It’s official. The Recording Academy has awarded Jon Batiste with this year’s Album of the Year award for We Are.
It was a tough category, with albums from Lil Nas X, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett, Justin Bieber, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, H.E.R., Olivia Rodrigo, and Taylor Swift all receiving nods as potential year-defining records. Plus, the 2022 awards marked the first where 10 artists earned the recognition. But Batiste still won the trophy, even among some of the biggest names in popular music.
Batiste released his eighth studio album in March of 2021, and it includes contributions from PJ Morton, Trombone Shorty, Zadie Smith, and more, with Tori Kelly, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Big Freedia part of the album’s Deluxe Edition.
The last few years saw Album of the Year wins from Taylor Swift in 2021 (Folklore), Billie Eilish in 2020 (When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?), and Kacey Musgraves in 2019 (Golden Hour).
Batiste is the first Black artist to win Album of the Year at the Grammys since 2008, when Herbie Hancock won for his effort River: The Joni Letters. Before that, in 2005, Ray Charles won for his final studio album Genius Loves Company.
For a complete list of this year’s winners, click here.
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