Grammys 2025
By CAITLIN MURPHY ‘28 and ANNIKA NYSTEDT ‘28
This past year has been full of musical milestones. Artists like Jack Harlow, Taylor Swift, Tate McRae, and SZA began the year at Billboard’s Top 100 for their songs “Lovin’ on Me,” “Cruel Summer,” “Greedy,” and “Snooze.” Also, who could forget Taylor Swift’s legendary tour, “The Eras Tour,” which had 149 performances and almost lasted all of 2024? Other female artists like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, and Karol G also went on tour this year, with 2024 bringing a “big break” for them. Overall, 2024 was a massive year for female music artists, and with the Grammy’s drawing nearer, so does the question of whether the triumphs of women will be reflected in the awards.
The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ process for determining winners is often vague. Record companies submit their songs for numerous categories, and the Academy screens these submissions and determines the final nominations. Academy members then vote on the final nominations again to determine the winners. This process is intended to ensure quality and talent, but it often excludes the most innovative artists, especially women.
This year’s nominees for Best New Artist in 2025 are Benson Boone, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Khruangbin, RAYE, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, and Teddy Swims. While it is exciting to see many fresh faces nominated, the women Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, RAYE, and Doechii have indeed pushed the boundaries of music this past year. Carpenter’s “Short and Sweet” combines various genres with her personal and emotional storytelling. At the same time, Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” embraces her identity growing up in Missouri with bold and daring lyrics. Doechii has been a standout artist with her unique sound and unapologetic lyrics since her debut. Despite their impressive music, these women are often overshadowed by more mainstream artists in other categories, typically guaranteed to dominate the stage.
These “unconventional” musicians at the Grammys raise an even bigger question: How should the voting committee determine the winners? Should it be based on overall success, cultural impact, or even choosing the “Grammy Darling,” the person with the most prominent name? While cultural impact should be a contributing factor in the process of selecting the winners, the Grammys always seem to prioritize success and visibility over true creativity, often leaving deserving artists like Lana Del Rey, who was snubbed for years despite releasing some of the most influential albums of the decade, without any awards.
The issue is not that commercial success does not matter but that it should not be the primary factor in choosing a winner. For example, Lana Del Rey’s “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” released in 2023, was a groundbreaking and critically acclaimed album, telling stories from her adolescence until adulthood in multiple genres, though it was not as commercially successful compared to the other nominees. Although nominated for numerous categories, it won no awards, showing that the Academy prefers conventional and best-selling over genuinely innovative albums. The Grammys too frequently reward artists with huge careers and industry relationships versus those altering the industry’s future.
This is where the Grammys need to change. The selection process needs to include more aspects than exclusively chart-topping success. Artists like Carpenter, Roan, and Doechii might not have the same commercial success as Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, but their art is just as worthy of recognition.