As GRAMMY season rapidly approaches, the music industry is buzzing with predictions and debates about which artists will take home the prestigious awards this year. One of the central figures in these discussions, as always, is Beyoncé. The legendary artist is already the most awarded act in GRAMMY history, with a staggering number of wins across a variety of categories. However, despite her dominance at the ceremony, one elusive accolade continues to escape her grasp—the coveted Album of the Year award.

This gap in her collection has fueled considerable controversy over the years. Many fans and critics alike feel that Beyoncé has been unfairly overlooked for the top prize, especially given the monumental impact of albums like Lemonade and Renaissance, both of which redefined modern music and cultural conversations. As we inch closer to the 2025 ceremony, the discourse surrounding her potential for finally winning Album of the Year has reached a fever pitch.

But this year, Beyoncé faces stiff competition from a variety of artists, including Jon Batiste, who is no stranger to GRAMMY glory himself. Batiste famously won Album of the Year in 2022 for his eclectic and genre-defying We Are. This time around, he’s involved in a project that has garnered significant attention and could pose a serious challenge to Beyoncé: Cowboy Carter.

Cowboy Carter is a country-focused album that has caught the attention of critics for its bold blend of traditional country themes with contemporary sounds. Batiste contributed to the project by co-writing the powerful track American Requiem, a song that has already been hailed for its emotional depth and innovative approach to storytelling in the country genre.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Batiste expressed his belief that Cowboy Carter is more than deserving of the Album of the Year title. He noted that the album’s depth is something that even dedicated listeners may not have fully grasped yet, emphasizing its thematic layers and the intricate creative process behind it. “It is Album of the Year-worthy,” Batiste said. “And I will say, being in on that process, there’s a lot of depth in that album that people aren’t even keying into just yet. So it’s definitely worthy of it.”

Batiste’s comments are sure to add fuel to the ongoing debates as GRAMMY voters begin casting their ballots for the 2025 nominees. With Cowboy Carter gaining traction and Beyoncé still in pursuit of her first Album of the Year win, this year’s race promises to be one of the most competitive and closely watched in recent memory.

While it remains to be seen which artists will ultimately land nominations, or who will walk away with the night’s biggest prizes, one thing is clear: the conversation surrounding Album of the Year is shaping up to be more heated than ever. For now, fans of both Beyoncé and Cowboy Carter will have to wait and see if their favorites get the recognition they deserve when the nominations are announced in the coming months.