Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards


What happened
Beyoncé won album of the year, best country album and best country duo/group performance at last night's Grammy Awards, while Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" took five Grammys, including song of the year and record of the year.
Who said what
Beyoncé's "high-concept, multigenre" album "Cowboy Carter" finally won her the top prize after "four conspicuous losses" in the category, The New York Times said. And Lamar's "vicious takedown" of Drake was a "notable double victory for any song and a rare win for rap in the Grammys' two most prestigious song categories."
Beyoncé, already "both the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammys history," was the first Black woman to win album of the year since Lauryn Hill in 1999, as well as the first Black artist ever to win best country album, The Associated Press said. She was presented the top album Grammy by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, "one of several times the show reflected the recent wildfires" that ravaged LA. Chappell Roan was named best new artist, while Sabrina Carpenter won best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album for "Short n' Sweet." The Beatles song "Now and Then," resurrected with AI technology, won best rock performance.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Grammys host Trevor Noah said viewers donated at least $7 million to wildfire relief efforts.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Mermaiding: the underwater subculture on the rise
Under the Radar Cosplay meets fitness in an escapist fin-omenon that's making waves around the world
-
Delhi's dogs earn Supreme Court reprieve
IN THE SPOTLIGHT After an outcry from the public and animal rights activists, India's Supreme Court walks back a controversial plan to round the city's stray dog population into shelters
-
8 hotels with ace tennis courts
The Week Recommends Bring your A game
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Conservatism is rising. Just look at the music.
In the spotlight The radio reflects American culture
-
Music reviews: Ethel Cain, Amaarae, and The Black Keys
Feature "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You," "Black Star," and "No Rain, No Flowers"
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
The best singers turned actors of all time
In Depth It's not often that someone is born with both of these rare skill sets
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Music reviews: Tyler Childers and Madonna
Feature "Snipe Hunter" and "Veronica Electronica"