The Record Of The Year Category honors some of the year's biggest recordings — and at the 2025 GRAMMYs, the nominees are hits by a mix of newcomers and superstars.

Throughout the past year, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, and Chappell Roan proved why they're at the top of pop's current class. The Beatles and Kendrick Lamar both cemented their respective legacies, while Beyoncé and Taylor Swift continue to challenge their own musical boundaries.

With a range of unforgettable music moments, there's no telling who will take home the golden gramophone for Record Of The Year — which is awarded to the artist and the producer(s), recording engineer(s) and/or mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s) — at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. But one thing is for sure: the eight nominees make for quite an exciting contest.

Check out the nominees below and read the full 2025 GRAMMYs nominations list ahead of Music's Biggest Night on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.

It can take years for an artist to work on their masterpiece. In the Beatles' case, the journey of "Now And Then" took 45 years. John Lennon originally wrote the demo in the late '70s. It's a mournful, piano-backed confession: "I know it's true/ It's all because of you/ And if I make it through/ It's all because of you."

The song remained unfinished long after Lennon's tragic 1980 passing, but — in a powerful act of love — his bandmates completed it for him. Paul McCartney enlisted Giles Martin (the son of Beatles' former producer and longtime collaborator George Martin) as the song's co-producer, using Lennon's original 1977 demo, George Harrison's guitar melodies from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and Ringo Starr's drumming and backing vocals from 2022. "Now And Then," which marked the Beatles' 35th top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100, is a tearful close to the band's legacy. 

"Obviously, it hasn't been, but it sounds like John's written it for Paul now, in a very emotional way," Martin told Rolling Stone. "It's a bittersweet song, which is very John. But with a combination of happiness and regret." 

McCartney never gave up on the song, which is a testament that true friendship never dies.

Beyoncé — "TEXAS HOLD 'EM"

After shimmying underneath a disco ball for 2022's GRAMMY-winning RENAISSANCE, Beyoncé wanted to keep the dance party going on 2024's COWBOY CARTER — except this time around, she traded Studio 54 for a honky-tonk. But "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," the album's joint lead single alongside "16 CARRIAGES," is much more than an instructional hoedown.

The 32-time GRAMMY winning icon has long incorporated African American history in her music, and "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is no different. The single, like many tunes on COWBOY CARTER, is rooted in liberation. Country music is the backbone of America, but its roots in Black culture are often hidden. With "TEXAS HOLD 'EM," Beyoncé lifts the veil off the genre's true history by celebrating both her Houston heritage and the Black country artists that paved the way for her.

The song's message is clear, but it's balanced by playful melodies, Beyoncé's signature stacked harmonies and a plucking banjo (played by Rhiannon Giddens, an advocate for the reclamation of country music instruments by Black musicians). While Beyoncé is no stranger to chart-topping hits ("TEXAS HOLD 'EM" is her ninth solo No. 1 single on the Hot 100), she made history as the first Black woman to score a No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Sabrina Carpenter does whimsy so well. Chalk it up to her Disney Channel roots, but the singer's innate ability to craft an earworm is why she's skyrocketed as one of the biggest pop stars of the new generation. "Espresso," the lead single from 2024's Short n' Sweet album and unofficial song of the summer, encapsulates Carpenter's irresistible charm.

"The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that b—," she told Vogue in April. 

That confidence is found all throughout "Espresso," from her cooing vocals to her cheeky songwriting ("I can't relate to desperation/ My give-a-f—s are on vacation"). Topped off by an irresistibly catchy, undulating chorus, "Espresso" helped Carpenter reach several career milestones that kickstarted a year full of them — including her first GRAMMY nominations.

Charli xcx has long been one of the coolest girls in pop, and her sixth album brat cemented that fact. On "360," the album's second single, the British star not only acknowledges her own cool factor, but of those around her. Produced by longtime collaborator A. G. Cook, the song trades in the producer's signature exaggerated hyperpop sonics for more minimalistic synths that complement Charli's auto-tuned vocals.

"I went my own way and I made it/ I'm your favorite reference, baby," Charli xcx exclaims on the cocky opening line before comparing herself to friends like model/musician Gabbriette and actress Julia Fox. "360" is a cheeky reflection of the ever-growing digital era, giving fellow internet "It" girls an anthem for the ages.

Billie Eilish — "BIRDS OF A FEATHER"

The beauty of Billie Eilish's artistry is in her vulnerability. For the nine-time GRAMMY winner's third album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, she pushed herself into her deeper territories with the assistance of her brother and go-to collaborator FINNEAS.

Second single "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" best exemplifies the album title's meaning in both its tenderness and desperation. It was initially intended to be a traditional love song, but given the siblings' unorthodox track record, they couldn't resist making it slightly untraditional: "I want you to stay/ 'Til I'm in the grave/ 'Til I rot away, dead and buried/ 'Til I'm in the casket you carry," Eilish sings on the opening verse in her signature whisper. 

Even with the juxtaposing lyrics, the song's airy production and wistfully gauzy synths still make for a beautiful, adoring statement piece. And the heartfelt sentiment paired with Eilish's breathy vocals quickly made "BIRDS OF A FEATHER" the biggest hit from HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, already garnering nearly 1.5 billion Spotify streams as of press time.

Branding Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" as merely a diss track would be doing it a disservice. The 17-time GRAMMY winner's tune is not just a rap song, but a cultural phenomenon. A seething finale to his (very public) feud with Drake, "Not Like Us" is a triumphant win for both Lamar and rap music as a whole.

Atop a buzzing sample of Monk Higgins' 1968 "I Believe to My Soul" cover, Lamar delivers slick wordplay and calls out Drake's presumed cultural appropriation of Southern rap: "You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars/ No, you not a colleague, you a f—in' colonizer."

Following its release, the song took on a life on its own: tennis icon Serena Williams (Drake's alleged former lover) crip walked to the track at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Megan Thee Stallion and Janet Jackson incorporated it into their concerts, and many national sports leagues used it in their game broadcasts.

Drama aside, "Not Like Us" — which also scored a Song Of The Year nomination — is a celebration of West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, a proud Compton native, enlisted Los Angeles-born DJ Mustard to produce the track. The chopped-up sample is inspired by Oakland's "hyphy" rap subgenre, while Lamar exaggerates his already-animated cadence, paying homage to late Los Angeles rapper Drakeo the Ruler. While "Not Like Us" is a targeted diss, it's also a reminder of California's historical impact on rap — and Lamar's place within that legacy.

Chappell Roan grabbed the world's attention with her bombastic interpretation of baroque pop and her knack for highlighting queer romance. "Good Luck, Babe!," April's breakout hit following her 2023 debut LP, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, ushered in a new chapter.

The song discusses compulsory heterosexuality, as Roan sings about a woman she's dating who tries to deny her feelings for Roan: "You can kiss a hundred boys in bars/ Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling." 

"I knew exactly what I wanted. I wrote it in three minutes," Chappell Roan told Rolling Stone of the song's creation, which she co-wrote alongside Daniel Nigro and Justin Tranter. "I felt so much anger. I was so upset. It all came out and I didn't add anything when I wrote it all done. It was a perfect storm."

The anger definitely explodes on "Good Luck, Babe!," with Roan channeling '80s divas like Kate Bush and George Michael. The singer's goal was to make a "big anthemic pop song," and "Good Luck, Babe!" soared beyond all expectations.

Taylor Swift Feat. Post Malone — "Fortnight"

Despite nailing a formula that has made her one of the biggest pop stars of all time, Taylor Swift is still willing to take risks.

"Fortnight," from the 14-time GRAMMY winner's The Tortured Poets Department, serves as both the LP's first single and opening track. The chart-topping smash introduces the album's moodier tones, telling the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage who is now the neighbor to her ex-lover and his new wife. 

Atop '80s-inspired electropop synths courtesy of longtime collaborator and co-producer Jack Antonoff, the lyrics are unexpectedly dismal for Swift: "I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary/ And I love you, it's ruining my life." Featured artist Post Malone then sweeps in with his melancholic harmonies, giving more emotional weight to Swift's brilliant storytelling.

The Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) will honor Paul Robinson, Warner Music Group's executive vice president & general counsel, during its annual GRAMMY Week luncheon. Taking place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, during GRAMMY Week, and days ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs, the event will celebrate Robinson with the 2025 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award, presented each year to an attorney who demonstrates dedication to supporting and advancing the music community through their service, in recognition of his contributions to entertainment law.

In addition to honoring Robinson, the event, an official GRAMMY Week 2025 event, will bring together the nation's leading entertainment lawyers to celebrate excellence and also recognize the winner and runners-up of the annual Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Competition.

GRAMMY Week is the Recording Academy's weeklong celebration comprising official GRAMMY Week events celebrating the music community and current GRAMMY nominees in the lead-up to the annual GRAMMY Awards. GRAMMY Week 2025  culminates with the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which take place live on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The 2025 GRAMMYs will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the telecast, the 2025 GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on live.GRAMMY.com and the Recording Academy's YouTube channel.

Learn more about Paul Robinson below:

Paul Robinson’s contributions to the music industry extend beyond his role at Warner Music Group, where he joined the legal department in January 1995 as Associate General Counsel. After holding several senior roles, he was appointed Executive Vice President and General Counsel in December 2006. Robinson oversees WMG’s worldwide legal, business affairs, public policy, compliance, and corporate governance functions. Before joining WMG, he was an associate and later a partner at the New York City law firm of Mayer, Katz, Baker, Leibowitz & Roberts, representing corporate clients, artists, songwriters, and executives.

Robinson also serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). 

"As a part of its mission, the Recording Academy works to advocate for creators, and the Entertainment Law Initiative advances this through legal representation, celebrating the achievements of entertainment law practitioners, and providing year-round educational opportunities to cultivate future leaders in the field," Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement. "Paul exemplifies these values, and we are proud to honor him with the ELI Service Award at the 2025 ELI GRAMMY Week Luncheon for his three decades at Warner Music Group, where he has championed fair practices and guided the industry through transformative changes."

Learn more about the Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) below:

Since its inception, the ELI has fostered dialogue on key legal issues shaping the music industry, while supporting future leaders in entertainment law through year-round education, mentorship opportunities, and significant scholarships for law students. Each year, the recipient of the Service Award is selected by the ELI’s Executive Committee, which supports the program by recognizing deserving leaders within the entertainment law community and mentoring aspiring professionals in the field. 

A cornerstone of the annual GRAMMY Week event is the annual ELI Writing Competition, which invites Juris Doctor and Master of Laws students from U.S. law schools to tackle a pressing legal issue in the music industry. Participants are challenged to craft a 3,000-word essay that presents a thoroughly researched analysis and a proposed solution. The following awards are then presented:

• A $10,000 scholarship for the author of the winning paper

• A $2,500 scholarship for each of the two runners-up

• Publication of the winning paper in the American Bar Association's journal, Entertainment and Sports Lawyer

• Travel and tickets to Los Angeles for the winner to attend the 2025 GRAMMYs, MusiCares Person of the Year event and the ELI GRAMMY Week Event

Learn more about the Recording Academy Entertainment Law Initiative and the 2025 GRAMMY Week luncheon.

Editor’s Note: Updated Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, to reflect voting and awards information for the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated and republished on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, to reflect information about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The annual GRAMMY Awards voting process is more transparent than it's ever been. Every year, the Recording Academy continues to fine-tune this process to its purest form: a peer-to-peer vote, from one member of the global music community to another.

The GRAMMY is the music industry's highest honor. As the only peer-recognized award in music, the GRAMMY represents the recognition and respect that can only come from within the family of music people. Your vote is important. Beyond recognizing and celebrating your fellow peers, your GRAMMY vote has a practical and real-life impact on the music world and its creators.

We've already covered the nuts and bolts of the GRAMMYs voting process with a detailed guide explaining everything you need to know about Final Round GRAMMY Voting for the upcoming 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards. Today, we're taking a deep dive into some of the many reasons why your GRAMMY vote matters this year and every year.

The Power Is In Your Hands

No matter the context in which you vote — from state fairs all the way to presidential elections — does it ever feel like your ballot is just one drop in a vast ocean? To a degree, this is understandable: One vote can seem minor when placed among hundreds or thousands of other votes.

Through the lens of the annual GRAMMYs voting process, don't forget this reality: Every GRAMMY vote truly counts and every Recording Academy Voting Member matters. Your vote directly determines the outcome of the GRAMMY Awards, including all GRAMMY winners and GRAMMY nominees. This has been proven throughout the decades, and it's about to be underlined again.

Without your input, and that of the Recording Academy's wider Voting Membership, the GRAMMYs cannot happen — period. Becoming a Recording Academy Voting Member — stepping up to that responsibility — is no small assignment. By doing so, you become a steward of this important tradition and honor, and you continue the legacy of music's only peer-voted award.

But other than just keeping an awards show running, why is GRAMMY voting such an awesome responsibility?

Learn More: The Impact Of A GRAMMY Win: Life After The Award

Your Vote Can Influence The Future Of Music

Whether you've been a Recording Academy Voting Member for months or for decades, you undoubtedly know that the impact of a GRAMMY Award continues far beyond GRAMMY night. Your vote can make a career-defining difference in the lives of artists and creators and inspire future generations to evolve the music industry at large.

Every year, the annual list of GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners creates ever-lasting, industry-shifting ripple effects across music, and it often dictates what happens next through your speakers and on stages. In fact, the so-called "GRAMMY Effect," a well-established music industry phenomenon in which many GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners experience significant music sales boosts following GRAMMY night, has positively impacted the careers of past winners like Jon Batiste, Olivia Rodrigo and Chris Stapleton, among many others.

When it comes to music, you can make a difference across the music industry and in the lives of today's artists and creators with your GRAMMY vote. Just take a look at the artists leading music today; they partly got there because of people just like you and your GRAMMY vote. 

Your Vote Can Make GRAMMY History

Every vote has the potential to make GRAMMY history, and that's no different when it comes to the 2025 GRAMMYs. Your vote in every GRAMMY Category will contribute to these special moments in GRAMMY history.

Voting Allows All Voting Members To Be Heard

You're a member of the Recording Academy because of your genuine contributions to the music world and the distinct perspective you bring to this society of music creators. Your dedication to your craft is distinct, your voice is unique, and your GRAMMY vote is critical.

The fact of the matter is, we need you as a Voting Member to execute and evolve the annual GRAMMY Awards voting process. Our members are what make the Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Awards special and impactful. Your GRAMMY vote represents your voice within the Academy, and its impact will influence the music industry at large for years to come.

Plus, for new members who just joined the Recording Academy, voting allows you to make your voices heard right away!

Voting Advances Diversity Across Music

The Recording Academy's 2024 New Member Class, initiated this year, reflects the organization's ongoing commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion across the ethnicities, genres and crafts that power the music industry, a pillar held true all year long.

Recording Academy Voting Members are responsible for representing the music community and celebrating the creative accomplishments of their peers, especially within their direct genres and communities. To help ensure the quality of voting every GRAMMY season, members are directed to vote only in their areas of expertise and those in which they are a peer. Your vote represents and impacts your direct community of artists and creators. Thus, by becoming a member and by actively voting, you are ensuring the GRAMMY Awards truly reflect the diversity of our global music industry. 

Voting Is Not Just An Opportunity — It's A Responsibility

Being a Recording Academy Voting Member comes with many amazing perks: You can advocate to protect the rights of music makers and advance creators' interests on important policy matters via our Advocacy department; you can connect with fellow members through member-only initiatives and programs; you can run for a Recording Academy Board and/or participate on advisory committees; you can vote in Chapter elections; and so much more.

Some of the most impactful Recording Academy membership perks are directly tied to the GRAMMYs. As a Recording Academy Voting Member, you can participate in the GRAMMY Awards process on multiple levels, including: submitting your work and art for GRAMMY consideration; proposing rule changes to the awards process; and voting for the nominees and winners at the annual GRAMMY Awards.

Recording Academy Voting Members share an obligation to participate in the annual GRAMMY Awards voting process to help fulfill a vital part of the Academy's mission: to celebrate music and its makers. Ultimately, GRAMMY voting allows you to push our music industry forward and contribute to the ongoing evolution and legacy of the GRAMMY Awards.

Just like Recording Academy membership itself, GRAMMY voting is not just a privilege; it's a major responsibility each Voting Member holds. So, use your GRAMMY vote to make the impact you wish to see across the music industry.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated and republished on Monday, Dec. 2, to reflect information about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Now that the 2025 GRAMMY nominations have been announced, the final phase of the GRAMMY voting season is in full swing. Ahead of the 2025 GRAMMYs, which take place Sunday, Feb. 2, live at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, GRAMMY voters will vote on the artists, creators and releases who will take home the coveted GRAMMY Award on Music's Biggest Night.

This month, GRAMMY voters enter the final step in the GRAMMY Awards voting process: Final Round Voting. Taking place from Thursday, December 12, 2024, through Friday, January 3, 2025, Final Round Voting will ultimately determine the GRAMMY winners across all 94 Categories to be awarded at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The Recording Academy, the organization behind the annual GRAMMY Awards, encourages our Voting Members to educate themselves on the GRAMMY voting process each year as they prepare to cast their ballots when GRAMMY voting opens. To help guide Voting Members through the GRAMMY voting process, we've put together a thorough and informative guide outlining all the key dates, deadlines and voting guidelines to know this year.

Here's everything you need to know about Final Round Voting for the 2025 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 67th GRAMMY Awards.

Learn More: Who Are The Top GRAMMY Awards Winners Of All Time? Who Has The Most GRAMMYs?

ROAD TO THE 2025 GRAMMYs

As a member of the Recording Academy, you may be asked questions about the GRAMMY voting process. Equip yourself with the knowledge to explain the complete GRAMMY Awards process by visiting our interactive online resource, which breaks down the full GRAMMY Awards journey from beginning to end.

Below is an overview of the complete GRAMMY Awards process as related to the 2025 GRAMMYs.

KEY DATES: 2025 GRAMMYs

Key dates for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season are as follows:

Sept. 16, 2023 – Aug. 30, 2024
Product Eligibility Period
The period by which recordings are submitted for GRAMMY consideration. All releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year's voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

July 8, 2024 – Aug. 23, 2024
Media Company Registration Period
Media companies must apply for registration with the Recording Academy to submit recordings.

July 17, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2024
Online Entry Period
All eligible recordings must be entered prior to the close of the Online Entry Period, regardless of the public release date.

Oct. 4, 2024 – Oct. 15, 2024
First Round Voting
First Round Voting determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Awards year.

Nov. 8, 2024
Nominees Announced for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards
Announcing the official nominees list for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Dec. 12, 2024 – Jan. 3, 2025
Final Round Voting
Determines the GRAMMY winners across all categories revealed on GRAMMY night.

Feb. 2, 2025
2025 GRAMMY Awards
Music's Biggest Night, recognizing excellence in the recording arts and sciences.

Learn More: How Much Is A GRAMMY Worth? 7 Facts To Know About The GRAMMY Award Trophy

HOW DOES GRAMMY VOTING WORK?

THE GRAMMYS ONLINE ENTRY PROCESS

The annual GRAMMY Awards journey begins with the Online Entry Process (OEP). During OEP, which this year took place from July 17 through Aug. 30, Media Companies and Recording Academy members submitted recordings, music videos/films and releases for consideration to be included on the 2025 GRAMMY Awards ballot. Submissions that were not formally submitted during OEP were not considered for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Eligible releases must have been released during the Product Eligibility Period, which this year comprised the period between Sept. 16, 2023, through Aug. 30, 2024; all releases must be available for sale, via general distribution, to the public by this date and through at least the date of the current year's voting deadline (final ballot) to be eligible for the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

SUBMISSIONS SCREENING

After the Online Entry Process, the Recording Academy's Awards Department and genre screening committees manually reviewed all entries to ensure they were categorized in the appropriate GRAMMY Categories. The purpose of genre screening committees is not to make artistic or technical judgements about the submissions, but rather to ensure each entry is eligible and placed in its proper Category.

FIRST ROUND VOTING & FINAL ROUND VOTING

Following OEP, the GRAMMY voting process begins with First Round Voting, which this year took place in October and determined the nominees at the 2025 GRAMMYs.

The annual GRAMMY voting process is divided into two phases: First Round Voting, which determines all the GRAMMY nominees for each GRAMMY Category each year, and Final Round Voting, which ultimately determines the GRAMMY winners across all Categories revealed on GRAMMY night. It is crucial for all Recording Academy Voting Members to actively participate in both First Round Voting and Final Round Voting. This will ensure that all eligible artists, musicians and creators are fairly evaluated based on their artistic and technical merits and will help the wider music community determine the leading music of the year, as voted on by their peers.

The ballots GRAMMY voters submit during Final Round Voting this month will determine the GRAMMY winners at the 2025 GRAMMYs, which will be announced live on the GRAMMY stage on Sunday, Feb. 2. Thus, it's essential for all GRAMMY voters to be involved.

WHO VOTES FOR THE GRAMMYS?

As the only peer-voted award in music, the GRAMMY Award is the highest honor in all of music. That's because GRAMMY nominees and GRAMMY winners are determined by Voting Members, who are composed of vetted and venerable performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists, and other creators currently working in the recording industry. Every GRAMMY vote affirms this prestige and strengthens the highest excellence in music and the recording arts and sciences.

Final Round Voting ballots are provided to Voting Members in good dues standing. To ensure the quality of GRAMMY voting, members are directed to vote only in their areas of expertise and those in which they are a peer: up to 10 GRAMMY Categories across three Fields, plus the six General Field Categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best New Artist, Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, and Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical). This process ensures the quality of the voting during the full GRAMMY Awards process.

Learn more about Recording Academy Membership and how to become a member.

Voting Members represent and celebrate the accomplishments of their peers in their genre. By voting only in Categories where they are a peer, GRAMMY voters help ensure the GRAMMY Awards reflect the diversity and excellence of our music community.

GRAMMY voters were selected amongst thousands of applicants for their expertise, skill, and diverse background. Your vote represents your voice within the Academy, and its impact will influence music history.

Read More: Your Vote, Your Voice: 6 Reasons Why Your GRAMMY Vote Matters

VOTE TABULATION

To maintain integrity in the voting process, ballots are collected and tabulated by the independent accounting firm Deloitte.

HOW ARE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS DETERMINED?

After GRAMMY voters submit their votes, the top five finalists in each GRAMMY Category are nominated for a GRAMMY Award, except for the General Field Categories of Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist, where the top eight finalists are the nominees.

HOW TO VOTE IN THE 2025 GRAMMYS

Recording Academy Voting Members can access their Final Round Voting ballot for the 2025 GRAMMYs via their member dashboard starting at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 12, 2024. Final Round Voting closes at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on Friday, January 3, 2025.

Before voting opens, please make sure you have the correct email and password to login. If your credentials are invalid, reset your password. For further assistance, see the following contact info below:

VOTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT

PHONE: 866-992-9902 x403
EMAIL: grammys@yangaroo.com
HOURS: M-F, 5 a.m. — 5 p.m. PT / 8 a.m. — 8 p.m. ET (Note holiday schedule below.)

• Dec. 24 & Dec. 31: 6 a.m. PT – 1 p.m. PT / 9 a.m. ET – 4 p.m. ET

• Dec. 25, Dec. 26 & Jan. 1 – CLOSED

• Final Round Voting: Thursday, December 12, 2024 – Friday, January 3, 2025  

AWARDS, FYC (FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION) & NON-TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

PHONE: 833-789-8683
EMAIL: votersupport@grammy.com

HOURS: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET (Note holiday schedule below.)

• Dec. 14, Dec. 15, Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 25 & Jan. 1 – CLOSED

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS:

PHONE: 866-794-3391
EMAIL: membership@grammy.com
HOURS 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT / noon – 8 p.m. ET

Learn More: The Impact Of A GRAMMY Win: Life After The Award

NEW CHANGES TO GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES

In June, the Recording Academy shared a series of updates to the annual GRAMMY Awards process for the 2025 GRAMMYs, including adjustments to eligibility criteria, Category renaming, and submission guidelines updates for some Categories. All updates go into effect immediately at the 2025 GRAMMYs. Learn more about the GRAMMY Awards Categories changes as related to your areas of expertise ahead of casting your votes for the 2025 GRAMMYs.

Read More: GRAMMY Awards Updates For The 2025 GRAMMYs: Here's Everything You Need To Know About GRAMMY Awards Categories Changes & Eligibility Guidelines

GRAMMY BALLOT ESSENTIALS

The search and flexibility enhancements recently added to GRAMMY voting ballots will return for this GRAMMY season. The Category selection tool, which minimizes scrolling time and creates an easy-to-use ballot for each voter, will return for Final Round Voting this year.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GRAMMY VOTING

Every GRAMMY voting season is unique. To help GRAMMY voters prepare for Final Round Voting, we've compiled a helpful guide of GRAMMY voting tips.

LISTENING TO NOMINATED RECORDINGS

During Final Round Voting, Recording Academy Voting Members can stream submitted recordings on select streaming services. The Recording Academy encourages all Voting Members to listen to all submitted recordings in the Categories in which they are voting to ensure intentional listening and thoughtful voting. This process will encourage respect and consideration for all creators and their submitted works on behalf of GRAMMY voters.

Learn More: Recording Academy Renames Best Song For Social Change Award In Honor Of Harry Belafonte

GRAMMY VOTING & SOLICITATION GUIDELINES

Each year, Recording Academy Voting Members drive the GRAMMY Awards process. The Recording Academy respects its Voting membership body and trusts that each Voting Member will uphold the GRAMMY standard of excellence by voting with integrity and discipline.

All Voting Members should only cast their votes based on the artistic and technical merits of the submitted recordings and products. This will ensure that the annual GRAMMY Awards process is fair and ethical for all creators and submitted works. Read the Recording Academy's Voting and Solicitation Guidelines and Voter Code of Conduct for additional information before submitting your GRAMMY votes.

VOTE WITH THE NEW "MY ACADEMY HUB" MOBILE APP

The Recording Academy is proud to provide Final Round Voting ballot access within the new "My Academy Hub" mobile app.* Visit your member dashboard anytime, anywhere right at your fingertips. Download the mobile app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today and be sure to set up biometric login so you'll never have to remember your password again^.

Having issues? For questions and technical support regarding the app, please contact us at app@recordingacademy.com.

*The GRAMMY Voting process remains unchanged, and members will now be able to access their Final Round Voting ballots directly in their member dashboards via the "My Academy Hub" mobile app.

^Members in almost all locations, domestic and international, can download and use the mobile app. Please note the app is not currently available to members in China.

Learn More: The Recording Academy Adds More Than 3,000 Women GRAMMY Voters Since 2019, Surpassing Its 2025 Membership Goal

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For more information about the 2025 GRAMMY Awards season, learn more about the annual GRAMMY Awards process; read our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section; view the official GRAMMY Awards Rules and Guidelines; and visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

Cast your GRAMMY votes for the 2025 GRAMMYs once Final Round Voting opens Thursday, December 12, 2024, and make sure to watch Music's Biggest NightSunday, Feb. 2, to see who wins the GRAMMY gold.

Editor's note: This article was updated to include the latest information about Kendrick Lamar's 2024 album release 'GNX,' and up-to-date GRAMMY wins and nominations with additional reporting by Nina Frazier.

When the world crowns you the king of a genre as competitive as rap, your presence — and lack thereof — is palpable. After a five-year hiatus, Kendrick Lamar declaratively stomped back on stage with his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, to explain why the crown no longer fits him.

Two years later, Lamar circles back to celebrate the west on 2024's GNX, a 12-track release that revels in the root of his love for hip-hop and California culture, from the lowriders to the rappers that laid claim to the golden state.

“My baby boo, you either heal n—s or you kill n—s/ Both is true, it take some tough skin just to deal with you” Lamar raps on "gloria" featuring SZA, a track that opines on his relationship with the genre.

The Compton-born rapper (who was born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth) wasn't always championed as King Kendrick. In hip-hop, artists have to earn that moniker, and Lamar's enthroning occurred in 2013 when he delivered a now-infamous verse on Big Sean's "Control."

"I'm Makaveli's offspring, I'm the King of New York, King of the Coast; one hand I juggle 'em both," Lamar raps before name-dropping some of the top rappers of the time, from Drake to J.Cole.

Whether you've been a fan of Lamar since before his crown-snatching verse or you find yourself in need of a crash course on the 37-year-old rapper's illustrious career, GRAMMY.com answers nine questions that will paint the picture of Lamar's more than decade-long reign.

Who Discovered Kendrick Lamar?

Due to the breakthrough success of his Aftermath Entertainment debut (good kid, m.A.A.d city), most people attribute Kendrick Lamar's discovery to fellow Compton legend Dr. Dre. But seven years before Dre's label came calling, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith saw potential in a 16-year-old rapper by the name of K.Dot.

Lamar's first mixtape in 2004 was enough for Tiffith's Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) to offer the aspiring rapper a deal with the label in 2005. However, Lamar would later learn that Tiffith's impact on his life dates back to multiple encounters between his father and the TDE founder, which Lamar raps about in his 2017 track "DUCKWORTH."

How Many Albums Has Kendrick Lamar Released?

Kendrick Lamar has released six studio albums: Section.80 (2011), Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (2012), To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) DAMN. (2017),Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022), and GNX (2024). Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, To Pimp a Butterfly and DAMN. received both Rap Album Of The Year and Album Of The Year GRAMMY nominations. 

What Is Kendrick Lamar's Most Popular Song?

Across the board, it's "HUMBLE." The 2017 track is Lamar's only solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (he also reached No. 1 status with Taylor Swift on their remix of her 1989 hit "Bad Blood"), and as of press time, "HUMBLE." is also his most-streamed song on Spotify and YouTube.

How Many GRAMMYs Has Kendrick Lamar Won?

As of November 2024, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 57 GRAMMY nominations overall, solidifying his place as one of the most nominated artists in GRAMMY history and the second-most nominated rapper of all time, behind Jay-Z. Five of Lamar's 17 GRAMMY wins are tied to DAMN., which also earned Lamar the status of becoming the first rapper ever to win a Pulitzer Prize.

His most recent wins include three awards at the 2023 GRAMMYs, which included two for his album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and Best Rap Performance for "The Hillbillies" with Baby Keem. 

Does Kendrick Lamar Have Any Famous Relatives?

He has two: Rapper Baby Keem and former Los Angeles Lakers star Nick Young are both cousins of his.

Lamar appeared on three tracks — "family ties," "range brothers" and "vent" — from Keem's debut album, The Melodic Blue. Keem then returned the favor for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, featuring on "Savior (Interlude)" and "Savior" as well as receiving production and writing credits on "N95" and "Die Hard."

Read More: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Baby Keem On Inspiring Rap's Next Generation, Why "Producer Artists" Are The Best & The Likelihood Of A Kendrick Lamar Collab Album

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Wear A Crown Of Thorns?

Lamar can be seen sporting a crown of thorns on the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers album cover. He has sported the look for multiple performances since the project's release.

Dave Free described the striking headgear as, "a godly representation of hood philosophies told from a digestible youthful lens."

Holy symbolism and the blurred line between kings and gods are themes Lamar revisits often on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. He uses lines like "Kendrick made you think about it, but he is not your savior" and songs like "Mirror" to reject the unforeseen, God-like expectations that came with his King of Hip-Hop status.

According to Vogue, the Tiffany & Co. designed crown features 8,000 cobblestone micro pave diamonds and took over 1,300 hours of work by four craftsmen to construct.

Why Did Kendrick Lamar Leave TDE?

After five albums, four mixtapes, one compilation project, an EP, and a GRAMMY-nominated Black Panther: The Album, Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) confirmed that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was the Compton rapper's last project under the iconic West Coast label. 

According to Lamar, his departure was about growth as opposed to any internal troubles. "May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life's calling," Lamar wrote on his website in August 2021. "There's beauty in completion."

TDE president Punch expressed a similar sentiment in an interview with Mic. "We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time," he said. "So it's time to move on and try new things and venture out."

Before Lamar's official exit from TDE, he launched a new venture called pgLang — a multi-disciplinary service company for creators, co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free — in 2020. The young company has already collaborated with Cash App, Converse and Louis Vuitton.

Has Kendrick Lamar Ever Performed at The Super Bowl?

Yes, Kendrick Lamar performed in the halftime show for Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles in 2022, alongside fellow rap legends Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, as well as R&B icon Mary J. Blige. Anderson .Paak and 50 Cent also made special appearances during the star-studded performance. As if performing at the Super Bowl in your home city wasn't enough, the Compton rapper also got to watch his home team, the Los Angeles Rams, hoist the Lombardi trophy at the end of the night.

Three years after his first Super Bowl halftime performance, Lamar will return to headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on Feb. 9, 2025 — just one week after the 2025 GRAMMYs — at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. 

Is Kendrick Lamar On Tour?

Yes. Kendrick Lamar is currently scheduled to hit the road with SZA on the Grand National Tour beginning in May 2025. Lamar concluded The Big Steppers Tour in 2022, where he was joined by pgLang artists Baby Keem and Tanna Leone. The tour included a four-show homecoming at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena in September 2022, followed by performances in Europe,Australia, and New Zealand through late 2022. 

Currently, there are no upcoming tour dates scheduled, but fans should check back for updates following the release of GNX.