Music’s biggest night, the 67th annual Grammy Awards ceremony, was hosted on Feb. 2 with performances from Stevie Wonder, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, John Legend, Shakira and more of the industry’s biggest names.

This year, the awards were a tight race, with many categories being star-studded with major artists from Beyonce to Eminem. Here’s a rundown of the night’s biggest awards.

Who Should Win
Taylor Swift’s most recent album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was a life-changing masterpiece. Swift’s nature of releasing music to reflect the experience of being a woman, being in love, experiencing heartbreak, or just being human perfectly came together in her 11th studio album. Like any other die-hard Swiftie, I have a special place in my heart for the woman whose music has shaped me into who I am today, but there is no competition on who should win the award. Although every album in this category was phenomenal, I cannot see anyone other than Taylor Swift taking the award home.

Winner
Ultimately, Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” took home the award. Although I love Beyonce and she deserves so many awards, the award for album of the year should have gone to somebody else. The album resonated with me because of its themes surrounding Black history, American history, and American culture as a whole with songs like “Blackbiird.” However, other albums were far more deserving, such as “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter or “Hit Me Hard and Soft” by Billie Eilish. Another problem I have with this win is that this should not have been the first time Beyonce won Album of the Year, and this award feels like it was given to her just to make up for her not having received it in the past. Many of her previous albums deserved it much more, such as “Lemonade,” which is one of my favorite albums of all time. I adore Beyonce and I’m always excited to see her succeed, but the other albums nominated not only really impacted my life and helped me get through dark times, but also had far more significant impact on pop culture and music overall.

Who Should Win
Despite so many fantastic songs on this list, “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish took the cake for song of the year. From the second the song starts, the upbeat melody and sense of happiness make me just want to get up and dance. The song reminds me of a beach day with friends, playing dolls as a child, and walking through Disney World. The song reflects pure love and friendship, which are feelings universal to the human experience, in the most impactful way. The lyrics “I knew you in another life / You had that same look in your eyes” really resonated with me and reminded me of all the precious relationships I’ve had throughout my life.

Winner
Ending all questions about who the best rapper of this generation is, Kendrick Lamar won this award for his song “Not Like Us.” The song is a diss track criticizing his fellow rapper Drake, released in May amid the heated feud between Lamar and his rival. Although I was already a huge fan of Lamar before, “Not Like Us” transcended my views of him and cemented his status as one of the best rappers in this generation by using the raw truth while delivering it smoothly. Although I hoped for Billie Eilish to win, Kendrick Lamar’s song was amazing and I’m not surprised it won the award.

Who Should Win
Although every artist in this category is insanely talented, Sabrina Carpenter should take home the award this year. Her rise to stardom was truly admirable with multiple hits, such as her hit single “Espresso” going viral for months on end. I have been a long-time fan of Carpenter since she released her debut album “Eyes Wide Open,” and seeing her rise to become the artist she is has only made me love her even more. Carpenter’s sparkly, playful and colorful persona has made her one of the year’s biggest pop stars. In addition, the release of her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet,” was phenomenal and has been on repeat for me ever since. She is beyond deserving of this award, and I have no doubts she will receive it.

Winner
Although Sabrina Carpenter did not win, fellow pop star Chappell Roan took the award home this year. I am not surprised that Roan won in this category; she’s an amazing singer that embraces her queer identity in a loud, colorful, unique way evocative of artists like Lady Gaga and drag queen artists. Her music is different from the typical pop singers today, with her hyperpop femme
identity reflecting the realities of life as a queer woman. After her debut album launched her into success this year, I can’t help but be happy and proud she won.

Who Should Win
Becoming the first black woman with a number-one single on the Hot Country Songs chart, Beyonce is destined to win in this category. “Cowboy Carter” was an extraordinary album that defied all expectations and ideas the public may have had of Beyonce and her music. Despite the backlash she faced from critics saying “she isn’t country,” this album is one of her best. Drawing inspiration from her Texan roots, the album redefines modern pop by weaving in elements of country, blues and hip-hop into a groundbreaking final product. The album discusses sensitive topics such as African American history, American identity, and justice in a way that reflects Beyonce’s experiences with resilience and love, cementing her legacy as a diverse singer in all genres.

Winner
As expected, Beyonce won in this category. “Cowboy Carter” broke country music norms and changed all perspectives I had on her, leaving both myself and countless fans impressed with how smooth and natural the result was despite being her first step into the genre. From the moment I heard the opening notes to “Ameriican Requiem” on its release date, I knew this album was destined to take the country Grammys category by storm. Beyonce effectively channeled the soul of country’s music roots into this album while still making it her own, which guaranteed her place in this category. “Cowboy Carter” is a unique, one-of-a-kind album, and although Beyonce is renowned for her pop career, I eagerly await her upcoming works and hope she continues to explore this genre in the future.

Who Should Win
For me, the winner is obvious for this award: “We Don’t Trust You” by Future & Metro Boomin. The album is a masterpiece and entirely innovative to the hip-hop genre. With Future’s hypnotic flow alongside Metro Boomin’s iconic recognizable production, the album explores themes of betrayal, power, and distrust through its lyrics. For example, “Like That” featuring Kendrick Lamar portrays themes of empowerment as Lamar declares himself the best rapper. Overall, the haunting melodies, catchy beats, and collaborations throughout the album truly cement their spot as deserving winners in this category.

Winner
First there was Lauryn Hill, then Cardi B, and now there is Doechii. As the third woman to ever win the award, Doechii won with her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” As a rap music fan, I’m not surprised she won, but as a woman and fellow Floridian, I felt immense pride when she won the award. In today’s world where the rap charts are mainly male-dominated, it is an incredible step forward to see a woman succeed in the genre. Doechii’s album was phenomenal and she has proven to be one of the best rappers of this time. Her breath control, rhythm and lyricism, especially with the song “Denial is a River,” are incredibly impressive and prove to audiences that she is just as worthy as any man of being high up on the rap charts.