Awards
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We’re just days away from the 2025 Grammys Awards, which means one of today’s biggest hits will be crowned song of the year. This year’s nominees include Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em,” Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Lady Gaga and […]
On February 8, 2015, nearly everyone in attendance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles expected the top prize at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards to go to Beyoncé. The pop and R&B superstar had changed the game 14 months earlier with the surprise drop of her self-titled album, topping the Billboard 200, drawing unanimous raves and dominating the culture for the entire year to follow. But when it came time for Prince to announce the winner for album of the year that night, a different solo “B” name was called – confusing many in the crowd and watching at home, infuriating one easily excited fellow superstar, and setting into motion many of the narratives that continue to define the Grammys a decade later.
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This week, on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, we debut our Great Moments in Pop History series, looking at some of the pivotal moments throughout the decades that have come to define our perception of pop music, pop culture and pop stardom. On the precipice of the upcoming Grammys – airing this Sunday (Feb. 2), with one of the most loaded nominee classes in recent memory – we flash back to 10 years earlier, when one of 2025’s preeminent nominees (and the biggest overall winner in Grammy history) lost an album of the year race she was the heavy favorite to win, with Beck’s acclaimed-but-less-impactful Morning Phase instead taking home top honors. It’s a snub the Recording Academy still has not yet made good on, with Beyoncé being nominated and losing in the category twice in the years since.
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Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard executive digital director (and Pop Shop Podcast co-host) Katie Atkinson – who was in the building that memorable night – to recall everything there is to recall about the 2015 Grammys. We start with everything else of note that happened during those Grammys – like Sam Smith’s early-career-peak night of dominance, the cavalcade of pop megastars performing (but somehow playing zero of their signature hits) and an A-plus-list trio of legends united for one time only. We also run through some of our favorite less-starry performances of the night, including Hozier with a towering Annie Lennox, and Sia with both a wig and Kristen Wiig.
And then, we dig into the nitty gritty of Beck beating Beyoncé – and Kanye nearly crashing the stage in protest – and the impact it all ended up having on the Grammys’ next decade. We remember the double-shock of Beck’s longshot victory combined with Kanye’s oh-no-not-again fakeout, and give context for how bizarre it was (and remains) that Beck, of all people, became the face of Grammy-approved establishment rock. Then, of course, we set our sights on the 2025 awards – where Beyoncé is once again an album of the year nominee, for 2024’s Cowboy Carter – and ask: Is it finally time for the Queen to take home the crown? (And if she finally does this year, will it actually be… kinda weird?)
Check it out above — along with a YouTube playlist of some of the most memorable moments from the 2015 awards — and subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!
The Recording Academy has selected “Deliver,” written by Iman Jordan (performer), Roy Gartrell, Tam Jones, and Ariel Loh—as the 2025 recipient of its Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award. The honor will be presented at the academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony on Saturday (Feb. 1) at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
This is the award’s third year. In its first two years it went to “Baraye” by Shervin Hajipour and “Refugee” by K’naan, Gerald Eaton and Steve McEwan.
“Deliver,” a soulful ballad with hip-hop and rock elements, captures the challenges of today’s sociopolitical climate and the struggle to communicate and reconcile differences. As a rallying cry against war, the song calls for unity, civility and meaningful dialogue.
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The Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award is a CEO’s Merit Award established by the academy’s national trustees in 2022 to honor songwriters of message-driven music that speaks to the social issues of our time and has demonstrated and inspired positive global impact.
Recipient(s) are selected annually by a committee of peers dedicated to artistic expression, the craft of songwriting and the power of songs to affect social change. The award was named in honor of the late singer and actor Harry Belafonte, a powerful voice for social justice throughout his career. Belafonte, a two-time Grammy winner who received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2000, died in 2023 at age 96.
Ahead of the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, the Recording Academy has also chosen the winner of its Music Educator Award presented with the Grammy Museum, and Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest scholarships.
Music Educator Award
Adrian L. Maclin of Cordova High School in Memphis, Tennessee is the recipient of the 2025 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and the Grammy Museum. Maclin will also be recognized during the Special Merit Awards ceremony on Feb. 1.
The Music Educator Award recognizes current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the music education field and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in the schools. The award is open to current U.S. music teachers. Each year, one recipient is selected from 10 finalists and recognized for their impact on students’ lives. They will receive a $10,000 honorarium and a matching grant for their school’s music program. Nine additional finalists will each receive a $1,000 honorarium and a matching grant. The remaining 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium and a matching school grant.
The Music Educator Award program is made possible by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation. In addition, the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, NAMM Foundation, and National Education Association support this program through outreach to their constituencies. Nominations and applications for the 2026 Music Educator Award are now open via grammymusicteacher.com.
Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest
The Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) has selected Melanie Sallis of Georgia State University/College of Law in Atlanta, Georgia as the winner of its annual ELI Writing Contest. Sallis won for her paper, “Beyond Takedowns: Expanding Music Monetization Tools to Support All Artists.”
In addition, two students were announced as runners-up: Angelina Craig of Drexel University/ Thomas R. Kline School of Law in Philadelphia, PA for “Words on Trial: The Use of Rap Lyrics as Evidence,” and Olivia McHenry of Nova Southeastern University/Shepard Broad College of Law in Fort Lauderdale, FL for “Hidden Fees and Scalpers are the Worst, So Put Fans First: Why the Fans First Act is a More Resourceful Option Over Structural Relief of Live Nation-Ticketmaster.”
The Recording Academy established the Entertainment Law Initiative in partnership with some of the nation’s most prominent entertainment attorneys to promote discussion and debate around compelling legal matters and trends in the music industry. Co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, the ELI Writing Contest challenges law students to identify and research a current legal issue in the music industry and outline a proposed solution in an essay. The winning paper is published in the ABA’s journal, Entertainment & Sports Lawyer. A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to the winner, who will also receive tickets to attend the 67th annual Grammy Awards and MusiCares Person of the Year event.
$2,500 scholarships are given to two runners-up. All three top finalists receive a mentor session with a leading entertainment attorney.
La India, Alejandro Fernández and Manuel Alejandro will receive special awards at the 2025 Premio Lo Nuestro, Billboard can announce.
Recognizing her three-decade-long career, La India, known as the Princess of Salsa, will receive the Premio Lo Nuestro a La Trayectoria (Lifetime Achievement Award) for her contributions to Latin music. Mexican star Alejandro Fernández will be honored with the Premio Lo Nuestro a la Excelencia (Excellence Award) for his enduring legacy in Mexican music and beyond.
Meanwhile, Spanish composer and producer Manuel Alejandro will receive the Visionario Lo Nuestro for his six-decade career, penning over 500 songs and having worked with iconic artists like José José, Rocío Jurado and Julio Iglesias, to name a few.
All three will be honored at the awards ceremony, which will air at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, Feb. 20, via Univision, UNIMÁS, and Vix. Becky G and Carin León lead the list of nominations at this year’s Premio Lo Nuestro, taking the lead with 10 nods each. The two hitmakers are followed by Shakira and Myke Towers with nine nominations each and the eight-time nominees Ángela Aguilar, Emilia, Grupo Frontera, and Leonardo Aguilar.
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Nominations “are based on airplay on Uforia stations and take into account airtime on Univision Radio, streaming data, and evaluation by a Television Committee composed of music and entertainment industry experts,” according to a press statement. Fans can vote from January 22 to February 4 on PremioLoNuestro.com. See the complete list of nominations here.
Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia, and Alejandra Espinoza, this year’s theme is “Uniendo Generaciones” (Uniting Generations), honoring the artists, songs, and albums that connect the past, present, and future of Latin music.
The 2025 Grammy Awards are just around the corner, which means a new hit will be crowned record of the year. This year’s star-studded nominees include The Beatles’ “Now And Then,” Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Charli xcx’s “360,” Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Chappell Roan’s “Good […]
Mexican music juggernauts Peso Pluma and Tito Double P are set to be honored with the BMI Champion Award and the BMI Impact Award, respectively, at the 2025 BMI Latin Awards, taking place March 6 at the Fontainebleau Coastal Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla. The private event will be hosted by BMI president/CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI’s vp of creative, Latin, Jesús González.
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The special accolade will honor Peso’s rapid ascent to global fame and the significant impact he has had in bringing Mexican music to the mainstream. “Peso Pluma’s extraordinary success has not only reshaped the landscape of música mexicana but also propelled it onto the global stage,” said Jesús González, in a press release. “His innovative sound and undeniable influence have opened new doors for Latin music.”
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Furthermore, Peso’s quickly ascending collaborator and cousin, Tito, who has become a star in his own right, will be recognized for his contributions to Peso’s success and for establishing himself as one of the genre’s hottest new talents. “We are excited to celebrate [Peso’s] success alongside Tito Double P, whose dedication and talent have played a key role in Peso Pluma’s journey, while also marking the beginning of his own impressive career,” adds González. “We also look forward to honoring our BMI Familia of exceptional songwriters, producers and publishers behind the most-performed Latin songs of the past year during the ceremony.”
During the event, BMI will acknowledge the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed Latin songs in the U.S. over the past year. Awards such as the BMI regional mexican song, songwriter, and publisher of the year, as well as the BMI contemporary Latin song, songwriter, and publisher of the year, will be presented during the ceremony.
As the 2025 BMI Champion Award recipient, Peso Pluma joins a distinguished list of past honorees, including SZA, Khalid, Residente, Sebastian Krys, Inflo, Mark Ronson, Keith Urban and others. Meanwhile, Tito Double P joins Edgar Barrera, Ice Spice, Arlo Parks, RAYE, P2J and Tems, among others, in receiving the BMI Impact Award.
A series of special performances will highlight the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 2), including a salute to the life and legacy of Grammy legend Quincy Jones, tributes to the spirit of Los Angeles, which is beginning the long process of rebuilding after devastating wildfires, and the annual In Memoriam segment.
Brad Paisley, Brittany Howard, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, current Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, Janelle Monáe, John Legend, Lainey Wilson, Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent and Stevie Wonder are set to appear in these segments.
Jones, who died in November at age 91, won 28 Grammys across six different decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s. He was a friend and mentor to generations of talented artists, including Hancock, Wonder, Legend and Collier. He won just about every award the Recording Academy has to give, including a trustees award in 1989 and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992.
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Live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and hosted by Trevor Noah, Music’s Biggest Night will be broadcast live on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Previously announced performers include Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx, Doechii, RAYE, Sabrina Carpenter, Shakira and Teddy Swims.
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy for the fourth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers.
Prior to the telecast, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony will be broadcast live from the Peacock Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and the Grammy website.
Justin Tranter, a Grammy nominee for song of the year for co-writing Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe,” is set to host the Premiere Ceremony. Tranter also hosted last year’s Premiere Ceremony, where the vast majority of Grammys are presented.
The opening number on the Premiere Ceremony will feature a performance by current nominees Yolanda Adams, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Scott Hoying, Angelique Kidjo, and Taj Mahal. Six other current nominees — Joe Bonamassa, Joyce DiDonato, Béla Fleck, Renée Fleming, Muni Long and Kelli O’Hara — are also set to perform, as is Grammy-winning contemporary classical composer Kevin Puts.
This year’s Premiere Ceremony, to be held at Peacock Theater at the LA Live complex in Los Angeles, will stream live at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and on the Grammy website.
As announced last week, this year’s Grammy telecast will carry an added sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders. Since launching the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to Support Music Professionals last week, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have raised and pledged more than $4 million in emergency aid to music people affected by the wildfires.
On Grammy Sunday, fans can access exclusive behind-the-scenes Grammys content, including performances, acceptance speeches, interviews from the Grammy Live red-carpet special, and more on the Grammy website.
Justin Tranter, a Grammy nominee for song of the year for co-writing Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!,” is set to host the 67th annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 2). Tranter also hosted last year’s Premiere Ceremony, where the vast majority of Grammys are presented.
This year’s Premiere Ceremony, to be held at Peacock Theater at the LA Live complex in Los Angeles, will stream live at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel and on live.GRAMMY.com.
The opening number will feature a performance by current nominees Yolanda Adams, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Scott Hoying, Angelique Kidjo and Taj Mahal. Six other current nominees – Joe Bonamassa, Joyce DiDonato, Béla Fleck, Renée Fleming, Muni Long and Kelli O’Hara – are also set to perform, as is Grammy-winning contemporary classical composer Kevin Puts.
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Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO, and Tammy Hurt, chair of the academy’s board of trustees, will provide opening remarks.
“The Premiere Ceremony will not only kick off our Grammy Sunday, it will provide an opportunity to show that in times of adversity, music has the power to be used for good, to help our community unite, and to show our community’s resilience,” Mason said in a statement.
This year, both the Premiere Ceremony and main Grammy Awards telecast will have an added sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders.
The 67th Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony is produced by Branden Chapman, Ruby Marchand, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Rex Supa on behalf of the Recording Academy. Greg V. Fera is executive producer and Cheche Alara is music producer and music director.
SiriusXM will be backstage during the ceremony capturing interviews with nominees and winners for their Grammy Sunday broadcast on The Grammy Channel, channel 17 and on the SiriusXM app.
The 67th annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live following the Premiere Ceremony on CBS and streaming live and on-demand on Paramount+ from 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT.
Performers
Yolanda Adams, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Scott Hoying, Angelique Kidjo, and Taj Mahal (opening number)
Joe Bonamassa
Joyce DiDonato
Béla Fleck
Renée Fleming
Muni Long
Kelli O’Hara
Kevin Puts
Presenters
Wayne Brady
Bob Clearmountain
Rhiannon Giddens
Scott Hoying
Jimmy Jam
Anoushka Shankar
Queen Sheba
The 2025 American Music Honors is set to celebrate a powerhouse lineup of legendary artists, with Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello, and Joe Ely being recognized for their influence on American music.
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Hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the event will take place on April 26 at Monmouth University in New Jersey, with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, along with Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, serving as presenters. Tickets for the event go on sale March 25.
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“This year’s honorees represent a cross-section of American music,” said Robert Santelli, founding executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives. “Rock, Americana, soul, and country are all represented by some of the most important artists from each genre. We are most excited to honor them and welcome them into the American Music Center family.”
While their careers span different genres—Motown, rock, country, and alternative—the honorees all share an undeniable impact on Billboard’s charts and American music history.
Smokey Robinson’s work as the frontman of The Miracles helped define the sound of Motown, and he was behind some of its biggest early hits. “Shop Around” became Motown’s first million-selling record and climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Later, as a solo artist, Smokey kept the momentum going. His 1981 hit “Being with You” also peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, making it his highest-charting solo single. Meanwhile, “Cruisin’” remains one of his most beloved tracks, reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1980.
John Fogerty, the voice behind Creedence Clearwater Revival, is a Billboard legend in his own right. The band famously holds the record for the most No. 2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 without reaching No. 1, with classics like “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” His solo career continued that momentum, with Wrote a Song for Everyone reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in 2013.
Tom Morello, best known as the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, has left a major mark on rock music. The band’s 1992 self-titled debut peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 but became one of the most influential records of the era. Their follow-ups Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Emmylou Harris, a country and Americana icon, has earned multiple No. 1 albums on the Top Country Albums chart, including Luxury Liner in 1977. She also secured a No. 1 hit on Hot Country Songs with “Together Again” in 1976.
Joe Ely, a pioneer in progressive country music, has had multiple charting albums. His 1981 release, Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, reached No. 135 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 12 on the Top Country Albums chart. His later work continued to make an impact, with Twistin’ in the Wind peaking at No. 55 in 1998, Streets of Sin at No. 51 in 2003, and Satisfied at Last at No. 46 in 2011 on the Top Country Albums chart.
As we near the 2025 Grammy Awards this Sunday, predicting what will happen in the Big Four categories — album, record and song of the year, along with best new artist — feels more challenging than ever. Could Chappell Roan sweep the Big Four? Or could it be Beyoncé’s time to notch her first win […]