ELLIE SKJERSAA / ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

For some students, Sunday night is spent catching up on  school work before the start of a chaotic week. However, on Feb. 2, many found themselves closing their books and instead tuning in to this year’s Grammy Awards Ceremony.

The first Grammy Awards Ceremony — originally known as The Gramophone Awards — took place in Beverly Hills in 1959 to honor and celebrate the work of those in the music industry. Beginning with just 28 categories, the award ceremony has expanded in 2025 to include 94 categories. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, now known as the Recording Academy, has presented the ceremony since its establishment. Through a system of voting, this annual event draws in millions of viewers who hope to see their favorite artists win a prestigious award. 

This year, the Grammys certainly had a  slew  of  unexpected, yet somewhat to-be-expected, celebrity twists and turns. Exciting performances from Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Charli XCX and others have made their way to the headlines. Similarly, so have controversial moments such as appearances from Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori and problematic jokes from this year’s host, Trevor Noah.

“The Grammys are great but it’s giving ‘Hunger Games’ given our current climate,” USD senior Gray Ehling said. “And I didn’t really appreciate Trevor Noah’s comment about immigrants. It was unnecessary, irrelevant, out of touch, insensitive, and I am disgusted.”

Since the show, comedian Trevor  Noah  has  been  criticized for these attempted quips by viewers and the media. He has specifically come under scrutiny for his failure to land a joke surrounding recent immigration threats under the Trump administration.

“We’re going to be honoring the best in music as voted on by the 13,000 members of the Recording Academy and 20 million illegal immigrants,” Noah said. “And tonight, no matter what happens, history will be made.”

Despite these controversial moments, there still were many special and memorable moments throughout the night. The award ceremony paid tribute to the musicians whose lives were lost this past year. This included artists such as Quincy Jones, Liam Payne and Toby Keith, amongst many others.

However, honoring the legacy of these  musicians  was  not the only tribute that took place. After the devastating fires that demolished many beloved sectors of  the  city of  Los Angeles, the event provided a moment of solidarity and celebration for a community that is known for its  entertainment industry across the world. The Los Angeles County firefighters who put their lives on the line to protect the city were honored on the red carpet and presented this year’s Album of the Year Award, which Beyoncé took home for the first  time in her career.

“For the firefighters to be recognized was a huge thing,” USD junior Deja Blount said. “I think it was important because they risked their lives and put so much of their time into fighting the fires. Everyone knew how hard they worked, but for them to be recognized on such a big night, at the Grammys, was huge because the Grammys are so well-known.”

However, some students expressed that the way the fires were acknowledged at the Grammys was unfavorable. Although the night raised nearly $24 million for wildfire disaster relief throughout the weekend, USD senior Zoe Harrison shared that asking viewers for donations was ironic considering those who were present at the ceremony.

“I thought it was respectable, but  it  kind  of  just  felt  a little  bit out of  touch because  they’re  asking us to donate when they’re the ones with all the money,” Harrison said.

Despite these critiques, many artists left with a notable award in their hands. Beyoncé took home three awards for Album of the Year, Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Kendrick Lamar won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for single, “Not Like Us.” Chappell Roan won Best New Artist, Doechii won Best Rap Album for “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and Sabrina Carpenter won Best Pop Vocal Album for “Short n’ Sweet.” With many other favorite artists among these winners, this was an exciting year for all genres. However, some students shared that some of the winners were not what they had expected.

“I did see some highlights and what surprised me is that Beyonce’s album won over Billie Eilish’s,” Harrison said. “Billie looked so upset and I just personally feel like she should’ve won. I think people are getting more and more disinterested [in the Grammys] because of how unfair it is and it’s kind of like, ‘Why are we watching something that kind of feels rigged?’”

Although the voting system for selecting the winners has existed since the mid-90s, it has faced some push-back in the digital age. The system that currently exists has selected Academy Members that are considered after a submission from a current member or record company. There are currently 13,000 members who all contribute to this process. Historically, this group has remained exclusive, but in recent years, the demographic of members has grown to include more women and people of color to ensure the results are more representative of their audience. Yet, some students shared that the voting process still needs work in order to reflect the more recent turn to streaming.

“I feel like [streaming numbers] should play a role in determining the winners,” Blount said. “So many people listen to music and streaming numbers are huge now. People only stream music, and apps like Apple Music and Spotify should play a part in it. Everything’s digital today.”

Regardless  of   this   sentiment, Blount expressed that she still  believes that award  shows  such as  these are invaluable    to  those  working    hard to  create  music  in the  industry.

“I still feel like [the Grammys] are important, especially for newer artists and those that haven’t won a lot of Grammys,” Blount said. “It is kind of a signifier to artists that, ‘Okay, I made it, people listen to me, and they actually like it.’ It is more of a feel good moment than anything else.”

From glamorous outfits, surprise redcarpet appearances and exciting performances, the 2025 Grammys were a night to remember. Through  all  of  the  ups and downs, one thing can be said: the Grammys are here to stay.  

The LA County firefighters were honored at this year’s award ceremony after fires struck the city. Photo courtesy of @abcnews/Instagram