First all-female rock and country categories at the Grammys

For the first time in the 63-edition history of the Grammy Awards, every nominee for Best Rock Performance and Best Country Album, announced prior to the 2021 awards show on 24 November 2020, was a woman or a group fronted by a woman. Best Rock Performance, won by Fiona Apple’s “Shameika” on Grammys night (14 March 2021), also featured Phoebe Bridgers (“Kyoto”), HAIM (“The Steps”), Brittany Howard (“Stay High”), Grace Potter (“Daylight”) and Big Thief (“Not”), the American indie-rock band fronted by Adrianne Lenker. Best Country Album, won by Miranda Lambert’s Wildcard, also featured Lady Like by Ingrid Andress, Your Life Is a Record by Brandy Clark, Nightfall by Little Big Town and Never Will by Ashley McBryde.

The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California, USA, proved to be a successful night for female artists, with the “big four” general field categories all won by women: Album of the Year (Taylor Swift’s folklore), Record of the Year (Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted”), Song of the Year (H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe”) and Best New Artist (Megan Thee Stallion). Awards were also presented to Beyoncé, whose four Grammy wins took her tally to 28 (the most Grammys won by a female artist and the most Grammys won by a vocalist), Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance), Dua Lipa (Best Pop Vocal Album), Brittany Howard (Best Rock Song), Ledisi (Best Traditional R&B Performance) and The Highwomen (Best Country Song), among others.