Every year, music fans watch their favorite music artists perform at and attend the Grammys. The Grammy awards are supposed to be given to artists who stand out for their musical achievement, but is this really the case? The 63^rd Grammys ceremony received much backlash from outraged fans who were upset about the ceremony’s tributes, nominations, and winners. Many artists such as The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, BTS, and Billie Eilish were being widely discussed online in relation to the unfair awards.

The Weeknd had the best year of his career, with his song “Blinding Lights” arguably being one of the year’s biggest songs. His album After Hours broke records for its sales and streams. However, he was not nominated for a single Grammy. As a result, The Weeknd came out with this statement: “Because of the secret committees, I will no longer allow my label to submit my music to the Grammys.” The Weeknd has every right to withdraw his music from the awards, as he was robbed of well-deserved nominations.

Nominated for “Best New Artist,” “Record of the Year,” and “Best Pop Solo Performance,” Doja Cat was another well-deserving artist who did not receive any Grammys. Gaining popularity over the social media platform TikTok, “Say So” was one of the most played and recognizable songs of the year.

K-Pop group BTS made a historical breakout during the year. Their hit song “Dynamite” received 101.1 million views in its first 24 hours. It has been charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 28 consecutive weeks. They are the first K-pop group to top the charts. As a result, the group’s loss to “Rain on Me” by Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga made fans devastated. An anonymous junior said, “Honestly, I could go on and on because every single track/music video has made breakthroughs. Furthermore, that is not even including awards they have won, album achievements, etc. So, I do not think it is farfetched to say that BTS deserved the success they have earned.”

There has been a lot of support for artists who were robbed of Grammys this year, but there has also been a lot of hate directed at those who did win. Nineteen-year-old artist Billie Eilish took home the award for “Record of the Year” with her song “Everything I Wanted.” She was faced with an immense amount of hate for winning even after her acceptance speech. “This is really embarrassing for me. Megan, girl! I was gonna write a speech about how you deserve this, but then I was like, ‘There’s no way they’re gonna choose me.’ I was like, ‘It’s hers.’ You deserve this,” Eilish stated at the Grammys. Eilish had also faced hate the previous year for winning six Grammys.

Aside from the disappointing awards results, the tributes to artists who have passed were also heavily criticized. English teacher Michael Spinella said, “The fact that the Grammys only gave Eddie Van Halen 15 seconds of screen time is an atrocity.”  Eddie Van Halen was among many notable artists whose tributes were concise. The Grammys could have provided facts, pictures, and inspirational quotations from all of these artists. Instead, their legacies were reduced to 15 seconds that did not reflect their influence and popularity. If the Grammys award people for their musical achievement, why aren’t they giving proper homage to deceased artists?

Although much of the discussion surrounding the Grammys is consisting of negative criticisms, there were some positive aspects of the ceremony. Rap artist Lil Baby performed his song “The Bigger Picture” at the ceremony. It was one of the most influential performances of the night. It captivated viewers with its message reflecting Black Lives Matter. The emotional performance showcased police brutality and featured Tamika Mallory, who said, “President Biden, we demand justice, equity, policy, and everything else that freedom encompasses…” The Grammys should not take credit for his performance, but it was a good idea to have him perform. The outstanding Grammy performances this year do not outweigh the unjust decisions made by the Recording Academy.

After the awards ceremony, many viewers are asking, “Are the Grammys fair?” Some people think that Grammys’ corruption has gone on for far too long, that it deserves to lose its credit, and that it does not award “real” and deserving music. Some viewers are choosing to stop watching the Grammys because of the injustices present. The Grammys are severely out of touch, but its influence will probably not diminish all that much. What those who are upset with the organization can do is to advocate for change in the awards and nominations process. It must be noted that it is not an artist’s fault if he/she wins when viewers feel another artist deserved the award. People should not send hate to any of these artists because regardless of the Recording Academy’s decisions, each artist worked extremely hard this year.