One of the night’s biggest talking points was Kendrick Lamar’s five Grammy wins, with "Not Like Us” dominating the competition. However, this victory does not feel entirely justified. Take “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, for example. According to Spotify, “Espresso” has over 1.9 billion streams, significantly surpassing "Not Like Us”, which has only one billion. Given these numbers, one could argue that “Espresso” was more deserving of Record of the Year. While “Not Like Us” was a impressive cultural moment, “Expresso”  was the song of the entire summer, and deserved more recognition.

Beyoncé’s extensive Grammy history continues to raise questions. With 35 wins to her name, her latest album, Cowboy Carter, leaned heavily into pop influences yet still won both Album of the Year and Best Country Album. This decision sparked backlash, as many felt it robbed country artists like Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson, as well as pop performers like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish. Moreover, Beyoncé’s nomination for Best Country Song felt particularly misplaced, as Cowboy Carter was not widely embraced by the country music community. Given these factors, many argue she was undeserving of three Grammy wins this year, due to the more hybrid “pop country” genre of the album. According to CBS News, another standout track this year was “Die With a Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, which gathered 1.8 billion streams. Many believe it rightfully deserved Best Pop Duo. While some awards, such as Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist, seemed fair, others felt outdated and unreflective of popular opinion.