On Sunday night, the 2023 Grammys held some surprises, yet the ceremony recognized and awarded the biggest names in the music industry.
The expected winners did win in the biggest categories and the biggest artist of the decade broke a new record.
Beyonce is the artist with the most Grammys, with 32, after earning four awards from the Recording Academy in the 2023 proceedings.
“I’m trying not to be too emotional and I’m trying to just receive this night,” she said, after breaking the record a little more than two hours into the main telecast. “I want to thank God for protecting me. … I’d like to thank my uncle Johnny, who’s not here, but he’s here in spirit.”
She thanked her parents, husband and three children before concluding, “I’d like to thank the queer community for your love and for inventing this genre.”
Beyonce, however, did not take home the award for album of the year. A fan of Harry Styles announced his victory followed by an emotional speech where Styles said winning a Grammy does not happen to people like him. Beyonce fans criticized Harry Styles's speech saying he is a white man from England who is extremely privileged.
Despite Beyoncé’s 32 Grammy wins – the most of any artist in history –, many are troubled by the fact she has yet to win album of the year and that she’s lost to white musicians every time she has been nominated. Washington Post pop music critic Chris Richards said for the past 20 years and counting, the Recording Academy has routinely failed to recognize Black artists at their creative peaks — and to her credit, Beyoncé keeps updating that peak with each new album.
Another big surprise comes from the “Song Of The Year” category. Bonnie Raitt’s song “And Just Like That” won the stiff category. That choice was seen as weird by people on the internet, especially given it’s by far the least popular song of the selection that included Adele’s “Easy On Me” and Beyonce’s “Take My Soul.”
Nevertheless, the song's raw emotion gave it the edge over the committee voting council. According to Billboard, the Recording Academy boasts more than 12,000 voting members. The entire membership is allowed to vote in the big four categories — best new artist, record, song and album of the year.
Here is a list of all the winners:
Album Of The Year:
Harry Styles, Harry’s House
Best New Artist:
Samara Joy
Record Of The Year:
Lizzo, “About Damn Time”
Song Of The Year:
Bonnie Raitt, “And Just Like That”
Best Pop Solo Performance:
Adele, “Easy On Me”
Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Beyoncé, Renaissance
Best Rap Album:
Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Best Pop Duo Or Group Performance:
Sam Smith & Kim Petras, “Unholy”
Best R&B Song:
Beyoncé, “Cuff It”
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Harry Styles, Harry’s House
Best R&B Album:
Robert Glasper, Black Radio III
Best Rap Performance:
Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Part 5"
Best Rap Song:
Kendrick Lamar, “The Heart Part 5"
Best Melodic Rap:
Future ft. Drake and Tems, “Wait For U”
Best R&B Performance:
Muni Long, “Hrs & Hrs”
Best Rock Album:
Ozzy Osbourne, Patient Number 9
Best Latin Pop Album:
Ruben Blades & Boca Livre, Pasieros
Best Music Film:
Various Artists, Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story
Best Music Video:
Taylor Swift, “All Too Well: The Short Film”
Best Alternative Music Album:
Wet Leg, Wet Leg
Best Comedy Album"
Dave Chappelle, The Closer