Renowned American singer and business mogul Beyoncé made history with her Cowboy Carter album at the 2025 Grammys. She won Album of the Year, solidifying her impact on both music and culture.
With this victory, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to claim the award in the 21st century. The last to do so was Lauryn Hill, who won 26 years ago for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Before her, only Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston had achieved this honor. This makes Beyoncé just the fourth Black woman ever to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.
As the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammy history, she had been up for this category four times before, with many believing she had been overlooked for the honor.
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In a symbolic moment, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department presented Beyoncé with the trophy, a nod to the recent wildfires that devastated thousands of homes.
“It’s been many, many years,” Beyoncé said in her acceptance speech. “I want to dedicate this to Ms. Martell,” she added, paying tribute to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
She also won Country Album for Cowboy Carter and Best Country Duo for II Most Wanted which featured Miley Cyrus.
Released on March 29, 2024, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, broke records and achieved remarkable commercial success.
The album amassed over 76 million global streams on its first day, marking the biggest debut of the year for a country album and the highest first-day streams ever for any album by a Black woman.
It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 407,000 album-equivalent units, making Beyoncé the first woman and only the second artist ever to have her first eight albums debut at number one. Additionally, it topped the Americana/Folk Albums and Top Country Albums charts, making her the first Black woman to achieve a number-one country album.
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In the UK, Cowboy Carter debuted at number one on the Albums Chart with 40,000 copies sold in its first week, becoming Beyoncé’s fifth solo album to reach the top spot. It also dominated the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Country Albums Chart, marking a first for an African American female artist.
The album also claimed the top spot on album charts in Canada, Australia, and Germany, reinforcing its global impact.
All 23 eligible tracks from the album entered the Billboard Hot 100, bringing Beyoncé’s career total to 106 entries—the third highest for a female artist.
The lead single, Texas Hold ‘Em, returned to number one on the UK Singles Chart alongside the album’s release, making Beyoncé the first artist to simultaneously top both the UK Albums and Singles Charts with a country album and single.
The 2025 Grammy Awards took place on Sunday, February 2, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, marking yet another milestone in Beyoncé’s groundbreaking career.