Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys

Beyoncé wins album of the year at Grammys

Beyoncé is the first Black woman to win album of the year since Lauryn Hill in 1999

(Image credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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.

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Grammys host Trevor Noah said viewers donated at least $7 million to wildfire relief efforts.

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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.