But it’s actually a good thing that the Grammys stuck to their guns. The 2025 ceremony turned out to be one of the best awards shows in recent memory—an unexpected delight featuring an incredible array of performances, memorable speeches, and, most importantly, a creative way to give back to the communities impacted most by the fires.

Beyonce, who is the awarded artist in Grammys history, had never won the album of the year prize before Sunday night. In her acceptance speech, Beyonce said she felt “very full and very honored” and dedicated the prize to pioneering Black country music artist Linda Martell saying: “I wanna dedicate this to Miss Martell,