2025 Grammy Nominations

By Izzy Mellos

The 2025  Grammy nominations just dropped, and the internet can’t stop talking. Nominations are packed with this year’s headliners. Leading is Kendrick Lamar with nine nominations, not surprising after he gained popularity following his Super Bowl halftime performance. Following  closely are Lady Gaga and Bad Bunny, who have seven and six nominations each. Pop and hip-hop are dominating this year, with female artists in particular taking over major categories.

One of the biggest stories from the nominations is Bad Bunny’s record-breaking year. Bad Bunny has become the first Latin urban artist to score nominations in three of the “Big Four” categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. He was also nominated for Album of the Year with DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. Another interesting story from these nominations is that Lady Gaga is making a major comeback. Her new album, MAYHEM, put her back into Grammy relevance. She’s been nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year. The Grammys haven’t seen her in a while. K-pop artists broke through this year, earning nominations in categories like Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Global Music Album. 

Behind the scenes, there’s plenty of conversation  about what these nominations really mean. This year’s list proves that “streaming numbers don’t automatically equal prestige anymore.” Artistic creativity and innovation seem to be outweighing pure popularity. The mix of older icons like Gaga and Lamar alongside new faces such as Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Dean shows that the Grammys are trying to stay culturally relevant without abandoning their traditional artists. The boundaries between genres have fallen; Latin, pop, hip-hop, and country music all share the spotlight, suggesting that the Academy’s definition of “mainstream” has finally caught up with the audience’s.
In the Album of the Year category, the nominees Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Gaga’s MAYHEM, Justin Bieber’s SWAG, and Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend are a wide range of music styles. Nominations for Record of the Year include fan favorites like Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” and Lamar’s collaboration with SZA, “luther.” And Best New Artist, names like Lola Young and Leon Thomas might be the next big thing.

This year’s nominations are proof that the music industry’s focus is shifting. The old boundaries between pop, hip-hop, and global sounds are gone, and an unpredictable mix is in, reflecting how people actually listen to music today. This year’s ceremony won’t be predictable. The 2025 Grammys are shaping up to be less about gatekeeping and popularity and more about evolution, excitement, and creativity.