Beyonce wins best album

The singer takes home the top prize for her eighth album Cowboy Carter, while Kendrick Lamar scores five awards

- Eddino Abdul Hadi

One of the biggest criticisms levelled at the Grammys in the last decade has been that Beyonce, ironically the American awards show's most decorated artiste, had never won its biggest prize Album of the Year.

All that changed at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards that was broadcast and streamed live from Los Angeles, US, on Feb 2 (Feb 3, Singapore time).

The American pop diva finally won the coveted trophy for her eighth album Cowboy Carter (2024), after being famously snubbed for her previous releases I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), Beyonce (2013), Lemonade (2016) and Renaissance (2022).

Like its predecessors, Cowboy Carter - boasting a career-first melange of country, soul and pop - has not only been widely acclaimed by critics for its depth and strong concepts, but is also a certified commercial hit that charted worldwide.

"I just feel full and very honoured," Beyonce said after accepting the final accolade of the night with her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, onstage with her, and husband, rap mogul Jay-Z, in the audience. "It's been many, many years."

She added: "I would love to tell you that this is the best moment in my life. But I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I'm shot listing a music video, or when I'm rehearsing with my dancers or my band, or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show."

The camera cut to the star-studded audience gathered at the Crypto.com Arena and fellow music superstars such as Lady Gaga, who were in tears, an indication of the impact of the long-awaited coronation.

Going up against strong contenders that included Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department and Billie Eilish's Hit Me Hard And Soft, Beyonce's 2025 victory was hard fought.