2025 Grammy Awards – Sound & Vision Blog

2025 GRAMMYS PLACES EMPHASIS ON WILD FIRE RELIEF 

SOUND AND VISION

Another year has passed and The Grammy Awards, hailed as “Music’s Biggest Night,” has come and gone again.  The 2025 show, as with last year, was a considerable improvement over the bombastic and Rap-heavy editions we saw between 2021 through 2023, and took on a different purpose: raising funds and awareness to help rebuild the areas of Los Angeles damaged by the wild fires.  Using a QR code to raise donations, The Recording Academy raised over $8 million in donations and is still collecting new funds.

The 67th annual telecast of the show was a considerably lower key happening- taking a full week of Grammy activities down to 4 key events: The MusiCares Person of The Year; The Special Merit/ Lifetime Achievement Awards; The Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Gala and the Grammy Awards Telecast. All of these events were re-shaped into fund raisers with awareness messages pushed throughout.

The Recording Academy has also taken The Grammys back to what it always did best: showcasing a wide variety of musical styles from the most compelling artists on the scene. There were few big upsets and fewer surprises, although the performances were exceptional. Once again women dominated the awards shows, with golden statues won by Beyoncé, Doechii, Charlie XCX, Lady Gaga, Shakira, Chappell Roan, St Vincent, Serena Ferrell, and several others.  Legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Herbie Hancock, Coldplay did appear but only in tribute segments to those who have passed away recently or who made groundbreaking music accomplishments.

As for male artists, Kendrick Lamar was the big winner. He cleaned up with five Grammys, including breaking a record for the most statues awarded a rap artist in a single Grammy telecast.

The speeches were also powerful this year, especially, Best New Artist Chappell Roan, who gave an impassioned acceptance speech telling record companies to start providing  its not-yet-wealthy emerging artists with a guaranteed living wage; health care; and better emotional support. 

The show was visually stunning with brilliant set designs, many of which had to be set in place during 4 minute commercial breaks.   Among the more memorable musical segments was star—studded opening of the song “I LOVE LA,”; Roan’s circus-like presentation of her hit “Pink Pony Club,”  and tributes to Quincy Jones, Shakira, and Alicia Keys.   The only disappointment for many  was a rumored Beatles reunion of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performing with John Lennon and George Harrison (who would be on screens) of the Grammy winning hit “Now & Then”. Since it was nominated for three Grammys many industry insiders said it would be an “AI” extravaganza.  In the end, it never happened.
Photos by Getty Images for the Recording Academy®2025 All Rights Reserved
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: (L-R) Shaboozey and Miley Cyrus attend the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 01: Frankie Valli attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jody Gerson on February 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 01: Jennifer Lopez attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jody Gerson on February 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 01: (L-R) Joni Mitchell, Clive Davis, and Kenny G attend the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jody Gerson on February 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Jackie Jacobs and Frankie Valli attend the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Chappell Roan attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Janelle Monáe attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Bob Weir attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: Lady Gaga attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 31: Mick Fleetwood attends the 2025 MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring The Grateful Dead at the Los Angeles Convention Center on January 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)