2025 Grammy Nominations: Snubs and Surprises!
The Recording Academy laid their cards down—and gave Beyoncé her flowers.
After all, her multifaceted country album Cowboy Carter not only snagged 11 2025 Grammy nominations, including nods for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, but she also earned her fifth nomination for Album of the Year—which makes her the most nominated artist in Grammy history with a grand total of 99 nods. (She was previously tied with husband Jay-Z ).
For all the nominations, head on over here.
The “Bodyguard” singer’s latest accomplishment comes months after her husband called out the Recording Academy at the 2024 Grammys for snubbing his wife in the aforementioned category. (Despite her impressive 32 overall wins, she has yet to win Album of the Year.)
“We want y’all to get it right—at least get it close to right,” he noted on stage while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Award. “Obviously it’s subjective, because it’s music and it’s opinion-based. But some things, you know, I don’t want to embarrass this young lady—but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year.”
But that wasn’t the only slight that Beyoncé, 43, faced this year, as the “Texas Hold ‘Em” artist was also notably shut out from the 2024 CMA Awards nominations, despite Cowboy Carter spending weeks on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.
However, the Houston native is no stranger to exclusion. In fact, her country album was created ironically after an experience several years ago in which she “did not feel welcomed,” adding that it was “very clear” she wasn’t.
Beyonce / YouTube
“But, because of that experience,” she wrote in a March 19 Instagram post. “I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal
But let’s be clear, as Beyoncé noted, her album isn’t necessarily meant to be categorized.
“This ain’t a Country album,” she added. “This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album. This is act ii COWBOY CARTER, and I am proud to share it with y’all!”
Read on for some of the biggest snubs and surprises from this year’s nominations.
Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images
SURPISE: Beyoncé
The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer is having a real life boogie and a real life hoedown with her 11 nominations for Cowboy Carter. After being shut out of the 2024 Country Music Awards, she led the pack with her nods.
Although it shouldn’t be a surprise since it the album did break several streaming records and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Top 200 in March.
Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
SNUB: Ariana Grande
Eternal Sunshine might’ve been a wickedly good album, but the “7 Rings” singer was left out of the Big Four categories, which includes Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year. However, she did earn nominations in Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Dance Pop Recording.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
SNUB: Jack Antonoff
While Taylor Swift’s frequent collaborator was recognized by the Grammys this year, he was left out of the coveted Producer of the Year category.
Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
SNUB: Dua Lipa
The pop singer, who has three wins and 10 nominations under her belt, didn’t receive any nominations despite releasing her album Radical Optimism early this year, which included the earworm tune “Houdini.” The album also debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for GQ
SURPRISE: André 3000
With fully instrumental albums rarely nominated in the Album of the Year category and with a stacked list including Beyoncé, Taylor, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan, his New Blue Sun came as a happy surprise.
Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images
SUPRISE: Jimmy Carter
The former president, who has been in hospice care since February 2023, received his ninth Grammy nomination in the Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording category for Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration. The 100-year-old, the longest-living President in U.S. history, has won three overall, including in 2019 for Best Spoken Word Album for Faith – A Journey For All.
Mark Holloway/Redferns
SNUB: Hozier
Although “Too Sweet” was the singer’s first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 and thus, became the first Irish artist to top the chart since Sinéad O’Connor, it didn’t earn a spot on either Song of the Year or Record of the Year.
AP Photo
SURPISE: The Beatles
It was a blast from the past when the beloved band was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance for their song “Now and Then.” Although first written as a solo demo by John Lennon in 1977, it wasn’t released until nearly 50 years later by his bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (and George Harrison posthumously with guitar tracks).
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