When it comes to the most decorated artist in Grammy history, two things can be true at the same time: Beyoncé can break records (99 nominations in 25 years) and still be snubbed.
Alas, the album of the year trophy has eluded the multifaceted artist, and she’s only picked up one of the big three awards despite multiple nominations. This year, her groundbreaking Cowboy Carter is up for 11 Grammys — the most ever for a single album — including four in the country music category and one for best Americana performance.
Could Queen Bey take home music’s biggest prize on music’s biggest night? Her track record of noms and wins doesn’t offer a clear path to victory, but many Recording Academy members would agree it’s a recognition long overdue.
Say Her Name
Beyoncé earned her first nomination in 2000, when Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” competed (and lost) R&B song and R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals. A year later, she won the same honors for “Say My Name,” which launched the girl group as a pop act. At the same time, Destiny’s Child downsized to a trio, and Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams attended the 2001 Grammys, though former members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson also were named winners. Williams’ first Grammy as part of a trio came the following year when “Survivor,” inspired by a joke a radio station made about the group losing members, won.
Sonic Adventurer
The best surround sound Grammy was created in 2005 to highlight albums of exceptional sonic quality. It’s one of the few categories where classical and nonclassical recordings can compete with one another. In 2015, Bey beat out the Philharmonia Orchestra and the China Philharmonic Orchestra to win the award, earning it as a surround producer on her self-titled surprise album. The award was renamed to best immersive audio album in 2019.
Rock Royalty
Beyoncé’s Lemonade was the talk of the 2017 Grammys with its nine nominations. But she also factored into the rock competition, earning a nom for her collaboration with Jack White, “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” Up for best rock performance, she made history as the first artist to earn bids in the rock, pop, rap and R&B categories in the same year. Bey lost to David Bowie (her Columbia Records labelmate), who posthumously won five honors a year after he died.
R&Beyoncé
Having trouble keeping up with Bey’s dozens of R&B honors? You’re not alone. The genre makes up 36 of her 99 nominations, but the category she’s won the most has changed names several times. As R&B has evolved to a more modern sound, best contemporary R&B album (Beyoncé nabbed it three times) turned into best urban contemporary album then best progressive R&B album in 2023.
Video Vixen
Though Cowboy Carter and Renaissance were released without music videos, Beyoncé has always been known for her daring and explosive visuals. Grammy voters took notice. She picked up best music video for “Formation” and “Brown Skin Girl” as well as best music film for the groundbreaking concert doc Homecoming. She’s also earned nods in the latter category for Lemonade, Black Is King and Beyoncé & Jay Z: On the Run Tour — projects that have also earned multiple Emmy nods.
Cowboy Carter’s 11 Grammy nominations include four in the country field, one for best Americana performance, and nods for rap and pop performance. PHOTOGRAPHER: BLAIR CALDWELL
BLAIR CALDWELL/PARKWOOD ENTERTAINMENT LLC.
A Winning Wife
Jay-Z is second to his wife when it comes to career Grammy nominations, and 20 of his 89 bids (six of his 24 wins) are from collaborations with Beyoncé. Those include “Crazy in Love,” “Drunk in Love” and their joint album, Everything Is Love. He has also earned multiple nominations for co-writing his wife’s music, including a win for best rap song for Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé’s “Savage” as well as a current album of the year nod for Cowboy Carter, where he contributed to five tracks. The family business has also expanded to daughter Blue Ivy, who shares the 2021 best music video Grammy for “Brown Skin Girl” with her mother.
The Big Three
Five of Beyoncé’s eight albums have been nominated for album of the year, and she even scored a sixth nod in the category for her appearance on Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster. She’s the artist with the most noms for record of the year, earning her ninth this year for “Texas Hold ’Em.” And she’s been nominated for song of the year six times. It’s the only category of the big three she’s won — for “Single Ladies” in 2010
This story appeared in the Jan. 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
