This year's Grammys was full of surprises and unexpected wins. While reviewing the wins and losses and feedback after the show, it seems there was quite a dip in wins for African-American artists, which stirs some dangerous, but necessary thoughts. The following artists are listed below because of their recent rise in the music industry or losses despite nomination and popularity.
1. Adele
Of course, Adele won another five awards, keeping her reign as strong as ever. This past year, she came out with an incredible album that was a bit different from her usual sound, yet it clearly made a ripple and caught some attention. Adele won awards for record of the year,
2. Beyoncé
Beyoncé, now pregnant with twins, was nominated for nine awards but won a devastatingly low number of two awards this year. It sounds ridiculous to say that winning only two Grammys is not enough; however, she produced some incredible music this year that should have been more recognized. During one of Adele's acceptance speeches, Adele broke a part of her Grammy to give to Beyoncé and made a statement about the injustice even she felt as Beyoncé would be going home with so little that night after such a strong year.
3. Twenty One Pilots
This band finally made its way to the top for 'Stressed Out,' which was released in 2015. To accept their award, the two took off their pants and strutted onto the stage, which during their speech was something they promised each other to do if they ever won. Twenty One Pilots was nominated five times and won one award for best pop duo/group performance, and in my opinion, it is well deserved.
4. Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper recently sang at the Christmas tree lighting for President Obama and the ESPYs tribute for Mohammad Ali in 2016, all while producing music without a record deal. At the Grammys, he won three awards: best rap album, best new artist, and best rap performance. These wins are more than just awards; they show that even without a record deal and an official start, he is able to achieve just as much as any other artist here.
5. Pentatonix
This new group has made waves as they have become one of the most popular acapella groups in quite a while. Their collaboration with Dolly Parton to cover 'Jolene' is a big hit, and it took a new twist on a classic song. Pentatonix's win has brought them not only more attention but another reason for audiences to consider acapella when choosing their music.6. Rihanna
Rihanna was nominated for three awards, but unfortunately did not win any this year. The songs nominated were each different from one another, but it seems that was not enough. Rihanna's lack of wins and nominations is another display of the lack of diversity in this year's award show.
All in all, this year's Grammy Awards showcased an interesting range of music but also displays a lack of African-American artists featured in both nominations and wins.
