Beyonce’s Got 99 Grammy Noms But 1 Problem: Can She Claim Album of the Year?

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In terms of the artist with the most Grammys, an intriguing duality exists: While Beyoncé has shattered records (with 99 nominations in a span of 25 years), it’s also possible for her to have been overlooked on occasion.

Regrettably, the coveted Album of the Year award has thus far escaped the talented artist’s grasp, and she has only managed to win one of the major three awards despite numerous nominations. This year, her revolutionary album “Cowboy Carter” is nominated for an impressive 11 Grammys – a record for a single album – with four nods in the country music category and another for Best Americana Performance.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but draw parallels between the excitement surrounding Queen Bey at this year’s music awards and my favorite character in a game about to claim the grand prize. Her impressive history of nominations and victories may not point directly to a win this time, but there’s a strong consensus among Recording Academy members that it’s high time she received the recognition she deserves – much like when my character finally reaches the ultimate level after years of grinding.

Say Her Name

In 2000, Beyoncé received her initial nomination with Destiny’s Child’s song “Bills, Bills, Bills,” competing in both the R&B Song and R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals categories (and ultimately losing). The following year, they won those same awards for “Say My Name,” marking Destiny’s Child’s transition to a pop act. At this time, Destiny’s Child reduced to a trio, comprising Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. All three attended the 2001 Grammys, along with former members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson who were also recognized as winners. The following year in 2002, Michelle Williams won her first Grammy as a trio member when “Survivor” took the award, inspired by a joke made about the group losing members on a radio station.

Sonic Adventurer

In 2005, an award for outstanding surround sound albums was introduced, known then as the Best Surround Sound Grammy. This category is unique because both classical and nonclassical albums can vie for the title. In 2015, Beyoncé unexpectedly outshone heavyweights like the Philharmonia Orchestra and China Philharmonic Orchestra to clinch this award, earning it in her capacity as a surround sound producer on her self-titled album. The award was later rebranded as the Best Immersive Audio Album in 2019.

Rock Royalty

At the 2017 Grammys, Beyoncé’s album “Lemonade” garnered much attention with its nine nominations. Interestingly, she was also recognized in the rock category for her collaboration with Jack White on “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” This nomination marked a significant milestone as she became the first artist to be nominated across the rock, pop, rap, and R&B categories in one year. However, Beyoncé was defeated by her labelmate, the late David Bowie, who won five awards posthumously the following year after his death.

R&Beyoncé 

Struggling to follow Bey’s numerous R&B awards? You’re not the only one. This genre accounts for 36 out of her 99 nominations, but the category she’s won most often has undergone several name changes. As R&B has transitioned into a more modern style, the award for best contemporary R&B album (which Beyoncé has won three times) transformed into best urban contemporary album and then best progressive R&B album in 2023.

Video Vixen

Despite both “Cowboy Carter” and “Renaissance” not having accompanying music videos, Beyoncé has consistently been recognized for her bold and dynamic visual presentations. The Grammy committee acknowledged this with awards for “Formation” and “Brown Skin Girl”, as well as the best music film award for the revolutionary concert documentary “Homecoming”. Additionally, she’s received nominations in the same category for “Lemonade”, “Black Is King”, and “Beyoncé & Jay Z: On the Run Tour” – projects that have also garnered numerous Emmy nominations.

A Winning Wife

Jay-Z’s career in music is second only to his wife’s when it comes to Grammy nominations, having received a total of 89 nominations and winning 24 times. Interestingly, 20 out of these 89 nominations (6 out of the 24 wins) stem from collaborations with Beyoncé on songs like “Crazy in Love,” “Drunk in Love,” and their joint album, Everything Is Love. Moreover, he has also been recognized for co-writing his wife’s music, such as the best rap song award for “Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé, and a current album of the year nomination for Cowboy Carter, where he contributed to five tracks. In addition, the family business has grown to include their daughter Blue Ivy, who won the best music video Grammy in 2021 for “Brown Skin Girl” alongside her mother.

The Big Three

Beyoncé has received nominations for Album of the Year a total of five times from her eight studio albums, and an additional nod in this category for her collaboration with Lady Gaga on “The Fame Monster“. She holds the record for the most nominations in the Record of the Year category, receiving her ninth nomination this year for “Texas Hold ‘Em”. Furthermore, she has been nominated for Song of the Year six times. Interestingly, she is the only artist to have won this prestigious award in the last ten years, taking it home for “Single Ladies” in 2010 for the category of the three major awards.

This article was published in the January 9th edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To stay updated, consider subscribing.

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2025-01-13 20:24