Broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, the 2025 Grammys (honoring recordings released between September 16, 2023, and August 30, 2024) delivered a stunning narrative: the coronation of new pop royalty, the long-overdue recognition of legacy hip-hop, and a technical masterclass in live television production following the poignant move from its traditional New York home. For the fourth consecutive year, comedian and former The Daily Show host Trevor Noah returned to the podium. However, 2025 marked his final turn as emcee. Noah delivered a career-defining monologue that balanced the geopolitical weight of a fraught election year with the levity of pop culture. He opened with a joke about the "Taylor Swift economy," noting that her mere attendance had allegedly raised Los Angeles’ GDP by 0.5% for the weekend. But he quickly pivoted to the serious: addressing the Recording Academy’s new diversity, equity, and inclusion protocols and the ongoing conversation about AI-generated music.
“We aren’t giving a Grammy to a robot,” Noah said flatly. “Not because the robot doesn’t deserve it, but because the robot can’t enjoy the afterparty.” Record of the Year: The Indie Sleeper Hit The night’s first major upset came in the Record of the Year category. While oddsmakers favored Olivia Rodrigo’s orchestral rock epic “Vampire” or Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers” (holdover hits from the previous eligibility period), the award went to Lana Del Rey for “A&W” (American Whore) . The 67th Annual Grammy Awards -2025-2025
It was a stunning victory for the alt-pop poet, who had been nominated seventeen times prior without a win in this category. The track, a seven-minute odyssey that shifts from doo-wop balladry to glitch-hop breakdown, was hailed by the Academy for its structural audacity. Del Rey, visibly shaking, thanked her producer Jack Antonoff and “every woman who has ever been told she is too much.” Album of the Year went to SZA’s Lana (her sophomore major-label outing, following the SOS deluxe era). In a year dominated by country-pop crossover (Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well ), rock revival (The Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds ), and dance (Beyoncé’s Renaissance: Act II ), Lana won for its raw vulnerability and genre-fluid production. SZA used her acceptance speech to advocate for mental health in the industry, revealing she had nearly canceled her tour due to anxiety. “This is for the scared kids in the back of the classroom,” she said, clutching her gramophone. Song of the Year: The Songwriter’s Prize The Song of the Year trophy (awarded to songwriters) went to Billie Eilish for “What Was I Made For?” , though the song was technically released in 2023, its cultural tailwind stretched deep into 2024 thanks to its use in Barbie ’s home video release and a viral orchestral rendition at the Paris Olympics. Eilish and her brother Finneas accepted gracefully, noting that this was their third win in the category, tying a record set by Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie. Best New Artist: The Breakout The most competitive category of the night, Best New Artist , resulted in a victory for the British R&B sensation RAYE . After a decade of writing hits for others, RAYE’s independent debut, My 21st Century Blues , made her a critical darling. She beat out stiff competition from country prodigy Zach Bryan, Indonesian pop star Nadin Amizah, and viral sensation Benson Boone. Her performance of “Escapism” later that night—a swirling, chaotic masterpiece with a 12-piece brass section and interpretive dancers—earned the evening’s only standing ovation that lasted the entire duration of the bleeped-out chorus. The Genre Highlights: Rock, Rap, and Country Rock Field: In a move that pleased purists, The Rolling Stones won Best Rock Album for Hackney Diamonds . At 81, Mick Jagger performed a high-octane version of “Angry” with Lady Gaga, who stepped in for the late Tina Turner in a bluesy duet. It was a moment of intergenerational respect. Paramore took home Best Rock Song for “This Is Why,” cementing their post-hiatus return. Broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+,