Once again, the Grammys have come and gone. A drunken Taylor Swift was everyone's biggest fan, while a diss track proved that sometimes--petty is productive. There were moments where I laughed and cried; there were moments where I was optimistic and pessimistic. The Grammys have always been a mixed bag, but this year felt more like a crossroads than ever before. Of course, the Grammy's focus is on mainstream success. However, an upward trend of inclusivity has significantly pivoted the "mainstream" title in a different direction. Things are finally becoming more vibrant and lively, thank goodness.This year's Grammys were surprisingly more socially engaged than in years past. The messaging behind the music took center stage, while dresses that cost the downpayment of a house were less spectated upon. I half-expected this; to be honest, I wanted it, even craving it occasionally. My biggest gripe towards the Grammy's has always been its tendency to scratch the surface while refraining from digging deeper. 2025 marked the first year where they did not fear the face of controversy and instead embraced it meaningfully.For example, predictable wins like Sabrina Carpenter taking home Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance did occur, but they didn't feel contrived like in past years. Instead, I found myself clapping for Sabrina. Her accolades are the result of a decades-long grind, during part of which her work was overshadowed by interpersonal drama. Seriously, my first impression of Sabrina Carpenter was because of the High School Musical series drama. Now, she is a bonified pop star, respected in a ruthless industry. Petty isn't always productive; there's a balance to be found and lessons to be learned.Similarly, Chappell Roan took home the award for Best New Artist. Hopefully, Roan's potential will surpass her 15 minutes, breaking the "Best New Artist curse." This year, these awards were given out of merit, for once. It's encouraging to see artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter receive their flowers in a space that would have rejected everything about them not too long ago. Though she is Roan's heterosexual counterpart, Carpenter's embrace of promiscuity in her public persona and lyrics would have faced similar criticism and scrutiny in years past. It's refreshing to see the Recording Academy in a rebellious headspace. Sure, these results may have been "predictable," but only because of these artists' dedicated work in the industry, not their personas' archetypes.Meanwhile, Cowboy Carter became Beyonce's first Album of the Year award. I don't recall a life before Beyonce's Grammys sweep was anticipated, likely because such a life doesn't exist. Her 2025 wins took her Grammy count up to a whopping 35 awards. Somehow, this one is the most significant; not only because it was her first Album of the Year trophy, but also thanks to her genre-shift. Country music faced a major boom in 2025, with artists like Morgan Wallen (tragically) gaining popularity. Unsurprisingly, Beyonce's switch to country was met with unwavering criticism– from everyone.Cowboy Carter offers just as much ingenuity as Lemonade did. However, its initial release garnered mixed reviews. Everyone has personal tastes and opinions– I'm sharing mine right now. Yet, these criticisms take on a new life when potent nuances are recognized. Alright, I'll say the quiet part out loud. Racist rhetoric carried much of Cowboy Carter's initial reception. Beyonce is an artist from the South; of course, she was raised on country music. Still, when she releases a country album "out of nowhere" and it wins Album of the Year... people are surprised. I, for one, am an "anything but country" person, and believe Beyonce made it palatable. Similarly, artists like Doechii received a ton of well-deserved airtime. Rap is seeing something of a renaissance right now, with political turmoil at the forefront of everyone's mind. These periods often see a major spike in punk rock and rap respectively, thanks to common lyrical themes found within. Doechii's recent record Alligator Bites Never Heal enjoyed mainstream success and went triple-platinum at my house. Her mashup performance was spectacular, a showcase of artistic integrity and creativity.The Grammys are finally feeling fun again, with Charli XCX exploring creative self-expression, albeit in a severely different font. Her raunchy, scrappy performance of "Guess" was among my favorite of the night. (I wish that was me kissing The Dare...) Admittedly, I sat the last several ceremonies out because I was just bored. Sorry, but the last Taylor Swift album cycles were boring to watch as winners--it's so much more interesting to see her personality shine through as she claps for her besties dancing in a sea of underwear falling from the sky.Finally, the most impressive sweep of the evening was Kendrick Lamar’s FIVE (yes, five!) awards for 'Not Like Us.' Rap music is officially SO back; when was the last time rap beef became such a culture driver? Granted, what makes Kendrick's writing so powerful isn't just his unbridled rivalry with Jimmy from Degrassi. Instead, it's the balance he finds between anger and social commentary. "Not Like Us" is a deeply personal song about interpersonal drama. However, it speaks of societal culture and the way it shapes interpersonal relationships, especially through the lens of Black culture. There are almost always political undertones in his music. He deserves these trophies thanks to his work's poetic essence and thought-provoking nature.Once again, the rock category was NOT TELEVISED. I had to Google it to find out that The Rolling Stones won for Hackney Diamonds. Imagine being the freaking Rolling Stones and people have to use a search engine to find out you won a Grammy. They've been winning awards for so long that Google didn't exist the first time they won a Grammy. That's insane.Thankfully, music culture seems to be on an upward trend, generally. There is still room for improvement, like giving airtime to categories outside of pop and rap. The Grammys are but a mirror; we are the true culture drivers. Still, it seems we are amid a more honest Recording Academy, and that's refreshing.But please, for the sake of my sanity, televise the rock category.