The 2023 65th Annual Grammy Awards was filled with stellar performances, heartwarming speeches and some surprising wins. The most coveted Grammy award of all, the Album of The Year, was given to Harry Styles for his album, “Harry’s House”. The competition was stacked, with Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Adele and Beyonce all in the running. Style’s win was massive in the music world, but not many believe he truly deserves an award as big as Album of The Year.
Compared to the competition he was up against, there are others who had a much more likely chance of winning. Lizzo, for example, released her album “Special” in 2022 which features a top summer hit, “About Damn Time.” Her music centers around self-confidence, body positivity and loving yourself and others. When she won Best Record, in her speech, she said, “And now, I look around and there’s all these songs that are about loving our bodies and feeling comfortable in our skin… and I’m just so proud to be a part of it.”
Another artist who had a huge influence on the music industry was Bad Bunny. Starting the award show off with a spectacular performance, Bad Bunny’s newest release, “Un Verano Sin Ti”, features songs such as “Me Porto Bonito” and “Efecto.” Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer, and his latest album is sung completely in Spanish. Despite not winning Album of The Year, Bad Bunny did not leave the night empty handed, winning Best Musica Urbana Album.
The biggest upset by fans and critics alike comes from long time queen of music, Beyonce. A beloved singer and icon, Beyonce is a household name. Her newest album, “Renaissance” is said to be the crowning achievement in her career, with hits such as “BREAK MY SOUL” and “CHURCH GIRL.” Having never won Album of The Year at the Grammys, many thought this year would be the year she would. Until Styles entered the picture.
It would be unfair to say that Styles’ album, “Harry’s House,” did not sweep the nation. His song “As It Was” spent the longest amount of time at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 chart. His album was also said to be the fastest selling album of the year 2022. “Harry’s House” was a surefire success, and not only because of his reputation, but also because he simply made very good music.
All that being said, while Styles might’ve taken the win from those more deserving, what he didn’t deserve was the hate he received from those who attended the show. As soon as his name was announced, a chorus of boos and objections were shouted, visibly affecting the artist. This same sort of incident happened with Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs when she won Best Female Video over Beyonce. She was interrupted and scolded by rapper Kanye West saying she stole Beyonce’s award and that Beyonce made the best video of all time. The incident was widely reflected on and many said West had gone too far, but the action still left an impact.
While Beyonce might’ve made a better album, it is not Harry’s fault that he was chosen over her. In the end, Beyonce still left the night with Best Dance/Electronic Album along with Best R&B Song, making her the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammy history, clocking in at 32 wins and 79 nominations. Beyonce always deserves recognition for what she has done for the music industry, along with the other Album of The Year competitors. I don’t think Styles made the best album out of everyone nominated, but I also don’t think he deserved to be booed because of someone else’s decision.