This past weekend, Beyoncé became the winningest artist in the history of the Grammys. The USA Today's Hannah Yasharoff claimed that Beyoncé hasn't won ENOUGH. Beyoncé not winning more in the "Big" categories is "not all that surprising in an industry that has made exclusion of Black artists feel inevitable."
Hannah Yasharoff is a crappy journalist. She's just an oversized fan-girl.
With over a hundred writers, and over 2 dozen producers, on the Renaissance album alone, Beyoncé is barely an artist. She's the CEO of the Beyoncé Brand.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, there's obviously a market for Beyoncé's brand of pop, just don't tell me she hasn't won "enough." Arguing that Beyoncé should have won more is like saying that Elon Musk should have more money, or Tom Brady deserves more accolades from the NFL. Beyoncé is very good at the Business of Music and she has been compensated accordingly.
You know who got ripped off at the Grammys? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
I am going to re-write Yasharoff's article from the perspective of Fan Boy Fred, just to show you how absurd Yasharoff's take is.
For the tenth straight year, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard was shut out at the Grammy Awards. Their natural category would be Alternative Music, but their sound ranges from experimental, to metal, to jazz, to alternative.
How do I figure this has happened 10 straight years? King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are one of the most prolific bands in Rock History, they just released their 23rd album since 2012, with a release in every year except 2018. If you review the best Alternative Grammy since 2012, I could argue that a KG&LW album from that year was better than 8 of the 10 winners.
You've never heard of KG&LW? That's your fault. They have won multiple Australian Independent Record Awards. They have been finalists for Australian Song of the Year (APRA Award) in 5 of the last 7 years. They have won multiple ARIA Awards. They won the inaugural Australian Environmental Music Prize. And they've won multiple (Australian) Live Music Awards.
Why haven't KG&LW even been nominated for a Grammy? Because the Grammys are notorious for not recognizing an artist until 10-20 years after their greatness and the Grammys are currently skewing their prizes toward corporate pop, the likes of Harry Styles, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift.
(See how that works?)
Side Note about the Grammys.
1982
Michael Jackson released Thriller and it became one of the best selling albums of all time. The album won an armful of Grammys and 7 of the 9 songs became singles. Thriller made Michael Jackson a beloved household name.
Ozzy Osbourne was the self proclaimed Prince of Darkness and released a live album: Speak of the Devil. It was an unadulterated cash grab, with its contents being all previously recorded material. Ozzy wasn't nominated for his first Grammy for another decade, not until he was 46.
In 2023
One of pop's most popular current stars, Sam Smith, dressed as the devil himself at the Grammys.
Michael Jackson, long since dead, isn't so beloved anymore.
Ozzy won his fourth and fifth Grammys, across 12 nominations, for his latest album.
Did Ozzy find Jesus?
Rolling Stone: Ozzy thanks Satan for protecting him from Covid.
Song of the Year at this year's Grammys should have been this: