The Grammys have been loopy in love with Beyoncé since she obtained her first of a report 99 nominations with Future’s Baby 25 years in the past.
And since DC’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” misplaced to TLC’s “No Scrubs” for Finest R&B Efficiency by a Duo or Group in 2000, Bey has gone on to grow to be the winningest artist in Grammy historical past, bagging her thirty second of these golden gramophones in 2023.
However regardless of her staggering success on music’s greatest evening, Beyoncé has by no means gained the award that issues most: Album of the 12 months. She’s been nominated 4 instances — for “I Am … Sasha Fierce” in 2010, “Beyoncé” in 2015, “Lemonade” in 2017 and “Renaissance” in 2023. And he or she’s misplaced 4 instances.
Whereas hubby Jay-Z accepted the Dr. Dre International Influence Award final 12 months, he known as the Grammys out about it: “She has more Grammys than everyone and never won Album of the Year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys, [but] never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.”
In entrance of the business, he mentioned the quiet half out loud, as Mrs. Carter stood within the uncomfortable viewers.
Weeks later, Queen Bey dropped “Cowboy Carter” — her groundbreaking, genre-bucking nation assortment — which leads the contenders at Sunday’s Grammys with 11 nominations, essentially the most ever by a feminine artist in a single 12 months.
And — right here we go once more — she’s up for Album of the 12 months in what would be the story of the evening.
So how did we get right here, the place Beyoncé has perfected the beauty-queen smile-and-clap routine in loss after loss for Grammy’s greatest award?
It began in 2010, when Beyoncé as soon as once more led the nominees with 10 for her 2008 album “I Am … Sasha Fierce,” which featured the hits “If I Were a Boy,” “Halo” and, greatest of all, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).”
That 12 months B was up towards Taylor Swift’s “Fearless,” Girl Gaga’s “The Fame,” the Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.” and Dave Matthews Band’s “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King.”
There was actually no disgrace in shedding to Swift’s country-pop blockbuster within the first of her report 4 AOTY victories. Clearly, that was no fluke. Heck, even a loss to Gaga for her insta-classic debut would’ve been acceptable.
Of all of Beyoncé’s Album of the 12 months losses, this one is the fair-and-squarest.
However 5 years later, Beyoncé was robbed for the primary time when her shock self-titled set that ceaselessly modified the sport for album drops — and boasted a visible companion with movies for each observe — misplaced to Beck’s “Morning Phase” in 2015. This was not “Odelay,” for which the slacker hero was beforehand nominated for AOTY in 1997.
I’d even argue that Sam Smith’s “In the Lonely Hour” would’ve been a worthier winner than “Morning Phase.” However wanting on the impression of “Beyoncé” and its legacy 10 years later — with its formidable artistry, this was the start of Bey 2.0 — there’s actually no competitors.
Much more egregious, although, was the “Lemonade” loss for Album of the 12 months on the 2017 Grammys. “Lemonade” was a type of once-in-a-generation albums that modified not solely Beyoncé’s profession however the tradition. From the second that she surprise-dropped “Formation” the day earlier than performing it on the 2016 Tremendous Bowl, it was an entire rattling motion, full with a “Lemonade” movie.
Embracing her blackness greater than ever, she merely slayed.
It made poor Adele embarrassed when her “25” LP triumphed over “Lemonade” after she had already gained AOTY — and deservedly so — for “21” in 2012.
“I can’t possibly accept this award,” mentioned the tearful “Hello” singer as she reluctantly did simply that. “My artist of my life is Beyoncé. And this album to me, the “Lemonade” album, is simply so monumental … And all us artists right here adore you. You might be our mild.”
It might have been higher than shedding to Justin Bieber (“Purpose”) or Drake (“Views”), however this one felt like a fair greater slap within the face after 2015.
And whereas Beyoncé represented for black ladies on “Lemonade,” she did the identical for the black queer group — a foundational supply of inspiration all through her profession — on 2022’s “Renaissance.” In the long run, it was in all probability too black and too queer for Grammy voters, who performed it protected with the pop-rock decide of Harry Types’ “Harry’s House” in 2023.
However hey, at the very least Adele didn’t win once more for “30,” absolutely to her aid.
Nonetheless, it needed to sting when Beyoncé broke the report for many Grammy wins — however not with the large one she actually wished.
A bit perspective, although: There are many legit legends all through the historical past of pop music who haven’t gained Album of the 12 months — from Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen to Prince and Madonna. So Beyoncé is in good firm.
However in an period the place Swift has 4 AOTY wins, it’s getting tougher and tougher to make it make sense why Bey doesn’t have one but. Sufficient is sufficient — this has obtained to be her 12 months.
