, telling the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage who is now the neighbor to her ex-lover and his new wife. 

Atop '80s-inspired electropop synths courtesy of longtime collaborator and co-producer Jack Antonoff, the lyrics are unexpectedly dismal for Swift: "I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary/ And I love you, it's ruining my life." Featured artist Post Malone then sweeps in with his melancholic harmonies, giving more emotional weight to Swift's brilliant storytelling.