Grammy Awards Kick Off with Early Wins for Music Superstars
The 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony commenced in Los Angeles on Sunday with a flurry of early victories for some of music's biggest names. Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, and Lady Gaga each claimed prestigious trophies during the pre-televised portion of the event, where dozens of awards were distributed ahead of the evening's main broadcast.
Leading Contenders Set Sights on Historic Album of the Year Triumph
All three artists are positioned to make Grammy history by potentially winning the night's most coveted prize - Album of the Year - for the first time in their careers. This sets up an unprecedented showdown among these musical powerhouses.
Kendrick Lamar established an early lead with three wins in rap categories, building on his impressive nine nominations this year. The 38-year-old California native, fresh from his five-Grammy sweep last year for "Not Like Us," is also nominated for Record and Song of the Year for his collaboration "Luther" featuring R&B sensation SZA.
Lady Gaga captured the award for Best Dance Pop Recording, marking another achievement in her remarkable comeback year. The 39-year-old pop icon has seven nominations total, including all three major categories.
Bad Bunny secured the Grammy for Best Global Music Performance, adding to his growing collection of accolades. The Puerto Rican superstar enters the ceremony with six nominations and stands as a formidable contender for Album of the Year honors.
Complete List of Early Grammy Winners Across Diverse Categories
While the television broadcast will feature the major category announcements, 86 awards were presented during Sunday afternoon's Premiere Ceremony hosted by Darren Criss. The winners showcase the incredible diversity of contemporary music:
- Best Dance/Electronic Album: "EUSEXUA" by FKA twigs
- Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Defying Gravity" by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
- Best Rock Album: "Never Enough" by Turnstile
- Best R&B Album: "Mutt" by Leon Thomas
- Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: "A Matter of Time" by Laufey
- Best Latin Pop Album: "Cancionera" by Natalia Lafourcade
- Best Música Mexicana Album: "Palabra De To's (Seca)" by Carín León
- Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: "Sinners" by various artists
- Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: "Sinners" by Ludwig Göransson
- Best Gospel Album: "Heart of Mine" by Darrel Walls and PJ Morton
- Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: "Coritos Vol. 1" by Israel & New Breed
- Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters"
- Best Jazz Vocal Album: "Portrait" by Samara Joy
- Best Jazz Instrumental Album: "Southern Nights" by Sullivan Fortner featuring Peter Washington and Marcus Gilmore
- Best African Music Performance: "Push 2 Start" by Tyla
- Best Reggae Album: "BLXXD & FYAH" by Keznamdi
- Best Music Video: "Anxiety" by Doechii
- Best Music Film: "Music by John Williams"
- Best Alternative Music Album: "Songs of a Lost World" by The Cure
- Songwriter Of The Year: Amy Allen
- Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Cirkut
- Best Comedy Album: "Your Friend, Nate Bargatze" by Nate Bargatze
- Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording: "Meditations: The Reflections of his Holiness The Dalai Lama" by Dalai Lama
- Best Spoken Word Poetry Album: "Words for Days Vol. 1" by Mad Skillz
- Best Album Cover: "Chromakopia"
Expanded Competition in Major Categories
The Album of the Year category features an exceptionally strong field beyond the three frontrunners. Additional nominees include pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter, R&B artist Leon Thomas, innovative musician Tyler the Creator, hip-hop duo Clipse (comprising Pusha T and Malice), and global superstar Justin Bieber with his first studio album in four years.
The Best New Artist category showcases emerging talent from around the world, with nominees including Alex Warren, international girl group Katseye, British singer Olivia Dean, social media star-turned-musician Addison Rae, The Marias, Sombr, Lola Young, and Thomas.
Historic Context and Academy Evolution
Musicologist Lauron Kehrer notes that the prominence of rap, reggaeton, and K-pop in major Grammy categories reflects significant changes within the Recording Academy's voting membership. The organization has welcomed over 3,800 new members recently, with half aged 39 or younger and 58 percent representing people of color. Additionally, all members of the Latin Recording Academy received invitations to join.
"The Grammys are more reactionary than anything else," Kehrer observed. "These artists winning those major awards is more of an indication of climate, rather than trying to move or change the climate."
The evening's main telecast, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, promises spectacular performances from Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, Lauryn Hill, and a special tribute to legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne featuring Post Malone.
With Bad Bunny scheduled to headline the Super Bowl halftime show just one week after the Grammys, and Lady Gaga pursuing a historic "hat trick" of top awards after previously winning Record and Song of the Year, the 2025 ceremony represents a pivotal moment in music history. The inclusion of Spanish-language albums in major categories and diverse winners across all genres signals the continuing evolution of the Recording Academy's recognition of global musical excellence.
