In response to allegations of racism and sexism following previous Grammys, this year’s event publicly proved that The Recording Academy tried to display musicians talent, but failed to accurately represent them. From celebrity roasts to controversial awardees and innovative performances, the Grammys gave a mixed set of emotions to audiences.
One major pattern shown throughout the event was that many artists were overlooked, whether or not they had won before.
The main shocker of the night came from Beyoncè’s husband, Jay-Z, who had just won the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, an award reserved for black music creators paving the industry. Jay-Z expressed his feelings on behalf of his wife not being awarded the best album. Following his statement, Jay-Z drank Cognac out of the gramophone trophy in protest.
Throughout Beyoncè’s career, she has won 32 Grammys, only four of which have fallen under the top categories. She currently has an astounding 48.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, yet she has never received a nomination for Best Album of the Year.
Another significant woman was Joni Mitchell, age 80, who performed her heartfelt song “Both Sides Now,” making this her debut on the Grammy stage. In 1997, she joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her unprecedented influence. Though the academy has completely underestimated her since the time she wrote this song at age 23. Mitchell stopped performing for over 20 years after suffering an aneurysm. Her triumphant return made audiences feel the academy did a wonderful job showcasing her talent.
With this being said, the academy continues to look problematic. When Latin musician Bad Bunny performed at the 2023 Grammys, viewers came out saying the transcribed captains were “racist and ignorant” after reading “non-English”. Bad Bunny then came out, asking why these lyrics were not pre-written for audiences.
Following this incident, the academy did not respond in a respectful manner. They continued to separate Latin musicians with controversial awards such as the “Tropical Award” and the “Musica Urbana Award” at the 2024 Grammys.
Yes, The Recording Academy took time to showcase other talented artists, but it seems they did not meet society’s goals. The Recording Academy did include a few modern-day improvements, but they missed out on opportunities to avoid old habits.
