2025 Grammys Recap

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 2025 Grammys Recap

Released on February 3, 2025

NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts Stephen Thompson, Rhianna Cruz, and Shamira Ibrahim delve into the highlights, surprises, and notable moments from the 2025 Grammy Awards. This detailed recap captures the essence of the evening, offering insights and reflections for both seasoned fans and those who couldn't watch the ceremony.

---

Beyoncé's Triumphant Victory

The night was dominated by Beyoncé’s historic win, marking her as the biggest Grammy winner of all time with 35 Grammys out of 99 nominations. Finally securing the coveted Album of the Year award, Beyoncé’s victory was met with widespread relief and celebration among her peers.

Stephen Thompson (00:43):
"We all heave a tremendous sigh of relief that this has happened completely overdue."

Shamira Ibrahim (03:13):
"It's such a crowded field this year for Album of the Year. But you could even see by the reaction in the audience that almost all of her colleagues were elated for her to finally get the one trophy that had long evaded her."

Rhianna Cruz echoed this sentiment, expressing her surprise at the unpredictability of the outcome.

Rhianna Cruz (03:26):
"I had no idea where... I did heave that sigh of relief."

The hosts discussed the unexpectedness of Beyoncé winning Best Country Album earlier in the evening, highlighting the growing chasm between the country music industry and the Grammys.

Shamira Ibrahim (06:02):
"The increase in access and diversity... helped Beyoncé in the sense that... people who were long rooting for her were also involved in the conversation."

This victory not only solidifies Beyoncé's unparalleled legacy but also underscores the evolving dynamics within the Grammy voting body, now expanded to 13,000 members.

---

Kendrick Lamar's Dominant Performance

Kendrick Lamar had an outstanding night, sweeping five Grammy categories with his song "Not Like Us." The track, which began as a diss track, evolved into an anthem for Los Angeles, especially poignant given the recent wildfire disasters in the area.

Stephen Thompson (07:45):
"Get the broom out. It was a huge night for this song... bound to be a big night for it."

Rhianna Cruz shared her excitement about the song’s resonance within the LA community.

Rhianna Cruz (08:17):
"Every time that song won an award, the whole room erupted... it was a good moment."

Shamira Ibrahim highlighted the cultural significance of Kendrick’s acceptance speech, which deeply celebrated Los Angeles.

Shamira Ibrahim (08:53):
"He is a testimony Chapel... celebrating Los Angeles in his speech."

The discussion also touched on Kendrick’s upcoming stadium tour, a rare feat for rap artists, signaling his monumental impact in the music industry.

---

Chapel Roan Shines as Best New Artist

Chapel Roan emerged as the Best New Artist, delivering one of the night’s most memorable performances with "Pink Pony Club." Her stage presence and the interactive nature of her performance captivated audiences and critics alike.

Stephen Thompson (10:32):
"Chapel Roan is freaking amazing. She was probably my biggest rooting interest coming into this night."

Rhianna Cruz praised Chapel Roan’s courage and innovative approach to performances.

Rhianna Cruz (11:18):
"The absolute courage to stand up on that stage... that's pretty crazy. Or I was like, damn, that's good."

Shamira Ibrahim commended Chapel Roan for her authenticity and advocacy, particularly her call for better support systems for emerging artists.

Shamira Ibrahim (11:59):
"She represents a new generation of artists... willing to be a little bit more forthcoming about the struggles."

Her impactful speech emphasized the need for livable wages and healthcare for artists, resonating strongly with the audience.

---

Lady Gaga Advocates for Trans Rights

Lady Gaga delivered a powerful speech during her win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Bruno Mars for "Die with a Smile." She used her platform to advocate for the visibility and acceptance of trans people.

Lady Gaga (14:43):
"Trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up."

Rhianna Cruz highlighted the emotional weight of Gaga’s words, especially as they pertain to current social and political climates.

Rhianna Cruz (15:39):
"Gaga saying that in her speech, it brought a tear to my eye... that was one of the most impactful speeches of the night."

Shamira Ibrahim noted the broader trend of artists using their speeches to address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues, reflecting a politically conscious Grammy ceremony.

---

Dochi's Stellar Rise in Rap

Dochi captured the spotlight by winning Best Rap Album with an impressive performance that left audiences in awe. Her Tiny Dess concert performance was lauded as must-watch, showcasing her charismatic stage presence and innovative performance style.

Shamira Ibrahim (18:01):
"Dochi just had a massive coming out party tonight."

Rhianna Cruz emphasized Dochi’s unique blend of choreography and musicality, drawing parallels to iconic performances.

Rhianna Cruz (19:48):
"It was giving Chicago tens across the board... I'm making TikTok music what beat on I know Need a cleanse."

Stephen Thompson encouraged listeners to explore Dochi’s work, particularly her Tiny Dess concert, highlighting her ascent to mega-stardom.

Stephen Thompson (19:48):
"If you were discovering Dochi watching these Grammy awards, your next step is to watch her Tiny Dess concert because, my God. Megastar."

---

Sabrina Carpenter’s Pop Vocal Triumph

Sabrina Carpenter secured the Best Pop Vocal Album with her release "By Chance You Were Everything," delivering a performance that blended physical comedy with theatrical excellence.

Stephen Thompson (20:35):
"Her performance also was extremely tight and really well put together."

Rhianna Cruz praised Carpenter’s ability to infuse humor and personality into her performance, making it both entertaining and technically impressive.

Rhianna Cruz (20:35):
"It was giving physical comedy. It was giving vaudeville... extremely tight and really well put together."

---

Overall Tone and Telethon Elements

The hosts discussed the dual nature of the Grammy ceremony, balancing celebrations and philanthropy in light of recent wildfires in Los Angeles. While appreciating the efforts to support disaster relief, there was a mix of opinions on the execution of these segments.

Stephen Thompson (23:53):
"Harvey Mason Jr.... said this is not going to be a telethon. We're gonna do something that's appropriate to the moment, but they went and basically put on a telethon."

Rhianna Cruz (24:51):
"I was like, we're gonna take these vibes that we set with Chapel Roan or Sabrina Carpenter and then tonally totally flip it on a 180... it felt a little tone deaf at times."

Shamira Ibrahim suggested alternative approaches to integrating charitable elements without disrupting the flow of the awards.

Shamira Ibrahim (25:59):
"I think a lot of those collaborations were really well executed... given the short turnaround for that writing team, they did a lot well in the circumstances."

---

Final Reflections

Concluding the recap, the hosts reflected on the successes and challenges of the 2025 Grammys. They acknowledged the diverse range of winners, the strong performances, and the balanced celebration of music and community support.

Shamira Ibrahim (22:49):
"It's a testament to it just being a great year in popular music. The Grams did a good job of reminding us there's actually a lot of great music out there."

Rhianna Cruz (22:49):
"I enjoyed watching the Grammys this year... the Grammys really put a concentrated effort into making this telecast felt like it mattered."

Overall, the Pop Culture Happy Hour hosts lauded the 2025 Grammys for its celebratory spirit, advocacy, and recognition of both established and emerging artists, painting a positive picture for the future of the music industry.

---

For more insights and discussions, tune into future episodes of Pop Culture Happy Hour on NPR.

Transcript

[Stephen Thompson]

This message comes from Carvana. Finance your next car the convenient way with customizable transparent terms all online, make your budget work for you and swap hassle for convenience with Carvana. This message comes from Comcast. Every day, thousands of Comcast engineers and technologists create connectivity solutions that change the way people work, live and play. Like Kunle, a Comcast engineer who is focused on revolutionizing the in home Wi fi experience today and for the next generation. Kunle builds powerful Xfinity WI fi devices for a fast, reliable connection with capacity to connect hundreds of high bandwidth devices at once. [e-mail] wifi our long national nightmare is finally over. Beyonce has won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It was a huge night for her. And for Kendrick Lamar, who won record and Song of the Year for Not Like Us. And Chapel Roan edged out a crowded field to win Best New Artist. I'm Stephen thompson. It is 12:47am and we are recapping this year's Grammys on Pop Culture Happy hour from npr. This message comes from Better Help Online therapy. Relationships of all kinds are complicated and they tend to come with a lot of tough questions. From questions about co workers to family to romantic partners, therapy can be your safe space to talk about challenges you face in any of life's relationships. BetterHelp offers therapy 100% online and sign up takes only a few minutes. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com NPR if you love NPR.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Podcasts, you don't need me to tell you the value of public media in your life. To support our mission and get perks like sponsor free podcast listening across more than 20 NPR podcasts and exclusive bonus episodes, sign up for the NPR plus bundle at plus.NPR.org extreme weather disasters like.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Wildfires and floods can devastate communities. On the Sunday Story from Up first, we ask, are there places that just aren't safe to live anymore? People are going to die. They will be me and my neighbors. And I don't want that to happen. How we respond to disasters in an era of climate insecurity. Listen now on the up first podcast from npr.

[Stephen Thompson]

Joining me today is freelance music and culture journalist Rhianna Cruz. Hey, Rhianna.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Howdy.

[Stephen Thompson]

Also with us, culture writer and critic Shamira Ibrahim. Hey Shamira.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Hey Stephen. Happy to be here.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you both. I think we gotta start with the biggest award of all, one we have been waiting for for many years now. Finally, at Long last, the biggest Grammy winner of all time, a woman who has now won 35 Grammys in 99 nominations. Beyonce has won Album of the Year for. I think we can all heave a tremendous sigh of relief that this has happened completely overdue.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I think it came as a shock for many of us. It's such a crowded field this year for Album of the Year. But you could even see by the reaction in the audience that almost all of her colleagues were elated for her to finally get, like, the one trophy that had long evaded her.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I feel like Album of the year was the fields this year that I really, I had no idea where. Like, even today I was waffling about where I was like, well, Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Vocal Album earlier in the telecast. I thought that she kind of could have taken it, you know, and when they have announced Cowboy Carter, actually I did heave that sigh of relief.

[Stephen Thompson]

I had a very similar reaction. And including feeling that this was very unpredictable. She had won Best Country Album earlier in the evening, which was a big and I think somewhat surprising win for her, given how slow the country music community has been to embrace this record. Her winning there was definitely, definitely felt like a milestone.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists. And I just want to encourage people to do what they're passionate about and to stay persistent. Wow.

[Stephen Thompson]

You know, because Kendrick Lamar won record in Song of the Year, which we'll talk about more in a second, there wasn't a sense that anybody was sweeping, so I didn't have a really good sense that like any artist was coming into that category with momentum, honestly. You know, I wrote a Grammy preview piece for the NPR website in which I laid out a case in which Jacob Collier could win Album of the Year for Jesse Volume four.

[Rhianna Cruz]

He could have.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I really thought that could happen because you had six giant pop all sharing a crowded lane. And then you had Andre 3000 with his flute odyssey and you had Jacob Collier, who is a very Grammy friendly artist. So the heaving sigh of relief when Beyonce won was in part like, oh, my God, I don't have to talk about Jacob Collier winning Album of the Year.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I feel good about that. Cause I didn't listen to the record. So I'm like, that's the one record that I did not this entire year. So I hope I didn't have to talk about it.

[Stephen Thompson]

Rihanna, I started listening to it. We'll leave it at that.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I think, to your point, Stephen, you know, it was a shock that you know, the country album win even happened. Beyonce was clearly shocked, as we saw, by her reaction in real time. And I think for the Grammys, I do think there's something to be said about the work they've done to increase access for voting. Right. As they made pains to tell us multiple times throughout the program, There are now 13,000 members in the Grammy voting body, in case you did not know.

[Stephen Thompson]

They just kept repeating that stat.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

But I do think that the increase in access and diversity and just genre of people involved in these voting conversations also helped Beyonce in the sense that, yes, of course, the people who are voting for country already clearly were already behind her, which is a diversion from the other two award ceremonies. But in addition, also, people who are long rooting for her to get this were also likely involved in the conversation as well. And I think Harvey Mason Jr. Tried to prove that over the course.

[Stephen Thompson]

Of the program, the head of the Grammys. Yeah, I mean, you alluded to other awards that did not embrace Beyonce's record. I mean, the Country Music association awards did not give her any nominations. And you really got a sense watching the way these Grammys unfolded of like, a growing chasm. And this chasm has been there for a while, but a growing chasm between the country music industry, slash, country music radio, and what wins country music Grammys.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I think that's also a testament to Cowboy Carter, though, how it's able to be received by so many different audiences. Where songs on the record were nominated for best pop performance, Americana, country, you know, it was all across the board. And I think that really alluded to it winning album of the year because so many people in so many different genres saw the potential in the record.

[Stephen Thompson]

Big night for her. Also a big night for Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us was nominated for five Grammys. It was nominated for record of the year, song of the year, best rap performance, best rap song, and best music video. It won all five.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Get the broom Out. It's a sweet.

[Stephen Thompson]

Get the broom out. They literally said, get the broom out. It was a huge night for this song, which, you know, kind of began as a diss track and ended up becoming somewhat of an anthem for Los Angeles. And, you know, in a night that was very much about, among other things, raising money for wildfire victims in Los Angeles, it felt like it was kind of bound to be a big night for this song, but it was an even bigger night, I think, than people expected.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I was watching it, you know, in a room full of all my friends. Right. We were bumping not like us the whole summer, you know what I mean? Like I live in Los Angeles. Every time that song won an award, the whole room erupted. Like we were screaming, we were punching the floor. It was crazy because I feel like, you know, if I look back on my year, what song dominated my year, it was not like us, you know, being in LA and then having the general vibe around the city right now be one of coming together music being a point of, I don't know, building bridges. You know, we just had the giant fire aid relief concert. Like it was a good moment.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Yeah, I think that it was a great moment for Kendrick. I think it speaks to the, to the fact that it is such so connected to LA culture that when Kendrick did accept his award, a person of very few words, he generally went to look towards celebrating Los Angeles in his actual speech. Right. One of the few things he's actually said on record connected to any of his astronomical last eight months. Right. And so I think it really speaks to what it reflects for the city, what it reflects for this moment. And also just, you know, a great tee up for the tour to come. Obviously we're going to, we're going to dedicate this one to the city. Compton, Watts. Yeah, yeah. Long Beach, Inglewood, Hollywood, out to the.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Valley, Pacoima, I. E. This song swept and it's not even at the finish line. You know what I mean? Like the super bowl next week I would say is probably the finish line for not like Us. That's not even happened yet. You know, this is just a tee up for that. It's a testament to his impact how good the song is. First of all, you know, I think it's kind of wild for a rap song, albeit a diss track, to win this many awards with such vocal support from the Academy. It's pretty sick.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

And also the upcoming tour is a stadium tour for Kendrick, which is pretty unprecedented, not just for Kendrick, but also for a rap act in general. It is very rare that rap acts get to do stadium tours, even joint performances. Very bold choice, but a testament to what a phenomenal year he's had.

[Stephen Thompson]

I mean, think about it. Who's bigger right now than Kendrick, Lamar and sza? That tour is gonna be wild. But while we're talking about artists who can fill stadiums, let's talk Best New Artist 1 by Chapel Roan, who also performed Pink Pony Club in what I think I suspect we'll agree that was one of the best performances of the night.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Oh, agreed. Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

She was nominated for six Grammys and only Won one. But if you were gonna pick one, I mean, look, maybe you pick album of the year, maybe you pick record of the year. But I think Best new Artist felt like the right capstone for the year that Chapel Roan sat totally.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I mean, her microphone was on in performance. The absolute courage to stand up on that stage while you're nominated for best new artist and say, sing it. And give the mic to the audience and they're all singing your song. Like, that's pretty crazy. I don't really like Chapel Roan like that. And I was watching that performance and I was like, damn, that's good.

[Stephen Thompson]

Look, I do like Chapel Roan like that. I think Chapel Roan is freaking amazing. She was probably my biggest rooting interest coming into this night. So I'm so glad she won particularly Best new Artist. But like, God, she is just made to crush these big awards show performances.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Totally.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I think it's a big testament to her work ethic, to just the grind she's put in for her to have this coming out moment. I think Best new artist was the best category for her to win in, largely because I think she represents a new generation of artists, one that is willing to share openly with their fans, one that is willing to be a little bit more forthcoming about the struggles and trials and tribulations of what it takes to make it in this industry. We saw it in her speech, of course, right. Where she openly called for, you know, assistance for emerging artists to make sure that artists are not struggling without health insurance, to make sure that artists are able to live full lives while they're creating their best work, and how she had to sacrifice so much to actually win. I saw somebody joke that Benson Boone was like the first person to start clapping when she mentioned the health insurance, which had me deeply concerned. Is he doing all these backflips without insurance like I was?

[Rhianna Cruz]

Me and my friends were like, that one song is clearly not paying his bills.

[Stephen Thompson]

I definitely. I have felt concern having seen Benson Boone live and seen him perform on several awards shows. I am worried about the long term health of his knees. I also noticed that when Chapel Roan gave that speech in which, as you said, she called for better infrastructure and better support for emerging artists, talked about how when she was dropped from her label, she suddenly found herself basically with no job prospects, let alone health insurance. And I noticed how much that seemed to resonate, particularly with the newer artists in the audience.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I told myself, if I ever won a Grammy and I got to stand up here in front of the most Powerful people in music. I would demand that labels and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of.

[Stephen Thompson]

Artists, would offer a livable wage and.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Healthcare, especially to developing artists. And I thought it was, like, a little charming how she seemed nervous, you know, when she started her speech. But at the end, I think she fully came into herself where she was like, labels, we got you, but do you got us? I was like, oh, that's a perfect mic drop moment. Absolutely.

[Stephen Thompson]

Labels, we got you, but do you got us? So while we're talking about speech that actually had something to say, Rihanna, I know you to be a little monster. You must have appreciated what I certainly thought was a wonderful speech by Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars won best pop doer group performance for Die with a Smile. And Lady Gaga said this in her speech.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

And I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up.

[Rhianna Cruz]

All in all, I mean, kind of an incredible night for Gaga. You know, her album Press was named several times. Her new album Mayhem, coming up. She debuted a new song during the commercials. But I think this moment during her speech really was the most impactful, I think, to me, you know, as somebody belonging to these communities, I was kind of sitting around all night, and I was like, all right, when are we gonna get to the politics of it? All right? You know, I. I think there's a couple artists like Chapel, like Gaga, where I was like, if they'll win, I do wonder if they'll speak on. You know, this is me gesturing at, like, everything politically happening right now.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Hashtag in these times.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Yeah, exactly. And. And Gaga saying that in her speech, it brought a tear to my eye, you know, because she's always really spoken up for people, and to her directly, be like, trans people. You are not invisible. That was a really, really great moment. And, yeah, I don't know. I felt like that was one of the most impactful speeches of the night. I think, like, Chapel, Gaga and Doji really resonated with me.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Yeah, there were several really great, potent speeches that seem to either directly state in some cases, like speeches mentioning dei, or allude to our current political crisis. I think that's fair to say. And while no one was outright naming, you know, our current president, there definitely seemed to be an intent to actively and vocally rebuke recent actions by speaking in allyship to either groups that people felt represented by groups that helped them, industries that really protected their rights. And you see that across the board. You see, you know, with Dochi openly saying, you know, you are enough as a black woman. Don't allow anybody to project any stereotypes on that. Tell you that you can't be here, that you're too dark or that you're not smart enough or that you're too dramatic or you're too loud. You are exactly who you need to be to be right where you are. And I am a testimony chapel. Also speaking about trans rights on the red carpet, there seemed to be a very focused interest by specific artists to really amplify that note with regards to music being a safe community for queer people, people of color and anybody immigrants who are struggling in these times.

[Stephen Thompson]

So, Shamira, you mentioned Dochi and I'm glad you did.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Yes, My performance of the night, bar.

[Stephen Thompson]

None true, Dochi won best rap album and certainly, like, had a big night from a standpoint of accepting an award. But in terms of like a victory lap, ascension to mega stardom, the artist I feel like people are gonna be talking about the most the. I suspect the artist who will enjoy the largest boost in things like streaming from this night is Dochi. Because I feel like Dochi just had a massive coming out party tonight.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

This category was introduced in 1989 and two women have won Lauryn Hill. Three women have won Lauryn Hill, Cardi B. And Dochi.

[Rhianna Cruz]

She even is leaning into it too. She just released a new song, you know, and the COVID for the song is a Grammy. An alligator skin.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

You've gotta love it.

[Rhianna Cruz]

It's really, really sick. I love Dochi, man.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I've been a big fan of dochi since about 2019, when I first heard Spooky Coochie for the first time. Right. You know, and I remember watching her, I believe it was 2021 at the BET Hip Hop Awards where she performed with Isaiah Rashad on what? And I said, who? Like, this is a star. This is someone who knows their angles, knows how to speak to the camera, knows how to really bring that energy out on stage in a way that sometimes you just have it or you don't when it comes to that X Factor and watching it all come together for her in the last year. And I'm happy that she got to showcase her performance skill and her commitment to her craft on the largest stage. I think everyone walked away obsessed with how she conceptualizes performances, but taking that Thom Browne execution to the next level.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Giving, oh, my goodness, yes, those really.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Great geometric moments with the choreography that were delivered really well, playing into a little bit of playfulness with the kind of the jazz interludes. That transition to her next single, it was giving Chicago tens across the board. Absolutely, yes. Wristwatch trip drop labels want the TikTok now I'm making TikTok music what beat on I know Need a cleanse, need a detox but we ain't got time to stop the Grammys need us, and they do.

[Stephen Thompson]

And at the risk of sounding self promotional, if you have not watched Dochi's Tiny Dess concert, that's a must watch. That is your next step. If you were discovering Dochi watching these Grammy awards, your next step is to watch her Tiny Dess concert because, my God. Megastar. Speaking of megastars, Best pop vocal album, short and sweet. Sabrina Carpenter. Glad to see that. You know, even though she was shut out in the major awards and she didn't win best new Artist, even after the, like, huge star turn year she had, she did get a moment to do, like, a giant, very fun and theatrical performance of espresso and please, please, please. And she did get to win a trophy during the telecast.

[Rhianna Cruz]

It was giving physical comedy. It was giving vaudeville. I think it really showcased her stardom. She's been doing this on her tour, you know, these like, physical comedy bits and kind of playing around with the stage as like a theatrical medium. But I think this performance really showcased what makes Sabrina Carpenter special and that she's funny, she has personality. And the performance also was extremely tight and really well put together.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Now you think about me.

[Rhianna Cruz]

I'm an idol. And I enjoyed her winning best pop vocal album because it kind of reflected something that I largely enjoyed about this Grammys was that a lot of artists felt like they got their due. You know, I. I feel like Sabrina Carpenter was celebrated. I felt like Chapel Ron was celebrated. I felt like Beyonce was celebrated all equally. And I think that really hard for the Grammys to get right because they haven't.

[Stephen Thompson]

People are gonna get shut out. And it's worth noting here, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish were both shut out. They were the only people who were nominated for, like, a whole bunch of awards and didn't take home something. And if you're gonna. It's not to criticize either of those artists or either of those. The records that they were nominated for. But if you're gonna pick somebody who gets left out, it might as well people who have won boatloads of Grammys before.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Real.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I also just think it's a testament to it just being a great year in popular music. Right. I think sometimes it's very easy to get defeatist, you know, music Discovery is harder to do. The music apparatus is so crowded now. How can you keep track of 10,000 new songs a day? And I think it's very easy to get caught up in the muck and feel like, oh my God, there's just nothing new or compelling. But I think this year the Grams did a good job of just reminding us there's actually a lot of great music out there, both from our bigger artists and our legacy artists and our emerging artists. And it really did a good job of highlighting that, both from the best new artist showcase to just finally crowning some of our long standing legends. I think it really painted a good picture to not feel so defeated by the future of the music industry and that good creations are still coming every single day.

[Rhianna Cruz]

And like, that's part of what I really loved about the Grammys this year. Like, I'm gonna go on record and say, like, I enjoyed watching the Grammys this year. It's not always the case. This year I enjoyed it. And I think the Grammys really put a concentrated effort into making this telecast felt like it mattered.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I fully agree, Rihanna. I Not only will I say that I enjoyed it, I will even go so far as to say something that I rarely say, which is that I was wrong. I was in the camp that really believed that the Grammys probably should not have happened or should have been really re strategized. In the wake of everything happening in Los Angeles. It was hard for me to conceptualize what a version of a Grammys could look like where they de emphasize the awards and focus on the community in a way that felt sensible or organic. I did feel like there were at times where it did lean a little bit on the telethon side. However, I did think that overall, really well done, a really strong balance of the artists and celebrating and honoring Los Angeles as a community. I think everyone felt that despite some blips here and there.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Shamira, I'm glad you mentioned the telethon angle of this. Cause that's kind of the last thing I wanted to talk about, which was the overall tone of these awards. Yeah, Harvey Mason Jr. You know, the head of the Recording Academy in the run up to these awards said, like, this is not going to be a telethon. We're gonna do something that's appropriate to the moment, but it's not gonna become a telethon. And then they went and basically put on a telethon. And you know, Trevor Noah, who was the host of the Grammys, he's hosted the Grammys before. Seemed to largely bypass skits and bits in favor of taking opportunities to, you know, highlight local businesses that needed help or just really to just SOL. And said @ one point that just from viewers at home, they raised, you know, $7 million, not even counting, you know, the big corporate donors or the artists in the room and what they gave. What did you guys think about kind of the overall. The overall telethoniness of the night?

[Rhianna Cruz]

So I say this as somebody who lives in Los Angeles, has been volunteering for pretty much the past month. Know people that have lost their homes, you know, seen all of this firsthand. I was watching and I was like, okay, this is a little much. And I appreciate them putting all of this effort into soliciting donations and kind of creating this environment. I personally really loved the clips where they paired musicians with local businesses that were lost in the fires. On the other hand, we just had the Fireade concerts a few days ago, you know, and that put all of, I think, the wreckage in front of our faces over and over and over again. And while I was watching the Grammys, I was like, man, like, we're gonna take these vibes that we set with like Chapel Roan or Sabrina Carpenter and then tonally totally flip it on a 180 and then put, you know, fire carnage in front of our faces. It felt a little tone deaf at times, but perhaps that was just me, you know, being seeing it all.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

I didn't think that they needed to announce everybody who donated. We would be here forever. And it's already like a four hour long telecast. But I mean, maybe they should have just actually gone the telethon route and just kept a big poster board or like a live smart board on the stage and just shown the actual amounts filling. I think that might have solved that problem. I'm not really sure, but I'd rather us focus on the tangible things that can integrate well, which I think, like you mentioned Rihanna were the commercials, like, I thought, you know, Doja also being from the southern California area, it also works really well. Like, I think a lot of those collaborations were really well executed. I definitely think some parts could have been tweaked, but I think given the short turnaround for that writing team, they did a lot well in the circumstances.

[Stephen Thompson]

True. So, yeah, all in all, a complicated night. They managed to address the wildfires. They gave a war to Kendrick Lamar and Beyonce finally won album of the year. Feels like a complete night of Grammys. We want to know what you think about this year's Grammy ceremony. And winners find [e-mail] PCHH that brings us to the end of our show. Rihanna, Cruz, Shamira Ibrahim, thanks so much for being here.

[Shamira Ibrahim]

Thanks as always.

[Rhianna Cruz]

Thanks for having us.

[Stephen Thompson]

And just a reminder that signing up for Pop Culture Happy Hour plus is a great way to support our show and public radio. And you get to listen to all our episodes sponsor free. So please go find out more at plus.npr.org happyhour or visit the link in our show notes. This episode was produced by Liz Metzger and edited by Jessica Reedy. Audio engineering was performed by David Greenberg and hello Kamin provides our theme music. Thanks for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Stephen Thompson and we will see you all tomorrow.