NEW YORK ā It looks like the 2025 Grammy Awards may be a different kind of award show. BeyoncĆ© leads the nods with 11, bringing her career total to a record-breaking 99 nominations. There's an incredible diversity of genres represented across the major categories, and women continue to succeed. So... who didnāt make the cut? What were the best surprises of all? Letās take a look.
Country's cool again... and it looks a little different.
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Country music has bled into other prominent genres and the Recording Academy has taken note. Country hybridists ā like BeyoncĆ©, Post Malone and first-time nominee Shaboozey ā lead many nominations, in country and beyond.
But that means the traditionalists might not see rewards: CMA Awards favorites Cody Johnsonās āLeatherā and Luke Combsā āFathers & Sonsā didnāt see any nominations. The latter shouldnāt come as much of a surprise: Combās blockbuster cover of Tracy Chapmanās āFast Carā wasnāt nominated for record of the year at the Grammys in 2024, either ā though it did land a nod in best country solo performance.
This year also marks Malone and BeyoncĆ©ās first-ever nominations in the country categories.
The Beatles are back
Who saw this one coming? The Beatles last new song, the AI-assisted āNow and Then," is up for record of the year. Released in 2023, the song utilized artificial intelligence to extract John Lennonās voice from an old demo. It's the same technology used to separate the Beatlesā voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jacksonās 2021 documentary series, āThe Beatles: Get Back.ā
Last summer, the Recording Academy announced a series of changes to the Grammy Awards, including new protocols involving technological advancements in machine learning. It sparked headlines: āOnly human creatorsā could win the music industryās highest honor in a decision aimed at the use of artificial intelligence in popular music. At the 2025 Grammys, clearly, those changes are in action.
Album of the year gets a facelift
Last year's album of the year category was dominated by pop women ā and that continues, with Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX's rave-ready approach to the genre receiving noms. The latter is a nice surprise (more on that below), but the two men nominated are creative outliers. OutKast frontman AndrĆ© 3000's experimental jazz-flute album āNew Blue Sunā is a contender, as well as Jacob Collier's āDjesse Vol. 4,ā though that one may fulfill a space left vacant by Jon Batiste.
BRAT summer is forever
Charli XCX, having never received a solo artist nomination at the Grammys, is up for seven awards at the 2025 ceremony. Those include record and album of the year, as well as pop solo and pop duo/group performance, pop dance recording, dance/electronic album and music video. Clearly, her culture-shifting āBRATā album ā and the summer of memes it inspired ā has continued to hold real influence.
Exciting ā and undoubtedly surprising ā first time nominees
There is no shortage of first-time nominees this year. Some were expected ā like Roan, Carpenter and Shaboozey ā others less so. Willow Smith has received her first nomination in the arrangement, instruments and vocals category for arranging her song āb i g f e e l i n g s.ā Linda Martell, the first commercially successful Black woman musician in country, is featured alongside Shaboozey on BeyoncĆ©ās āSPAGHETTII," which is up for the melodic rap performance category. That delivers the progenitor her first-ever Grammy nomination at age 83.
And lastly, Morgan Wallen ā undoubtedly one of the most popular musicians in the country, and one rife with controversy ā has received his first two Grammy nominations for his feature on Malone's āI Had Some Help.ā Last year, his song āLast Nightā was nominated for best country song, but that is a songwriterās award, and Wallen did not receive a nod.
In the past, the country singer has been absent from nominations. In 2021, after video surfaced of him using a racial slur, he was disqualified or limited from several award shows and received no Grammy nominations for his bestselling āDangerous: The Double Album.ā
Latin music is missing from the top categories... again
Just like last year, Latin music is missing from the top categories at the 2025 Grammys, despite a surplus of eligible talent: Peso Plumaās āĆxodo," Shakiraās āLas Mujeres Ya No Lloran,ā Residente, āLas Letras Ya No Importan," CarĆn LeĆ³n's āBoca Chueca, Vol. 1ā and Bad Bunny's āNadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar MaƱanaā among them.
No K-pop?
Same as above: K-pop, too, seems to be absent. There are no nominations for the BTS members whoāve released solo material this year: RMās āRight Place, Wrong Person,ā J-Hopeās āHope on the Street, Vol. 1,ā and Jiminās āMuse.ā As a boy band, BTS has received five nominations across its career.
Only one nomination for landmark artists
Despite being one of the great global superstars of the current moment ā regularly celebrated as one of the most streamed artists on the planet ā Bad Bunny's āNadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar MaƱanaā received only one nomination, for mĆŗsica urbana album.
And Usher, who had a blockbuster year ā including a star-studded Super Bowl halftime show ā also received only one nomination, for R&B album.
...And none for others
In pop, Dua Lipa's āEternal Optimism" is nowhere to be seen. In country, best new artist hopeful Megan Moroney received no nominations. In R&B, Normani's long-awaited debut album, āDopamine,ā failed to make waves with voters, and in rap, Nicki Minaj's āPink Friday 2ā and Megan Thee Stallion's āMeganā are absent.
The end of Jack Antonoff's reign?
Last year, Jack Antonoff took home producer of the year, non-classical for a third year in a row, tying Babyface as the only other producer to do so consecutively. This year, he didn't receive a nod in that category ā one he has held a place in since 2019. Who will take the mantle?
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The 2025 Grammy Awards will air Feb. 2 live on CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.