Photo Credit: miss_j
The 2025 Grammy’s was a landmark moment for Black artists. Doechii became the third-ever Black woman to win “Best Rap Album” for Alligator Bites Never Heal. Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is the second-ever rap song to win “Record of the Year” and “Song of the Year” (along with an additional three Grammy Awards for the track). Beyonce not only made history with her album Cowboy Carter as the first Black woman to win “Best Country Album,” but she also became the fourth-ever (and first in this century) Black woman to win “Album of the Year” (an accolade for which she has been infamously snubbed throughout her career). Black music and Black artists have been at the forefront of defining pop culture, but it has been a struggle to get labels and the music industry at large to adequately recognize, compensate, and award those contributions. This year’s ceremony reflects a step forward, so for this Black History Month we’re examining where the music industry has succeeded and where it still needs to go to be more equitable to its Black artists.
The Grammy’s are a good place to start when discussing this issue because, though people might deride it as just another award show, the awards given out have real-world benefits accompanying them. After a Grammy win, artists can see a 55% (or more) rise in producer fees and ticket sales. One music video director, David Rousseau, personally attested that the behind-the-scenes hitmakers (songwriters and producers) in his life saw a 100-150% earnings boost post-Grammy win. For the performers and behind-the-scenes artists alike, the benefits are lucrative (increased sales and streams of winning works, increased social media following, greater potential for higher-earning record deals, etc.), grant prestige, increase social capital, and put them in a better position for future professional ventures. On an emotional level, a Grammy nomination and/or win is an affirmation amongst one’s peers that their art matters, which contributes to why snubs can be both consequential and hurtful.
In recent years, more and more attention and criticism were drawn against the Grammy’s for their long-standing failure to award or even acknowledge Black artists. Some Black artists spoke out against and divested from the ceremony altogether. The most notable recent example is The Weeknd. He chose to boycott the Grammy’s after he wasn’t nominated for any awards in 2021, despite his album After Hours being the most streamed R&B album of all time and having a song break the record for most weeks in Billboard’s Hot 100’s Top Five. To the Grammy Awards’ credit, they chose to look inward and make systemic changes to prevent such snubs from happening again. During the 2025 Grammy’s broadcast, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. informed the audience that they increased its voting body by 3,000 members—making it younger and 40% people of color. This speech was followed by The Weeknd’s first performance at the Grammy’s since his boycott.
These moves are heartening and show a real sense of accountability and commitment to equitably reform on behalf of the Recording Academy. For the artists whose names and faces we’ve come to know, it’s gratifying to see their concerns validated and their contributions appropriately recognized and awarded. That means the work is done, right? Well…not quite.
Artists have been calling out inequities for years, and healthcare was called out explicitly this year. The 2025 “Best New Artist” spoke during her acceptance speech about how labels should provide a livable wage and health insurance to their artists—particularly developing artists. This speech was met with a standing ovation and widespread acclaim, and such enthusiasm from her peers indicates that the industry at large has a long way to go. What is the day-to-day lived reality and what are the pay disparities for the majority of artists, particularly artists of color?
BMG has revealed that several of its labels offered unfair contracts to Black artists. Former entertainment attorney, Tonya Butler, spoke in greater detail about this phenomenon:
“Anybody can get a bad deal—but because of the inequities in education, and the economic disparity that exists, Black artists and brown artists are more susceptible to getting a bad deal. They often come from low-income circumstances, and they lack the necessary education and resources to find out more. I liken it to COVID: Everybody can get it, but Black and brown people are affected more intensely than others because of systemic inequities.”
With regard to health insurance, for which Black Americans are less likely than their white counterparts to be covered, there are several complications. Some labels under the big three major record companies (Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group) have an agreement with SAG-AFTRA to provide artists who have royalty deals with health insurance. However, this does not apply to independent labels (which comprise the majority of recording artists in the music industry) or unsigned artists. Artists who get their insurance through the marketplace in their state face challenges getting medical care while touring. Additionally, artists who get dropped from their label lose not only what eligibility they may have but are also left without training that could be used for other fields.
Additionally, in industries where disparities and discrimination run rampant, sexual violence also thrives. Black women have spoken out about the power dynamics in the music industry that have led to sexual abuse, assault, and harassment at the hands of their colleagues and superiors. This shows that the fight to end systemic inequity and the fight to end sexual violence are intertwined battles.
In conclusion, while the music industry has shown significant signs of progress, it still has areas to improve. In the future, we would like to see:
-Music companies do an internal investigation to ensure their labels are issuing fair and equitable contracts to their Black artists
-Music labels partner with and uplift organizations that provide health insurance to their artists (such as the ones featured on this list by Billboard)
-Music companies and labels partner with RALIANCE to have a policy review on how to handle sexual abuse, assault, and harassment at the workplace
-Black artists be included at every table to address their concerns and have their needs met
Black artists deserve to be seen, heard, and uplifted. When delivering a message to all the Black girls and women watching her Grammy win, Doechii said:
“Don’t allow anybody to project stereotypes on you, that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am testimony.”
Together, we can create spaces that honor Doechii’s testimony where everyone is valued for who they are, as they are. This Black History Month, we commend all who have taken the initiative to do the work and all who strive to keep that work going.
RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.