Beyoncé’s First AOTY Win Confirms She Was Always Too Black for the Grammys

Instead, the brevity of the moment she accepted it crystalized how complicated and bittersweet it was.

I can only agree with the latter.

But with Beyonces AOTY losing streak, it can and should only mean so much.

Beyoncé accepts the Album of the Year award for ‘Cowboy Carter’ onstage during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Similarly,Cowboy Cartercommands attention and respect to Blackness in country music precisely because of how its been diminished.

But the lie is foundational to the win.