Beyoncé makes more history to lead 2025 Grammy noms, but she’s got plenty of diva competition (yes, Taylor Swift)
Beyoncé can’t help herself from making Grammy history.
In 2023, Queen Bey reigned supreme as the artist with the most Grammy wins ever when she picked up her 32nd gramophone.
And when the nominations were announced for the 2025 Grammy Awards on Friday, Nov. 8, the 43-year-old superstar set not one but two more records.
Leading the pack with 11 nods, she became the artist with the most Grammy noms ever, with her 99 total breaking the tie she had shared with her husband, Jay-Z. And she became the most-nominated woman in a single year, topping the previous mark of 10 set by Lauryn Hill at the 1999 awards.
But that will all mean nothing if she doesn’t finally win the one that she really wants: Album of the Year.
“Cowboy Carter” earned the singer her fifth Album of the Year nomination after 2008’s “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” 2013’s “Beyoncé,” 2016’s “Lemonade” and 2022’s “Renaissance.”
But it won’t be easy because Taylor Swift is in the mix — again — with her blockbuster “The Tortured Poets Department” after just becoming the first artist to win Album of the Year four times when “Midnights” took home the top prize in February.
Seriously, between Taylor and Adele, Beyoncé can’t seem to catch a break in this category. (And we’re still not over Beck and Harry Styles beating her here, either.)
There are some other major divas that she’ll have to contend with too, including previous Album of the Year winner Billie Eilish (“Hit Me Hard and Soft”) and British sensation Charli xcx (“Brat”) — who follow Bey with seven nominations apiece — as well as rising stars Sabrina Carpenter (“Short n’ Sweet”) and Chappell Roan (“The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”).
Missing, though, is Ariana Grande, who was snubbed for “Eternal Sunshine.” In a head-scratching surprise, the last two Album of the Year spots went to a couple of jazz LPs by Jacob Collier (“Djesse Vol. 4”) — who was previously nominated for “Vol. 3” in 2021 — and rapper-turned-flautist André 3000 (“New Blue Sun”).
Another surprise is The Beatles — yes, The Beatles — turning up in Record of the Year for “Now and Then,” the Fab Four’s first new song since 1996. But hey, if it gets Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to show up and maybe even perform at the awards, it’ll be worth it.
But really, Record of the Year is all about the ladies, with Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em” going up against Swift’s “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone), Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” and Charli xcx’s “360.”
All but Charli xcx are also up for Song of the Year — with Carpenter swapping out “Espresso” for “Please Please Please.”
Kendrick Lamar breaks up the girls club in Record and Song of the Year with his hip-hop anthem “Not Like Us,” but how did Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — which just notched its 16th week at No. 1 — get nominated for Song of the Year but not Record of the Year?
Outside of the Big Four categories — with Best New Artist nominees Carpenter and Roan scoring a clean sweep — Beyoncé conquers new territory with her four country nods for “Cowboy Carter.”
After the groundbreaking LP was completely shut out in the CMA Awards nominations, Bey is up for Best Country Album, Best Country Song (“Texas Hold ’Em”), Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“II Most Wanted” with Miley Cyrus) and Best Country Solo Performance (“16 Carriages”). And she even nabbed a nom for Best Americana Performance (“YA YA”).
It says here that Beyoncé will need some support from the powerful country contingent if she is to finally lasso that coveted Album of the Year gramophone when the Grammys go down on Feb. 2.
