The 2024 Grammy Awards brought along the usual backlash over award recipient choices — and the unusual drama with Jay- Z — but what caught the attention of many Baldwin Wallace University students is how women ruled this year’s award ceremony.
Women took the lead in having the highest nominations in all televised and attributed categories.
“Seeing women dominate and sweep the Grammys this year made my heart happy,” Jordan Moore-Stone, sophomore music industry student, said. “It felt rewarding to see women, especially women of color like Victoria Monét, get the recognition they’ve deserved for years.”
Monét is no stranger to the music industry. She has written many of the world’s favorite songs, such as the No. 1 hit, “Thank You, Next,” which was performed and co-written by Ariana Grande.
“Often women of color in the music industry are put in a box, so it was nice to see many of them claim their awards in a multitude of genres,” Moore-Stone said.
Janiya McAllister, first-year musical theatre student, said the domination of women at the Grammy’s reflects a cultural shift toward the appreciation of women in the industry.
I feel that female artists are truly on the climb and that larger populations of music listeners are truly beginning to see and slowly understand the impact that women have had on the history of music, and the history they continue to make as they forge their own paths within the industry,” McAllister said.
Moore-Stone said she is not surprised by a potential change in attitude.
“In my humble opinion, women’s music has a deep intention and healing quality to it that make their songs so universal,” Moore-Stone said.
The night was still not complete without the Dr. Dre global impact award recipient, Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z, making an unexpected speech.
Jay-Z surprised many when he made remarks questioning The Academy’s integrity, specifically targeting The Academy’s attention to him not rewarding Beyoncé, his wife, with album of the year.
Jay T. Hairston II, the gospel choir director at BW, said Beyoncé not receiving the recognition was an “insult.”
“When a woman of color is not given her dues, it not only insults a whole sex, but it also insults a whole culture,” Hairston II said. “There is a space and time for everything, but…sometimes it’s up to saying what you know is right or wrong when your given the opportunity to make change, not only for yourself or a loved one, but for a community and culture of people.”
Beyoncé has been in the music industry since she was 15 and received her first Grammy in 2001 with Destiny’s Child’s smash hit “Say My Name.” Since, Beyoncé has taken over the industry as the Grammy’s most awarded artist of all time, with her current standing of 32 Grammys.
Rather than Beyonce, Album of the Year was awarded to Taylor Swift, the woman who took the world by storm this year, for “Midnights.”
In 2023, Swift went on a world tour, released many chart-topping albums and even tapped into the NFL market with boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Swift became the first artist to win album of the year four times, but not everyone believed she deserved this recognition.
“In my honest opinion, I do not believe “Midnights” was truly the album of the year,” Moore-Stone said. “I am a moderate listener of Taylor Swift and “Midnights” and do enjoy Taylor’s art. However, while competing with SZA’s “SOS,” I feel like realistically Midnights pales in comparison. “SOS” gave us a range of genres from punk, rap, R&B and pop alongside its unique lyrics and story.”
McAllister said that while they themselves do not listen to Swift, they understand why she would receive the award.
“I can understand why she won the Grammy, considering that I feel the Grammy’s measure chart success and overall appeal rather than genuine meaning and impact,” McAllister said. “They’re looking for something that succeeded, gained widespread attention and will in turn increase the popularity of Grammy conversation, attention and appearance in the media.”
Moore-Stone also said that Swift’s win was not a surprise, but that it would have been better to see the Academy reward artists that “continuously raise the bar.”
“I would’ve even liked to see Janelle Monae’s “The Age of Pleasure” win,” Moore-Stone said.
Nonetheless, despite the disagreements over who should have received different awards, both McAllister and Moore-Stone said they were pleased with the highlight of women in the ceremony.
Miley Cyrus took home her first ever Grammy with Record of the Year for her hit “Flowers,” as well as Best Solo Pop Performance. Long time childhood star Coco Jones took home Best R&B Performance for her song “ICU” and Monét also took home the award for Best R&B Album for “Jaguar II.”
