The 2025 Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles on February 2nd, and the nominations have recently been revealed. For brands, there were two main lessons that can be learned from the set of Grammy nominations this year: the value of working with emerging artists and with those seeking to cross-over to new genres and audiences.
Emerging Artists Break Through
A striking theme across the big four categories—Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best New Artist—shows a notable presence of emerging talent that has dominated the music scene this past year. Best New Artist nominees Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan are among the frontrunners, both poised to make a significant impact across multiple categories.
Emerging artists present an incredible opportunity to forge early partnerships as these artists rise in prominence. When these up-and-coming stars rapidly gained traction throughout 2024, especially with their summer hits, brand associations became less accessible and less cost-effective. Brands that aligned themselves with these artists early were able to expand their relationships, supporting artists who were rapidly becoming an essential driver of culture through breakthrough collaborative moments without overspending or appearing opportunistic.
Crossover Artists are the Key to Diversifying Reach
Beyoncé, who earned her 99th Grammy nomination—setting a new record for the most nominations in Grammy history—has received considerable attention for her entries in the country genre. This has sparked some controversy, particularly after she was snubbed at the CMA Awards earlier this month and was also denied a nomination for her country-tinged track “Daddy Lessons” from Lemonade. Despite being the most nominated artist of all time, Beyoncé has never won Album of the Year. Could 2025 be her year, with the Cowboy Carter nomination on the horizon?
Post Malone also made waves this year, earning his first-ever Grammy nomination in the country category, while simultaneously helping Morgan Wallen secure his first nomination with their collaboration on the hit track “I Had Some Help.” Kendrick Lamar, meanwhile, earned five nominations for his diss track “Not Like Us,” which stands as the sole rap song nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
This year’s genre shake-ups underscore a growing trend of artists stepping outside their traditional musical boundaries with new releases. We can expect to see more pop artists experimenting with country influences, while country artists like Shaboozey venture into pop and hip-hop territories. For brands, this shift offers a unique opportunity to diversify their reach, tapping into the audiences of various music genres and connecting with different audience segments beyond the artist’s typical demographic through content and partnerships.
With the Grammys fast approaching, there are still plenty of opportunities for brands to engage.
BENlabs has access to exclusive events surrounding the awards, as well as partnerships with nominated artists, allowing brands to create dynamic social content showcasing their Grammy week experiences.
Special thanks to Erin Schickner, Director, Brand & Music Partnerships, for contributing this article.
