The best and worst moments from the 2025 Grammy Awards

BEST: The Californication of the Grammys

From its opening “I Love L.A.” number performed by Dawes to presenters like Red Hot Chili Peppers to commercials celebrating small businesses, this year’s Grammys served as a love letter to the City of Angels and its magical music history. However, nothing was more affecting than Billie Eilish‘s nostalgia-drenched performance of her smash single “Birds of a Feather,” which saw the L.A. native (dressed in a Dodgers cap) sing in front of a dreamy set that evoked the San Gabriel Mountains as snapshots from her and brother Finneas O’Connell‘s childhood were superimposed onto the screen behind them. A simple, yet perfect tribute. —Emlyn Travis

WORST: Trevor Noah addressing the quiet evening

Listen, we get it: Trevor Noah is in a pretty impossible spot right now. The five-time Grammys host is tasked with keeping the energy afloat while also reminding viewers of the destruction and heartbreak left in the aftermath of the L.A. fires all in the same breath. Still, his repeated temperature checks and awkward attempts to claim that the vibes in the Crypto.com Arena were picking up were only further highlighting the fact that this year’s ceremony just wasn’t as jolly as it’s been in the past. Which is understandable! But perhaps not something to keep bringing up over and over again. —Emlyn Travis

BEST: Chappell Roan’s pink pony rodeo

Is there anything Chappell Roan can’t do? Your artist’s favorite artist took home the award for Best New Artist, challenged record labels to provide healthcare and living wages for artists, cycled through three different outfit transformations (thus far), and blew the roof off with her rollicking round-up rendition of “Pink Pony Club.” Accompanied by rodeo clowns, Chappell brought the energy up on a slightly subdued evening with her vivacious love letter to both California and Tennessee — complete with a massive Pink Pony standee, onscreen explosions, and a built-in moment for stars like Janelle Monáe and Alicia Keys to belt out its cathartic pre-chorus, too. —Emlyn Travis

WORST: Interrupting Charli XCX

There is something so sick and twisted about having the inventor of Brat summer herself, Charli XCX, dancing her panty-flinging heart out on the Grammys stage at the end of her performance only for a large graphic to dominate the left-hand side of the screen and the show’s announcer to suddenly start listing all the artists who could potentially be taking home the award for Album of the Year. All of the night’s previous performances appeared to have a solid cutoff point, but it seemed like Charli’s wasn’t exactly over when the ceremony decided to cut to commercial break — especially since the all of the stage lights were still flashing and her pals, including Billie Eilish, were all still dancing along. Talk about Grammys, so confusing. —Emlyn Travis

BEST: Doechii does it right!

First, she won the Rap Album of the Year award, noting that she’s only the third woman to win in the category, after Lauryn Hill and Cardi B (who presented the category). The Tampa rapper used her time to deliver a powerful message. “I know there is some Black girl out there, so many Black women out there that are watching me right now,” she concluded her speech. “I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible. Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony. Praise God.”

Then, she took the stage as part of a segment featuring the Best New Artist nominees, wowing the crowd with her mix of “Catfish” and “Denial Is a River.” Based on reactions in the audience from Jay-Z, Billie Eilish, and SZA, a star was born at the 2025 Grammys. —Gerrad Hall

WORST: Billie and Taylor snubbed!

Birds of a feather… don’t win Grammys together. Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift both walked away with no new statuettes to add to their collections (Eilish has nine; Swift has 14, including four for Album of the Year). With seven nominations this year, including one with Charli XCX for their “Guess” collab, it’s the first time 23-year-old Eilish has walked away empty-handed — though watching Beyoncé win Album of the Year with tear-soaked eyes might’ve been the win for her. And trophies or not, any awards show is a win for Swift, who always seems to be having more fun than anyone else in the room. None of that, though, is consolation for the artists’ devoted fans, who were quick to share their disdain on social media. It’ll be many a fortnight before they get over this. —Gerrad Hall

BEST: Tear-away time

This year’s Grammys performers really needed to get things off their chest — literally. Benson Boone, Janelle Monáe, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doechii all found themselves tearing off their clothes mid-performance to reveal brand-new, eye-catching ensembles that had been cleverly tucked away underneath their stuffy suits and ties. Benson and Sabrina even opted for the same colorway as they transformed into bright Cinderella-esque baby blue hues. Is this the start of a new trend? —Emlyn Travis

WORST: The Weeknd nearly ruins the weekend

Ladies and gentlemen, the… weakest link of the night? We knew a surprise was coming, but let’s be real: Was Abel Tesfaye in Jedi Knight cosplay on your wish list? No, the Weeknd’s performance wasn’t terrible. It just stuck out like a sore thumb among rousing numbers from Doechii and Chappell Roan and clips depicting the loss and devastation of the California wildfires. We get it, Grammys — you’ve been working on diversity initiatives, and you reeled in a super-stubborn dude who’s been boycotting the awards since 2021. But the whole affair just looked stunty and phoned-in and way too conveniently aligned with the release of the artist’s new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, which dropped this past Friday. Watching Mr. Doom-and-Gloom pout his way through a track called “Cry for Me” in this political climate, we couldn’t stop thinking, “Hurry up and get off the stage.” —Jason Lamphier 

BEST: Standing up for one another

Without explicitly calling out Donald Trump, several of this year’s Grammys presenters and winners alike made sure to use their voices to defend marginalized communities that have already been affected by the president’s latest policies. Lady Gaga fiercely defended trans people and the greater queer community during her and Bruno Mars’ win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, while the legendary Diana Ross acknowledged that many children may be “frightened” during these dark times and expressed her hope to “keep the light of hope and love alive” moving forward. Meanwhile, in her acceptance speech, Alicia Keys didn’t hold back when she declared: “DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift — and the voices, the more powerful the sound.” Tell ’em, ladies! —Emlyn Travis

WORST: Benson adjusts his beautiful things

Benson Boone, we love the ‘stache. We love the fashion mullet. We loooove the deep, deep V of that shimmery baby blue jumpsuit. What we don’t love is a Best New Artist nominee ending his damn-near-perfect awards-show performance with a jig and a tug followed by a demure bow and a “thank you.” You couldn’t wait just one more minute to get backstage and deal with your bits? Was this your way of showing us you’re the whole package? —Jason Lamphier