Every year, artists and viewers alike wait anxiously for the Grammy Awards. It has something in it for everyone: red-carpet looks, iconic performances and the chance to see artists recognized for their hard work and talents. It also has the potential to produce heavy political commentary on the current state of our world. This year was no exception, as the 68th Annual Grammys proved to be an important year for the awards show.
Presented by comedian and TV show host Trevor Noah, the Grammys hosted many performances by old and new artists. Artists, including Addison Rae, Ms. Lauryn Hill, KATSEYE, Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, The Marías, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyler the Creator, rocked the stage, just to name a few. Lady Gaga was among this group, with her notable performance of her hit song "Abracadabra," taking on a new rock style.
No matter how amazing the performances are, however, the most important part of the Grammys will always be the announcement of its most anticipated four awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
Best New Artist
The Best New Artist award is reserved for an artist who establishes their public identity in the calendar year, and Oliva Dean, the winner of this award, has absolutely established herself in 2025. A British singer-songwriter, Dean has taken over radios and hearts with her album “The Art of Loving,” in which she writes about demanding the love she knows she deserves.
Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is an award focused on the technical quality of recording, ignoring the charting and sales. This award was awarded to Kendrick Lamar and SZA, along with their producers, for their song “luther.” This is not the only award Kendrick Lamar won that night, as he won Grammys in the categories “Best Rap Album,” “Best Rap Song,” “Best Rap Performance" and “Best Melodic Rap Performance." These awards finally gave Lamar the push he needed to surpass Jay-Z as the rapper with the most Grammy awards.
Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is different from the Record of the Year in that it is awarded based on the songwriting and composition of the song rather than profit. After leaving the Grammys last year with no awards, Billie Eilish got her redemption by winning Record of the Year with her song “Wildflower.” This song, along with its corresponding album, was also nominated for last year's Grammys. Eilish secured reconsideration for the song by rereleasing it as a single, finally securing the win many people think was robbed from her last year.
Album of the Year
The Album of the Year award is arguably the most important award, given to one album that has shown excellence in the recording industry. Although all nominees were all exceptional in their own rights, it is no surprise that Bad Bunny’s "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" was given the award. The album stems from Bad Bunny’s need to go back to his roots in the wake of the American and Puerto Rican 2024 elections, culminating in a deeply emotional and politically driven album.
Bad Bunny’s acceptance speech reflected his ideas in the album clearly, especially when controversy surrounding ICE is more relevant than ever.
“We’re not savage. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens,” he said. “We are humans, and we are Americans.”
This year's Grammys were inherently political, with many artists such as Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean and Justin Bieber speaking out against ICE by wearing pins and making bold statements during their speeches. Even Noah made several jokes throughout the night towards the current president, making it one of the most political Grammys to date.
Art has and will always be a vital medium for political reform, and this year marked another instance of great artists being recognized for their excellence, while recognizing and bringing awareness to a pain that has affected people across America.
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Emily Edgy, a freshman majoring in social science and history education, is from Centreville, Alabama. She has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the spring of 2026.
